Of resilience too, they tell Investigations Editor David Cohen
started swearing at each other yet, which is pretty good if you know us. When I think of what could happen to Paul, I panic but Paul is Nigerian and he lived through the Biafran War so he’s a tough cookie.
We’re news junkies but he feels we should not watch the news so obsessively to protect our mental health. He wants to plant blackberries in our small garden this weekend and if the weather’s nice, sit out and read.” with a heart condition, the other with compromised lungs, and I worry for them. I have already been self-isolating for 11 days.
My twice-weekly Pilates lessons are now on FaceTime. I only leave the house for walks, but keep my distance from others. I walked past my grandson’s house yesterday and he leaned out his bedroom window and we did a Romeo and Juliet.
Online food ordering is impossible right now so I will have to rely on my daughter or neighbours to shop for me. People are being very kind. I am coping okay but it’s only 11 days. What about after two months? It brings your life into focus.
When my son came to visit before he flew home to Australia, he was not sure whether to hug me. I said, ‘Yes, hug me, I’ve had a good life until now’.”
“I am a long-retired lawyer who loves going out with friends to opera, theatre and restaurants, but now with coronavirus there is nothing one can do except obey instructions and stay home. I am lucky to have family nearby although, so far, I have avoided seeing my younger grandchildren because I’m in the vulnerable group. I would feel terrible if I got it and they caught it from me and something bad happened to them. I am 97 so I don’t really matter but I am worried about how this could affect young people.
There is a park backing onto my house and I can walk there, and I also have a highly competent housekeeper who looks after me. I plan to get through this by reading, listening to audio books and watching TV, but I will miss seeing my friends.”
A FOUR-POINT PLAN