Kate Garraway issues 'devastating' update on Derek as husband 'sleeps 20 hours a day'
Speaking to Dr Hilary Jones on Good Morning Britain, Kate Garraway has said that Derek suffers from extreme fatigue and sleeps for 20 hours a day
Kate Garraway has issued a "devastating" update on her husband Derek Draper's condition as he continues to struggle with long Covid.
Derek contracted coronavirus in March last year and was put into an induced coma for months. He returned home in April this year, but he still has a long uphill battle ahead.
Speaking to Dr Hilary Jones on Good Morning Britain, Kate said that Derek suffers from extreme fatigue and sleeps for 20 hours a day.
She said: "People who have had it mildly are starting to argue that it's the same as flu, because flu can be devastating to people as well.
"But this is very different because flu doesn't give you this degree of organ damage. I mean, even when you look at some of the symptoms that people who have been double vaccinated suffer from - it's fatigue.
"Now fatigue, I used to think, was just being exhausted by getting up in the morning. But the fatigue that Derek has - I know that he's an extreme case because he's got multiple organ challenges - but even some with more milder cases... Derek is sleeping 20 our of 24 hours a day!
"He has 10 minute windows! And it's not like he's feeling a bit tired, he goes white, pale and it's like everything shuts down. So you don't want that kind of fatigue, even ruling out all the other things that people are suffering with so far."
Referring to the third jab, which is set to be issued to vulnerable patients, Kate continued: "The idea that you can prevent that and just have a bad week in bed is life-changing, isn't it?"
Earlier, Susanna welcomed Kate back onto the programme after a brief break from the show.
"You're a super-mum, you're a super-wife and you're a super-presenter," Susanna said.
But Kate counteracted it, saying: "Well, you're a superhero because you broke your holiday to come in so I could have a break with the kids!"
Ben interjected, asking: "Can we have a break with the 'super' chat?"
Susanna asked: "Are you feeling left out, Ben?"
"It's a little bit too much 'super-mum' stuff," Ben joked.
Quizzed on whether she had a nice break, Kate said: "It was very nice, thank you very much. Thank you to you and the friends who helped me and also to Derek's family that stepped in to look after him and make sure he had a nice break from me!"
Kate went on to say that her children had been "very anxious" about her ability to sort their holiday together.
She added: "They were like, 'Have you checked? Have you checked mum?'"
*Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV
