Anthony Johnson: ex-Salford City boss on how catching Covid a second time nearly killed him

Football manager Anthony Johnson has revealed how he thought he might die from complications caused by coronavirus.

The ex-Salford City boss, 38, was taken to hospital by ambulance after taking a turn for the worse about a week after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

Johnson had already had Covid in November 2020 but only experienced flu-like symptoms. However, this time around, his wife Kayla had to dial 999 after his initial symptoms became much worse - - and paramedics had to use a defibrillator on him.

He ended up waiting outside Fairfield General Hospital in Bury in the ambulance as the hospital was exceptionally busy.

Johnson said: “At this point I’m thinking I could have been dead because if they hadn’t found my pulse, I wouldn’t have known any different.

“I’d just had this defib on and I’m lying in an ambulance bed thinking I’m done.

“Those paramedics were with me for nearly five hours so whilst they’re sat with me not being able to do anything apart from making sure I don’t die there’s other people not being seen to.”

‘I realised I was close to probably dying’

When Johnson, who is now joint manager at Chester FC, was brought to the Covid ward at 1.30am following a stint in resus, the doctors were frightened at how low his blood oxygen levels were dropping which led them to be concerned about something else – kidney failure.

Over the next few days, he was diagnosed with pneumonia, had a scan for blood clots on his chest and was prescribed a permanent oxygen mask – meaning he couldn’t do anything without the use of a wheelchair or he’d lose his breath.

Everyone on the Covid ward in July with him were in their 60s, 70s and 80s which led Johnson to think he was a “fraud” as he didn’t believe he was as ill as everyone else - until doctors told just how serious his condition was.

“I was saying to the nurses and doctors I know I’m not as poorly as everyone else in here,” he said.

“And the doctor said: ‘You are, your kidneys are failing, and your blood oxygen level is lower than anybody else’s in here, you’re as poorly if not poorlier than everybody else.’

“When he said that it struck a chord with me at how close I was to probably dying.”

‘I was busy and hadn’t had a vaccine’

Before becoming ill the dad-of-three hadn’t had a dose of the vaccine unlike his wife who is double jabbed and only experienced cold-like symptoms when she picked the virus up, leading Johnson to believe that if he’d had the vaccine he wouldn’t have been in hospital.

However, the Chester FC boss is keen to get his first dose as soon as he is well enough to leave his house, something he hasn’t done since he was discharged from hospital last week.

“Because I’m busy, because of what’s going on and because I’m stubborn and because of my age I felt like I’ll get it when I need to and when I’ve got time,” he said.

“But after going through what I have, thinking about what I was thinking, it’s embarrassing really.

“If you’ve got an option to get something that potentially saves you or makes you better or helps and the fact that I didn’t get it done as soon as I could just shows how thick I was.

“Having been through what I’ve been through I would pay every last penny I’ve got in my bank to make sure I didn’t go through what I went through over the past couple of weeks.”

Johnson was discharged from hospital on August 2 after seven nights and praised the NHS who helped him pull through, along with well-wishes and support from his club.

He added: “Things can happen in the click of a finger.

“One minute you’re out having a beer with your friends, a day later you’ve got Covid and a week later you’re in hospital hooked up to every type of machine.

“Life is very, very precious.

“I want to get myself right and have an understanding of the most important people that I want to spend time with which is ultimately my wife and three children and the rest of my family and friends.”

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