Julie McMurray gave evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on Tuesday as part of the Northern Ireland Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group. Her husband Robert, a 64-year-old former bank worker with dementia, died in hospital on January 30, 2021, after contracting Covid-19.

Robert McMurray entered hospital in December 2020 for surgery to remove a cancerous tumour. Staff moved him multiple times, including to a noisy ward. McMurray last saw him in person on January 14 before visits ended. Video calls followed, but proved difficult for the dementia patient.

During calls, Robert McMurray appeared highly distressed and confused. He expressed a wish to die, out of character for him, and believed his family had abandoned him for wrongdoing. Hospital discharge was planned for January 20, but he tested positive for Covid-19 the day before and suffered a fall.

Contacting the hospital proved challenging. McMurray received permission to visit on January 29, but found her husband unconscious and unresponsive. She contracted Covid-19 shortly after his death, which she attributes to a hospital visit.

No wake took place, as bringing the body home was not possible. The funeral attendance was capped below 25 people. McMurray expressed a sense of betrayal over high-profile breaches of Covid rules while families faced strict visitor limits. In Northern Ireland, wakes hold cultural importance, especially in rural areas.