Over 70s to self isolate

*help not hell

I’m pregnant. And have also been asked to self isolate. My employers have, from today, arranged for me to work from home.

I’m more than happy to comply. The situation isn’t looking good, is it?

I don’t understand the issue on this thread. Surely, it is in one’s best interests to follow the advice on how to minimise the risk to themselves. I also have a young son and my unborn child to think about. I don’t get it.

Although they did not use the words house arrest, some people took it that way. First indications were that we would be told to stay inside for 4 months. This frightened a lot of people, especially when reports from Europe about fines and being arrested began to trickle in. Fortunately our Government seems to be relaying on our common sense and being patriotic.

I know a few people dismiss comparisons with the war. Although we did not live through it , we were raised on war stories and films. It left us with great admiration for our parents and grandparents. The least we can do is try to emulate them. Already there are hordes of very busy youngsters who are taking on even more responsibility for the neighbours and families. Then there are the others, the equivalent of the spivs and the Blackmarketeers. Every bad situation manages to bring out both the best and worst in humanity,

we can come out the end of this proud as a country.

Of individual communities perhaps, as a country zero chance. The panic buying, the attitudes of many people, the fact that a lot of people are in danger of losing everything. Someone stole bags of food from our community shop's food bank bin the other day. Disasters bring out the worst in most people.

Day 5 of self isolation here, my cough is getting worse, chest feels like I'm wearing a corset four sizes too small and I want to murder my husband because he's working (from home) so despite feeling horrendous I'm also doing all the child care. The kids have cabin fever already. I'm prone to suicidal thoughts anyway but assuming whatever is wrong with my chest doesn't kill me, surviving this is going to be hard.

we can come out the end of this proud as a country.

I’ve heard enough of this jingoistic bollocks from Brexiteers, if we come out of it without a completely wrecked economy and under a million deaths, we’ll be doing well. Forget about fucking pride, it’s a luxury no country will have.

I'm prone to suicidal thoughts anyway but assuming whatever is wrong with my chest doesn't kill me, surviving this is going to be hard

Sorry your husband is being useless. Make sure you look after yourself. Have a bath, cup of tea, listen to some music, put something cheerful on the telly. We'll get through this

At least if you guys get it now then hopefully you'll be immune which might be a really good thing if this epidemic is going to roll on for months and months.

And to those to whom it has been recommended to self isolate, what do you think everyone else is going to be doing whilst you are isolating? Is everyone else just having a laugh and going about their days as normal? Have you seen what is happening in Europe? Madness!

If you’re self isolating due to vulnerability and everyone else on your household is carrying on as normal how does that work? Is everyone in the house going into lockdown.

Just on my way back to work this afternoon and passed a local primary school. I was horrified to see a group of around nine young mothers clustered together - very closely! - laughing and gossiping while waiting for their children.

Maybe instead of lecturing older people, they could start by keeping a distance from each other?

But changing the subject from all this oldies bashing its worth mentioning that it’s a good idea to try to avoid avoid handling coins. If you have to pay for things in a shop, use credit/debit cards and preferably contactless. If you do have to use the keypad, wash your hands ASAP afterwards. If you have coins in your purse or are handed coins as change, then again, as soon as practicable wash the money! Good old soap and water and give them a good soak.

Just on my way back to work this afternoon and passed a local primary school. I was horrified to see a group of around nine young mothers clustered together - very closely! - laughing and gossiping while waiting for their children.

Maybe instead of lecturing older people, they could start by keeping a distance from each other?

Schools aren’t closed (yet!), so an essential journey would involve picking up one’s children. I assume this will change once the schools close.

Do you interact with colleagues at work, or are you all keeping a safe one metre distance away from each other? Does it equally horrify you seeing your colleagues speaking with one another?

I’ve been advised to socially distance myself too, I haven’t interpreted it as being “lectured”.I am happy to follow guidance, as are the majority.

No one is bashing “oldies”. People are questioning the extreme views and defensiveness on this thread. I mean, posters have gone as far as to say that they will happily die of Coronavirus and seek no medical attention. As opposed to what? Socially distancing themselves? That is extreme.

I mean, I live in a major city, it has turned into a ghost town. Restaurants/bars/cinemas empty, no traffic on the motorway, GP practices no longer offering face to face appointments. What do people think they’re missing out on? Life has essentially come to a stop. For everyone!

