When Dr Sarah Coombes was diagnosed with COVID-19 back in March, she never imagined that she would still be faced with the debilitating consequences and a life on hold at Christmas.

The emergency physician had been travelling around Europe — partly for work and partly to visit family — when virus cases began to escalate in early March, shutting down entire cities.

It took three days, three flights and a hotel airport stay before she made it back home.

She said she had felt well the entire time.