A FORMER page 3 model who supported the anti-vax campaign has revealed Covid nearly ended her life and is now urging others to get the jab.

Holly McGuire, who is from Grays, was struck down with Covid earlier this year and spent six week battling it in hospital.

Holly, who is 43 and now lives in Spain, says she regrets listening to anti-vax views on the Covid jab and admits she is still lucky to be alive.

She told the Mirror: “I was an anti-vaxxer, I was unvaccinated. Now I can honestly tell people Covid is real.

“Please, everyone, ignore the nonsense some people are spouting, get the jab.

“Luckily for me I have lived to tell my story. But I nearly died twice.

“My husband Steve was told to prepare for the worst. He phoned my mum in tears saying it didn’t look like I would make it.”

Holly was given a 15 per cent chance to live while battling Covid in hospital.

She developed pneumonia in both lungs and was forced to spend two weeks in a coma.

Her time in intensive care meant she missed daughter Madison’s seventh birthday.

The former model admits she believed her healthy diet meant she was at little risk from catching Covid.

Holly said: “A lot of my friends were anti-vaxxers, campaigning against the jab, and I was listening to them, too.

“I thought there were so many reasons not to have it.

“I now regret that so much. I made so many excuses not to have it, but when I caught Covid it was dreadful, it hit me like a truck. Just get vaccinated as soon as possible.”

She added: “I’ve felt shattered ever since. Last weekend was the first time I’ve been out with my family.

“I was an anti-vaxxer but now I know I was wrong. I never thought I’d get Covid, but it can hit anyone.”