It’s wonderful to see and feel the ripples of positivity coursing through the country with the Covid-19 death rate declining due to vaccinations progressing with pace.

There’s a cautious but tangible mood of optimism blowing alongside the warmer winds as we see out what has been a depressingly awful winter.

We are wiser too. Better educated about the health threat that we will have to manage and learn to live with from here on in.

People will still catch the virus and become ill – but the vaccine and increased human immunities will result, according to expert medical opinion, in less serious health outcomes for the vast majority.

God knows we’ve all been needing something to smile about for long enough already – so let’s keep compliant for a bit longer and gradually get back to going out and about and feeling part of the normal world again.

But – there’s a but, there always is.

In Britain, an estimated 2.2 million of us are shielding. We got the vaccine as a priority but it doesn’t stop us catching the virus, it just reduces the chances of it killing us.

Friends and relatives mean well when they welcome lockdown relaxation and look forward to more contact with us than they’ve been able to have for more than a year now.

But that’s not where most of us are “at” right now. In my case, I feel more vulnerable than ever despite having had my first jab.

My cancer has spread from my chest to my brain. I had brain radiotherapy treatment last week and this week returned to my regime of chemotherapy and immunotherapy to the rest of my body.

Of the 2.2 million of us with reason to be shielding things will have changed little over these last few weeks to make us feel less at risk. In many cases our health issues will have worsened, making us even more vulnerable.

If you see me walking slowly with my dog wearing my triple-layered face mask and I cross the road to avoid a close brush-past, please don’t think me odd.

I haven’t been inside a supermarket or any shop of any kind for a year now and don’t plan to any time soon.

We continue to wipe delivery boxes down before opening and we stay a safe distance and masked when talking to family in the back garden – and plan to keep it that way for the foreseeable future.

We’re all delighted at the progress but for us little has really changed – so please help us stay safe.

Ally McLaws is a freelance specialist in writing, business marketing and reputation management. See the full range of services on offer and view all previous back issues of this column at: www.mclawsconsultancy.com