A BRITISH tourist who thought he was “invincible” and dismissed coronavirus as “bull***t” is scared for his life after catching the bug in Tenerife.
Chris Grailey, previously a healthy 29-year-old, has warned others to take the virus seriously as he struggles to breathe while being given oxygen treatment.
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Chris became violently ill with Covid-19 while enjoying the sun in Tenerife.
It is not known if he reported his symptoms or sought medical advice before flying back to the UK.
The sales manager from Ancoats, Greater Manchester, is now stuck in a hospital bed and staying alive with an oxygen mask.
He has no underlying health conditions but, terrifyingly, he said he wasn’t sure he would “come out the other side” of the infection.
In a video message shared with the Manchester Evening News, Chris, struggling for breath, warns other young people flouting the rules not to make the same mistake and take the virus seriously.
His idyllic holiday in Tenerife turned to “hell” when he lost his taste of smell and started getting a fever.
He said: “I caught it in Tenerife thinking I was invincible, not wearing a mask.
“I paid the price. I have got no underlying health issues. I don’t want anyone making the same mistakes as me.
“Now I’m in intensive care, waiting to get more treatment, and not knowing if I’m coming out the other side.
“So I really want you to take this message on board because it could happen to anyone, please please take care.”
Chris, who is in hospital in Watford, said he was sick for most of his holiday in the Canary Islands – but what he didn’t know was that it would get even worse.
He said: “I was ill for most of the holiday – lost my taste, smell, had cold sweats.
“But it got a lot worse on my return home.”
Chris tested positive for coronavirus and was given a diagnosis of acute pneumonia four days ago after being rushed to hospital when he kept getting sicker.
He was diagnosed with coronavirus and acute pneumonia four days ago.
“I was rushed in Sunday morning for tests and scans and sent home on the Sunday night thinking I was ok,” Chris added.
“I was then rushed in again Tuesday morning straight onto a COVID ward.”
He shared his story in an emotional Facebook post, describing the experience as “hell”.
He said: “The way I have felt in the last week has been as close to hell I have ever been – I honestly sat there and was ready to just give up.
“I can’t breathe, walk, move. I’m like a zombie.
“I am on four different antibiotics, steroids, oxygen 24/7, more holes in my arm than a junkie.”
Young Brits having a good time and boozing late at night in pubs and bars have been blamed for the surge in cases.
And the Government’s new crackdown rolled out a 10pm curfew on pubs, bars and restaurants to try and stop people ignoring social distancing because they don’t take the virus seriously.
But Chris’ warning might give people not taking the rules seriously more pause than the new rules.
The sales manager said other young people who dismissed the virus as not much worse than the flu had to learn from his experience – or they could end up learning the hard way, like he has.
“The reason I’m showing you all this is because I was the first to say it was all bullshit and “nah f**k it were young we won’t get it, it’s only bad flu, government conspiracy Bla bla bla” wrong!
“This is REAL it’s real life killing me.
“So before you think about going to house parties thinking your invincible getting off your heads sharing 10 pound notes, look at that picture and imagine it could be you.
“It can get anyone, I’m 29 with no underlying health conditions. This is serious s**t. Please please wake up guys. There’s more to life than this.
“I really want the young ones going out and not taking any notice to look at my pictures and think it could be them.
“I have no underlying health issues and 29 and it’s happened to me.
“Life is too short to risk your health I have learnt the hard way I don’t want people making the same mistakes I have.”
