‘There’s been ups and worrying downs’: Kate Garraway is comforted by Susanna Reid as she reveals husband Derek Draper is ‘pretty stable’ amid COVID-19 battle
Kate Garraway was comforted by her Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid on Thursday, as she discussed her husband Derek Draper’s ongoing battle with COVID-19.
The presenter admitted there’s been ‘ups and worrying downs’ during Derek’s six-month battle with the virus, and due to lockdown restrictions her family are still unable to visit him.
After being hospitalised in March, Derek has become the longest person battling COVID-19 in the UK, and remains in intensive care after being in a coma for several months.
Moving: Kate Garraway was comforted by her Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid on Thursday, as she discussed her husband Derek Draper’s ongoing battle with COVID-19
Susanna asked Kate how she’d been doing, with the broadcaster saying: ‘There are big ups and big downs, not big ups really, small improvements and worrying downs as well.
‘But the last few days have been pretty stable, so keeping everything crossed really.’
Kate added that due to hospital restrictions she’s the only person in her family that’s been able to visit Derek.
‘It’s tough, it’s very hard. You completely understand why hospitals have to do it, they have to protect those inside who may be recovering from COVID or maybe dealing with other serious conditions,’ she told Susanna.
Slow progress: The presenter admitted there’s been ‘ups and worrying downs’ during Derek’s six-month battle with the virus, and due to lockdown her family are still unable to visit him
Supportive: Susanna asked Kate how she’d been doing, with the broadcaster saying: ‘There are big ups and big downs, not big ups really, small improvements and worrying downs as well’
‘But to do that, they have to decrease footfall, so Darcy hasn’t been able to see Derek, his mum and dad haven’t been able to see him for a long time now.
‘The fact they live in Lancashire and that might go into tier two will have an effect because it will be very tough for them to argue the case to be able to visit. It is difficult.’
Susanna also asked Kate if she had a different view towards those flouting lockdown rules, given she’s seen the devastating impact of the virus first-hand.
Difficult: Kate added that due to hospital restrictions she’s the only person in her family that’s been able to visit Derek
She said: ‘Probably, but I am also managing what everyone else is managing with the restrictions.
‘I absolutely wouldn’t condemn anybody, because it’s very difficult, managing one’s finances, worrying about keeping your children’s mental health strong.
‘I have been in a very strange place, and what they could probably do with is a little bit of fun over half term, out of the house.
‘I understand if you haven’t got someone in the family who is as seriously ill as Derek is, that’s probably a more pressing need in your own mind.
‘But I still come back to the fact that when I see Derek, I just think, nobody in the country would want that for anyone they love for themselves.
‘That’s got to be the overriding case for people like Dr Hilary, who are so strong on sticking to the rules because they want to prevent people from getting themselves in that state.’
Susanna reassured Kate that they were all still thinking of her and Derek, and thanked viewers for their support.
Kate’s husband has become the longest person battling coronavirus in the UK after being hospitalised in March.
The former lobbyist has been in intensive care and was in a coma for months after the virus made him seriously ill and Kate herself, has only been permitted to visit a handful of times.
She also recently revealed that her children Darcey, 14, and William, 11, haven’t seen their father in six months as he continues to battle the disease in hospital.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.