In India, people are self-isolating in trees to keep their families safe from coronavirus

If you're sick of being stuck at home during coronavirus lockdown, perhaps take a moment to consider the privilege of being able to do so.

In West Bengal, India, people are being forced to self-isolate in trees to avoid potentially putting their families at risk.

A local villager named Bijoy Sing Laya explained:

The doctor directed us to stay at home and practice social distancing. We don't have out own rooms at home. It was decided in the village we should be isolated.

We are living on and under the tree out of our own free will and we are doing well here. There are no problems.

Footage shows wooden planks creating makeshift platforms in the tree, where the villagers are presumably sleeping.

It is unknown at this time whether they are experiencing coronavirus symptoms, but it seems likely they are given the extreme lengths they are going to in order to self-isolate and protect their loved ones.

India has been in total lockdown, with people banned from leaving their homes, since last Tuesday, when Prime Minister Modi announced the measures with less than four hours' notice.

He has faced harsh criticism for the lack of preparation and support available, which he has since been forced to apologise for. As a result of the lockdown, many of India's 1.3 billion citizens have been left jobless, and major cities have seen a mass exodus of migrant workers trying to head home with no public transport available to them. Reports suggest thousands of people have been forced to walk hundreds of miles to return to their villages.

There have currently been 1,027 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the country, leading to 27 deaths.