Covid-19 ICU Doctor Threatens To Resign If Dominic Cummings Doesn't

A doctor working in a Covid-19 intensive care unit (ICU) has threatened to resign if Dominic Cummings doesn't.

The prime minister's senior aide has sparked anger by seemingly breaching lockdown rules to move his family more than 250 miles from London to County Durham, where some of his family members live, after his wife started to develop coronavirus symptoms.

PA

This anger was amplified further yesterday (24 May) when Boris Johnson stood by him in the daily briefing and now Dr Dominic Pimenta has said he will stand down if Cummings doesn't.

The doctor shared a photo of himself in PPE on Twitter, along with the caption: "This is me right now heading back into the Covid ICU I've worked for the last two months.

"This stuff is hot and hard work. Haven't seen my parents since January.

"Frankly, Cummings spits in the face of all our efforts, the whole #NHS. If he doesn't resign, I will."

The tweet has been liked more than 40,000 times since it was shared yesterday, with Piers Morgan among the 12,000+ people to retweet it.

Dr Pimenta, a cardiology registrar, said he will give it until the end of the week before he makes his decision, adding that many other NHS workers could follow suit.

Speaking to PA, he said: "I found it incredibly insulting to see the whole cabinet doubling down on this issue and undermining the public who are working incredibly hard to follow the guidance, it's a betrayal.

"NHS staff have bent over backwards to meet this incredible challenge, spending hundreds of extra hours in meetings and drawing up timetables to care for patients.

"I do think it's still early days yet, but I'll give them until the end of the week for Mr Cummings to resign before I do. I'm not trying to lead a movement, but I wouldn't be surprised if more did the same.

PA

"There needs to be an apology from the Government, cabinet members cannot continue to insult health workers like this, many feel incredibly disrespected, like all their hard work and energy has been thrown back in their faces."

There are now fears that Johnson's decision to back Cummings risks undermining lockdown measures, with the prime minister being heavily criticised by the public, healthcare professionals, senior Church of England bishops and even Tory backbenchers.

Topics: Viral, UK News, Coronavirus, Politics

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey