Omg. The next step in the strategy. And if we all stick together it may work

[Bool]

Next step in UK strategy. Lock down all the over 70s (and other immunocompromised - kids / adults) for 4 months. Lock them down. Then make it illegal to close schools. That means we gain immunity to the virus as a population and keeps the beds open for the unusual cases that are not foreseen.

@MyDcAreMarvel

I've had a read of the news link another poster provided upthread and that says there would also be plans to close schools, at least for a while, so no "forcing" them to stay open, which would make more sense.

I've also 3 dogs. Never mind isolation with 3 dcs, isolation with 3 stir crazy hounds might just push me over the edge :D

Of course he's not perpetuating a genocide. He's doing the opposite.

I'm prepared to believe this is the best strategy, given the resources the NHS has available, to safeguard the vulnerable and keep the wheels turning. It's not like they will be shot if they venture out for teabags.

@MarshaBradyo 40s. And she categorically wouldn't want to put her elderly relatives at risk before anyone says it. But if we lose out front line nurses, we're screwed.

I'd love to the evidence that becoming infected CV causes immunity to future infections. I might then take this whole herd immunity theory seriously.

@MeganBacon

I dunno, Megan - I can get pretty hostile if I don't get my PG.

#teaisanecessity

Lock them down
They are clogging up the beds. They are the ones who are causing the breakdown of the system.

That's people you're talking about so watch your language. It's a slippery slope to dehumanise pp talking in that way.

Four months, you say?

Could this be why the first minister of Northern Ireland said today that schools could be closed for, you guessed it, four months?

OP “ They are clogging up the beds.”

Which is why you’re suggesting it.

The reasons children are different is they can’t choose for themselves.

If it was the other way round eg the kids who were most vulnerable then we would be wrapping them in cotton wool. So let’s do the same for older people. Seriously I don’t see another solution. but assuming they won't listen to your logic, how? How do you keep them in when they know their family relies on them, when they have no other way of getting food, when they're worried about their neighbours, when they're just stubborn?

If the virus hit the sane age group as Spanish flu, OP, would you say “dammit, they’re clogging up the beds”?

Everyone was saying why didn’t we lockdown like China. Then there was all the supposed resources to do this.

They will have a way to put it. If it’s true

But people won't sacrifice their kids education with exams etc coming up, or just them missing 4 months of school whilst their peers ask carry on

Two of mine are on their last year of primary school and perhaps selfishly I would hate for them to miss their last few weeks at a school they love b/c of me & my health. For that reason I would far rather schools closed and areas were quarantined as a whole, which would also help to protect more people, not just those in vulnerable groups. However, I do understand why that could be a nightmare for many, for numerous reasons.

What should I do? I'm 62 asthmatic but generally very fit and healthy. I look after my partner who has cancer and on chemo so immunocompromised. I also look after 86 yr old mil who lives with us. I work part-time as a cleaner and am not paid sick leave, so all.my team.work.when they are I'll or they don't get any money. I also look after the very active dog.

unnecessary "perhaps selfishly" there (there's never an edit button when you need one)

Oh for goodness sake. The reason I am so excited about this is because we protect our most vulnerable. The people we all love. Stop having a go at the language.

This would work until people realise that it is not only the old who are in danger
Reports are coming out of critically ill younger people including children, In Italy and The Netherlands.

@foobydoo yes exactly. And this would mean the doctors won’t need to choose between critically ill younger people nd the elderly.

We do need to gain immunity as it’ll come back at some point & we will be in the same position we are now. The best thing to do? I have no idea, I’ve never experienced anything like this in my lifetime. Plus, does this mean we can not see our vulnerable relatives/friends for months? How will this work out for them. It’s complicated but I do agree we need immunity as it will return again at some point

That article looks to be a bit of scaremongering mixed with speculation.

The title itself says could be not will be.

It is one possible measure that could be taken and they've chosen to highlight. We won't know until they actually announce it.
They haven't yet announced that they're banning big gatherings from next weekend-widely speculated they will, but this article reads as though it has been announced.

What keeps ministers and officials awake at night is the fear that if the epidemic becomes too great they would have to make appalling decisions, such as that the NHS would stop treating people over a certain age, such as 65.
That is just plain scaremongering. They are not going to take a blanket decision like that. Yes, uncomfortable individual decisions may have to be made, but I cannot see a that becoming a policy. A number of the people who would be making that sort of decision are rather close to that age, and I suspect would rather not think of themselves as being unsalvageable in a couple of years time when corona could return with a vengeance.

@Bool

Oh for goodness sake. The reason I am so excited about this is because we protect our most vulnerable. The people we all love.

Yeah right! You sound SOOOOOOOOO much like you care about everyone, and not REMOTELY like you only care for yourself.

@Foobydoo this is exactly why this may work. Keep the over 70s isolated because they are highly likely to need hospital. THat means the hospital beds are freed up for the younger more unexpected.

Of course there has to be proper support services put into place, no one is saying they're going to be locked indoors and left to rot.
Some people just don't seem to get it. We're not going to be able to live as we choose for the next few months , we're going to have to do whatever the fuck we're told to do, so we might just survive this nightmare in one piece.