Iqra

Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Pakistani
Background: Iqra is 25 years old and is Pakistani. She lives with her parents and her brother. Iqra was worried about her parents getting Covid and was careful about people visiting them at home.

When Covid first started, Iqra did not think much of it. She felt like the disease was very far away from the UK. However, when it started to appear on the news everyday she started to think that the disease could be quite serious. Iqra decided she would do her best to boost her immunity. For example, she drank more vitamin C and took various dietary supplements. Iqra says that she only did this for about six months because she did not like the taste of all these things. She also thought that she was very unlikely to get Covid as she likes to stay home.

Iqra was worried about her parents getting Covid because of their long-term health problems. She recalled how she stopped some family members from visiting them when she thought they might be infectious. They did not like it but Iqra felt it was important to protect their health.

Iqra came down with Covid after visiting a friend. She had a headache and severe back pain. At first, she did not think it was Covid because she was looking after her immunity and using facemasks and hand sanitiser. Iqra says she still has some symptoms of long Covid. For example, she says she cannot smell everything. She finds this quite upsetting at times, especially when she is cooking.

Iqra has been vaccinated against Covid. She says both the first and second vaccine gave her a sore arm.

Iqra’s father got Covid from meeting a close friend who was about to travel abroad.

Age at interview 25

He was very obedient of the government’s rules so what had happened is he found out that his friend was going to Pakistan. And he was like, when, he didn’t know how long his friend was going for, if he was going for a month or two, so he was like, “Oh yes, meet up and like catch up on life.” And things like that. So they met up. My dad really didn’t think he would have Covid. He was like, “Oh, he’s planning going to another country. He’s even done his PCR test. There’s no way he’s going to have Covid.” So he met him, gave him a hug and spoke to him and, before he went home, gave him a hug again like have a safe flight, this that.

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Iqra was concerned that her mother could catch Covid from the supermarket.

Age at interview 25

So I was just worried for my mum because I knew she was out going but the only excuse she had to go out was to the supermarket. We knew she would wear her mask and that. We just used to be scared like we don’t know, we know about our family but the other people at the supermarket, how do we not know that they’re sick or if they’re not sick.

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Iqra described how praying gave her peace.

Age at interview 25

I was just at so much peace. I had no outside world stress. I was just praying, doing what I was meant to do. When you are doing what God tells you what you’re meant to do, my face literally used to glow and I used to have shiny eyes and everything. I was just glowing with happiness.

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