WOMAN CALLS HERSELF 'MODERN DAY VAMPIRE' AMIDST SUN ALLERGY<br />WITH VID AND PIX <br />BY SHANNON PICKETT <br />This woman has shared how her severe allergy to the sun has meant she now needs to live her life hiding in the dark, proudly calling herself a “modern-day vampire.”<br />Emily Richardson, 36, from Tennessee, USA, says even five seconds of sunlight can trigger a severe reaction, and 20 seconds could leave her hospitalised. <br />After catching COVID-19 in 2021, her condition worsened dramatically, leaving her unable to go outside during daylight hours, which she says has led to her getting strange looks from the public. <br />She said: “I will not apologise if my outfit makes you uncomfortable.<br />“I have to wear it every time I leave the house, so if you’re uncomfortable, think how it makes me feel.”<br />Emily told how her condition began when she was a teenager. While her friends would tan on sunny days, she would burn despite using the same sunscreen.<br />By her early twenties, what looked like ordinary sunburn had turned into a frightening allergic reaction. <br />Her skin would swell, turn purple and break out in itchy hives, leaving her in pain and confusion.<br />After contracting COVID-19, Emily says doctors believe her immune system was damaged, leaving her even more vulnerable to sunlight. <br />She has been hospitalised four times since and says her life has completely changed. <br />She now sleeps through the day, only venturing outside under the cover of darkness. Protective clothing, gloves, and wide-brimmed hats are her constant companions whenever she has to step outdoors.<br />Despite everything, Emily refuses to hide or be ashamed of her condition.<br />She said: “I won’t apologise for my nocturnal schedule.<br />“I’m completely allergic to the sun, so there’s no point being awake through most of the day.<br />“I also won’t apologise for calling myself a vampire.<br />"If that bothers people, it’s probably because they can’t use the word against me anymore.<br />“The earliest I can remember being sensitive to sunlight was as a teenager. But after COVID, everything changed.<br />“Now five seconds of exposure will cause a reaction, and twenty seconds will put me in hospital.<br />“If I’m a vampire, then I’m one on my own terms.”<br />ENDS
