The writer is director of the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit for Emergency Preparedness and Response at King’s College London
A lot can happen in a short time at the moment. When I started writing this piece last weekend, my wife was in America, whose borders were open. I was looking forward to watching the football team I support, Chelsea, play against Aston Villa today.
A week later, all football is off and it is likely that all large scale public events will be banned. The US is closed to all but a few. My wife is back in the UK, but she has tested positive for Covid-19. Luckily, she has recovered quickly and I remain well. But the advice that I have received as a contact has changed dramatically. At the start of week, I would have had to self-isolate for 14 days. Now, there are no restrictions on me unless I develop symptoms. Confusing isn’t it?