A County Durham cancer survivor has spoken of her fears after the Government announced plans to end self-isolation rules for people who test positive for Covid.
However, after being forced to shield and restrict social contact throughout the pandemic, another survivor explained that - while she won't be ditching facemasks just yet - she was optimistic for the future.
Jackie Easton has recovered from cancer twice. A retired SureStart worker, she volunteers throughout the week helping to support others going through cancer treatment for the charity Macmillan - for whom she's also a prolific fundraiser.
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After her own illnesses, Jackie is also classed as clinically extremely vulnerable herself, too.
Speaking to ChronicleLive, the County Durham woman said: "I'm clinically extremely vulnerable due to my cancer, and I also lost my spleen which is a key part of the immune system.
"I'm still using a mask when I do go out and about - but in some ways the impact is more on the people I support. Because of the restrictions being removed and those people being especially vulnerable, it worries them that they could come into contact with someone who's tested positive."
Jackie has suffered from breast and ovarian cancer - and though she is well now, a decade ago she was told she had just two years to live.
Sadly, due to a genetic predisposition which raises the chances of breast cancer, her daughter Charlotte died of the disease in 2016 at the age of just 36, while her husband has also had cancer.
She said, from speaking to the people she supports on a daily basis, there was a lot of anxiety about restrictions being lifted.
She added: "Some of them are going to be frightened to leave the house. Anyone who is going through a cancer journey and receiving treatment is very aware of the risk of infection. Clearly that's a worry for them going out and about - but it's also about people coming to visit them who may have contracted the virus and that's going to be particularly the case if people who test positive are around in public.
"For me, if every I'm going out to meet people I always do a lateral flow test, to make sure I'm not going to pass anything on. With all of these things being taken away - maybe having to pay for lateral flow tests - I think that all adds to the sense for people who are vulnerable that they might catch Covid."
Jackie said she felt the risk of people unknowingly bringing Covid into the homes of the vulnerable would likely rise.
"People who are at home and who rely on carers are worried too. Not so much about when the carers are with them, but there's worry about what they'd be exposed to outside," she said.
"If you're going through chemotherapy or radiotherapy it's worrying enough without the added factor of worrying you might be in contact with somebody who has Covid.
"I understand the Government needs to move forward, but I don't think it should be at the risk of harming vulnerable people. Just simple things like keeping testing free for a little longer, keeping masks on, that'd help."
Another cancer survivor - North Kenton woman and one of the Macmillan Toon Angels Jackie Sexton - was more optimistic about the end of self-isolation rules, though she said she wasn't ready to ditch a facemask just yet.
Jackie, who has raised thousands for the charity after surviving breast cancer twice and stomach cancer once, said: "To be honest I'm quite happy that we are getting back to normal.
"Obviously when I've been shielding it's been tough. When I look back, two years ago I was petrified about getting Covid. I thought 'I've lived through three cancers, now this'. It was hard, it was nationally very difficult.
"It was so sad for those of us who were so vulnerable - to have to go through so much. But in some ways it also kept us alive."
She said that, having been triple-jabbed and caught Covid, she felt reasonably secure out and about.
"Luckily it wasn't as bad as I had feared, yes I was in bed a couple of days in the middle but for me it was just a bad flu - probably because I've had the vaccines."
Jackie added that shielding during lockdown had been incredibly difficult.
"I've a 24-year-old daughter who was living away. She would come to the bottom of the garden or speak through the window - she couldn't come any nearer.
"I would hate to think about going through this again, though obviously I understand why. It's made me cherish life even more. I already really cherished life after being so ill - but it really made me realise how important friends and family are."
All that said, Jackie - who works in logistics - said she was still going to be taking precautions to keep Covid at bay.
"I am still nervous though," she said. "I'm not going to be going to the shops without a mask just yet - though I know some people will be delighted to get rid of them!"
This week a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We have issued public health advice for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk of serious outcomes from Covid-19.
"This advice remains in place.
"Those previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable are advised to follow the same guidance as the general public, but consider taking extra precautions to reduce their chance of catching Covid-19."
