Myths about Coronavirus and Social Distancing*

*this is not one of those myth-busting articles. I have no medical expertise whatsoever. The thought of the circulatory system makes me faint. I am however, good at baking and generally being a bit bossy. (thwarted celeb chef).

This story starts when a good friend told me her son had been sent home from school and the family was going into self-isolation. Naturally I offered to shop. She she needed nothing, no really she’s fine… well… okay maybe just 4 things… But for a handful of items, I knew immediately this list would be mostly impossible. 

The only source we managed to find for anything was the very crowded corner shop. It felt like I was stock-piling to be honest as I also wanted to pick up a couple of things that I were missing from my grocery delivery…. and gin (no explanation necessary). So I talked loudly to my husband about how many tins the household of three would need, so that everyone knew I wasn’t running away with the shop’s stock but then i felt like I was virtue signalling. (sad state of affairs when going to a shop for a mate makes you virtuous, right? I hold doors open for elderly people too. SuperheroesRus should give me a cape.)

But here’s the catch…. amongst those narrow aisles, lurked a cough. I mean… that was probably just asthma right?

However as soon as we were home, we could be found indulging one coronavirus rumour that the more legitimate parts of the internet appears to debunk, so I will not describe in detail, (and in fact just removed the joke about it in case anyone thought I was serious)

And that grocery delivery? I was resolved to practise safe home delivery. The non-perishables are sitting in a quarantine corner, and the perishables… well seriously, what would you have done…?


Described as “beautiful,” “engaging and moving” with  “echoes of Nathan Filer’s The Shock of the Fall and the warmth and poignancy of Sarah Winman.” Giving characters on the margins “a dignified voice despite their messy lives.”