Others have had isolation thrust upon them with no say in the matter, such as the residents of aged care homes or hospital patients, who are not allowed visitors.

While the past two years have been difficult, the pandemic has also united people who may not have necessarily met otherwise, giving individuals the chance to demonstrate their charity and generosity of spirit.

Such is the case for Italian man Alessandro Mariani and his Australian friend, Graham, who have formed a bond during the pandemic.

Mariani, who is 36 years old, was raised in Milan and has Calabrian roots.

He has been living in Brisbane for the past seven years and recently moved to the Cannon Hill neighbourhood with partner, Luisa Lopez.

“We moved to this area in early 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic, before the first long lockdown,” Mariani said.

“We noticed that our neighbour, Graham, was living alone.”

A retired widower, Graham spent his life working for Queensland Rails.

“My wife died eight years ago,” he said.

“We only had one child and I don’t have any grandchildren.

“My son lives far away and we don’t see each other often as I no longer drive; unfortunately, we’re also not on good terms.

“My neighbours have taught me how to appreciate Italian cuisine and they love my roast chicken.”

The trio began talking from their respective gardens and inviting one another over for coffee until they became good friends.

When the pandemic allowed for it, Mariani took Graham to the grocery store, and church on Sundays.

They began reading the newspaper together and exchanging gardening tips.

“When you’re away from home and your usual social group, you need to build up a new support network,” Mariani said.

“It gives you stability and joy, allowing you to cultivate more meaningful relationships – that’s how you create your own family.”

Lopez said she and Mariani have been very cautious when interacting with Graham, especially in the wake of the Omicron variant.

“We have to be very careful because Graham suffers from emphysema and has breathing difficulties,” she explained.

“We try to avoid taking him to shopping centres, and we do his weekly shop for him instead.”

Mariani encourages people to get to know their neighbours during a time of such unprecedented isolation.

“As Italians, we miss our grandparents very much,” he said.

“Being able to donate my time to someone who needs it makes me feel useful.

“We often ignore our neighbours due to laziness, but you just might be surprised!”