GEMMA Collins has revealed her dad “isn’t the same man” due to his ongoing and “distressing” battle with long Covid. Alan, 73, tested positive for coronavirus just before Christmas alongside her mum Joan, saying he would “rather be dead” as he fought for his life in hospital. He was out just in time for Gemma’s […]
GEMMA Collins has revealed her dad “isn’t the same man” due to his ongoing and “distressing” battle with long Covid.
Alan, 73, tested positive for coronavirus just before Christmas alongside her mum Joan, saying he would “rather be dead” as he fought for his life in hospital.
He was out just in time for Gemma’s 40th birthday but is still living with the symptoms months on.
The devastated reality star told new! magazine: “He’s got long Covid. He’s not the same man he was before he went into hospital.
“He’s very tired, he gets weak, he gets out of breath and still coughs a lot.”
She added: “It’s really distressing, but we’re just so grateful he’s alive and hopefully he will come through the long Covid.”
Last month a study by the University of Washington found that one in three Covid patients are still suffering from symptoms up to nine months after initially catching the virus.
One of the most high profile long Covid sufferers is Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper.
Gemma previously described Covid as “ripping through her family”, but said that him coming out of hospital was the best birthday present after fears he wasn’t going to make it.
She said on her podcast: “My dad comes home this week, so it’s the best birthday I could wish for.
“Yes, I can’t have the party that was planned. I had arranged so many singers to come to a venue I booked last year.
“That’s not going to happen but it doesn’t matter because my dad has survived Covid.”
She continued: “They actually called my dad the miracle man in hospital.
“My dad is 73 and he’s a very fit man, however Covid really ripped through my family and it was just so heartbreaking. It was so heartbreaking to see my dad fighting for his life.”
