Elvis

Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Black African
Background: Elvis is 37 years old and is Black African. He works as a wellbeing support navigator. Elvis’s dad was taken to the intensive care unit with Covid. He stayed in the unit for three weeks before passing away. Elvis caught Covid as well but had no symptoms.

Elvis lived with his father, who caught Covid from visiting a restaurant. He says that his dad was tired, could not do normal every day activites, and wanted to sleep all the time. Elvis said to his dad that these symptoms were similar to the symptoms of Covid, but his dad felt sure that his symptoms would clear in a couple of days and that he could take some cold and flu tablets and feel okay again. However, his dad started to feel worse. Elvis explains, he could sweat you know and then he started to feel the cold in his body and short of breath Elvis was quite worried about his dad so he phoned the GP, who told him if his symptoms got worse to call 999 (the emergency services). The GP also told him to order a Covid test.

The Covid test was positive, and again they were told to self-isolate and if the symptoms got worse to go to hospital. Elvis says he was afraid during this time because his dad’s symptoms were getting worse, so he made the decision to call the emergency services. They asked him a series of questions and said that his dad was not bad enough to be taken to hospital. Elvis himself had no symptoms even though he also tested positive.

A day or so later, Elvis called the emergency services again. This time an ambulance came to Elvis’s dad and they gave him oxygen and took him to the intensive care unit. The nurses explained that this was because his dad had underlying conditions that could make his recovery worse. The first week Elvis’s dad was in the hospital was fine. Elvis says that his dad was seeming to recover as he could eat and was able to talk on the phone. The second week, Elvis’s dad started to detoriate and was put on dialysis because his kidneys were starting to fail. The third week, Elvis’s dad passed away.

Elvis was frustrated that his father’s Covid symptoms had to get worse before paramedics would visit.

Age at interview 37

Elvis tried to ease his mother’s doubts about vaccines but understood her reservations.

Age at interview 37

Elvis made his dad a drink of ginger, lemon, and red onion to help with his immune system.

Age at interview 37

Elvis felt 100% fine when he had Covid. He was bored isolating alone at home, wishing he could do his normal activities.

Age at interview 37

Elvis had no symptoms but was encouraged by family to test when his father caught Covid.

Age at interview 37

Elvis expresses frustration with government measures regarding Covid.

Age at interview 37

Elvis first heard about coronavirus on the BBC news and then searched online.

Age at interview 37

Elvis was not worried about catching Covid from his father because he was more concerned about looking after him.

Age at interview 37