We worked with Ernest Boateng (husband of Mary Agyapong, the 28 year old pregnant nurse who tragically died from Covid19), on a letter to Boris Johnson to ask that pregnant women be kept safe. 

 

Boris Johnson

House of Commons

London

SW1A 0AA

 

3rd November 2020 

 

Dear Prime Minister,

 

My name is Ernest Boateng. I am the husband of Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, the 28 year old nurse who died from Covid-19, five days after she gave birth to our daughter via emergency C-section. Mary died at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital in Bedfordshire where she had been a dedicated member of staff for 5 years, caring for patients. She was never able to hold her baby daughter. 

My wife has been taken from me and my family and I do not want her death to be in vain. I am therefore writing to urge you to increase protections for pregnant women as infection rates rise once again.

Mary should not have been working based on the facts and findings. She was 35 weeks pregnant when she tested positive for Covid-19. An analysis of women in French hospitals showed that those in the second half of pregnancy, from 20 weeks of gestation, were five times more likely to be admitted to ICU than those in the first half of pregnancy, we also know that maternal Covid-19 is associated with an approximately three times greater risk of preterm birth.

The guidance for pregnant women has been confusing throughout this pandemic. The current guidance continues to list pregnant women as vulnerable and says that if they cannot work from home then they should stay socially distanced from others. We know that this is not happening. Just over half of pregnant women have had a risk assessment from their employer and even then, many employers are ignoring their own risk assessment.

Pregnant women must be protected during this pandemic. That is why I am calling on the Government to make it a legal requirement that all pregnant women who are 20 weeks gestation or greater either work from home, or they are suspended on full pay, in alignment with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999) s16.

I would be delighted to meet with you to ensure that no other family is forced to endure the suffering that mine has.

I look forward to receiving your response.

Yours Faithfully,

 

Ernest Boateng