Traumatised family pleads with hospital to relax strict COVID-19 visitation rules

The family of a man who suffered a heart attack out of the blue at the weekend is pleading with The Alfred hospital to relax its strict COVID-19 enforced visitation rules.

Tania Giannaros told Neil Mitchell the hospital’s rules, which allows for one visitor per day, for only one hour, was only adding to her family’s trauma.

Her husband suffered the heart attack on Saturday afternoon, with Tania and her daughter watching it all unfold.

She said they weren’t allowed to follow the ambulance to the hospital, nor visit him immediately, due to COVID-19 protocols.

“We had to sit at home and wait for a phone call,” Ms Giannaros explained.

She said her 20-year-old daughter, who last saw her father on the floor at home making “gurgling” noises, was still traumatised.

Ms Giannaros stressed the hospital staff at The Alfred had been “amazing” but the rules needed easing, given Victoria’s extremely low case numbers.

Click PLAY below to hear Tania’s story