What were you doing while PM attended a Downing Street party?

The revelation came in an email, leaked to ITV, from Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary to more than 100 Downing Street employees asking them to “bring your own booze” for an evening gathering on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. The Prime Minister confirmed he attended the event for 25 minutes.

Stories of heartbreak, sacrifice and struggles have emerged, as the lockdown rules at the time banned people from meeting more than one person at a time, closed schools and restricted numbers at funerals.

Pandemic precautions had also forced hospitals to ban visiting, leaving many patients alone and families worried.

Saiqa Kham had given birth to her son earlier in May 2020, and he has since been admitted to the high dependency unit.

She said: "I had a c section and was absolutely terrified being rushed in to hospital via an ambulance due to my child have low blood sugars. My child was in the emergency room for six hours having bloods taken and other tests done and I was sat in a corner alone crying, not knowing if my son was going to make it.

"I pleaded with the doctors to let my partner in as I am emotional wreck right now and I was told no as it was the policy. My newborn son didn’t see his dad for seven weeks as he was admitted in hospital and there Boris and co were enjoying themselves. Shame on them!"

Also going through a frightening time alone in hospital that day was Mandy Gill, who said she was suffering with sepsis three weeks after having Covid at home.

"Then I was sent to another hospital after being told I needed open heart surgery. Then had respiratory failure and pulmonary oedema. No visits were allowed throughout nearly seven weeks. It was so scary, I was left with really terrible anxiety. Leeds General Hospital were brilliant during this time," she said.

Janet Atkinson was fighting cancer at the time. "Boris had stopped treatment. They have only just started treatment again," she said.

On May 20, 2020, Chandra Preston was "sat at home recovering from Covid", while Claire Isabella said: "I was at home recovering from childbirth, with no-one allowed to come see my son."

For those caring for others, or separated from their loved ones, times were unimaginably difficult.

Ann Rekatihw said: "I was looking after my partner who was dying, but couldn't have family round." 

Judy Hutton was isolating with her terminally-ill husband, while Michelle Birkby wrote she was "praying my husband came out of his Covid coma".

Victoria Wilson said: "My mum was in hospital (not covid related) and none of us were allowed to visit for the four weeks she was there. She passed away on the 23rd. Only two of us were allowed in and we got one hour's notice.

"Only me and my son got to spend a little time with her as she passed away. My dad didn't get to see his wife of 40 years before she died, and them b**tards were partying."

For those who lost loved ones, restrictions at the time allowing only a handful of mourners to attend funerals undoubtedly added to their distress.

On that day, Peter Townsend said he was "standing outside the crematorium with nine others filming my cousin's funeral live so her sister stuck in Cyprus could attend by proxy," and Ann-Marie Clark-Collins was watching her uncle's funeral via Zoom.

Katherine Hoare said she had been mourning her father's death from Covid after having a "very limited funeral", and Lisa Greenwood said: "I was grieving over the recent death of my mum. Had a year from hell, not being able to visit, then limited visits when near the end of her life. Shocking, absolutely shocking!"

While many of us were working from home, isolating or shielding, several key workers commented that they had been working hard in difficult circumstances on the day of the No. 10 garden party.

"I was working a night shift, caring for some of my service users who were dying from Covid," said Tristram Lesslie.

Also on that day, Sharon Morris said she was "working in a care home with dementia patients who couldn't have visitors and couldn't understand why", and Lauren Faye Everett was also hard at work, "very proud to be a keyworker supporting adults with learning disabilities".

Julie Morley said she had been "working on the front line in the funeral industry, which had devastating consequences for our families", while Ary Hussain worked as a volunteer ambulance driver.

Sharon Wild was also volunteering her time to help others. "Due to bad health problems I was at home sewing day and night to make washbags, scrubs for NHS and facemasks for people who needed them," she said.

The lockdown was proving a tough time for many of those stuck at home in Bradford. With schools shut, Shona Frost found herself homeschooling her children while her partner "frantically searched for a job after being laid off thanks to covid restrictions in the workplace".

"I was trying my damn best to get my autistic sons to understand that we weren't allowed to go to the park because Boris closed them all. We were stuck in the house 23 hours a day doing our best to make the most of it," she said.

Kayleigh Walker's partner was shielding in another part of the house while she was homeschooling three children and looking after a pre-schooler while heavily pregnant. "I was trying to run a house and keep the pre-school aged kid from being in contact with his own dad on government advice. I couldn’t even touch my partner, according to Mr Government", she said.

Donna Jones was following government guidelines and missed out on celebrating her 40th birthday, which was the day after the No. 10 party.

Lorna Walker said: "I was working from home in my living room that had no wallpaper and no carpet because, following a rather large leak in March 2020, we still weren’t allowed anybody in the house to fix the damage."

Nearly two months into the UK lockdown, loneliness and mental health issues were becoming huge problems as some people shielded at home and others were only allowed outdoors for an hour's exercise each day.

Valerie Clements said: "I was following the rules. Three months' isolation as a pensioner! Sitting in my garden alone. No cheese and wine party. Thanks a lot, Boris."

Jenna Douglas said: "I was sat shielding, going out of my mind. I wasn't able to see family members or friends, relying on my amazing neighbours to help us with shopping."

Saraya Begum was also following government rules and staying at home. "My depression went from bad to worse, terrified I’d get covid or my kids might get it, praying for everyone etc to get better," she said.

Courtney Heyworth said she was "at home isolating so I didn’t get fined, despite my poor and declining mental state due to being inside".