Interviews carried out by a talented young writer from Liskeard are giving an insight into lockdown life.

Maisie Barker, nine, decided to do a home learning project on the effects of the coronavirus restrictions on people’s lives and wellbeing.

After coming up with some questions and with a little assistance from her mum Rachael, Maisie found several people willing to be interviewed on social media, including a teaching assistant, a home support worker, a businesswoman and an older couple who have been shielding at home since before the lockdown began.

Her questions included: ’How have you been feeling during the coronavirus pandemic, and what have you learned from the experience so far? What have you been doing to keep busy? What are your first plans for after lockdown is lifted? Has the pandemic affected your work? Has it affected your mental health, or anyone else in your household? How has the lockdown affected your relationships? What has helped you to get through so far?

Here’s what Maisie heard from Nicola, a community nurse from Derbyshire, earlier in the lockdown:

With my job exposing me to covid-19 patients I am not able to see my children which is very hard.

I made the decision to take them to my parents at the beginning of lockdown. They live 200 miles away in Essex. It was very hard to do as my children are my life. This has affected my mental health as my life has changed with my kids away and not being able to visit when I am off work.

I have been working 12 hour shifts 6-7 days a week as we are seeing covid patients in their homes. At the beginning there was no PPE available, putting us at an even higher risk.

I am looking forward to having my boys home, I miss them so much, we are looking forward to going swimming and having a Big Mac.

The situation has made me realise that the world is changing and that we are not able to take things for granted – the silly things like being able to pop and get a coffee.

People think community nurses are not on the front line but we are. I contracted the covid 19 virus, and have been very unwell. I am on week three now and still get a tight chest, and I still cannot taste or smell anything. I still can’t bend up and down without getting out of breath.

Not being able to work makes me feel that I am letting my team down.

I wish people would do as they are told by the government, as I want my kids home and my two dogs.

The boys are happy to be off school, but they do miss their friends. I wonder how the lockdown will affect them in months to come.