A week after losing her key worker husband to coronavirus, a young widow is pleading with the nation to be patient and follow the rules.

Claire White, 42, of Fleet Estate, Dartford, last saw her childhood sweetheart husband Dave, 44, on Monday, March 30 when he was taken to Darent Valley Hospital in the afternoon by ambulance.

He had breathing difficulties, having spent the weekend in bed with sickness and diarrhoea but no other underlying health issues.

He died at 5.30am the following morning, on Tuesday, March 31, with Claire being told in a telephone call shortly after.

She then had to tell their eight-year-old daughter, Megan.

The mother and daughter hadn’t been able to travel to the hospital to see him, where he was placed in a coma in critical care on arrival.

Claire said: “It’s been so awful – not being able to see family and friends, waiting for a death certificate, knowing we can’t have a proper funeral. Luckily, I’ve got fantastic neighbours who have been looking after us and friends who are keeping in touch with me.

“I’ve also been introduced to a children’s bereavement charity, called Holding On Letting Go in Rochester, who are supporting me with how to help Megan to understand what’s happening.

“This weekend, I was so upset to see people just carrying on as usual – going to parks, running, enjoying themselves, in the middle of a global, fatal pandemic.

"My husband died – along with many others – working flat out to help others. Seeing people treating the weekend like a bank holiday really made me sad and angry because these are the people, the faces of the actual people who are making coronavirus go on for longer in the UK.

"More people will die because they are continuing to spread it.”

As a supermarket store manager, Dave was classed as a key worker and had been working long hours the week before, to ensure the store was fully-operational for customers desperate to food shop.

He may have picked it up from there, coming into contact with so many people before the social distancing advice began.

She said: “People really should be taking it seriously, unless they want to explain to their children why their parents aren’t here anymore.

"The NHS is doing such a fantastic job, along with people like my husband who was making sure people had what they needed for their survival at home – food.

“I’ve seen lots of moans on social media groups about the long queues at supermarkets, but it’s not a very big price to pay for safety, is it? I would hope people can just get on with it and accept the situation for what it is.”

The pair met at school in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, when Claire was 15 and Dave was 16.

“People really should be taking it seriously, unless they want to explain to their children why their parents aren’t here anymore"

They moved to Kent in 2004 to be closer to their jobs; Dave in Enfield and Claire at Gatwick where she worked for Monarch as a flight attendant.

They married in 2006. In 2011, they had their daughter Megan at Darent Valley Hospital.

Claire now works at Ebbsfleet International at the coffee shop in M&S.

Despite the sadness, Megan wanted to thank the NHS staff who had tried to save her daddy – especially those in A&E, Laurel Ward and ITU.

She did a painting, which was shared on the hospital's Facebook page to make people aware of how important it is to stay home and save lives.

Claire said: "Megan wanted to get the craft box out and do some painting. Then she said, “mummy, look what I’ve done”. When I asked why, she said “because the NHS looked after daddy.

"So please, wherever you are, do the right thing and stay at home! If you want me to beg, I will get down on my knees and beg.

"Nothing prepares you for having to tell your eight-year-old daughter that daddy will not be coming home. I cannot make this any clearer."

A spokesman for the hospital said: "What an incredibly brave girl Megan is, still thinking of others at such a devastating time. We send out sincere condolences at this very sad time for the family."

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