It’s not a war, folks, it’s a disease.

I’m getting really fed up with the use of language associated with war and fighting when discussing the current virus epidemic - and, indeed, diseases and illnesses generally. Politicians lead the way on this, but many others follow, and it promotes an underlying aggression which plays out in supermarket queues, attitudes towards people moving around outdoors and responses to emergency services. It almost certainly also fuels domestic violence at a time when victims have no hope of escape.

Covid-19 is an illness we are trying to contain and cure, not an enemy to be fought and beaten. If we talked about it in terms of prevention, caring and healing, we’d have a much more positive outlook. I absolutely refuse to ‘fight’ the virus, but I am taking steps to prevent infection, to care for those who are ill and to comfort those who have lost loved ones. AIBU?