Coronavirus: Carer worker 'risked her life to help others', says daughter
Iris Critchley, 64, was one of the many care workers who risked their lives to look after others.
Tuesday 12 May 2020 19:58, UK
Iris Critchley had been a carer most of her working life and was devoted to helping people.
The grandmother of five, 64, had been working in a local nursing home in Macclesfield, Cheshire, when the pandemic started, and had been helping out while some of the carers were self-isolating.
Her job as a housekeeper meant she often cleaned the rooms and communal areas and supported the carers in looking after the elderly residents.
Iris's daughter, Lisa Flynn, said her mother was determined to continue working despite fears over coronavirus.
She told Sky News: "Some of the staff that were showing symptoms or had family members showing symptoms weren't able to come in.
"So my mum was the first one to offer to help and when we asked her not to go, she said if everyone had that attitude no one would go in and look after those people.
"As a family, we were begging her not to go."
Iris began to develop a dry throat but the family thought nothing of it because at the time, towards the end of March, that was not one of the now well-known symptoms.
"She said she'd got a scratchy throat. And she was laughing and joking telling us she felt fine," Lisa said.
"I got a call on my mobile and it was my dad saying he'd called an ambulance. My mum wasn't well.
"And in the background, she shouted: 'Tell her I love her'. That was the last I heard from my mum."
Within minutes she had closed her eyes and her lips had turned blue. An ambulance was called but by the time it arrived it was too late.
Iris died from COVID-19 on 28 March at 7.30am.
"She was very popular. Her neighbours decided to line the streets and they stood and applauded as the hearse went past," her daughter said.
"People paid tribute by lighting a candle and they were posting it on social media at the time of the funeral, which gave us a lot of comfort.
"We were told we could only have 10 people at the funeral.
"We couldn't have a service indoors because it was a burial, so we were told we had to have everything done around the graveside.
"We had to have it at the side on a path. So they had mum's coffin on a trolley at the side of the cars."
Iris's family believe she may have contracted the disease because of the work she was doing in the care home, which had suspected COVID-19 cases.
Social care staff have been particular badly hit in the pandemic.
The COVID-19 death rate among carers is double that of the general working age population, according to data published by the ONS.
New figures based on deaths registered up to and including 20 April 2020 in England and Wales recorded a total of 131 deaths involving COVID-19 among social care workers.
There were 8,312 coronavirus-related deaths in care homes up to 1 May in England and Wales, the ONS reported on Tuesday.
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Lisa believes her mum risked her own life to help others.
"I think carers are the forgotten heroes in all of this. And she was a hero," she said.
"She put her life at risk every day going to work. And sadly, she lost her life through that.
"She was the most amazing, loving, most caring woman you could ever meet.
"And that's how we will always remember her."