I’m in a group at high risk of getting seriously ill from coronavirus – but I’m struggling to grasp what advice to take

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“I have absolutely no faith that they (the government) will put people first.”

I encountered a range of views from other diabetics – both type 1s like me and type 2s – that I know when I was canvassing views for this piece about coronavirus and how those of us in high-risk groups should respond.

They ranged from phlegmatic (not panicking, doing most things as normal, but trying to avoid large groups) to nervous (mostly staying indoors).

The quote I opened with, though, that’s the problem, isn’t it. I feel it too.

I have to admit it’s quite startling how this thing can so rapidly change one’s views. Being a member of a high-risk group, I’ve moved from the former to the latter in the course of just a few days.

But here’s the thing: Even the calm and collected person I know is going beyond what the UK government says is necessary in terms of the precautions they’re taking.

As it has moved from “contain” to “delay” phase of the government action plan, we high riskers have been to think about maybe not going on cruises – although that is something I’d rather dig a rusty nail into my hand than do at the best of times. As things progress, we might be be told to avoid social contact and stay indoors, but not yet.

Other than that it’s wash your hands a lot, and if you think you might have got it, self isolate for seven days, keep calm, and carry on.

Experts are suddenly all the rage with a British government that once ignored and derided them.

Their advice has been called upon to inform an approach that’s markedly different from what we’re seeing elsewhere in the world.

I do find myself wondering if there’s a touch of the “Dunkirk spirit” at work among them as well as our leaders, the view that those in Europe and beyond are perhaps getting overexcited, we Brits are going to go about our business as normal with maybe a bottle of hand sanitiser to hand for the nervous nellies.

Thing is, this virus is no respecter of national myths and it laughs in the face of those people who huff and puff about “kids today” and how “we jolly well dealt worse when I was growing up” (and no you didn’t).

There are other experts who think the UK’s approach is dangerously complacent, and they’ve been making quite a lot of noise in recent days.

So what to do? Who to listen to?

I spent some time on the internet, by which I mean the sensible parts of it, which included taking a look at Ireland’s advice to people like me.

Here it is: “If you are in an at-risk group take extra care to protect yourself from coronavirus. We expect there to be community spread of the virus soon. Think about how you can avoid crowded spaces, especially indoors. Indoor spaces are less well ventilated. The virus is more likely to spread in smaller and more crowded spaces.

“You may be caring for a person in an at-risk group. If you are, take extra care to protect yourself and the person you care for from coronavirus.”

That’s pretty good, no? Calm, reassuring, practical.

This is not the first time I’ve pined for a little Irish blood in my veins.

It’s a sad reflection on the state of British politics, and government, that keeping a close eye on what Ireland’s health authorities are saying seems like another sensible Covid-19 step to be taking for those of us in the most danger.