Iqrah’s Behind the Mask Experience

Iqrah is a Young Covid Ambassador, working closely with young people across our District to help educate, inform and protect them from the Coronavirus. The pandemic goes beyond Iqrah’s normal working day however, her family knows all too well how devastating this virus can be.

Iqrah’s aunty had underlying health conditions and was at risk of having Coronavirus, which unfortunately she contracted at the early stages of the outbreak. To help stabilise her condition, she was placed in a medically induced coma. Unfortunately, and despite the amazing efforts of the NHS staff, she sadly passed away before Eid, a time that Iqrah and her family will never forget.

With Government restrictions on the number of people who could attend jer aunt's funeral, only a handful of the family were permitted to attend in person. The remainder of her grieving loved ones could only say goodbye by watching a live video of the funeral on Facebook.

Iqrah said:

“We are such a really close family, losing our aunty to Coronavirus was an incredibly difficult time for everyone. You can’t help but think if it could have been avoided. If everyone had followed the guidance to protect each other, maybe she would have been ok and she’d still be with us.

The hardest part of it all is knowing that she left all of her family behind, including her siblings and her child. Memories and photographs are the only way for them to remember her now.

I hear people saying that this virus isn’t real, but I promise you, it is. My family know it’s real. It’s frightening to think that there are still people who won’t follow the guidelines intended to keep us all safe from this horrendous virus.

We need to work together if we’re ever to beat this horrible disease and it really isn’t that hard. ‘Hands, face, space’ and taking the responsibility to protect not just the ones you love, but strangers in the street who may have families too.”