- Quote: ‘Embryos defrost go-ahead as couple arrive at Alicante at 10am for midday appointment’
By Andrew Atkinson
A couple arrived at Alicante-Elche airport on May 24 – and jumped into a waiting taxi – in a race against time, to take them to a clinic in the city where they were to receive fertility treatment.
Carole Hutchison and her partner Christopher Couper, from Fife, headed to the fertility clinic – where defrosting embryos were awaiting them.
The couple had been waiting months for the fertility treatment – delayed due to the coronavirus lockdown and travelling restrictions.
After the easing of travelling restrictions on May 24 they finally boarded a flight to Spain after the country lifted restrictions for UK travellers, having not to take a PCR Covid-19 test.
An appointment for fertility treatment was booked in Alicante at midday – giving the couple a few hours to arrive at the clinic after landing at 10am.
A taxi took them to the clinic, after informing the clinic they were on board the flight, that lead to the go-ahead to defrost the embryos.
“It’s been incredibly stressful – we had to rush once we landed at Alicante airport and get there as quickly as possible,” said Carole, aged 42, and an NHS public health practitioner.
“I’ve been taking the required medication for months – there’s a window for when it can happen.
“Ten minutes after we found out Spain was opening up on May 24, we booked a flight,” she said.
The couple were in Spain for 24 hours and are now back home in quarantine, with Spain currently on the UK’s amber travel list.
“It was a massive relief we boarded the flight – but it’s been very stressful. We flew straight back on May 25 to quarantine for 10 days,” added Carole.
UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “I don’t think people have a very long time to wait before other countries will be able to join the green list.”
Image courtesy of Daily Mirror
