Today is Mother’s Day. It is a day when we celebrate the sacrifice and effort of those who gave us life. Across the country I know that millions will have been preparing to do something special; not just a card, not just flowers.

I know that everyone’s strongest instinct is to go and see their mother in person, to have a meal together, to show them how much you love them. But I am afraid that this Mothering Sunday the single best present we can give — we who owe our mothers so much — is to spare them the risk of catching a dangerous disease. The sad news is that means staying away. This time the best thing is to ring her, video-call her