Thank you everyone for your kind comments regarding my relative. It was a very worrying time and I am so thankful and relieved that their life was saved and that they are now at home recovering. It felt completely surreal that things were so bleak initially but we couldn't go in apart from his wife. Then she wasn't allowed either once things slightly improved. I had concerns for him too about that, as I thought it might be too soon for him to be left with no one, apart from hospital staff. That must have felt scary for him to be on his own.
At the time we were all very upset. The first couple of days there were times when I sat on my buses quietly crying to myself. One good thing about wearing a mask and a hat for the cold (face mostly covered up) is that no one notices if you are upset.
Other than that I did everything as normal. Nothing in life changed. That is definitely the way I cope with things, which is to try to bury my head in the sand somewhat.
This relative is an older person, but they had hitherto seemed fit. Mind, I saw a phrase on another thread which I like 'A creaking gate lasts long' - meaning that someone with health problems may outlast others. So I am hopeful that if their health is now managed well they could go on to live out a good few more years yet.
Re: the elderly man on the bus. Perhaps he was just a bit confused. Strange to say it, but I felt in a bit of a dilemma as I didn't want to seem rude in pointing things out to him about distancing. He probably wasn't next to me for too long but it was quite unexpected and I felt like a proverbial rabbit frozen in the headlights.
Being at the bus station is mostly okay. But is doesn't feel too great to be there very late at night now, especially on Sundays as it feels so quiet and mostly deserted. Sometimes my shifts don't finish till late and I can only get the very last bus home after 11 pm. I hope things pick up soon. I think I would feel safer if they had staff hanging about. Maybe I should write to them about this. Thanks for the suggestions which I will consider.
Louisa Maud, perhaps you should report your symptoms on yellow card site just in case this is a reaction and not shingles and also let your GP know:
https://coronavirus-yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/
