Renate Heinisch: "Stamping out loneliness together"

As a pharmacist, I have been paying close attention to the question of gender medicine during the coronavirus pandemic. The gender differences in COVID-19 are particularly striking in the field of mental health.

Men – particularly young men – are more likely to require intensive care, and more likely to die.

Since the lockdown, young women have been falling ill more often, due to their new role in society: precarious employment, more part-time work, more contact with people, less working from home, more care work.

We need to take another look at the roles of women and older people in families, because there is also discrimination against older people. I will keep having conversations about this.

Recently, I have been sitting on the bench outside our chemist's shop discussing these things with family members, and they were all happy having these conversations.

I have also stood in the street outside our local care home and greeted the residents up in their rooms, and we have sung together.

We need to stamp out loneliness and support family members. Policy must take account of this in stimulating employment in this area, but until that is achieved we all need to provide support.

I have also canvassed parents about educational issues and arranged video-conferences with teachers on media literacy.