Pharmacy technician Vicky is manning the dispensary phone.

“Pharmacy, good afternoon,” she says, picking up the handset. “Yes, it’s Vicky, who is this?”

“Oh Vicky, it’s Judy Harmer,” comes the response. “We’ve had to have the doctor out for my husband – you know my Richard, don’t you? – and it was only after he left that I realised I don’t know whether I can come and collect the prescription he wrote for Richard.”

“The doctor could send it through to us electronically, Judy,” says Vicky. “Just like the rest of your prescriptions come to us.”

“I don’t think I can do that with this. The doctor left a physical paper one,” answers Judy. “It’s just that Richard had one of those letters saying he can’t go out at all because he’s had a kidney transplant and he’s at higher risk than most with coronavirus, but I can’t work out if that means I can’t leave the house either. I didn’t get a letter, but you know I’ve just turned 75 and then there’s this whole household thing… I just don’t know what I’m meant to do. Richard doesn’t have coronavirus, by the way, it’s just an attack of gout, but it’s still very confusing.”