Even before Covid-19 arrived, a quarter of us were feeling lonelier than most. Now the pandemic is cutting us off from our communities, our workplaces and each other. Loneliness is predicted to be the next public health epidemic of the 21st century. We’re interacting online more than ever, but our sense of isolation is growing. On the flipside, some now crave solitude, desperate to escape the noise of overcrowded households , bad news and social media chatter. So will this pandemic force us to deal with loneliness, on a personal and political level? What sort of politics could make us feel more connected? Does technology bring us together or keep us apart? Are we losing our ability to have an inclusive democracy? And how do we regain a sense of community during an epidemic which demands physical distancing?