NICOLA MENDELSOHN, 48

FACEBOOK VICE-PRESIDENT FOR EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

Hours spent looking at a screen: a lot Number of fights: every morning when I insist my kids are up, dressed and working by 9am! Number of hours exercised: 30 minutes each day – a new personal best Banana bread consumed: too much

My family has been self-isolating for 14 days. I suffer with follicular lymphoma, a rare and incurable blood cancer so I have to take extra care. I’ve had time to prepare, I heard about the situation in late January from a colleague in Singapore. On flights during February, I was wearing a mask, wiping down my seating area, using hand sanitiser. Then, people looked at me like I was mad.

I was used to these extra measures when I was having chemotherapy. However, last Wednesday, my heart still sank when a text arrived from the NHS telling me to self-isolate for 12 weeks. It’s one thing knowing that you have to take precautionary measures, but quite another when you are classed as “vulnerable”.

Because of my condition, we have been self-isolating even within our home. For example, when watching TV, we put space between the chairs and insist that everyone work from their own rooms.

At the start of this crisis we sat down as a family and created structure and routine. Everyone gets up at 9am – each person has to do their chores – and take their turn to cook. Exercise is really important. I do an online workout with a local trainer called Tamir Grant.

I’m incredibly proud of our social media platforms right now. We have directed a billion people to resources from the World Health Organisation and other health authorities via our educational pop-ups on Facebook and Instagram and just launched a new Covid-19 Information Centre. I’m in a north-west London support group on Whatsapp: a pharmacist in my street can get prescriptions for people.

I am embracing my new, domesticated side. The other day I decided to make banana bread. I cooked it, it looked amazing, but I had forgotten to ask whether anyone actually likes it. They don’t.