HELP - shields disabled after win 7 update night of 15th Jan 2014

I have a subscription to Avast Internet Security. On booting this morning 16th Jan 2014, Win 7 installed 4 downloaded updates and re-started. The Avast icon notified that the firewall was turned off. Clicking to turn on produced the warning that Avast could not turn it on. I enabled Windows firewall for protection.

A web search produced a forum entry that this may happen if Avast can not see the internet connection. I carried out an Avast ‘Repair’ via 'Add/Remove Programmes. The firewall then connected. I disabled Windows Firewall.

The Avast interface displayed the message “everything is good” and all shields active, BUT . . . .

I went into Avast settings and ‘Active Protection’. In the list of shields, the Mail Shield was shown as ‘OFF’, clicking it would not turn it on. All other shields were shown as ‘ON’.

Avast interface still says ‘Everything is good, all shields active’

So, what is going on, do I have mail shield protection, or not, Avast is saying both that I do and that I do not !!!

Please help. Rgds Jonathan

I went into Avast settings and 'Active Protection'. In the list of shields, the Mail Shield was shown as 'OFF', clicking it would not turn it on. All other shields were shown as 'ON'.
how do you read your mail .... using web mail or a mail client installed in your computer?

if using web mail you dont need the mail shield …

if mail client …what?