From the editor: 'Know any anxiety-relieving jokes about putting kettle on?'

Nobody seems to have a clue what the next restrictions are and even when they’re confirmed, you need a PhD in mindreading to fully understand what they mean for your individual circumstances. One minute the figures seem to show that, just as was the case in Scotland, sending students back to university sparks a huge increase in positive cases but it starts to drop fairly quickly.

Then we have national rumours that Sheffield is next in line for tier 2, then confirmation from Matt Hancock that it is very likely but talks are ongoing and, as you might not be surprised to hear, the word from local politicians is … well, there is no word from the town hall because that is how they prefer to operate regardless of how much the city needs positive and clear leadership. Should we have more restrictions, what more can we do to support our suffering local businesses and how on earth are we all meant to feel about this?

Every single one of us is feeling the strain in one way or another.

That doesn’t make us weak, it just means we are human and this is a situation that we have never had to deal with before.

The fact that covid has become more divisive than Brexit and so many conversations about face masks end in an argument is not making it any easier. So what do we do as we sit in that vacuum of confusion? We get more anxious, we stress-eat and we reach for the bottle.

You can’t blame us can you? If I had £1 for every time one of our team – myself included – made a joke about needing a stiff drink first thing in the morning then I would be a millionaire. But it is one thing laughing about it and quite another realising when we are actually threatening our health.

Today’s feature on Pages 8 and 9 shows the worrying impact this virus is having on alcoholism in our city. It probably isn’t a great surprise but it is awfully sad.

If only our director of public health wasn’t run off his feet with this pandemic I have no doubt he would be the first to say swap your wine for tea, go for a walk instead of reaching for sweets and look after yourself. Keeping ourselves healthy matters now more than ever.