Coronavirus: most vulnerable in Brighton speak out

Of the nine positive tests, five have been in Brighton.

The NHS said “the risk to individuals remains low”. But for those with compromised immune systems, the virus poses a serious threat.

The Argus spoke to two people – one with leukaemia and another the mother of a child with a rare syndrome that weakens the immune system – to find out what life is like for them in Britain’s worst affected city.

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Mike Dicks, 52, from Hove, has chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The cancer affects white blood cells and prevents him from fending off viruses and infections.

He said: “I’m concerned about coronavirus. When you’re like me, you don’t want to catch anything.

“I pretty much don’t have a functioning immune system. I’m in the middle of chemotherapy, and I can’t fight off viruses easily.

“Two out of four people with my form of leukaemia don’t die of cancer – they die of something like flu or pneumonia.

“They just can’t fight these illnesses. And some people are even more vulnerable than me.

“There has been a lot of fear and panic around coronavirus.

“Many people are now living in a world that someone with leukaemia has to inhabit all the time.

“I’m constantly keeping an eye out.

“My friends will tell me if they’ve caught a cold or have flu, and we won’t meet.”

Mike said he was worried the NHS would not be able to prevent people like him from contracting the virus.

He said: “The NHS needs funding and is under a huge amount of pressure.

“I’ve experienced problems and mistakes myself because of this. It leaves me thinking similar problems could happen when dealing with coronavirus.”

Like many in Brighton, Mike said he wants to hear more from the authorities about the spread of the virus in the city.

He said: “More information would make me feel more secure. I’m grateful I wasn’t using one of the GP surgeries that had to close.

“I would feel safer if there was good public information about this, so I could know, for example, if I can visit the haematology department at the hospital safely.

“It would be easy to have a website with warnings to let people know.”

The Argus also spoke to a mother whose son has a rare syndrome which leaves him vulnerable to infection.

Talking anonymously, she said: “My son’s condition is so severe that he essentially has no active immune system.

“He has a similar immunological profile to someone with HIV, Aids or cancer and it affects him every day.

“He suffered from bad chest infections as an infant and had a collapsed lung when he was four.

“I’ve been so worried.

“Somebody at his school was told to self-isolate after coming into contact with a person who has coronavirus.

“It used to be so far away – but now it’s on our doorstep.

“I’m calling everyone on the phone to find out what to do. Nurses and doctors have told me my son is unlikely to be affected and that I shouldn’t be worried.

“But in our case, I need to be able to gauge the risk and that just isn’t possible with the information being supplied.”

“Only a very small percentage of the population is at his level of risk. But we’ve been told so little about this situation in Brighton and what we’ve been given is just not helpful.

“We’re told that it poses only a moderate risk – but it’s very different for someone with a compromised immune system.”

Both the mother and Mike appealed for better information from Public Health England and the NHS – but neither body would provide The Argus with a comment addressing their concerns directly.

The NHS said anyone who has been in close contact with someone with a confirmed case of coronavirus should call the NHS on 111.

It said symptoms of the virus include a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath.

Public Health England said it has spoken to those identified as close contacts of the confirmed cases in Brighton.

It said those who have been approached and considered to be at higher risk “will have a daily contact assessment of their health”, and said “certain individuals may be asked to self-isolate”.