A COUPLE married for 57 years beat Covid-19 after hospital intensive care staff moved their beds together so they could fight the virus side-by-side.

Domenico and Concetta Scolaro have barely spent a night apart since they were married in 1963 after meeting at a dance at an Italian club in London.

But, on June 22 this year, 73-year-old Concetta feared that she would never see her family again after she was taken by ambulance to Barnet Hospital in north London suffering from a high temperature, delirium and breathing difficulties.

Nine days later, on July 1, 79-year-old Domenico also contracted the virus and was taken by ambulance to the same hospital.

Hearing their pleas to be close to one another, intensive care unit (ICU) staff took the decision to place the couple in beds side-by-side so they could support one another.

Their daughter Sabrina Scolaro said: “Because the ICU wasn’t as busy as it had been the staff listened to my father’s impassioned request that he should be reunited with his wife.

"Staff went above and beyond to make this happen as they knew just how much strength they would both gain from being able to fight this battle together.”

Sabrina said when she was unable to reduce her mother’s temperature with paracetamol, she feared the worst.

She said: “My mother was ashen-faced and had become delirious.

“Her temperature was 39.5. I spoke to NHS 111 and they were so helpful, the ambulance was with us in 20 minutes and the paramedics were so kind and understanding.

“I could see how upset my father was and I kissed her goodbye.

“It sounds ridiculous, but because my mother had had chest infections in the past and they had been so careful I still didn’t think it was coronavirus. We were now well into June and I just thought ‘it can’t be the virus’.”

It was quickly confirmed Concetta had coronavirus and she was placed on a breathing machine.

After ordering tests for her and her father, Domenico tested positive.

Sabrina said: “The paramedics came, took dad’s oxygen levels and said, ‘he’s coming with us’.

“That was it, suddenly both my parents were in hospital with the virus and I was left to lock their front door behind me and drive back to my own home in tears.”

Concetta said: “When the nurse woke me up she said she had something to tell me about my husband. I feared the very worst but instead she told me he had the virus, had been admitted the previous night but now he was being put in the bed right next to me.

“I cried, but actually it was incredibly comforting to be together and just being able to watch him as he slept gave me strength.

“The staff were angels, they looked after me so well and never left my side. I remember one nurse in particular, Rachel, who stroked my hair. Our care was outstanding.”

As the couple, who live in Cockfosters, north London, began to recover they were taken from ICU on the same day to a ward where they were again put together side by side in their own bay.

After 16 days in hospital, Concetta went home on July 8 and Domenico was discharged on July 9.

The grandparents of five, who have owned Italian restaurants, are hoping to recover well enough to see friends and family.

Concetta said: “I thought I was going to die, I honestly thought I’d never see my husband, my children or my grandchildren again.

“Now I’m looking forward to going dancing with my husband again – we met at a dance at an Italian club back in London in 1962 - and when we have our strength back we will visit Italy.

“Both of us have been given a second chance and that means everything.”

Debbie Kirby, ICU matron at Barnet Hospital, said: “We knew that putting this couple together would mean everything to them. Both of them had such spirit and determination.

“Staff were absolutely thrilled to be able to bring people together when so much of what we have had to do means separating loved ones. We will never forget them.”

Bryleen Sebastian, the sister on Palm ward, said: “All our patients are special to us but to be able to put this couple together was fantastic.

“We made sure their beds and chairs were next to each-other and they had a good view of the TV and out of the window. We know it’s all the little things that make a difference to our patients, and being together really spurred them to get well as it was like a mini competition between them to achieve milestones, like coming off oxygen.

“We knew they wanted to leave together but we had to explain that we still had to monitor Mr Scolaro for one more night.

“He used that time to practice his walking up and down the bay which reassured us he was ready to say goodbye to us.”

She added: “He was absolutely determined to rejoin his wife at home and it was so wonderful to see that bond.”