Areeb Khan (above) was one of the youngest people in the country to receive ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) having been given a 50/50 chance of survival after catching Covid-19 in summer 2021.

After several months in hospital, including Queen’s Hospital and The Royal Papworth in Cambridge where she had ECMO, she finally got to go home last November.

Now, having had Christmas at home with her family, Areeb has shared how her recovery is going.

She said: “I’m getting along fine and have improved a lot since I left hospital. I can walk more by myself and am getting much more independent.

“I’m having physiotherapy at home and going to appointments at Queen’s so I’m really concentrating on that and my recovery. I’ve also been getting out a lot with my family, especially over Christmas and New Year. We went to see the Christmas lights in London. It’s really nice to do normal things again after being in hospital so long. I think getting outside more also helps me get better.”

Areeb is still passionate about encouraging other young people to have the vaccine to protect them from a long hospital stay like she experienced. She even appeared on the BBC News just before leaving hospital to share her story. For her, the opportunity to have the jab came just a few days late, her age group were invited to have it from 4 August 2021. Areeb had begun having symptoms on 29 July.

Her hospital stay and long recovery meant she is taking a year out before continuing her studies. Areeb will be going to Westcliff High School for Girls in September to do her A-levels, and is still as passionate as ever about becoming a doctor.

She added: “I’m really excited and am looking forward to it. I still want to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor.”

Read more about Areeb’s hospital experience.