A nurse helping Covid patients in Africa will make a “mad dash” to celebrate Christmas with family after travel rules were eased.
John Irvine faced being stuck in a quarantine hotel as Malawi, where he was working, was on the UK’s red list.
But after the restrictions were lifted last week, the 50-year-old can instead go home to Linlithgow when he returns on Thursday.
The 50-year-old has been training intensive care and A&E medics on how to save critically ill patients.
He extend his stay by two weeks following the discovery of the Omicron variant in South Africa last month and was helping on a ward for pregnant women with Covid.
Arrivals from the 11 African countries put on the red list no longer need to quarantine after the measure was lifted – as long as they test negative for Covid.
John, who is based at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, said: “It’s great news I will be able to enjoy a normal Christmas with my family, although I’ll now need to make a mad dash to the shops to buy presents.”
Ex-soldier John is part of the UK’s Emergency Medical Team which is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
He began his eight-week deployment on October 14 following a request for support from Malawi.
The UK’s minister for Africa, Vicky Ford, praised “brave medics like John Irvine”.
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