Bravely speaking out after her father’s death from Covid-19, Laura Waller, 26, is urging everyone to follow government guidance.

Kevin Waller, 63, of Shoebury, passed away on December 23. Tragically, Laura also lost her mum Carole, aged 48, in 2011

The next time you’re in a supermarket and don’t want to wear a mask because it rubs your ear for five minutes, remind yourself of this.

The next time you’re getting frustrated about having to queue outside for 10 minutes whilst crowd volumes go down inside, remind yourself of this.

The next time you blindly walk past the hand sanitiser station because you simply can’t be bothered, remind yourself of this.

This picture isn’t me trialling out for a new film.

This isn’t me on my way to some messed up fancy dress party.

This is me leaving the ICU shortly after giving permission to the consultants to turn off my dad’s life support after Covid had completely taken hold of his body.

Leaving him with a burst lung and kidney and liver failure, within five days of his admission.

This is me unable to wipe my own tears due to the amount of protective equipment I was required to wear to even be allowed to enter the ward.

But, at least I was in.

I was in while my poor brother, Tom, 28, had to sit at home and say goodbye to his dad and best friend on FaceTime due to the ‘one in’ rule.

I’m upset.

And I’m angry.

The nurses and doctors fighting this what seems to be losing battle are upset and angry.

As I walk in, the consultant turns to me and says “We’ve had enough. We’ve just had enough”.

They later tell me that they lost a gentlemen that morning, and were preparing to lose his wife later that evening.

Their eyes filled with tears as they explain they are doing everything they can.

They feel like they have failed.

But they haven’t failed.

They have done everything but.

A year after we all learnt of this ‘new’ virus called Covid, this shouldn’t still be happening.

How is it even possible for it to get so out of control, again.

Because of Covid, I will have no one to walk me down the aisle and my parents’ table will be empty.

Because of Covid, my children will now not only never meet their nan, but they will never meet their grandad either.

Because of Covid, my 85-year-old nan has had to say goodbye to her only remaining child after previously losing her other 40 years earlier.

Because of Covid, I am now left with no parents at the age of 26.

We can sit around and blame this person or that person.

We can say we didn’t have enough knowledge or “well I thought it would be fine”.

Well guess what, it’s not fine.

Unless we as a country, and every single one of us in it, gets a grip and starts playing their part, nothing is going to change and it will be multiple other heartbroken families announcing their loss, every day, for months.

Families are being ripped apart and completely destroyed by this God awful disease.

Stop playing roulette with a virus that doesn’t care if it wipes out your entire family.

Because trust me, this isn’t the ending you or any of your family deserve.