to ask if you resent the shielded?

[BlackBucketOfCheese]

I have seen a lot of people saying on MN and across social media that they now resent giving up months of their lives “to protect the shielded” as they have put it.
And that those shielded should show gratitude.

Black bucket - you should stop posting that it is somehow outrageous that attention should be drawn to the kindness of young people in losing their jobs, their income, their education, their relationships to keep which is mainly the older generation safe. Statistically, even those below 45 with underlying conditions have minimal risk from this disease as study after study shows that age is overwhelming the most important risk factor.

You can recognise that young people suffer disproportionately from the economic fallout and be a bit more tolerant. This means not complaining so much when they meet in groups in the park. You are at risk from covid, they are at risk from suicide from social isolation and poor prospects. It is perfectly possible to realise that others suffer as well as you.

think all those at risk should recognise and appreciate their sacrifice.

How should I do that?

I guess by not acting like you've done more than them and that an hour out a day doesn't make up for the sacrifice they've made. That's it. Everyone has sacrificed in different ways - no one needs to thank anybody - but no one needs to act like they've done more than anyone else either. It's proportionate to the need - or in their case probably disproportionate but we all understand it's necessary

You can recognise that young people suffer disproportionately from the economic fallout

I’m not convinced that’s true. They don’t have mortgages or dependent children. The people I really feel sorry for are those who have commitments dependent on a decent income and find themselves living on universal credit. They’re going to be the real casualties.

You can recognise that young people suffer disproportionately from the economic fallout and be a bit more tolerant. This means not complaining so much when they meet in groups in the park. You are at risk from covid, they are at risk from suicide from social isolation and poor prospects. It is perfectly possible to realise that others suffer as well as you
I can agree with the economic side but every other group is suffering from isolation as well. Thankfully young people have the devices and know-how to deal with it through FaceTiming, Zoom, Snapchat etc. Lots of older people don’t even have WiFi let alone smartphones and laptops. I know several men in their 50s living alone who don’t have internet access and my grandparents in their 70s don’t have it either. So not only are they at risk of covid but also isolation and loneliness. Economically maybe they’re not suffering quite as much (though many are) but isolation is worse in older people

What a strange thread. I’ve had to shield, no one has protected me, Other than myself by staying at home.

Actually the surveys have found that young people are feeling lonelier than the elderly during this crisis. Young people are programmed to be social during their formative years. It is totally unnatural for them to be stuck at home with their parents when they should be making friends for life and meeting their life partner.

Lockdown is hard for everyone. I don’t lie it but it is nice for me as a parent to spend time with my family. My dad lives alone and finds it hard but financially will be fine when it’s all over. His grandchildren - not so much. Yes, they won’t die but their next 5+ years will be really really tough.

I went to a garden centre today, it's the first public outing for me since giving birth 11weeks ago. It was almost exclusively full of people over 75, none of which had any regard for social distancing- it was awful.

I did resent spending weeks in lockdown being very careful to prevent the spread which will disproportionately affect this older generation - to see them mostly ignoring social distancing. My children are the generation who will be paying for this and I resent every single person who isn't taking it seriously.

We’re all going to be paying for it. I thought all the ageist shit had died a death and how nice it was. Thanks for resurrecting it @frillyflamingo. Presumably you’ve (unnecessarily) stayed at home to protect your baby not someone else’s granny.

@Tummyrumble

What a strange thread. I’ve had to shield, no one has protected me, Other than myself by staying at home.

I agree. I’ve had to shield, so I’ve protected me. Lockdown was to prevent the virus running rampant through the population, overrunning the NHS and killing 250k.

In answer to the OP, yes clearly although they try to pretend otherwise it’s rife on MN. What’s really come home to me during this time is how many really really stupid people there are. Scary.

Not at all and anyone thinking that needs to take a good long look at their morals.

Another thing that annoys me is this assumption that anyone shielding is on death’s door already. It’s a sneaky way to make their lives seem less valuable and less worth saving.

I agree

But this forum is littered with people saying why should they put themselves / their children out for ‘the elderly’ / the ‘vulnerable’, othering them as nuisances who should be locked away so the young and fit can go out and about. One poster said she would happily sacrifice the elderly to preserve her children’s economic future.

And as for the ‘well the old people in the are homes would have died anyway’ - god give me strength

I wish the virus had moral selectivity and targeted the self-centred

But I haven’t acted like that.

