A dad-of-three who was struck down with Covid just a fortnight before his first vaccine says he was so unwell that it felt like he was "breathing fire". Kelvin Williams, from Newport, has now joined calls by Public Health Wales for eligible groups to receive their booster jab to keep themselves protected this winter.
The 57-year-old, who works as an occupational hygienist, was heavily involved in trying to keep workplaces safe from the virus throughout the pandemic. Despite being on the frontline for many months, it wasn't until March 2021 that he first contracted the disease.
"I'd been working with high street supermarket chains, the police force and others [to help keep them free from disease]. I'd visited the Royal Gwent Hospital to help with their face fit testing. It was a miracle that I hadn't picked up anything sooner," he said.
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"I'm a fairly fit guy and I like to spend time climbing mountains and walking, so I thought that even if I did get Covid I'd be a bit ill for a few days and then get over it. That's the kind of mindset I had."
Kelvin said that within a few hours of feeling "a bit groggy and shivery" and booking himself a PCR test he'd started to "shake really violently". When he returned a positive test he then spent a couple of days in bed with flu-like symptoms.
"The following day, I think it was a Thursday, I felt a bit flu-ish but on the Friday - day three - I started to feel better again. As I'd predicted I thought I'd have a few days of the sniffles and that would be it. But on the Saturday I got worse again - and from then on it just got worse and worse. I was starting to get a bit worried by this point.
"I was shaking like a leaf, I had a terrible fever, and around about day eight or day nine I started to have problems controlling my temperature. I'd been taking paracetamol and ibuprofen to try and stay on top of it, but the pills weren't working anymore.
"I had my feet in a bucket of cold water and a cold towel around the back to try and keep my temperature down. Every breath I was taking was like breathing fire. I found that if I wanted to walk up the stairs, I could get to the top and then I would have to stand there or sit for a minute to get my breath back. Every breath was hard work."
Kelvin, who also completely lost his sense of taste and smell, said by day nine or 10 breathing became an effort for him and he chose to dial 999 for an ambulance. "I felt nauseous, I felt faint, I was fighting for every breath," he added. "Every time I coughed it was agony because you'd have to take a deep breath in.
"At this point I was looking online and it repeatedly said day 10 can 'go either way', so I was thinking this really might not end well for me. I thought if I'm going to shuffle off the mortal coil I don't want it to be through Covid-19."
When an ambulance arrived at his home, crew members checked him over and said they were "quite happy" to take him to hospital. "They asked me if I wanted to go in, and I said I'd rather not if it could be avoided. They said they would leave it until the morning and see how I was. That was reassuring.
"The following morning I did feel better, and from then on - day 11, day 12, day 13 - I did turn a corner and my temperature started to come under control. I lost half a stone in about a fortnight as I couldn't keep food down."
Five weeks off work followed for Kelvin and it took months for him to return to his normal active life. "I felt weak for weeks. My resilience was very, very low indeed. Over the next couple of months I tried building up my strength. I went for a walk in the mountains and I think I lasted an hour, but normally I'd be going across the Brecon Beacons for eight or nine hours.
"I was conscious that the virus can lead to irreparable damage, and it did cross my mind whether I would be subject to that. I do feel like my respiratory system is not as resilient as it was, but I have no clinical measure to back that up. But thankfully I haven't had any cognitive problems."
Kelvin is now urging people eligible for a booster jab to attend their appointment when the invitation is sent to them by their health board. "The thing with this virus is there are still a lot of things we don't know about it," he added. "There are still health effects we're becoming aware of and we're learning more about the damage, particularly the long-term damage, it can cause. And it is not the flu. It is far more than the flu. You do not want to be playing roulette with this virus."
Pregnant women, people aged 50 and over, those with a long-term health condition, and frontline health and social care workers are among those eligible for the free Covid-19 vaccine. Last week more than 100,000 people in Wales had their booster jab when they were invited. However, PHW said there are still people who haven't attended their vaccine appointment or have postponed it.
The NHS trust reiterated that the invitation will be sent to people by post from their local health board. It said eligible groups are "strongly advised" to take up the offer and prioritise their appointment where possible.
Dr Christopher Johnson, interim head of the vaccine preventable disease programme for Public Health Wales, said: "Although it is too early to say for certain, we are currently seeing the possible early signs of an autumn wave of Covid-19. While the proportion of severe infections is much lower compared to other stages of the pandemic, this pattern still remains concerning.
"While we have all been getting used to living with Covid, and while vaccination and overall population immunity are helping to keep serious illness at bay for most people, it is important that we do not become complacent.
"Everyone eligible for the booster vaccine can make a significant contribution to slowing down transmission of Covid, protecting themselves, their community and the NHS, by taking up the offer of a vaccine. Even if people are busy or have other plans, it is important to prioritise getting your booster when your appointment letter comes. It’s also vital that those who are eligible take up the offer of a flu vaccine, to help protect themselves and others this winter.”
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