Grant Shapps says Covid has ‘got his father’

Transport Secretary has been unable to visit his father for two months

Mr Shapps said it has been 'very difficult' to continue with his role whilst he father is ill (Getty Images)

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said that his father is currently suffering from coronavirus and is in hospital on a Covid ward.

Mr Shapps also praised staff at the NHS for their work under “relentless pressure.” 

Mr Shapps revealed that his 89-year-old father has been receiving treatment on a coronavirus ward for “quite some time” after he caught the virus whilst in hospital. 

Mr Shapps appeared on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday morning and explained how he had been unable to see his father for two months, going on to praise the NHS staff, calling them “incredible” and “extraordinary.”

The MP for Welwyn Hatfield told the ITV programme that the hospital his father was being treated in was beginning to see a reduction in Covid patient numbers. 

He added: "But even now, even with that reduction, it's still higher than it was in the first peak so we are not out of this yet, we just need to adhere to the lockdown and to the rules to stop more people ending up in those hospitals."

When asked about how he has managed to continue with his role as Cabinet minister whilst his father is suffering from Covid, Mr Shapps said: "It is very difficult,” adding that coronavirus can get everybody and that they were “all very worried” about his father. 

The transport secretary went on to highlight how extremely pressed the NHS staff are at the moment, but wanted to “just pay tribute to their extraordinary patience." 

"Not only with the patients themselves, who sometimes can be quite distressed as my dad has been, but also just the relentless pressure of this and the hours that they have been working," he added. 

Mr Shapps had been discussing the new travel restrictions, set to come in next week, which will see arrivals from 33 'red zone' countries having to enter legally mandated hotel quarantine, and every other arrival also having to be tested for Covid.