A NURSE unable to work because she is shielding due to the coronavirus threat said more needs to be done to help people in her situation.

Last week, Wales's Chief Medical Officer Dr Frank Atherton, said people in Wales who were shielding had to continue until at least mid-August, although new guidance does allow for them to exercise outdoors and meet members of another household, as long as social-distancing rules are being followed.

But Elizabeth Jenkins, 51, from Newport, is having to rely on Universal Credit, and said depending on volunteers for supplies left her feeling “like a burden”.

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“By the end of [the extra 10 weeks], I would have been shielding for 24 weeks,” she said.

“It’s not just about staying indoors, a lot of people I’ve spoken to are struggling to pay bills, and Universal Credit has only risen by about £20 a week.

“I’m using much more electric and gas from staying indoors, and much more water from hand washing and washing clothes more often, as they have recommended.

“Sometimes you are choosing between which bills you can pay and which you can't.

“You can’t go to the shops and shop around for the best deals.

“We are relying on bits and pieces and the government food boxes they have put out. While I’m grateful for it, those are mostly ready meals, so are not particularly nutritious.

“All my family live in Manchester so I don’t have that fall-back of people to drop supplies off. I’m having to rely on volunteers.

“My son can’t even go out to get supplies in case he brings back the virus.

“I feel like a burden.

“My second youngest son will be coming back from university and my youngest is in college. But what happens when he has to go back in September? I can’t ask my children to put their lives on hold because of me.

“It’s a really frightening situation. It feels like we are being punished, but we haven’t done anything wrong.”

Mrs Jenkins, who is shielding after having a liver transplant, said she thought it may even come to the stage where some people have to choose between their health or going back to work to afford to pay their bills.

“Companies have been good by giving us payment breaks, but it’s got to be paid back at some point,” she said.

“I don’t see a vaccine coming this year, and the numbers are not coming down. I feel there is not much of a future for us.

“It feels patronising when people say: ‘Thanks so much for staying at home’.

“We haven’t got a choice but to stay at home. I’ve seen first-hand how awful this virus is and I am very grateful for being kept safe, but we need to live a life, not just exist.”