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Covid-19: Grow up and take coronavirus seriously, says doctor

BBC Dr David NichollBBC
Dr David Nicholl said people needed to work together to suppress the virus

A hospital consultant said people needed to "grow up" and take coronavirus seriously after footage was shared on social media showing supposed empty hospitals.

Dr David Nicholl, who works in the West Midlands, said he was fed up of people "wandering round empty hospitals".

Police are investigating after videos filmed in hospitals in Birmingham and Redditch were posted on social media.

"We are only going to get through this if we work together," Dr Nicholl said.

It follows a similar incident in Colchester, Essex, where security officers removed Covid-19 "deniers" who were taking pictures of empty corridors.

Dr Nicholl, a spokesman for the Doctors Association UK and a former Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, said: "We are extremely busy. It's important people treat this with the gravity they should, we must suppress the virus."

He added it made him "pig sick" when he saw people together protesting that coronavirus was a hoax.

Reuters Queen Elizabeth HospitalReuters
Police were called to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Birmingham, following reports a man was "walking around without a mask and filming"

"It is grossly offensive to the now over 70,000 people - including the 600 of my colleagues - who have died because of this illness," he said.

Ch Supt Phil Dolby, of West Midlands Police, tweeted to say his "blood was boiling" when he had seen the videos.

Mr Dolby contracted coronavirus in March and was in intensive care on a ventilator for 13 days. He was later discharged and began a phased return to work in June.

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A West Midlands Police spokesman said the force had been contacted on 1 January by a member of the public at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital concerned a man was "walking around inside a hospital without a mask and filming".

"We are liaising with colleagues in West Mercia Police and will consider the circumstances before deciding on the most appropriate course of action," the spokesman added.

Ch Insp Ed Hancox, of the West Mercia force, said no arrests had been made but the investigation continued.

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