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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Daisy Lester

Coronavirus: Care home nurse fired after calling pandemic a hoax

Photograph: AFP via Getty Images

A care home nurse who claims Covid-19 is a hoax has been fired after attending an anti-lockdown protest.

Carley Louise Stewart, 31, from Preston, took part in August’s “Save Our Rights” demonstration in London brandishing a placard that read “we have empty beds” and “nurse on call. Where’s the pandemic?”

She has said she believes there is “no evidence of a killer virus, let alone a pandemic".

Photos of her wearing her uniform at the protest went viral on social media following the protest in Trafalgar Square on 29 August.

Her employer Ribble View care home in Fishwick, Preston, later asked her to attend a meeting before dismissing her.

She was told her wearing her uniform during the protest was a breach of policy and failing to maintain social distancing at the rally had put both herself and those in her care at risk.

More than 15,000 of the UK’s 42,143 coronavirus deaths are linked to care homes, according to government data.

One week in April saw 3,000 care home deaths involving Covid-19.

Ms Stewart, who describes herself as a “truther and whistleblower”, claimed there were no deaths or illnessses at the care home where she worked between January and August.

She told the Daily Mail: “While there were news reports saying the elderly were dying in droves in care homes, in the home where I was working, no one became ill and no one died.”

She added: “I saw no virus, no deaths, but I could see that lockdown was killing people.”

A spokesperson from Exemplar Healthcare told Care Home Professional: “This individual does not represent the views of, or speak on behalf of, the company and has since been dismissed from the business.

“Due to infection control measures, it has always been against our company policy to wear the Exemplar Health Care uniform in public places, and it is also against company policy to speak publicly on behalf of Exemplar Health Care without prior permission.”

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