A Fife woman who has been shielding at home for the last 16 weeks has penned an emotional letter thanking Scots for covering their faces when outside.

Agnes Whyte MBE has a serious lung condition which means she has had to stay indoors during the course of the coronavirus lockdown.

The 60-year-old was nominated for her MBE by Breathe Easy in Fife, a support group she runs to help other Scots who are living with lung conditions.

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She was recognised on the New York Honours List in 2017, and is an established members of Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Scotland

Now, she is thanking members of the public who have 'already sacrificed so much' and are continuing to do their bit to 'protect those around you'.

Her letter reads:

Thank you for thinking of others.
Thank you for helping to make it safer for everyone.                                                     Thank you for wearing a face cover.

During this pandemic, we have all made sacrifices; we have all gone without, done without, and been without our family and friends.  

Many of you have already sacrificed so much during the pandemic and are continuing to adapt by wearing a face mask to protect those around you, so I wanted to thank you. 
You are already making a difference and helping to fight this virus. 

Right now, the lockdown is easing and, depending on where you live, the restrictions are either more stringent or more lenient. Despite this, one thing that remains a constant is the advice around face-coverings.  

The Scottish Government has made it mandatory for people to cover their face while in shops and on public transport. This will help to ensure that everyone feels more confident and less frightened about beginning to go back out into public spaces. 

I have been shielding for 16 weeks now as I have a severe lung condition. 

I am so appreciative of everyone wearing a face covering.

When it is eventually safe for me to stop shielding and I start to venture out of the security of my home, I will still feel protected by you and everyone in the community who are wearing the latest fashion statement, the mask.

However, because of a lung condition, some people find it difficult to breathe when wearing a face-covering.  

This doesn't mean that they don't want to help reduce the spread of the virus; it just means that they cannot wear a mask and so will have to take extra precautions to stay safe when they are out. I've been glad to have the support from Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation Scotland, both from their helpline and website resources so I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for reassurance about wearing face coverings.

I know it isn’t nice when a mask ruins your newly applied make-up,  steams up your glasses or irritates your ears and especially if you have no symptoms of Coronavirus, but feel proud when you put it on that you are doing your best to help keep others safe.

So please, continue to follow the Scottish Government’s guidance wherever possible and together we can get through this.

Thank you, 
Agnes