Will my wife’s carers be banned from visiting?

I AM in my 80s and have heart troubles. My wife has Alzheimer’s and lives at home. We’ve been told we should stay put, and not go out, but have carers that come in to help every day. Will they still be able to visit, and what will we do if they can’t?

FIRST, let me offer some reassurance. Even in high-risk groups such as the over80s and those with heart disease, the majority who contract coronavirus will not have severe illness.

The information from the Chinese cases showed that more than 80 per cent of patients – even the older ones with heart disease – would not suffer serious illness.

We have been told to socially distance to protect ourselves.

This means reducing close contact as much as possible, often defined as being within two metres of another person for more than 15 minutes.

You are not in isolation – that is for people or their households who have symptoms. So you could go out for a walk and some fresh air – that would do you good.

And since carers are essential to you and your wife, this kind of contact should not be avoided. They will absolutely still be able to visit you.

They will be practising even more stringent hand hygiene than normal, and they will be careful about not coming if they are ill. If they are unable to visit due to isolation, the care agency or local authority team will send back-up. Do not be afraid to ask them to wash their hands when they come in.

I AM in my late 40s and take blood pressure medicine. I’m confused about just who is high-risk. Should I be self-isolating?

WE ARE all meant to be practising social distancing. This means having as little as possible physical contact with other people. Isolating means zero contact and is for people who have Covid-19 symptoms or are in the household of someone with symptoms.

Like everyone else, you should be minimising your contact with others. But it is more important for you, as we know that those with high blood pressure are considered more vulnerable.

So you need to be stricter.

Every time you avoid coming into contact with other people or going to enclosed spaces where lots of people go, you are reducing your risk.

Stay at home as much as you can. Working from home, for instance, eliminates commuting – and the risk of sitting in an office all day with others who might transmit the virus.

They might be ill with low-level symptoms and unaware they’re spreading the infection, or simply have the virus on their hands after their commute.

There has been some discussion about high-blood-pressure medication and Covid-19.

The European Society of Cardiology has issued a statement to say that all patients with high blood pressure should continue their usual medication as there is no evidence that it is harmful during the infection.

For more information on precisely who is classed as being in high-risk groups for Covid-19, visit nhs.uk or Public Health England at gov.uk.