Urmston dad-of-three Jonathan Haigh says his severe and rare skin condition developed suddenly over a few days
06:03, 20 Feb 2026Updated 08:17, 20 Feb 2026
Jonathan Haigh, 42, father of three battling with rare skin condition (Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
A dad-of-three has told of how he ‘feels a quarter of the man’ he was after a severe and painful skin condition developed suddenly.
Jonathan Haigh, 42, is now living off £118-a-week in statutory sick pay whilst supporting his children due to the severity of the condition known as Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) – which seemed to develop within a period of days.
The Urmston dad also says the rare chronic inflammatory skin disorder affects his hobbies and social life, describing how a trip to watch Manchester City turned into a distressing ordeal.
As a lifelong Manchester City supporter, a trip to watch his favourite team was supposed to be a special gift but instead turned into an upsetting experience.
“It was horrendous. I felt awful all the way through because I kept thinking people were looking at me,” he said.
Jonathan Haigh, 42, has suffered from severe Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) for five years (Image: Jonathan Haigh)
Jonathan says he started noticing blotches on his face two to three days after receiving his second dose of the Covid-19 AstraZeneca vaccine back in 2021.
It had spread across his body within weeks and sought help from his local GP practice but claims doctors were unable to determine the cause.
As his condition worsened, his mother paid for a private consultation at Salford Royal Hospital, where he was diagnosed with PRP. Mr Haigh has since been transferred to Withington Hospital, which has a specialist dermatology department.
Having now lived with the incurable condition for five years, Jonathan says it’s caused him to miss out on valuable time with his children.
“I’ve missed time with my son because I’ve been too ill to go and play with him,” he said. “Some days I’m completely bedridden, I’m probably a quarter of the man I used to be.”
“It’s like third degree burns all over my body,” he said. “I was taking my son to school. I’d take my socks off when I got home and it would be covered in blood.”
Jonathan Haigh, 42, has suffered from severe Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) for five years
Jonathan says he applied for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in 2022 but was refused, saying he was told that as he could dress himself he wasn’t eligible. He has since made another claim. An application for the Government’s Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme was also denied.
A spokesperson from the Department of Working Pensions (DWP) said: “We are reviewing Mr Haigh’s latest PIP claim, and he will be contacted directly to help the assessment team.”
Mr Haigh was later offered injections at hospital but describes them as a trial medicine rather than a cure for the condition.
“They told me there was no actual cure for what I’ve got. They have a lot of trial drugs they are testing and some are working, but these are only trials,” he said. “Everything they seemed to give me was affecting my antidepressants.”
He claims that at Salford Royal hospital, doctors had asked if medical students could observe his case as they had “never seen anything like it before” and asked for photographs for study purposes due to the severity of this condition.
This illness has also taken a toll on his mental health describing it as “through the roof” and no longer goes out. The illness has taken over his life, explaining how he doesn’t socialise with friends and can’t even remember the last time he went to the pub.
He believes the Government has failed to support people who have experienced serious side effects. “It feels like the Government has turned their back on me and wont even give me the help and support I need.”
According to the NHS website the most common side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine are mild and improve within a week, including feeling tired, achy and mild flu-like symptoms.
Jonathan Haigh, 42, has suffered from severe Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) for five years
Case reports by the National Institutes of Health have documented instances of pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) occurring after receiving the Covid-19 vaccination. Their report shows a total of 16 cases worldwide, with one to be reported in the UK, this report notes an association between the two but does not confirm a causal link.
Health officials say these events are rare, with patients typically recovering and the benefits of vaccination continue to outweigh the risks posed.
His recent Facebook post to share his experience has now reached over 800,000 people, with many contacting him claiming to have suffered similar experiences.
“Hopefully the government will stand up and listen to us all,” he added.
The Department of Health and Social Care has previously said that Covid-19 vaccines approved for use in the UK meet strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Anyone experiencing side effects following a vaccination are encouraged to report this through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.
The Department of Health and Social Care was approached for comment, but no response had been received.