A mum has hit out after claiming she was blocked from isolating with her terminally-ill daughter after they returned to the UK from Pakistan.
Sabiha Wasim said she took Umaiza, 13, from Colwyn Bay, North Wales, to Pakistan for a respite break - but when it became a red country officials in the UK refused permission for the family to quarantine back at home in North Wales.
Instead, they had to use a hotel room but Mrs Wasim says it didn't have the hoists and other equipment which her home has, and she had to carry her daughter to an ensuite despite severe back problems of her own.
Ms Wasim told North Wales Live : "My 13-year-old daughter Umaiza Wasim suffers from a life limiting condition namely mitochondrial disease and is terminally ill.
"Due to the Covid 19 last year we spent most of our time home and Umaiza and I became depressed.
"We asked her doctors in March 2021 if we could go to Pakistan as we have our own home and extended family there that could help me look after Umaiza as looking after her on my own was taking its toll on me too, as I suffer from severe backache."
She added: "We went quite happily on March 28 and were due to return on May 19. Whilst we were there on April 9 Pakistan became a UK red list country and our return flight got cancelled."
Sabiha said she then started contacting UK test and trace to ask "if Umaiza could be exempt from the hotel quarantine and if we could quarantine at home instead".
She continued: "After getting evidence from her specialist in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and from her paediatrician here in Bodelwyddan to describe her medical condition and need to quarantine at home, all I kept getting was 'we need more evidence'. "
She added: "After giving them evidence for three times all I (still) kept getting was we need more evidence."
The parent says Umaiza is life dependent on her medication and told Test and Trace staff that if she doesn’t make it back to the UK on time anything "untoward" could happen.
The teenager is severely epileptic and also PEG-fed. She has a feeding tube in her stomach and requires special milk for her feeds again something which she could only get in the UK.
Sabiha said: "After not getting permission to be exempt we came back to the UK on June 20.
"Our (hotel) room had a king-size bed and an ensuite shower room. We weren’t allowed out and the windows were locked.
"After being in the same bed all day and night Umaiza developed horrendous bedsores and severe leg pain.
"Even though I suffer terribly from severe backache I had to carry her to and from the toilet each time on my own which could've easily been avoided if we were home as she has a commode there.
"It was a nightmare for 10 days. We became even more depressed (through) the pain my poor daughter had to suffer and still is suffering due to lack of attention."
She added: "I hope no one has to go through what I'm going through."
The UK Government have been asked to comment.
