This article contains distressing images
A woman who lost both her legs after contracting meningitis has shared shocking images of her legs turning black in the hopes of scaring anti-vaxxers into getting the Covid-19 jab.
Sophia Wyatt was just 16 when she caught the disease, which there was no vaccination for at the time.
Advert
Now, 26 years on she's sharing her experience as a warning to those who are planning on refusing the Covid-19 vaccine.
A vaccine for meningococcal meningitis was rolled out in 2015, and Sophia says her life would be completely different had a vaccine been available before she got the infection.
She is now urging people to take advantage of the advances in science and get a jab when one becomes available.
Advert
The mum-of-two said she felt compelled to share her story - and the shocking images - after she became involved in a conversation about the vaccines on the school run.
Sophia, from Guildford, Surrey, said: "Somebody flippantly asked 'are you going to be having the vaccine?' and I laughed, stopped and said 'you're talking to someone who lost their legs because of meningitis'.
"She said her children hadn't been vaccinated against meningitis because she'd heard something [bad] about it. I stopped myself from shouting at her because it's not her fault. She's just ignorant to it.
"When I went home, I found the photos. I haven't seen them for 26 years. I was in tears all day because it brought it back to me, but I told my husband, 'I need to share this'.
"It might upset people, but maybe they need to be upset. I defy anyone to look at that and justify why they would risk someone going through that.
Advert
"Why would you risk your parents getting covid when you could get vaccinated against it? Why would you risk your child getting covid?
"It's annoying to hear people saying they're not going to get it done when the whole country has been pushing, willing and paying for all these scientists to do this work.
"Having gone through what I've gone through and knowing vaccines stop that from happening to anybody, the whole debate at the moment is sickening.
"I'd say to people don't read social media, don't read gossip. Go to and speak to your GP and find out the facts.
Advert
"Don't speak to some anti-vaxxers sitting behind a keyboard who just wants to drum up a few likes and create a stir."
Sophia's life changed forever in 1993, when she was rushed to hospital with flu-like symptoms and a rash.
Medics placed her in an induced coma for 10 days but when she woke up she was horrified to discover sepsis had turned her legs and some extremities black.
Advert
Her legs were amputated, along with three fingers and her thumb on her right hand and two fingertips on the left hand.
Since being discharged from hospital in June that year she uses prosthetic legs and has been an avid campaigner for research, support and awareness charity Meningitis Now.
Sophia says she's frustrated that anti-vaxxers are now being given a platform.
"There shouldn't be a discussion," she said. "Unless there's a medical reason you shouldn't have it, we should all have to have that vaccine so we can get herd immunity.
"You can't leave a dog in kennels without them having a vaccine for kennel cough, so why should our children be allowed to mix in school without one.
"Scientists have done all this ground-breaking work and the amazing task of getting all these vaccines and now idiots are saying I'm not going to have it.
"All of the jobs that have been lost through lockdown have been lost to get to this point. I'm worried there won't be enough people having it for us to reach herd immunity.
"The whole concept of 'let the old and the vulnerable have it just to make sure it's okay for me' gets to me most. It's absolutely selfish.
"They're scared of a little prick, or a high temperature, yet they want to risk losing their life. It's people being self-obsessed.
"I've had to fight the vaccination debate for 26 years, because I've had arguments in doctors surgeries about it. We shouldn't be fuelling the fire by giving [anti-vaxxers] attention.
"They're just spreading lies, and a lot of it is down to social media. We should not be giving these people a platform because the question shouldn't be entering people's brains."
Topics: Coronavirus, UK