Couldn't we protect the vulnerable rather than close everything down?

[DoubleAction]

Couldn't we have a situation where those most at risk are isolated rather than restricting the movements of people who will likely recover well?

Obviously there would be difficult practical considerations but we're going to face plenty of those whatever action is taken.

This way we'd have heard immunity for when it crops up next time and the economy could be protected at least to some extent.

I'm vulnerable. I'm also a hospital doctor. Would it be fine for all the vulnerable people like me to stay off work for the next few months? (Part of me wishes I could. Part of me wonders if I should try to catch it now, whilst there is still ITU capability)

Yes, of course, I said there are lots practical problems to work out but a lot of them (like staff working in care homes) will still apply whatever measures are taken.

Some immunity will come from this however the virus mutateds, that's why older people weren't badly affected by Swine flu, for example, as they had experienced something similar before.

In your shoes if you are very vulnerable (e.g. severe underlying respiratory or heart problems rather than mild asthma or well controlled diabetes), yes I would be trying to stay off work. If you already have severe lung issues and catch it, you might never be well enough (from permanent lung damage) to work again.

Sorry my post was regarding @nocoolnamesleft’s situation.

@Egghead68 it's tricky as I don't want to lose my job. And I don't know how long I would have to isolate for
I have severe neutropenia so a v low white blood count and see haematology every 10 weeks

@saraclara coronaviruses are very stable compared to influenza: they don't mutate at anywhere near the same rate. That's one reason why there have been so many influenza pandemics!

Once you've had the virus and recovered, can you still catch it again or infect others (assuming you test negative upon recovery)?

@nocoolnamesleft, yes that would make sense to me. You won't be much help to the NHS if your job makes you even more vulnerable and puts you in one of those precious beds. And that's just the pragmatic view, of course we dont want you to get ill either.

If we can prevent the high risk people getting it surely that removes the inevitability of the NHS being under such a strain.

I agree, people are already self isolating. You see the hysteria on here. People screaming for everything to be shut down. Wanting schools closed, the lot, even though they know this means doctors and nurses need to stay home to look after their kids, delivery drivers, shop staff.

The whole thing is now gripped with hysteria and panic. Politicians need to hold their nerve to look at what’s best to manage this, and not succumb to the mass hysteria some folks are now displaying.

This approach is interesting but I think it is important to realise that everyone is at risk from this. A fatality rate of one percent or lower may not sound much but spread across the community it is.

Also, the report from an Italian doctor was that in ICU, due to having to prioritise, although they may be tubed the following groups were not being assessed and if they went into arrest no one would attend. The groups were people under 65 with any relevant underlying health condition, and everyone over 65.

That means that all the ICU assessment and emergency attention was fullŷ taken up with the remaining group, critically ill people under 65 with no underlying health condition. Some of the doctors have even said that of people could see the 30 and 40 year olds in ICU they would not be talking about their age as a defence. It does seem that age is really a big factor in risk of death from this, but the 'low' death rate for lower age groups is still awful. Across a school year for example, I guess you would have many children losing parents.

That is without even addressing the many severe cases where people recover. The classification of 'mild' includes many with pneumonia, to reach moderate I think you have to have pneumonia requiring hospitalisation.

People need to understand that by closing schools it means people stay home to look after their kids. Need an ambulance. paramedic is at home with their child. Need food, sorry the shops shut, the staff are at home looking after their kids. Need a doctor, sorry they are at home with their kids, everyone only has a skeleton staff on. Need fuel, sorry the service station is dry, as they also have a skeleton staff Of delivery drivers, as many need to stay home look after their kids. As are the rest of the delivery drivers.

The implications are huge. Your parents SicK? You want to get there? Sorry the public transport drivers are also home looking after their kids, just a skeleton staff there too. And no you can’t have fuel either because as said the service stations are dry.

People need to stop they hysteria and think this through what they are screaming for.

People need to understand that by closing schools it means people stay home to look after their kids. Need an ambulance. paramedic is at home with their child. Need food, sorry the shops shut, the staff are at home looking after their kids. Need a doctor, sorry they are at home with their kids, everyone only has a skeleton staff on. Need fuel, sorry the service station is dry, as they also have a skeleton staff Of delivery drivers, as many need to stay home look after their kids. As are the rest of the delivery drivers.

The bottom line is modern life - certainly in the UK - simply can't withstand the pressures of a full blown epidemic of any disease.

By all means, aim to run your business, your council, your school, your whatever as close to 100% efficiency as you can. But the price you pay is to have zero slack for anything of this scale.

heard prof john ashton on radio, expert on public health.
he said people need to organise locally to help each other.
dont wait for govt to tell you what to do in every detail. think it through.
co-operate.

older people should not look after children.
local groups could look after each others children, like extended playdates. one parent might manage 5 or 6 maybe, to keep essential workers on the road. we need to get away from extreme individualism.

we need to get away from extreme individualism.

He's about 40 years too late

simply can't withstand the pressures of a full blown epidemic of any disease.

Of course we can’t, we also can’t stand not having hospitals running, ambulances available, food for us to eat., because staff can’t get to work or have to look after their kids. People are already limiting their activities, natural shut down is occurring

I’m guessing if something bad happened you’d want a doctor available to help you? You’d want an ambulance to come? You’d like them to have supplies that the delivery drivers bring in? Shutting down the schools means these things also partially shut down. Because the people who do these jobs, well someone has to look after their kids.

Bluntness100

You quoted me in order to reply, but I can't see what I actually said that you are commenting on ?