Pauline Cafferkey to be given bravery medal says PM

Pauline Cafferkey and the other aid workers like her, who have battled Ebola, will be given a medal vows David Cameron. Picture: TSPL

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THE Scottish nurse who caught Ebola after helping victims of the disease in Sierra Leone is to be awarded a medal along with other aid workers from the UK.

Pauline Cafferkey, 39, was diagnosed with Ebola after she returned to Scotland making her the first case in the UK of the disease that has devastated central Africa.

In Prime Minister’s questions David Cameron announced that he had asked the Queen to create a new medal for the health and military personnel from the UK who went to West Africa to fight the disease which has now been brought under control.

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The announcement came as it was revealed by Save the Children that Ms Cafferkey caught the disease by wearing a visor.

A report by the charity says she had been trained in how to safely remove goggles but when she got to the centre in Kerry Town, she was unable to get them to fit properly so instead she used a visor.

Addressing MPs, Mr Cameron praised the bravery of all those who had gone to Africa to tackle the disease.

He said: “I intend to recommend to her majesty a medal to pay tribute to their efforts, details will be out in due course, this should be in place by the summer, these people are incredibly brave and we owe them an immense debt of gratitude.

“These are of course doctors and nurses from our NHS, but also people from our armed forces, civil service and NGOs.”

•Pauline Cafferkey Ebola infection ‘linked to visor’