'Frightening': Call to take booster jabs as patients double in one hospital

Two Covid patients told ITV News Health Editor Emily Morgan they would not be alive if they were not double-jabbed as doctors highlight the importance of booster jabs.

A double-jabbed grandmother who thought she could die from Covid-19 opened up about how she messaged her children to say goodbye before being put in an induced coma.

59-year-old Susan Livesey is among the minority of Covid-19 patients who were hospitalised despite getting both vaccine doses.

Another double-jabbed Covid patient Lyn Howard, 52, spoke to ITV News about his "very frightening" ordeal as he struggled to breathe.

At Royal Preston Hospital, where both patients are being treated, the number of Covid patients have nearly doubled from around 30 to 57 in two weeks.

Doctor Mohammed Munavvar attributed the rise to several factors - complacency, a rise in infections as schools reopen and waning protection from jabs - and highlighted the importance of third booster jabs.

Covid patient Susan Livesey recalls the heartbreaking moment she messaged her children to say goodbye before she was put in an induced coma

In Ms Livesey's case, the mum-of-three and grandmother-of-six prepared for the worst case scenario as she said goodbye to her family before being put into an induced coma.

Ms Livesey is recovering well, but she recalled the heartbreaking moment just weeks ago: "I had to send (my children) all a message at half past four in the morning, telling them that we had to say goodbye because I was going to be put into an induced coma and ventilated and my odds wouldn't have been good."

She continued: "I was told to. (I was told) you're going to die, you need to contact your children."

"It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my entire life," she added.

Five weeks down the line, the grandmother is on the mend and is confident she will make it home for Christmas.

Ms Livesey, who spent three weeks in intensive care with a CPAP machine, puts her survival down to the vaccine and her grandchildren who inspired her to stay alive.

She told ITV News: "If I wouldn't have had them two vaccines, I know I will not be here because it has given me that protection to finally fight the way I have done.

"I've always been a fighter and I have six little grandchildren so I had lots of cards, and they were my inspiration to get better."

Despite contracting the coronavirus, she is adament she had not been complacent despite getting both jabs.

'If I hadn't had both jabs, God knows where I would've been,' says Lyn Howard, 52

Lyn Howard, 52, who is on the mend, also believes the vaccine saved his life.

He caught Covid-19 after one of his sons tested positive and he was sent to hospital by an ambulance last Wednesday after having difficulty breathing.

He described the ordeal: "Very frightening, plus I've never been to hospital before and you know, an ambulance turns up and paramedics, I thought they were coming to just listen to my chest.

"Before I knew it, my breathing was down to 86% and I was in the back of ambulance getting taken to hospital."

Asked if he believed the vaccine saved him, he said: "No question.

"I don't where I would've been if I hadn't had it. I've never been in hospital in my life so it was a shock for me to come into hospital.

"But if I hadn't had both jabs, God knows where I would've been because my breathing was that bad. I never had a problem with breathing before."

Mr Howard, who received his second jab in July, said although the vaccine gave him more confidence to go out, he did not believe he was more careless as a result and would've taken a third booster jab if he could.

Double-jabbed Covid patients seeking hospital treatment are still in the minority, with the majority of patients having just one jab or no jabs at all, Royal Preston Hospital clarified.