Here are some of my favourite lockdown silver linings – Helen Martin

AT the start of this year after a liver blood test I started buying zero per cent alcohol wine and using it to dilute the real stuff. Alarmingly, I discovered I preferred it to neat vino.

Once lockdown began, it became tougher to find supplies so it gradually dawned on me that with staying at home, people were probably drinking more wine than usual and adding the zero wine to reduce the alcohol and stay healthy.

Toilet rolls and flour are back on the shelves but my favourite Eisberg Sauvignon Blanc (0 per cent) is now a rarity. I want to plead to all supermarkets to beef it up.

But what dawned on me then were that some producers, brands and shops might have benefitted from Covid with higher sales of several goods such as baking and bread-making ingredients, anti-bacterial hand washes, paper towels, tissue boxes, disinfectant and latex gloves . . . things I’d always bought, either for us or dealing with the animals we have.

On the other hand, more and more people have limited themselves to one supermarket shopping exercise per week. More organised and taking up less time for them, maybe not so hot for the food and household industry.

With fewer buses many people will be walking or cycling more. With fewer restaurants open they might be learning to enjoy home cooking. If they have a plain garden or a balcony, horticulture and flower planting might be on the up.

Good to think we might have gained a few, small, viral upsides!