At its start, the Covid-19 pandemic cut a swathe through the ranks of the elderly. This was exacerbated by government mismanagement and an unspoken assumption that those over 80 did not matter so much as they were likely to be dead soon anyway. As a result there is an unacknowledged level of hidden grief and anger because elderly parents and relatives were left to die without the emotional support of loved ones.

More than a year later, attention has switched to a much younger age group, the 18-35s, who make up the bulk of new Covid cases. Covid tends to makes this age group less sick, though it can be a far from pleasant experience. Many in this group are displaying a high degree of responsibility, but a minority seems to find the release from the close regulation of human behaviour difficult to handle.