Charity warns of "tsunami of grief" during Covid
Our Behind The Mask project is looking at the mental health impacts of the pandemic
Last updated 12th Feb 2021
As the Covid death toll tops 115,000, a charity’s warning of a “tsunami of grief” across the UK during the pandemic.
Our Behind The Mask series is looking at how the pandemic’s affected our mental health over the past year.
It's feared social distancing rules, and strict limits on funerals is preventing some people from grieving properly.
Kevin Chadwick, from Barnsley died with coronavirus last April, just 24 hours after he found out he had the virus.
His symptoms started mild but quickly got worse, and his wife Vicky called an ambulance.
She says things happened really quickly from then:
“He facetimed me from hospital to tell me that he wasn’t going to make it. But Kevin was quite a big joker so I didn’t believe him to start with.
“But then next thing there was an A&E doctor or nurse who came on and said your husband’s really poorly, we’re doing everything we can but we’re taking him on to a critical care ward"
Kevin died in Barnsley Hospital with Vicky by his side in full PPE. He was just 47 years old.
Vicky says the loss has hit her hard:
“It’s had a massive impact. We did everything together - if we weren’t at work we were together. Whether it was just going out for tea or just being at home watching a film or Netflix we were always together. So it’s literally half of me gone.”
“It has been really hard. It’s been difficult to come to terms with. Some days I wake up and I think it’s not true - it must have been a bad dream. But then you come to the realisation that it is and he’s not here.
“I’ve found it difficult - some days I just don’t even want to get out of bed but then I just push myself to actually get up and do things, going walking and stuff like that, getting out of the house.
“My family have been amazing - they’re always there for me. My sister’s been with me a lot - because I’m on my own we’re in a bubble. She’s been my rock.”
People who've lost loved ones during the pandemic are being urged to seek support if they need it.
Linda Magistris is from the Good Grief Trust and says a lot of people have been bereaved this year:
“It’s been completely catastrophic to be honest - we are talking about a tsunami of grief and mental health issues.
“There are no rules to grief. There are no rights or wrongs. And that is so important because people think they are doing the wrong thing, they are grieving the wrong way. There is no wrong way - it’s your way, it’s your grief. Your grief is unique to you.
“We say grief is really love with nowhere to go. It’s just so powerful and it can be so debilitating and it can take over so many aspects of your life - your financial, your children, your workplace - everything can be affected by grief if you don’t acknowledge it."