I WAS pleased to see that the government responded to my heart-felt plea to help the self-employed, published in last week’s Advertiser. They were particularly efficient as they announced the plans even before my letter was published. I don’t usually find that my kindly advice is taken so readily.

That said, as any grants will not be in the bank before the end of June, starvation and eviction may yet get them, as we see no end to this self-imposed isolationism and all the while the national economy is withering on the vine and the country borrowing billions.

I suspect the threatened mortality figures will in the end be nothing like what is being forecast and, if so, the government will claim it is their strong measures and the wholehearted support of the British people in doing what they are told, that has averted a medical crisis.

At the moment we’re busy doing those things which never usually get done because they are too boring and tedious but after six weeks or so we’re all going to be completely fed up. Even in the war, you could associate with others and go round for tea, while the sirens let you know when an air raid was coming.

This threat is silent and not at all sociable.

However, I suspect for most people, what will really start the rebellion against lockdown and self isolation is not boredom, the lack of supplies and the shortage of cash but that they are unable to go to the hairdressers!

Meanwhile, to help while away the time, I guess everyone was pleased this week to read their council tax bill for the coming year. That’s going up too.

Death and taxes. Some things never change.

David Borrett, Lansdowne Avenue, Andover