From leaning into a friend as you howl with laughter to shaking hands with a new acquaintance, theres a gaping absence in our lives during these strange days of the coronavirus outbreak: human touch. And now, it's suggested people may not be able to hug any friends or family they dont live with until a coronavirus vaccine is developed.

It may sound trivial, but the lack (or even prohibition) of physical contact with other people can have a real impact on mental well-being, particularly if you live alone, counseling psychologist Chloe Paidoussis-Mitchell told HuffPost UK.

For some, sadly this will be a trigger for depression , anxiety and feelings of upset, sadness, being deprived, being alone and being lonely, she said.