COVID-19 is a virus that spreads via droplets when someone coughs or sneezes. These particles then land on surfaces, like stairwell handrails and trolley bars, and the droplets are then picked up by more people, increasing the number of people with the virus.  

In these current times of panic and stress, COVID-19 has meant that we, along with majority of the world, must try to stay at home as much as possible in order to prevent this virus from spreading further and damaging more lives. As a result, we are only allowed out for 5 reasons:

  • To buy essential items, such as food and medicine
  • To go to any medical appointments
  • To care for a vulnerable person
  • To exercise (limited to once per day)
  • To go to work if you are a key worker

Consequently, many people will spend lots of time sat lolling at home either by themselves or with family or friends. At first, this may sound superb as it gives you a chance to relax and recharge. Maybe you could spend more time with your family, if your job is very demanding, and bake chocolate chip cookies together, or you could even try a new hobby, like painting. Further, the release of Disney+ is any excellent platform to stream movies as well as tv shows with the whole family cuddled together on a sofa.

However, to many people, staying at home is a lot more difficult than it sounds.

Knowing several elderly people myself, meeting up with friends and family is very important as it allows people to socialise outside of their own house, so they are not stuck inside 24/7. Living by yourself, it is especially important to keep in contact with others. Due to recommended self-isolation, the elderly have had this simple right stripped from them and I’m sure it is difficult to cope with. In addition to this, people who suffer from mental health problems find being stuck at home tough – leaving the house to go to school or work is like a distraction from internal issues but as this is not allowed, their mental health is declining.

Since school is closed, online school has been on the rise. Whether that be Zoom classes or computer-marked quizzes, many schools are using this as a way to make sure students are completing work. For secondary school children, this allows them to grow their independent skills as they have to get on with work themselves. However, for children who are only just beginning to learn to read and write, parents have lots of pressure put on them to make sure that their child is progressing and not falling behind in education. For parents who have to work from home and also teach their child, this can be very challenging.

The main reason for self-isolation and social distancing is to prevent the virus from spreading, and this can save many lives. Therefore, it is best to stay at home as much as possible! Going to meet friends seems like fun but you may catch COVID-19. To you, you may not see the significance of this, but what if you spread the virus to you and your family – that would just be selfish of you!

Remember to call people and check they are all okay, especially those who live by themselves as your telephone call with them could be the highlight of their day. As ITV says, ‘Britain get talking’!