As her tiny baby fought for his life, Ellyse Jerome couldn’t even hold her son as the five-week-old had been diagnosed with coronavirus. But miraculously, Charlie Jr - who is one of the youngest patients to battle the virus – is now back at home and thriving.
Ellyse, 21, says, “Seeing Charlie covered in wires and wearing a breathing mask was terrifying. But he battled against the odds and pulled through.”
Ellyse, who is diabetic, was just 34 weeks pregnant when her blood sugar levels dropped dangerously low. Her partner, also named Charlie, 24, rushed her to hospital, where doctors told the couple that their baby needed to be delivered immediately.
Born eight weeks early via c-section on 7 March weighing just 4lb 10oz, Charlie Jr stayed in hospital under specialist care until the end of the month.
Ellyse, from Waltham Cross, remembers, “While Charlie was in hospital, we'd watched the news about coronavirus unfold. As a diabetic, I’d been told to stay indoors, and we were having food delivered, and we weren't allowed any visitors.
“We thought we were being really careful, but then one day Charlie Jr stopped feeding properly, his eyes were dilated and his breathing became irregular.
“But because he didn’t have a cough or fever, coronavirus didn’t cross our minds.”
Worried, Ellyse called an ambulance and she travelled with him to hospital - though because of Covid, his dad had to stay at home. In the hospital, Charlie Jnr had various tests, including one for coronavirus.
Ellyse, says, “When the test came back positive, I was horrified. We’d heard so many awful stories and now our baby had it.
“Doctors warned me that Charlie might not survive, I was distraught.”
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1 of 12creaseless concealer
Hydrating, vegan and full coverage. It's basically everything we need in a concealer, and it comes in a great shade range too. Reviews say it "just melts into your face" and "gives you a glow".
2 of 12LOreal Infallible Longwear More Than Concealer
The Infallible concealer has rave reviews and it does not disappoint. A long-wearing matte finish makes this product perfect for people on-the-go and reviews say the doe foot applicator is magic for quick application.
3 of 12e.l.f. Hydrating Satin Camo Concealer
One of the more budget-friendly options, this concealer has an ultra-light consistency and keeps under-eyes hydrated instead of cake-y. The shade range is pretty good and reviews say the coverage is full enough to hide dark circles.
4 of 12Max Factor Mastertouch Concealer
Another wallet-pleasing product, this Max Factor concealer is often hailed a super-creamy dupe for NARS. Reviews say this concealer "doesn't irritate or dry out blemishes", making it perfect for problem skin.
5 of 12Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat
Long-hailed a classic, Yves Saint Laurent is possibly the classiest concealer out there. Gorgeous packaging and perfect for that oh-so-French barely there look.
6 of 12NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
This concealer is gorgeously creamy and an absolute dream to apply. A little goes a long way, making it worth the hefty price tag.
7 of 12Benefit Boi-ing Airbrush Concealer
Described as a 'real life re-touch', this concealer from Benefit comes in this handy little pot and is super long lasting. Reviews say it feels "light in skin" and is "very forgiving".
8 of 12Maybelline Instant Conceal Eraser Concealer
An iconic concealer, the Maybelline Anti-Age Concealer is a firm fan favourite. You get a lot of pigment for your money with this one, and the unique applicator makes for zero creases.
9 of 12Bobbi Brown Corrector
This little gem from Bobbi Brown is great for bags because it colour corrects the blue tones as well as providing full coverage. Hangover? Us? Noo.
10 of 12Milk Make-up Flex Concealer
If you're after a cruelty-free option then this dreamy light concealer is a great option. No cracking or creasing here and the reviews say it's "great for concealing blemishes" too.
11 of 12Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Don't be fooled by the price, this is one powerful little concealer and will forever be in our favourites. It's creamy, highly pigmented and provides full coverage without cake. The only downside is the limited shade range.
12 of 12It Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye
It Cosmetics have created something of a cult with their super powerful skin products. This one covers even the most wine-filled night with the dab of a ring finger.
Charlie was transferred to London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital for specialist care.
Ellyse explains, “He was only allowed one visitor so I stayed in hospital accommodation nearby. It was so hard not having my partner with me and he found it stressful not knowing exactly what was happening.
“And because of how contagious the virus is, I couldn’t touch or hold Charlie. All I could do was sit next to him helplessly as he was on life support. Afterwards, I’d go back to an empty hotel room. It was just awful - I cried a lot.”
After a few days, in an attempt to save Charlie’s life, doctors gave him a drug called remdesivir, which is used to treat Ebola.
Ellyse says, “Signing the consent form was terrifying as we didn’t know if it would help or make him worse, but we had to try.
“Luckily within a few days he was more responsive and looked brighter.
“And, as long as I was wearing full PPE, including a mask, gloves and gown, I was allowed to hold him. We started to have hope that he could pull through.”
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Charlie Jr continued to improve and, after three weeks at Great Ormond Street, he finally tested negative for the virus and was allowed home.
Doctors haven't been able to confirm whether remdesivir was the true cause of his recovery, but the family credit the drug with saving his life.
Now Charlie is a happy baby and doctors are pleased with his progress.
Ellyse says, “After being born prematurely and then coronavirus, he’s been through so much.
“But we know how many people have died because of COVID-19, so feel incredibly lucky that we got to bring Charlie home.
“We can’t thank the NHS enough. They saved our son’s life.”