A doctor who was left racked with guilt after breaking Covid rules to comfort a grieving widow was left outraged by the Downing Street parties.
Dr Prit Buttar, 61, revealed how he willingly breached social distancing measures to give a heartbroken pensioner a hug at a vaccine clinic during the second lockdown of 2020.
The retired GP, who returned to work during the pandemic, was vaccinating the woman in Annan when she said her husband had just died of cancer.
Moved by her sadness, the doctor reached out and held her as she wept in his arms and told him that his hug was the first time anyone had embraced her since her husband’s death.
Now Dr Buttar is comparing his own rule-breaking with the the Prime Minister after he was left feeling guilty for "just wanting to be human".
He told the Daily Record : "I did what I felt was the right thing to do when breaking the rules, but to see the leaders of our country twist their drinks parties to be justified is appalling.
“People have had to make serious choices when going against Covid rules and I have been feeling guilty for just wanting to be human.
“We follow the restrictions because it is the only way out of this and most people, like myself, take that seriously and would only break them if the situation seriously called for it.
“So to find out Boris Johnson and others have been having get togethers, and then give us terrible excuses for them, just tipped me over the edge to share my experience."
Dr Buttar admitted that he has felt guilty about breaching the rules every day, but was unable to help himself as he watched his patient struggle in her grief.
The Scot, who lives near Kirkcudbright, recalled how she spoke of her loneliness during her Covid vaccination appointment just one week after her husband's death.
The woman, in her 60s, had moved from England to Scotland with her husband just before the outbreak of the pandemic but he fell ill a short time later.
She was unable to make any friends in her new community during lockdown while busy caring for her sick husband, meaning she was alone when he died.
Dr Buttar added: "The bottom line is as I am a doctor and believe in science so I follow the rules but seeing this poor woman, I had to do something.
"I could tell she wanted to talk, so I abandoned my usual spiel about the vaccine, possible side-effects, and just listened.
“She had been so wrapped up in caring for her husband over the past year, she hadn’t had a chance to make friends with local people, something worsened by the first lockdown.
“She had dealt with his death and funeral arrangements alone, so I decided to break the rules about social distancing."
The health professional recalled leaning forward in his chair and putting his arms around the grieving widow.
"She clung to me and wept, and sobbed into my shoulder and said 'this is the first time anyone’s embraced me since he died.’
“I still believe it is so important to follow the rules but I felt this situation called for it."
Dr Buttar has vaccinated almost 2,000 people but said this moment "really stuck out" to him.
“I didn’t take comforting that woman lightly just like most other ordinary people who are trying to face our painful reality,” he added.
The doctor decided to share his experience and the "serious choice" he made after being left outraged over the news of the Downing Street parties.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has apologised for attending the Bring Your Own Booze gathering but insisted he thought it could have been technically within the rules.
Dr Buttar said: “I came out of retirement to help with vaccines because I have a duty and obligation to help people, which is what I did with this woman.
"Also if someone had challenged me for breaking the rules and fined me I would look them in the eye and ask if they wanted cash or a cheque, I would have taken responsibility for my actions like our Prime Minister should now do."
He added: "To see our leaders and their staff party while we faced this has left me beyond angry. I'm sad and just find it disgraceful.”
