Coronavirus diary, Tuesday 24 March

I awoke this morning after eight hours sleep with vivid memories of my latest dream, a story involving friends and, a recurring theme of my dreams, of being lost.

I was making my way home in what appeared to be London, and was walking with my stick through fields, not streets, familiar landmarks missing. When I stopped to ask someone for directions, they just shook their head and walked away. When I woke, the sun shining, the real world had changed just as dramatically. 

"This country is now in lockdown" - PM announces harsh restrictions

Life is totally, unbelievably different, and, unlike my dream, will never be the same again. New, even harsher restrictions were announced last night by the prime minister. An almost total lockdown of Britain. People must stay at home, only allowed to go out for 'one form of daily exercise', essential medical care or essential work. Disobey and you could be fined up to £100. There is nothing to go out for. Almost no shops, certainly no entertainment or leisure facilities. No more than two people can be together, keeping two metres apart. We must stay away from everyone, family and friends. 

The Daily Telegraph has 'war declared' size headlines, THE END OF FREEDOM. Incredible, but surely only temporary, however long. This is not war. People are not being killed by enemies as thousands, millions, have been throughout history, or the plagues that have devastated cities and countries over centuries. Science will find the answer to the coronavirus, but the world will struggle for many years to recover, probably never to be the same as at the start of the 21st century. 

We very old people have had the experience to appreciate the advantages of the economic, social and physical changes that have taken place in our lifetime. We have been through sad, dangerous times, especially during the second world war when lives were at risk in the services and at home. We adapted to the sweeping changes in our life, social and economic. The younger generations should find it less difficult, thanks to the internet that has revolutionised education and social life.

Bob's old home, Penarth, Wales

I am especially fortunate in my new life. I am comfortable and well cared for here at Sunrise, my family safe. I have little to worry about. I am luckier than millions of my generation who live alone, hand to mouth, by day, almost totally cut off without family or neighbours to help them. That would certainly have been Rosemary's and my plight had she lived. As her sight worsened it had been a struggle to look after her and our home in Penarth.

I wonder how the younger generations will come through this. For Rosa and Claudia, my great granddaughters, quite easily, I think, at home with their brother, mother and father. My 11 year old grandson Owen and teenagers will probably take the changes in their stride.

In a week, many thousands have lost their jobs or their businesses and are having to rely on aid. They need help, urgently, and the government has wisely given them some assurance by promising to spend countless billions. Freedom has certainly been lost, but, we hope, not for long. Life will slowly, over decades perhaps, return to some form of normality.