NI family torn in two by Covid lockdown measures

Aileen Madden had made the journey from London to meet her recently widowed mother Rosaleen, along with two of her four daughters. just before the latest lockdown measures placed a travel ban on anyone leaving a Tier Four restricted area.

Her hospital consultant husband, Professor Brendan Madden, and their other three children were due to come across but are now hurriedly trying to make their supposedly vacant home as festive as possible.

“It was really important that we got over this year because mum is on her own now,” Aileen said.

“We would have been devastated if we hadn’t made it. I feel really lucky that I’m actually here to be with mum for Christmas because my sister was due to come down from Belfast but her daughter has just been named as a contact of someone who has Covid.”

Aileen said that although she is grateful to be with her mum, having half of the family back in London is quite upsetting.

“My husband is a frontline worker – he is a consultant at St George’s Hospital in London. He has been dealing with Covid, including working in intensive care. He was just hanging on and really looking forward to the few days together [over Christmas] as he is absolutely exhausted ... but now it has just been scuppered,” she said.

Despite her plans being severely disrupted, Aileen is still counting her blessings.

“You just have to be thankful for what you’ve got. There are lots of people with no money for presents because they have been put out of work. At least we have a roof over our heads and can eat,” she added.