1/ We talk a lot about protecting elderly people during this pandemic, but a lot of us are speaking for them not to them

There are elderly people that see the risk of Covid worth it if they get to see their family in the winter of their lives

We need nuance in Covid discourse

2/ My grandad has made the decision to self-isolate since February

During that time his mental health has declined and my nan’s dementia has accelerated

That’s just one story

Far too much of the Covid narrative has been paternalistic and infantilising

3/ The discourse of “you’ll kill your nan” at Christmas is juvenile and removes agency

Someone’s nan might want to take that risk, older people are not passive in their lives

We need a compassionate approach to all this this winter - which will be extremely hard for so many

4/ I’m not arguing there is a single truth about the best way to handle this pandemic for everyone, as there isn’t - it’s a complicated issue

But a key part of it has always been compassion and empathy - something which we’ll all rely on to get through this dark winter period

5/ What may seem like an humane and sensible solution to you may feel inhumane and impossible to another

We need to start listening to each other instead of shouting over each other

Because arrogance, hotheadedness, and hostility is only making all this so much harder