Special Report: All the lonely people - lockdown living

Two months into social distancing and lockdown and virtual hugging of grandchildren, the cracks are starting to show.

We asked our readers to share their experience of social isolation during lockdown. In response,we received in-depth accounts of loss, sadness and stoicism. Catherine Shanahan reports.

IN the pre-Covid days, when we had a freedom we did not appreciate, we could shop in throngs, work in heavily populated offices, bring kids to swimming galas in a distant town, sport new (professional) haircuts, queue at funerals to shake the hand of the bereaved, physically celebrate milestones with family and friends, pop in to our elderly neighbours, attend festivals, clink glasses in pubs and restaurants, stand shoulder-to-shoulder at sporting events, and go on foreign holidays.