WHAT we are about to mention might bring fresh heartache to people who have lost loved ones to coronavirus. But it might also serve as a grim reminder to others to prevent yet more people dying from it too.

In short, let’s talk about the effects of the disease that seldom get an airing.

We are all familiar with the early symptoms to watch for – the new, dry continuous cough, the sore throat, the fever, the tightness of breath – and for many that might be as far as it goes. Unpleasant, but survivable.

If your symptoms get worse or last longer than seven days, that is when you should call NHS 111.

But it is what could happen next that many people are not aware of.

Those early symptoms – the coughing, the breathlessness – are the signs that the virus has reached the airways that bring air to the lungs when we breathe in.

If the disease progresses, though, it goes to the gas exchange units at the end of the air passages. If these become infected they pour inflammatory fluid into the air sacs at the bottom of our lungs – and in turn when these became inflamed, there’s a spread of fluid into the lungs and we end up with pneumonia.

The body struggles to take in oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide. That is the usual cause of death with pneumonia.

We make no apologies for such a graphic description of a horrific illness if it serves to bring home to people why self-isolation matters.

Would you want a loved one to go through this? Of course not. And by limiting contact, by going out as little and as sensibly as possible (if you are one of those allowed to) you can help stop the spread.

It has only been a a couple of weeks since we first heard of previously healthy children and young people dying of Covid-19. Keep the numbers down – save the NHS. Stay at home and future generations will one day thank you for it.