Kate Garraway details extreme effects of long Covid on husband Derek who sleeps up to 20 hours a day

Kate Garraway has revealed the extreme impact Covid is still having on her husband Derek Draper, 18 months on from him first contracting the virus.

Fomer political aide Derek was taken into hospital after coming down with coronavirus last March and, after his condition took a severe turn for the worse, he was placed in a medically induced coma.

Derek remained in hospital and in the coma for months, with Kate and the couple's children unable to see him as the country was in lockdown and visitors to wards were banned.

As ITV viewers saw in Good Morning Britain host Kate's heart-wrenching documentary Finding Derek, once he was conscious, Kate had to rely on FaceTime to communicate with Derek as he remained in a hospital bed, with tear-jerking scenes seeing him in tears and saying he couldn't go on.

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Derek finally returned home in April but, while overjoyed to have him back with his family, Kate warned that there was still a long road ahead for them all.

And, speaking on Thursday's GMB, she opened up on just how much Derek is still affected by his Covid battle.

As Doctor Hilary Jones appeared via video call to discuss plans for vulnerable people to get a third vaccine this autumn,, Kate told him: "People who've had it mildly have started to argue that it's the same as flu, because flu can be devastating to people as well.

"But this is very different because flu doesn't give you this degree of organ damage. Even when you look at some of the symptoms who people who've been double vaccinated suffer from it's fatigue.

"Noe fatigue, I used to think was just being tired from getting up early in the morning. You know all about tiredness being a GP Hilary, but the fatigue that Derek has, I know he's an extreme case, because he's got multiple organ challenges; Derek is sleeping 20 out of 24 hours a day."

Going into more detail, Kate added: "He has like 10 minute windows and it's not just feeling a bit tired; he goes white, pale and it's like everything shuts down.

"So you don't want that kind of fatigue, even ruling out all the other things that people are suffering with with long Covid as well."

Sending a message to Kate, one GMB viewer tweeted: "Still a long way to go, but sending huge virtual hugs. Better for derek to get better slowly because his body obviously needs it. Sometimes if you rush things it can be worse.... take care Kate and family."

Moved by what they heard, a second responded: "That’s really sad news, I feel for this woman! It’s heartbreaking for both Kate and her children. I send you my love Kate. Your amazing."

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