• Contact us
  • About us
  • Digital edition
  • Online archive
Saturday, July 12, 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Councils ask for planned mayoral election to be postponed

    Councils ask for planned mayoral election to be postponed

    Leo Group owner completes epic cycling challenge for MND research

    Leo Group owner completes epic cycling challenge for MND research

    Support for Penrith Mountain Rescue Team after charity box stolen

    Support for Penrith Mountain Rescue Team after charity box stolen

    Inspiring Penrith teacher Dawn Coates retires after 26 years

    Inspiring Penrith teacher Dawn Coates retires after 26 years

    Use it or lose it: Urgent appeal for people to get on the bus

    Use it or lose it: Urgent appeal for people to get on the bus

    Penrith’s Enterprise Hub plans start to take shape

    Penrith’s Enterprise Hub plans start to take shape

    Nurturing Eden school praised by Ofsted

    Nurturing Eden school praised by Ofsted

    Inflation and the impact on savings

    Inflation and the impact on savings

    Celebrating Alston’s heritage heroes

    Celebrating Alston’s heritage heroes

  • Sport
    Success for fighting squad

    Success for fighting squad

    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Councils ask for planned mayoral election to be postponed

    Councils ask for planned mayoral election to be postponed

    Leo Group owner completes epic cycling challenge for MND research

    Leo Group owner completes epic cycling challenge for MND research

    Support for Penrith Mountain Rescue Team after charity box stolen

    Support for Penrith Mountain Rescue Team after charity box stolen

    Inspiring Penrith teacher Dawn Coates retires after 26 years

    Inspiring Penrith teacher Dawn Coates retires after 26 years

    Use it or lose it: Urgent appeal for people to get on the bus

    Use it or lose it: Urgent appeal for people to get on the bus

    Penrith’s Enterprise Hub plans start to take shape

    Penrith’s Enterprise Hub plans start to take shape

    Nurturing Eden school praised by Ofsted

    Nurturing Eden school praised by Ofsted

    Inflation and the impact on savings

    Inflation and the impact on savings

    Celebrating Alston’s heritage heroes

    Celebrating Alston’s heritage heroes

  • Sport
    Success for fighting squad

    Success for fighting squad

    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
No Result
View All Result
Home Latest

Coronavirus survivor urges people to go for their vaccination

by CWH
4 August 2021
in Latest, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Nigel Coles

A man who was the first patient to survive COVID-19 at a Cumbrian hospital, after almost losing his life, has made an impassioned plea for everyone to get vaccinated against the virus.

Nigel Coles, now 58, was admitted to the Cumberland Infirmary in March last year with coronavirus and was soon sent to intensive care as his condition worsened.

He was discharged after seven gruelling days in hospital but spent months dealing with the after effects of the virus.

After the latest easing of restrictions by the Government, Nigel is now making a plea for people to protect themselves by getting a vaccine.

“I was told I might not last the night. The most horrendous words you can hear,” said Nigel, who lives on Watersedge at Southwaite Green Mill, near Penrith.

“I might never have woken up.

“The whole family was in tears. When I was on the phone and I told my brother I was positive, I could hear him crying.”

Nigel was admitted to hospital after his brother ­— who is a paramedic ­— called for help.

“I was hallucinating and I just wanted to sleep. My brother called an ambulance which came and I was put on oxygen,” said Nigel.

“I was taken to Carlisle. I wasn’t allowed to see relatives and I was in a poor condition. I woke up in intensive care.

“I was told I had a 50/50 chance to survive. I woke up in the same bed with a very high temperature. I cried like a baby, and I’m not sad to admit it.”

As well as headaches Nigel also suffered from shivering, continual coughing and his chest felt like “beating drums”.

“I felt like Superman with kryptonite round my neck,” he said.

He realised the importance of raising the profile of vaccines after a chance encounter with a man who had declined the jab having heard anti-vaccine propaganda.

“He started going on about the virus and what a con it is by the Government and how the vaccines are being used to insert trackers into everyone,” he said.

Nigel explained his own experience of the virus and its impact on his life.

“People should know it is important to have your injection,” he said.

After the conversation the man decided he would book a vaccine appointment for him and his wife.

“Get round to a vaccination centre and get your jab and the book your second,” he said, addressing anyone who has not yet been vaccinated.

Feeling lucky to be alive and grateful for the support he received from all of the staff who helped him to beat the virus, Nigel wrote a poem entitled The War on COVID-19.

“It is all about the NHS and how we hit the third world war. In the First and Second World Wars lives were lost and now people on the front line are fighting the war on COVID.”

Nigel says he hopes to soon deliver a bouquet of flowers to the staff that looked after him to say thank you.

“Their care was fantastic,” he said.

Related Posts

Councils ask for planned mayoral election to be postponed
News

Councils ask for planned mayoral election to be postponed

11 July 2025
Leo Group owner completes epic cycling challenge for MND research
News

Leo Group owner completes epic cycling challenge for MND research

11 July 2025
Support for Penrith Mountain Rescue Team after charity box stolen
News

Support for Penrith Mountain Rescue Team after charity box stolen

11 July 2025
Inspiring Penrith teacher Dawn Coates retires after 26 years
News

Inspiring Penrith teacher Dawn Coates retires after 26 years

11 July 2025
Use it or lose it: Urgent appeal for people to get on the bus
News

Use it or lose it: Urgent appeal for people to get on the bus

11 July 2025
Penrith’s Enterprise Hub plans start to take shape
Latest

Penrith’s Enterprise Hub plans start to take shape

11 July 2025
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Most popular

Lake District mountain rescue volunteers called for missing man searching for lost phone

Lake District mountain rescue volunteers called for missing man searching for lost phone

7 July 2025
Penrith’s Enterprise Hub plans start to take shape

Penrith’s Enterprise Hub plans start to take shape

11 July 2025
Inflation and the impact on savings

Inflation and the impact on savings

11 July 2025
Leo Group owner completes epic cycling challenge for MND research

Leo Group owner completes epic cycling challenge for MND research

11 July 2025
Use it or lose it: Urgent appeal for people to get on the bus

Use it or lose it: Urgent appeal for people to get on the bus

11 July 2025
Master cross-border business: Smart strategies for UK-Ireland business success

Master cross-border business: Smart strategies for UK-Ireland business success

11 July 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Logo

33 Middlegate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 7SY

Phone: 01768 862313
Email: news@cwherald.com

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190
VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • News
  • Sport
  • Farming
  • Property
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Your view

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Photosales
  • Online archive
  • Buy your paper
  • Digital edition
  • North Lakes Living
  • Advertise
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2025

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
Review Your Cart
0
Discount
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal
Total Installment Payments
Bundle Discount
Checkout

 
0
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • more
    • North Lakes Living
    • Buy Photos
    • Buy your paper
    • About us
    • Contact us

© 2020 Cumberland & Westmorland Herald