Coronavirus UK: Nurse whose video went viral shows symptoms


Nurse who shared tearful plea urging shoppers to stop panic buying reveals she is self-isolating after developing coronavirus symptoms – and begs people to ‘stay indoors to save lives’

  • Dawn Bilbrough, 51, from York, was unable to purchase basic foods from shop
  • Went viral after tearfully urged the public to stop stripping supermarket shelves
  • Critical care nurse thinks she’s contracted coronavirus developing symptoms 
  • Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

The NHS critical care nurse who went viral with her emotional video plea urging shoppers to stop panic buying has revealed she might have contracted COVID-19.   

Dawn Bilbrough, 51, from York, touched hearts across the nation last week when she shared a tearful video explaining she had gone to the supermarket at the end of an exhausting hospital shift only to discover there was hardly any food on the shelves. 

Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Dawn told how she is now in self-isolation after developing symptoms of coronavirus, including shortness of breath, chest discomfort and ongoing nausea.  

She also urged viewers to stay at home, saying: ‘You need to protect the NHS, you need to save lives.’

The critical care nurse who urged shoppers to stop stripping supermarket shelves amid the coronavirus pandemic revealed she may have contracted COVID-19. Dawn Bilbrough, 51, from York, appeared on Good Morning Britain via video link today (pictured)

The nurse touched hearts across the nation last week when she shared a tearful video explaining she had gone to the supermarket at the end of an exhausting hospital shift only to discover there was hardly any food on the shelves. Pictured, a screengrab from Dawn's video

The nurse touched hearts across the nation last week when she shared a tearful video explaining she had gone to the supermarket at the end of an exhausting hospital shift only to discover there was hardly any food on the shelves. Pictured, a screengrab from Dawn’s video 

Speaking via video link, Dawn said: ‘I do believe I have Covid but obviously I haven’t been tested so it’s hard to confirm.

She continued: ‘I’ve been sleeping lots, I’ve been discussing going back to work on Monday – but that will depend on my symptoms.’ 

The NHS nurse admitted it was ‘lonely’ in self-isolation. It is not clear why she has been unable to be tested for COVID-19. 

Speaking on her experience caring for hospital patients, Dawn said: ‘People I’ve spoken to, the cases are getting more and more each day – but my friends, we’re all worried people in the UK are taking this seriously. 

‘People are going to die, you need to stay indoors. You need to protect the NHS, you need to save lives.’ 

Dawn appeared on Good Morning Britain via video link, pictured, and urged viewers to take the Government advice seriously

Dawn appeared on Good Morning Britain via video link, pictured, and urged viewers to take the Government advice seriously

Last week, after discovering there were no fruit and vegetables for her to sustain a healthy living amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the healthcare worker made a tearful plea to the public urging them to ‘just stop it’. 

In her original video the nurse took to Facebook from the seat of her car to tell the nation: ‘So I’ve just come out the supermarket. There’s no fruit and veg and I had a little cry in there.’ 

‘I’m a critical care nurse and I’ve just finished 48 hours of work and I just wanted to get some stuff in for the next 48 hours. There’s no fruit, there’s no vegetables and I just don’t know how I’m supposed to stay healthy.

The NHS worker asked the public to 'just stop it' after she was unable to buy basic items for herself

The NHS worker asked the public to ‘just stop it’ after she was unable to buy basic items for herself

‘Those people who are just stripping the shelves have basic foods you just need to stop it because it’s people like me that are going to be looking after you when you are at your lowest and just stop it please!’

After sharing the emotional video, Ms Bilbrough was flooded with messages of support from concerned friends and loved ones, with some offering her some of their very own food items.  

Speaking about it today, she said: ‘I wasn’t expecting it, I just wanted to go home and cook some nice food and to find everything had been stripped from the shelves, while i’m living in the United Kingdom, I just felt very, very sad.’  

Pictured: Shop shelves are left empty in a supermarket in the centre of York, northern England, last week

Pictured: Shop shelves are left empty in a supermarket in the centre of York, northern England, last week