[JoeP]

'I felt like ET': UK man describes surreal coronavirus quarantine | Science | The Guardian

Hope phoned the GP on Tuesday after his symptoms had worsened to “a really bad chest – coughing to the point of vomiting”. Having explained his condition, Hope was told there were no appointments available and to call back in the morning. The next day Hope told his GP during a telephone consultation that he had been unable to leave his house since returning from China – and events suddenly sped up.

“I told them I had flu-like symptoms and that I had travelled back from Wuhan,” he said. “At first the GP told me to come to the surgery and said we could both wear masks and I could stand outside the door – but then things quickly changed and I was told to stay at home, not to leave, and I would be visited instead.”

Hope then received two phone calls in quick succession – one from Public Health England and another from medics at Newcastle’s infectious diseases unit in the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) – telling him to remain indoors.

Two medics in white suits with helmets and visors escorted him into an ambulance before attaching a nebuliser to his face. Hope was raced to hospital with the sirens on.