Family of man who took own life after COVID jab complications call for action on government compensation

The family of an NHS pharmacist who took his own life after suffering paralysing complications from a COVID jab are calling for urgent reform of the government’s compensation scheme for vaccine damage.

John Cross. Pic: Family

John Cross was told by the official medical assessor for the scheme that the jab had caused his rare neurological effects, but that he wasn’t disabled enough for a payment.

John Cross’s children. Pic: Family

Mr Cross was unable to move, blink or breathe after his first dose of the vaccine.

He spent seven months recovering in hospital but was left with chronic pain and numbness – and suffered several relapses.

After he was rejected by the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), his mental health deteriorated and he took his own life.

Speaking exclusively to Sky News, Philip Cross, John’s youngest son, said the family would seek to overturn the judgment and force reform of the VDPS.

“We want some good out of this and to get the system changed in memory of dad.

“You look at everything and it’s just wrong. It’s unjust.”

John Cross and wife, Christine. Pic: Family

John was a staunch supporter of vaccination, eager to get his COVID jab to protect elderly relatives and help end the pandemic.

But two weeks later, he suffered rapidly progressive paralysis that swept up his body.

He was admitted to intensive care where he was given a tracheostomy, a breathing tube in his neck. And nursing staff had to tape his eyes closed so he could sleep.

He slowly learned to eat, walk and talk again. But he never regained the mobility and fitness he had enjoyed before his illness.

Doctors eventually diagnosed Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, nerve swelling that leads to a loss of strength or sensation.

Adam, John’s eldest son, said his father dreaded intensive dialysis-like treatment to remove rogue antibodies from his blood because it left him severely fatigued for days.

“I think he knew that without the treatment, this long-term condition would yo-yo, possibly for the rest of his life,” he said.

“And he’d have to deal with that. It’s devastating.”

John was urged by his doctors to submit a claim to the VDPS.

The scheme was set up in 1979 to make a one-off payment of £120,000 to people who have suffered rare, but significant, side effects to a range of vaccines.

But after a two-year delay, with only a review of his medical records and no face-to-face assessment, his claim was rejected.

His widow, Christine, said: “Nobody spoke to him. There was no personal contact, nothing. Just fill in this form and that was it.

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