Two boys from same school die after catching Covid within WEEK of each other after jabs delayed
TWO boys from the same school died after catching Covid within a WEEK of each other after their jabs were delayed.
Mohammed Habib and Harry Towers were both completing their GCSEs at St John Fisher Catholic College, in Newcastle-under-Lyme, when they were struck down with the virus.
The year 10 schoolboy Mohammed, who had contracted the virus, passed away from a stroke on Sunday, October 24 and was buried two days later.
A medical examination has now found the 14-year-old died from a bleed on the brain, a stroke, and from Covid.
A North Staffordshire Coroner's Court spokesman said: "The coroner was provided with a cause of death which he was satisfied was natural and further investigations were not required. The cause of death was: 1a Cerebral oedema; 1b Stroke; 2: Covid-19."
It comes as investigations are still continuing into exactly
what caused the death of fellow St John Fisher Catholic College pupil Harry Towers just six days later.
The 15-year-old pupil - who had also contracted coronavirus - died on Saturday, October 30.
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On Harry's case, the coroner's spokesman said: "A post-mortem
examination has been undertaken and the investigation is still ongoing as a cause of death has not yet been provided.
"At this stage the coroner is expecting that the cause of death may be natural and so an inquest has not been opened."
Harry's sister, Charlotte Nugent, paid tribute to her brother, who had dreams of becoming a history teacher and was always a "kind, gentle lad who stood up to bullies."
His sister confirmed he had not been vaccinated - and had returned a negative lateral flow test just two days before he died.
His condition deteriorated and he passed away two days later.
Neither Harry nor Mohammed had known underlying health conditions.
Pupils at St John Fisher Catholic College had been due to have Covid vaccinations at the school just weeks before the double tragedy.
DOUBLE TRAGEDY
But only flu vaccinations were given at the school and the Covid jabs were rescheduled for mid-November, it's understood.
It is understood that neither boy had been vaccinated.
Both students were remembered with prayers during a virtual assembly on Wednesday November 3, with senior staff paying tribute to the pair.
Acting headteacher Garrett Murray has today declined to comment on the coroner's findings or the delay in the school coronavirus
vaccinations.
He previously told the BBC: "We went above and beyond what was expected with our Covid restrictions.
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"My rational head tells me that we did everything we could and it was a tragedy in both situations, but with my irrational head, I beat myself up every day."
Staffordshire's director of public health Richard Harling has also so
far declined to comment on the cases.
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