A 79-year-old man who tested positive for Covid-19 has been sent home after a six-day stay at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Malcolm Airs was sent to hospital by his GP after he had extreme shortness of breath and other symptoms like a cough, lack of appetite and fatigue.

In hospital he was put on oxygen and given antibiotics and, though he is still feeling ‘weak’, is now breathing well on his own again.

On Monday this week he was given the green-light to leave hospital and return to his house in Dorchester-upon-Thames where he is expected to make a full recovery.

Mr Airs, who was in the at-risk group because of his age, was on a respiratory ward but did not go into intensive care.

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He has now praised the ‘care and attention’ of the frontline staff at the John Radcliffe, who he credits for helping him recover.

He said: “Having rarely been ill before, this was a shocking experience and caused me considerable anguish.

“I cannot fault the care that I received both from the doctors and the nursing staff. The personal care and attention of the staff made all the difference.

“I was tremendously impressed with the treatment that I had. I would like to express my profound gratitude for their personal attention and their efforts to make me feel like an individual human being not just another patient.”

Mr Airs added that he had been 'absolutely delighted' to go home and that the anticipation of enjoying the fresh air and sunshine had been 'overwhelming'.

As of Thursday 16 April, a total of 150 COVID-19 patients have been well enough to leave the care of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – which runs the JR and the Churchill Hospital in Oxford – and return home.

Professor Meghana Pandit, Chief Medical Officer at the trust, said that she was 'delighted' that he was well.