As a sticking plaster, the decision to house rough sleepers in hotels, B&Bs and temporary accommodation did much to alleviate the COVID-19 health catastrophe that we medics predicted for the homeless.

With an average life expectancy of just 45 years, rough sleepers are highly susceptible to infection and the idea of them being exposed to the virus was terrifying. But emergency resource – allied to our groundwork in Greater Manchester to engage councils, surgeries and hospitals in improving their service to the homeless – appears to have averted a disaster in our region, even if we did have to beg residents to fund masks and gloves because of the deafening silence we received when appealing to Boris Johnson for funding to provide protection kits.