Salisbury man calls for us to take Covid seriously
James Jordan's been speaking out following the death of his brother, David
Last updated 5th Jan 2021
James and David Jordan both tested positive for Covid-19 between Christmas and New Year and decided to isolate together at James's home in Salisbury.
Within just four days, David's condition worsened and he passed away in his sleep.
He was just 36 and had no apparent underlying health conditions, as well as being a keen swimmer and having completed triathlons.
James Jordan says it all happened with 'shocking speed' and is calling on people to seek medical advice if needed:
"He had a terrible cough that just woudn't go away and the thing that really stood out for me with him is the essentially exhaustion that he had just walking up the stairs, which for a pretty fit 30-something year old is just not right. My message is that if you find yourself with a diagnosis, please for heavens sake, don't leave it too late."
James wants to raise awareness that Covid-19 really can affect anyone, and hopes that by sharing his family's story, it'll encourage others to take it seriously:
"We all feel we're safe and also that it's only people that are in their maturer years that have to worry about it. This is a case in point that if you do have a positive test and you're self-isolating and your condition is not getting any better, we both naively ignored it, didn't take medical advice or action and that's a regret I have to live with."
LOCKDOWN 'NECESSARY'
James Jordan, who also runs an estate agency in Salisbury, says his experiences makes him believe a new national lockdown for England and increased vigilance could help save lives.
He says he appreciates the economic impact of closing businesses temporarily, as well as the need for children to have routine in going to school, but that's outweighed by other factors.
He's told Greatest Hits Radio Salisbury that he backs the idea of a similar lockdown to what we saw last March:
"Be on guard, and be sensible. We've got a vaccine on the way, we all know that's going to take some time to roll out, why wouldn't we just sit back for three or four months and just let things catch up, that's my feeling."