A HAWKWELL gardener has been left devastated after Covid-like symptoms have resulted in his business going bust.

Jon Dunkley has been forced to give up Aladin Garden Services, which he set up four years ago, due to experiencing various coronavirus symptoms since March.

The 49-year-old believes he has suffered from long-Covid, which is a term used to describe people who have displayed symptoms of the virus for longer than the World Health Organisation-endorsed two-week period.

A throat infection has led to mild flu-like symptoms and a shortness of breath, which has got progressively worse and led to severe fatigue.

Guidelines mean Mr Dunkley is now out of work due to being unable to leave his home and in debt.

He said: “It started with flu-like symptoms and I was achy, but it got worse and my breathing became quite bad. The glands on my neck were softening up and then the fatigue kicked in.

“I have taken two Covid tests - one went missing and the results for the other didn’t come back until five weeks later, so it couldn’t have been accurate.

READ MORE

“I haven’t been allowed to take an antibody test and I have been forced to give up work, which has seen me lose my business and the debt is building up left, right and centre.”

Mr Dunkley was alerted to long-Covid by his sister and he now feels more people like him are being left with financial difficulties after feeling the long-term effects of the deadly virus.

He added: “I’ve found a page on Facebook and I now feel as if it’s not just me in this position. There are lots of people in a similar position but a lot of people don’t know long-Covid exists.”