Covid: Arm band calls for those with weak immune systems

Neil Collingwood is calling for a recognised symbol indicating the need to maintain social distance

A man with a weakened immune system is calling for recognised, wearable symbols that indicate the need to observe social distance around individuals with the condition.

Neil Collingwood, 64, from Leek, Staffordshire, said the ending of England's lockdown rules on 19 July was not good news for people less able to fight off Covid-19.

Even people with two vaccine jabs were not completely without risk, he said.

He has made a prototype arm band.

It "is bright orange and uses the universal symbol for first aid," Mr Collingwood explained.

He has it in mind for adults with weakened immune systems, or who are immuno-suppressed, and less able to battle infections naturally.

They include people receiving chemotherapy or radical radiotherapy for cancer, and those with serious immune disorders.

"There are about half a million people in the UK whose immune systems are not effective," he said.

Recent studies suggest they do not receive as much protection from Covid vaccines as other people.

Mr Collingwood, who has chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a form of blood cancer, as well as type 1 diabetes, leaves the house only to exercise and occasionally take photographs as part of his work as a historian and author.

"I run eight to 10 miles a couple of times a week down a disused railway line, and after Monday, people are not going to want to give me any sort of social distance," he explained.

"I've already had people who have refused to get out of my way," he said, "with one person shouting 'grow up it's not going to kill you.'"

Neil Collingwood only leaves the house to exercise and take occasional photographs

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"Some of the people in my situation may be 10 or 12 years old, they will never - as things stand - be able to have normal lives," said Mr Collingwood.

"I probably don't have all that long left, but I'm damned if I want to sacrifice what time I have got left because of stupidity, and the fact we are not being considered as a very important vulnerable group."

He said of the armband plan: "If this became the accepted way of people identifying themselves, then that might make my life a lot better than it has been for the past 16 months."