I said that those who were on lockdown weren’t shielding. You took it further.

I have said that young people have it really difficult and asked how the hell we can show gratitude.

Are people really thinking that? Jeez. Some people have had their sympathy and empathy surgically removed. Heaven forbid they ever get old, or ill.

Nowhere on this thread have I said it is harder for the shielded.
Some people said something like “people are shielding to protect the shielded” but that’s obviously not true.

I have spoken about how difficult it is for children both of those shielding and those not. I haven’t said either of those have it better or worse. You are assuming that.

I have also said that I feel sorry for the younger generation who will struggle but also said that they are not the first - not taking away from them.

You’re implying a lot of meaning behind things I’m saying.

I haven’t said the shielded have it harder, I have said others get to go out once a day - I didn’t say that was better or worse. In fact I myself might find that worse because I would get a taste for it.

Black bucket - you thought it was scandalous for someone to think that the old should thank the young for their sacrifice.

I really do not see what is wrong with that statement. Less than 1% of deaths are in the under 45s, and ~90% in the over 70s. The young are not just staying at home for a few months. They are losing their jobs and will be unemployed at a time when jobs are hard to come by.

If the death rate for everyone was like in the under 45s, there would be no lockdown. Lockdown is to protect the vulnerable and it right to recognise that the young will disproportionately bear the economic fallout.

If millions of people became unemployed to keep me safe, I’d certainly feel grateful and appreciate it.

No, I'm quite enjoying myself

The shielded are being spoken about like we are on our last legs.

I’m in my mid thirties, I work an active and complex job, I have children, hobbies, friends, family like so many other people.

That people should resent me, that they are angry at us for their children not being in school is heartbreaking.
We didn’t ask you to do this. We didn’t ask for this.

@Bella2020 - when I can be bothered, I report and the posts are deleted. - all f which is a bit beside the point. I did not know there were people like that - it’s been a real eye opener

And I’ll be paying for it too. This idea that shielded people don’t have homes, jobs, families that we will lose. Jesus.

Of all the things people can argue about, I find this the most damaging and ridiculous. It's like entering a Daily Mail comments page and deciding to pitch a tent there.

Everyone's had it tough. Everyone is irritated and experiencing loss. If someone's being a dick, the wonderful thing about lockdown is you can actually turn them off because they'll be on an electronic device, not in front of you! There's no need to run around the house looking for phantom people to be offended by. Plenty of people stayed home to protect themselves and others, shielding or not. That's the bigger picture. This will pass. People will find something else to bicker about and listening to unpleasant views is optional.

Compare this particular debate with being black and arrested in America. One is vexatious, the other's outrageous and requires debate and mass indignation. But no, we have to go looking for people to disagree with.

I don’t resent them at all if they are correctly shielding however I know of a shielded person who has seen family they shouldn’t have seen and who has moaned and groaned throughout about how hard it is whilst their colleagues are in the thick of it working for the nhs.
It’s not resentment - it’s disgust really.

I'm shielded...we are all in this together.... except for the selfish people who think it's all about them and haven't practised social distancing or stayed in during lockdown. THEY are the ones I resent!

you thought it was scandalous for someone to think that the old should thank the young for their sacrifice

You are again writing us shielded off as all old people. And anyway the old are as worthy too.

When people get into their heads that
Your granny
My baby
Your 15 year old
The 56 year old down the road
The 70yo lollipop man
45 year old Sarah
32 year old David
23 year old Sam

Are all as worthy of life. That we all have stuff up for each other.

Should each generation come out in the street as the slip into old age and thank the younger people?

This thread is one of the most depressing things I have read on MN about coronavirus. And that’s saying something.

Some posters on here are a particularly delightful combination of think as shit and deeply, deeply unkind.

Black bucket - your risk from this virus is almost certainly much much less than you think. You are a mid thirties female. No matter what your underlying condition, it is almost certain that you would be fine with the virus. Please look at some of the stats on incidence. Even with an underlying condition, you are almost certainly less vulnerable than a 70 year old, 95% of whom will survive the virus. Even in care homes, many of those who test positive are asymptomatic.

The shielded letters were sent wide as so little was known about the virus. Now it appears that asthma may even reduce risk. And immunosuppressants can even reduce risk as they prevent the immune system overreacting.

Gave*