Student looks back on 'surreal' 448-day isolation

Fintan Hood, 20, had to shield because of a rare immune deficiency condition

A student from north Devon has recalled the difficulty of being forced to isolate for 448 days during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Five years on from the first lockdown, 20-year-old Fintan Hood said it was a "surreal" experience to spend so much time at home and it would be "harrowing" to have to do it again.

The Japanese and linguistics student, from Bideford, has a rare immune deficiency condition and was warned to shield by Great Ormond Street Hospital at the start of 2020.

He said the effects of the huge social shutdown were still being felt among his generation, and he would "struggle very greatly" if he lost the social life he has now.

Now studying at the University of York, Mr Hood was attending Kingsley School in Bideford when the pandemic hit.

When he Mr Hood finally returned to school after his long isolation, pupils lined the driveway and clapped as he walked in with his parents and younger brother.

'Eternally grateful'

But it wasn't the easiest return. "When I went back to college initially I struggled socially, to get back into it, and even to this day, I'm wary of infections and bugs," he said.

Mr Hood said he was "eternally grateful" to his family, who had to isolate with him, and for how hard they worked to keep him safe.

He nevertheless found the isolation very difficult and said it affected his mental wellbeing.

Mr Hood said the effects of Covid were still felt among his friends.

He said his generation did not go out in big groups as much and they still talked about that period of their lives.

Fintan Hood hugs his friends at Kingsley School in Bideford

"I think it does definitely have its impacts, obviously university students are known for going out and partying right, but I see far less of that personally... and people's willingness to do mass events like that, drinking and what not," he said.

Mr Hood added: "I think as we grew up into that age, my generation... we just didn't have that and we realised we could have fun without spending a lot of money on alcohol. There's definitely been some long effects."