'Lockdown easing is a chance to build a better for ourselves' says Sheffield health boss

To cope I - and many of the other two million shielding - have become locked in a routine that has strained our self discipline and involved us accepting a new experience to cope.

This, of course, has been mitigated by well appreciated support from family, friends, the NHS and supermarkets, so much so that my biggest problem has been avoiding wasting food, by my own ineptitude.Others are not so fortunate.

Father’s Day was enjoyed in self-isolation, a pleasure to see my daughter, grandson and family and not least my dog Molly – how I’ve missed them.

They arranged a lovely lunch for me delivered in a multitude of posh containers.

Unfortunately, the number confused me and I had to recover from putting toffee sauce on my beef dinner – fortunately I was able to wash it away with copious amounts of gravy.

I have been institutionalised by weeks alone and my self survival routines my new normal, so I am a bit anxious of embracing the new freedoms that easing of lockdown brings me.

I had to drive for the first time in weeks to get a routine blood test at Sheffield Arena and found the large number of patients waiting in the car park a bit daunting.

However, it was efficiently organised, the NHS phlebotomy staff were good humoured even in the heat and I need not have been concerned.

As always, the NHS copes in a unassuming and calm way.

Even though it is under some inevitable stress.

I enjoyed the drive and found the courtesy of other road users reassuring.

As we come out of lockdown, we will all have to adjust to new norms of living, appreciating things we took for granted and know, that when push comes to shove, we as a city came together magnificently.

We have to maintain that now going forward as many will have lost loved ones, there is more unemployment and school/college students have lost valuable education too.

We have to rebuild confidence so that those entering care homes or returning to work are not fearful or anxious.

Similarly, we must embrace the easing of lockdown as an opportunity to build a better life for ourselves and a more inclusive city that has learnt how to live again.

Hopefully a return to my biggest challenge being referees and VAR.