When picking up my child this afternoon the parents were standing a very long way from each other at the gate (it is a SN school though).

@thedudesmummy, that has been my experience too. I drop my son off at nursery at the front door, parents are no longer permitted inside the building. I was picking up a prescription yesterday, and everyone in the pharmacy kept their distance. It was definitely weird, but most people are taking Government advice seriously.

I was encouraged by the pictures on the empty London Underground carriages this morning. Londoners ARE on the whole taking it seriously.

If you’re self isolating due to vulnerability and everyone else on your household is carrying on as normal how does that work? Is everyone in the house going into lockdown

Is anyone really carrying on as normal? Genuine question. Most places are empty. People do seem to be making essential journeys only. It’s only a matter of time until everything here is on lockdown, I believe.

@ThusSpoke as a palliative care and highly experienced surgical sister currently doing some shifts nursing people at end of life from MND, Huntingdon disease and terminal cancers, I’d find it a bit difficult to keep my distance from my patients. Infection control has long been part of our armoury and neither me or my nurses have time to gossip.

I’m not criticising the women for collecting their children but the social gathering in close proximity they were enjoying is precisely what we’re being told to avoid. I wonder how many of them or their friends have been amongst those on here accusing older people - as though we are one homogeneous group and not all different individuals behaving differently - of being selfish, arrogant or throwing out various other insulting comments. Their behaviour suggests they maybe should be looking closer to home.

My 72 year old husband has been out on the moors today exercising our working dogs. He had the perfect self isolation technique- he had his rifle with him!

What happens if an over 70 lives with a young family, how can they self isolate? Are they at risk?

What happens if an over 70 lives with a young family, how can they self isolate?

Surely that depends entirely on the individual. Some over 70s are in much better health than some 50 year olds, that’s why an arbitrary cut off is nonsensical. If your over 70 doesn’t have any of the health conditions that make people of any age vulnerable, they’re probably OK taking the precautions recommended for the general population.

I think the advice for over 70s living with family is to stay as much as possible in a segregated room with separate loo if possible

@Lincolnfield, but the mothers at the school were not in a social gathering. They were picking their children up from school. It is an essential journey.

I will probably need to make a trip to the supermarket this week. I see that as an essential journey. If I see someone I know, will I stop and chat to them or walk past them at a one meter distance? I will most likely stop and speak to them. I think anyone would.

Vulnerable groups are not being asked not to speak to anyone on their essential journeys. They are being asked to consider making essential journeys only in a bid to limit contact with others. That is it. This is what most people, regardless of their vulnerable/non vulnerable status appear to be doing anyway.

@Lincolnfield I don’t understand your point of view here. School mothers are not in the higher risk group. Over 70s are. Therefore over 70s have been asked to shield themselves. They are a specific group which has been asked to do MORE than social distancing. So I don’t know why you are looking at a group of mothers and saying - see they are chatting. So why are you all asking over 70s to self isolate. Honestly I really struggle why you are still fighting this. Government groups are attached. I give up I really do. Nobody is bashing anybody. We are just trying to protect people.

And were those mothers ‘lecturing older people’. No they weren’t. They probably don’t give a shit about elderly people and what they do. But many people on here do. And yet we get told off for trying to protect. I think the next few weeks are going to be very telling.

@Bool, I don’t understand either. I am pregnant and now included in that group. It’s not a personal attack on my freedoms, or an insult, it’s guidelines to protect those most at risk. And there is no evidence to suggest that pregnant women are any more of a risk than anyone else. But that’s not the point. Society is trying to protect its most vulnerable. The overall feeling on the pregnancy thread is one of concern, I don’t understand the defensiveness on this thread at all.

@Bool I see your comment re risk groups is taken directly from the oracle, the Daily Mail, which precedes the CMO’s current advice that EVERYBODY should be exercising social distancing so that includes those gossiping women.

I never for one minute thought they were lecturing older people but a lot of people on here are.

As for bashing older people- Just glancing back I see ‘blasé attitude’ selfish, arrogant, don’t care about their grandkids’ just a few of the contributions. Are these comments kind? Caring?

I’m on my ten minute meal break just now so I’ll leave you all to your interesting discussion

@lincolnfield but this is the government advice. Does it matter where it comes from? Really I give up. You still cannot accept it. Very best of luck to you and your friends.

I think that would kill my elderly dad of loneliness
And I want to keep him around as long as possible thank you so think on XN