Loneliness is society’s other real epidemic

It is no exaggeration to say that we are facing an unprecedented situation with the coronavirus pandemic.

We are all being asked to make substantial changes to our daily lives as we know them, and we must set aside our differences and pull together to defeat it.

I have made necessary adjustments to the way I work to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. My staff team and I are available by email to Margaret. ferrier.mp@parliament.uk, and I have an emergency mobile number – 07562 288713 – for constituents.

I will soon advertise alternative methods to replace my usual faceto-face surgeries on Facebook and Twitter.

I want to take this opportunity to praise those hardworking staff who are helping to keep essential services running.

From our NHS workers who are caring for those with covid-19, and police officers keeping our communities safe, to supermarket workers keeping shelves stacked , we owe them all a debt of gratitude for their efforts in keeping the most important things running as smoothly as possible.

I am conscious of the impact that self-isolation will have on another epidemic in our society – loneliness.

While it is right that those most at risk from coronavirus stay at home, there will be many people across Rutherglen and Cambuslang who may struggle with their mental health as a result.

It worries me that the people who are most at risk from infection are the same people who may feel vulnerable and socially isolated.

This crisis highlights just how important it is for us all to reach out and support one another.

This will also be an anxious time for many local businesses and their employees. The high street is already facing a tough time with declining footfall, and the pandemic will make the situation worse.

We need to see businesses supported, and we must look at the basic workplace protections we give to employees.

The UK has one of the lowest levels of statutory sick pay in Europe and, while it’s welcome that some restrictions on claiming it have been lifted, it is simply not enough.

The unprecedented impact of coronavirus-based illness should give us pause for thought about how our economy is structured.

Those in insecure work, living on zero hours contracts, stand to be amongst the hardest hit.

When the worst of this is over, I hope that we will all reflect on how we should make our economy work better for us all, not just when crisis comes around.