Sister's heartbreak after brother died of covid as “he didn’t want vaccine in his body”

4 August 2021, 12:36 | Updated: 4 August 2021, 15:44

By Emma Soteriou

A grieving sister has urged people to get the Covid vaccine after losing her fit and healthy twin brother to coronavirus in July, revealing he became seriously ill because "he didn’t want to put a vaccine in his body".

Speaking to LBC, Jenny McCann revealed that her brother, John, 42, had been an "excellent sportsman", having done triathlons - including the Ironman - and the three peaks.

"He was just a really gifted and talented sportsperson who I think, if he had channelled it to one particular sport, would have been in the Olympics," she said.

"That's the shocking thing - nobody can really believe that this has happened because he had no pre-existing health issues. Literally none.

"He was obsessed with nutrition, his green shakes and his protein bars. He did love chocolate though, I'm not going to lie, but he was incredibly fit and really healthy. There was nothing wrong with him physically.

"He tested positive on a Tuesday - four weeks ago last Tuesday - and it was exactly four weeks to the day that he died.

"He tested positive on the Tuesday, and he didn't tell either myself or my mum. I don't think he probably wanted to acknowledge that it had happened or for us to worry."

"He gradually got sicker and sicker and was taken to a hospital in an ambulance on the Saturday," she said of John, who lived in Southport.

"By the Tuesday, he was in intensive care.

My 42yr old twin brother died in ITU of COVID-19 last week. He died exactly 4 weeks after testing positive. He was the fittest, healthiest person I know. He was climbing Welsh mountains & wild camping 4 weeks before his death.
— jenny mccann (@jennyeye) August 2, 2021

"Myself, my mum, my dad, even my 11-year-old daughter, were trying to convince him to get the vaccine and his standpoint was very much 'but why should I? I'm young, if you look at all the stats it's old people that die of Covid. If I get Covid, I'll be fine.'

"I think he didn't really know anyone who had Covid, whereas where I live, I don't know anyone who hasn't had Covid."

Ms McCann wrote online: "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."

Ms McCann went on to ask people to reconsider getting the vaccine if they had not already.

"I completely understand that you may have fears and doubts. I don't want it to be a divisive issue and for there to be anger and for everyone to pile on to people that don't have the vaccine.

"But I would just ask those people who have not been vaccinated to consult a medical professional to get the proper scientific opinions about whether the vaccine is suitable for them.

"Don't take for granted your immortality. Don't take it for granted and just have the vaccine if you can."