Fit and healthy dad, 42, who rejected Covid jab dies ‘wishing he’d listened’ says heartbroken twin sister

A FIT and healthy dad who rejected the Covid jab tragically died from the virus after saying he "wished he had listened".

John Eyers' heartbroken twin sister, Jenny McCann, is now urging people to get vaccinated after her "superfit" brother's death.

The 42-year-old said Ironman and keen mountain climber John though he would only suffer "mild illness" and turned down the jab.

Jenny said: "He was the fittest, healthiest person I know. He was climbing Welsh mountains and wild camping four weeks before his death.

"The only pre-existing health condition he had was the belief in his own immortality. He thought if he contracted Covid-19 he would be OK.

"He thought he would have a mild illness. He didn't want to put a vaccine on his body."

Mr Eyers, of Southport, Merseyside, died after suffering an infection and organ failure four weeks after testing positive.

His death came just a month after he had been climbing mountains in Wales and wild camping in the countryside.

Jenny, from North West London, took up her vaccination in May but John decided not to get his.

She said her brother told his consultant he wished he was vaccinated before going onto a ventilator after going into hospital.

Writing online, she said her brother was "pumped full of every drug in the hospital" before he died to try and save him.

She said: "They threw everything at him. But eventually the bedfellow of Covid-19, infection and organ failure, claimed his life.

"Before he was ventilated he told his consultant that he wished he had been vaccinated. That he wished he had listened.

"His death is a tragedy. It shouldn't have happened. He leaves a mum and dad, a sister (me), and a 19-year-old daughter."

John was described as the beloved "fun uncle" who dressed up as Santa on Christmas Day, as his twin detailed the extent of his loss.

'A TRAGEDY'

Jenny added: "My mum has lost her baby boy. My niece, her much loved and needed dad. This shouldn't have happened.

"My mum wants people to know about John. For his story to save someone's life. For pain and loss to drive people to get a vaccine."

She had her first vaccine on May 10 and praised the NHS, saying at the time: "Full on tears after getting Covid jab. Really shows the collective weight we've all been carrying. So grateful to the NHS."

After one dose the Pfizer vaccine is 36 per cent effective against symptomatic illness from the Delta variant, and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is about 30 per cent effective against getting ill.

But two weeks after the second jab, Pfizer gives 88 per cent protection against catching the Covid strain and AZ gives 67 per cent protection.

And after two doses, the Pfizer vaccine is 96 per cent effective against hospitalisation and the AstraZeneca jab slashes the risk by 92 per cent.

The Government has urged younger people to get their vaccines, offering freebies and discounts to Brits who are double jabbed.

Sources say around 30 firms are in talks to join the new scheme set to encourage more young people to get the vaccine.