Shielding cancer patient will stay at home despite guidance relaxation

Ms Boult's cancer treatment has left her extremely vulnerable to coronavirus

A woman who has been shielding said she will be remaining at home despite guidance changes.

Lissey Boult, 48, is classed as "extremely vulnerable" to coronavirus after undergoing cancer treatment.

Shielding guidance was relaxed over the weekend but Ms Boult said she expects to be inside for a further month.

"I haven't spent 12 months fighting to stay alive to put it at risk now for the sake of a beer in a pub garden or a trip to Tesco," she said.

The government has said those shielding can go outdoors again from Monday.

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In England, those shielding will be advised they can go outside once a day, with their household or, if they live alone, to meet one other person at a two-metre distance.

Lissey Boult is not prepared to put herself at risk after months of "fighting to stay alive"

But Ms Boult, from Stafford, said the combination of her recovery from treatment for head and neck cancer, asthma and an auto-immune disease mean she is "high risk" and won't be leaving the house.

Ms Boult's partner Bill Hathaway has also been treating Covid-19 patients in the intensive care unit at Walsall Manor Hospital

Her partner, Bill Hathaway has also been treating Covid-19 patients in the intensive care unit at Walsall Manor Hospital, which has led to "separate living."

"I think everyone will have found it hard...but because I am still struggling with physical fatigue and pain that added on top of it was just at bit much," she said.

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