Maybe it is just as well that red squirrels are relatively rare in the UK? Apparently, the population carries forms of leprosy which can infect humans although this is unlikely to occur.

The answer isn’t going to be to put bells on them and shun them but further study. If you are lucky enough to see red squirrels in your neighbourhood (not here, I’m afraid, although we’ve seen redstarts, a bird with similar shape to a starling but a different plumage, in the tree at the back of the garden recently), then watch them with binoculars and send in your reports if you notice any signs that look like the photos in the article.