Covid sceptic dad-to-be who urged people to get jab while in ICU dies of virus

Marcus Birks, 40, said having coronavirus was ‘the scariest feeling in the world’ (Picture: Facebook/BBC)

A dad-to-be who refused the Covid vaccine has died with the virus after admitting he regretted not getting jabbed.

Marcus Birks, 40, urged other doubters to accept the two doses before he died on Friday, admitting he’d been ‘ignorant to put off’ getting it.

The musician, who was once signed to Most Wanted and appeared in Bad Lads’ Army, had developed blood clots after testing positive.

He admitted it was a shock to fall ill, saying he ate healthily and exercised five times a week.

His heartbroken pregnant wife Lis paid tribute to her ‘selfless’ husband in a Facebook post this weekend.

The expectant mum said: ‘My heart has been completely ripped out and I don’t know how you are supposed to deal with such pain and hurt.

‘I would like to thank you all for your kind words and support over these last few weeks. Marcus was truly blown away by how many of you sent your love to him.

‘Marcus was the most incredible, caring, loving, loyal, selfless, proud man and all he wanted to do was to help as many people as he could. That, in itself, showed what a pure heart and soul he had.

The dad-to-be was interviewed from his ICU hospital bed before he died (Picture: BBC)

The musician’s wife Lis said her ‘heart had been ripped out’ (Picture: Facebook)

The husband-and-wife pop duo performed together as The Chameleonz (Picture: Facebook)

‘Marcus, I want to thank you for making me feel utterly loved. I knew how much you adored me, as I do you, you told me everyday how much I meant to you and that I will never forget. Me and you forever that’s what you would always tell me.’

In an interview from his ICU hospital bed earlier this month, Marcus said having coronavirus was ‘the scariest feeling in the world’.

He told the BBC: ‘If you haven’t been ill, you don’t think you’re going to get ill, so you listen to the [anti-vaccine] stuff.

‘When you feel like you can’t get enough breath, it’s the scariest feeling in the world.

‘I kind of was ignorant towards it and just put it off. First thing I am going tell all my family to do is get the vaccine and anybody I see.

‘And as soon as I can get it, I am definitely getting it.’

It comes after another vaccine sceptic, 34, died with the virus in July after saying he wished he could ‘turn back time’.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

from News – Metro https://ift.tt/3Drm5iV