MOTHER'S Day was hard.

The Prime Minister's urging for us not to visit our mums on her special day was quite an emotional wrench.

It was another in a series of swift reality checks, following on from the compulsory closure of pubs and other venues on Friday.

These pleasures in life are being taken from us and it's a struggle. But it is necessary and only temporary.

Following the guidelines, keeping away from our vulnerable loved ones and maintaining social distancing will help stop the spread of the virus and save thousands of lives.

If you still don't take coronavirus seriously, take a look at our story about the man who has died from the disease in Cumbria.Take a look at the horrifying number of fatalities in Italy. And take a look at how the pandemic in China - a country with a culture of collective behaviour where individual self-interest is sacrificed for the good of the many - is now beginning to slow.

However much it felt unnatural and even selfish not to leave the house and take a gift to our mums, it was actually more selfish to put them at risk.

We have the technology - Facetime, Skype - at our disposal to keep in touch without personal contact.

However much it hurts in the short-term, keeping away will be for the best in the long run.

So please, unless it's absolutely essential, stay at home.