WE (women living alone) have all been shielded so have had to self isolate, and are just plain scared (seven of us in all just now in different parts of Cowdenbeath).

We all have had a card stating 'entry' to our homes for the annual gas boiler check-up is necessary, after giving almost six months of isolation/imprisonment, to prevent any contact. We are told these gas men have to get access for 'legal' reasons. Six months of hell and we are expected to let in these gas men.

Our houses have much the same lay-out, a vestibule then staircase and then long, but narrow, carpeted hall to the gas boiler at the point of livingrooom and kitchen.

When the gas man takes the boiler apart the front bits are placed in the kitchen and then his large hoover has to be plugged in in the livingroom.

The boiler cupboard itself, is barely big enough for him to stand.

By the time the gas men get to us their large cleaner/hoover and all the hosing, has already been in dozens of houses and they will have had contact with healthy, and some not so healthy people.

So the council expects us to open our doors to this. It is suggested that we should lock ourselves in our bathroom but we would have to come out anyway to a very dusty atmosphere.

Usually once in, for some reason they go out again to check the gas meters.

We are all between 50 and 77 years-old and we all have serious illnesses. We have deprived ourselves of human contact for so long and now we are faced with a situation which could leave us open to infection.

We wish our local councillors could help us for we do not want to have to become available to perhaps be in a position to contract the Covid-19 virus by having to open our doors in this way.

THE HOPELESS SEVEN,

Cowdenbeath.