I have type 1 diabetes and am terrified of getting coronavirus. my wife is a practice nurse, so it seems more likely to me that i will get it. if i do, i could end up severely ill?

Doubt it: As of 8 March 2020 we know the following. Eighty % of cases are mild with no or few symptoms. Fourteen % can develop severe pneumonia & 5% may be critical/fatal. Fatality rate under 40 is 0.2%. Symptoms in kids are so mild many will never be identified. Some antiviral drugs approved for other problems are already in trials.Simple hand washing /alcohol & peroxide inactivates the virus.