SIR: What a corrosive divide we are witnessing in our day to day lives at the moment! There are indeed small acts of kindness happening, but they are far outweighed by the selfishness of so many, for example, that of the thousands deliberately stock-piling, despite the advice of the government and our supermarkets. The covidiots do not care who is deprived, provided they have all they need. The final time I visited a supermarket, I overheard the following, said in raised tones: "There are no crisps left! What are we going to eat while we watch TV?"

We are doing precisely what we have been asked to do, because of our respective ages. Yet, those only slightly younger than we are busy going to as many supermarkets as they possibly can, in an attempt to buy all their accustomed purchases. Then, of course, they dash to the hairdressers, not knowing whether they are a silent carrier, so possibly infecting everywhere they go. Families are trying to relocate to rural areas, with the possibility of infecting those communities too. Sons and daughters are returning to their parents' home, even when they have a home of their own, rather than heeding government advice to us all to stay put. Why do so many think that the advice does not apply to them? Yet, the elderly who do as requested, are confined to a life of isolation and loneliness, the toll of which may well be greater than that of Coronavirus. Let us not forget either the charter of patronising the elderly, cajoling them into listening to the spurious advice of others, who, sad to say, are often nowhere near as knowledgeable or wise. Just because we are elderly does not mean we cannot think.

Una Stevens,

Cliff Way,

Compton