On the day that James Nunnerley died from Covid, health secretary Matt Hancock told a press briefing that ministers had 'tried to throw a protective ring' around care homes 'right from the start' of the outbreak. Carl Nunnerley didn’t see that press conference on May 15 2020.
He was sitting at his father’s bedside, holding his hand as he passed away. James, 88, who was known among friends and staff for his gift for telling jokes and singing, became the third resident at St Mary’s Nursing Home in Moston to succumb to the virus.
Before James’ death, ministers were trying to free up space in hospitals and discharged 25,000 patients into care homes, with government guidance on April 2 2020 citing negative tests were not needed before transfers. Carl said of his dad: "For seven weeks we tried to protect him but then somebody became ill in the nursing home, and then my dad became ill. I know people were let back into the home from hospital.”
