A BRAVE woman with a life-limiting condition says the government's refusal to make a pioneering Covid treatment available in the UK has left her trapped in her home for nearly three years.

Blanche Hampton from Inverkip suffers from lupus, a chronic illness which sees the body's immune system spiral out of control and attack healthy parts of the body.

As Blanche's condition has worsened over the last 20 years, her medication has become progressively stronger, meaning that her immune system now barely exists.

Despite having had five Covid vaccinations, Blanche's body has not built up any antibodies to fight off coronavirus.

She contracted the virus in August and is still unwell with lung scarring, and she can't stand for more than a couple of minutes or walk any distance.

Blanche, 66, now believes that her only hope of getting her life back is taking a drug called Evusheld, one which is specifically designed for people in her position.

But the UK Government has not bought any doses of the previously-approved drug, with questions about its effectiveness cited.

Blanche is now desperately appealing to ministers to reconsider their stance.

She told the Tele: "I am locked away and have no life.

"The drugs I am on help control my immune system, but to the point that it almost doesn't exist.

"There are around 500,000 people in the UK in the same position and I just feel like we've been abandoned.

"You feel like someone has looked at you and made the decision that you're not worth it.

"That's painful."

The government says that as Evusheld was developed and tested before the emergence of the omicron variant, there is uncertainty around how effective it will be.

The drug was approved by the UK medicines regulator in March but now the government says more trials are needed.

Tests are currently being carried out to establish the effectiveness of Evusheld against circulating variants, and to avoid the risk of introducing new ones through viral mutations.

Blanche argues that questions about how well the Covid vaccines would work didn't stop them from being rolled out rapidly across the UK.

She added: "The argument from the government is that Evusheld doesn't cover all aspects of omicron but neither do the vaccines, and that's not been a reason for us not using them.

"It's used in more than 30 countries with no problems at all.

"It needs to be made available in the UK.

"We know it's not perfect but it's better than what we have at the moment which is nothing."

The pensioner, who moved to Inverkip from Sydney in Australia just before the pandemic, can't risk going out while she's not protected.

Blanche added: "My lungs are scarred and they may never heal.

"It makes me so much more vulnerable.

"If I got Covid again, I don't think I would survive it.

"People are going about their lives now after getting their vaccines but I can't do that."

Blanche is pleading with the authorities to introduce the drug before the cold weather sets and has enlisted the help of MP Ronnie Cowan.

She added: "I'm appealing to the government to have another think about it.

"We need to do something really quickly before the winter sets in and people start getting sick."

MP Mr Cowan says Blanche has shown 'great bravery' in speaking out and told the Tele that her situation shows that Covid is 'far from over'.

He added that the 85,000 people with suppressed immune systems in Scotland must be supported and that Evusheld could 'transform the lives of thousands'.

Mr Cowan added: "My office has offered assistance to Blanche and she has shown incredible fortitude in allowing her story to be told, which will ultimately benefit others.

"If there is any way the lives of people like Blanche can be improved through new treatments then these avenues must be pursued to the utmost.

"The present timescale for trials must be sped up as a matter of urgency."