Folkestone taxi driver, 44, on life support just days after testing positive for COVID-19
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Father-of-three Main Uddin is said to have no underlying health conditions
Image: Kent Live
A taxi driver from Folkestone says cabbies are desperate for vaccine priority - with several falling ill and his best friend now in hospital on life support.
Father-of-three Mr Main Uddin, 44 and also from Folkestone, believes he caught coronavirus from a customer who was coughing persistently during a journey in mid-January.
After developing symptoms himself, Main was tested and received a positive result on January 23.
His condition deteriorated quickly and best friend and fellow taxi driver Usman Sabir told KentLive that by January 27 he was coughing up blood.
He is adamant that Mr Uddin, who used to run the Green Spice restaurant in Sandgate, has no underlying health problems.
Mr Uddin's condition has now worsened further, and he was placed on a ventilator soon after arriving at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.
On Friday (January 29) he was transferred to St Thomas Hospital in London so that he could be moved onto an ECMO machine - an advanced form of life support reserved for only young, very sick COVID-19 patients.
Usman told KentLive: "He has three daughters and a wife who live in Middlesborough because the girls study at university there.
"He stills sees them at least once a month, but now the last time time was December.
"Other than that they have only seen him on the ventilator, by video call.
"He is a very close friend of mine, my best friend.
"I had been dropping medicines around to him - paracetamol and Nurofen.
"But after he tested positive - he lived in a shared house - I suggested that he stayed at mine where I have a garden extension. We have two separate entrances.
"I was looking after him by taking food to him, wearing a mask, keeping our distance.
"He told me he was not feeling very well and we called the doctor and he came around and gave him a prescription.
"After that the next day he had to call the ambulance.
"Unfortunately blood was coming from his mouth when he coughed.
"We called the ambulance and they took him to hospital."
While his best friend battles for his life, Usman is trying to use his story to show people how dangerous the disease is, and also to raise particular dangers posed by their profession.
He says another taxi driver from Folkestone was hospitalised with coronavirus for a month but was thankfully discharged recently.
Usman would also like to see the local council fund protective screens in every taxi.
The 34-year-old said he fears most for his older fellow cabbies and feels those over 50 should get be prioritised in the vaccine roll out.
He said "We are worried about them. We are worried about who will be responsible for their children.
"Who will be responsible for Main's kids if something happens?
"Remember him in your prayers, please."
KentLive gave details of the situation to the Department of Health and Social Care, and asked if there were any plans to give priority to taxi drivers or any other profession.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, COVID-19 Chair for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said: “The JCVI’s advice on COVID-19 vaccine prioritisation was developed with the aim of preventing as many deaths as possible.
"As the single greatest risk of death from COVID-19 is older age, prioritisation is primarily based on age.
“It is estimated that vaccinating everyone in the priority groups would prevent 99 per cent of deaths, including those associated with occupational exposure to infection.”
In relation to the idea of protective screens in taxis, a Folkestone & Hythe District Council spokesperson said: “The safety of licensed taxi drivers in our district is important to us and we are currently exploring what possible support is available.
"We would also encourage licence holders to speak to the Department for Transport and other relevant bodies for further advice.”
