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Related: Lockdown Learning, discuss home schooling during lockdown.
NHS Coronavirus information. Information from gov.uk. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have health concerns, please seek medical attention.
Related: Lockdown Learning, discuss home schooling during lockdown.
Covid
AIBU to think isolating the elderly is the best option?
Snowy111 · 16/03/2020 19:42
And if they look after grandkids that needs to stop. Communities (not the elderly) need to work together for childcare pooling.
Let everyone else get the herd immunity while keeping society going. Keeping food in the shops etc.
If not the elderly, then we’ll all end up in lockdown.
If you can’t see this, you do not understand how bad things could get.
I’d hate to be front line NHS right now, for what’s to come. I’d hate to be one who decides who gets one of the 5000 UK ventilators
Lockdown of the over 60s wasn’t mentioned today, but surely it’s the least bad option
longearedbat · 16/03/2020 19:54
I really wish you wouldn't refer to the 60's and over as elderly. I find it patronising and demeaning. If you phrased your post with an ethnic group in place of 'the elderly' or 'over 60's', you would rightly be pilloried for it. Anybody would think we were all bloody gaga and incapable of making sensible decisions.
Sick of the bloody ageism on here.
Jayfee · 16/03/2020 19:58
Yes you are being unreasonable. Advise and inform people of the risks to themselves and then,because they are no risk to others, let them make informed choices.
Snowy111 · 16/03/2020 19:58
Coronavirus is ageist is it? It’s a medical fact that the over 60s are more at risk than the under 60s. And more likely to need ICU
Ageism is when doctors take you off the ventilator to make way for a younger person, because there’s only a fraction of the ventilators needed and the younger person has more chance of surviving. That’s the reality of this situation
halcyondays · 16/03/2020 20:02
It’s fairly obvious that we will all end up in lockdown before too long.
They really don’t want to lockdown all the over 60s because some of them are medical staff or in other essential jobs.
And lots of younger people are vulnerable because of health conditions.
halcyondays · 16/03/2020 20:03
And even the government has quickly backtracked on the herd immunity crap because it was a load of rubbish.
Snowy111 · 16/03/2020 20:05
So halcyon you’re think it’s better if no one goes out to work? Surely it’s better to reduce the numbers who are likely get it bad, most likely to be the over 60s, and allow the rest to keep things going. Obvs is they have serious health issues and are under 60, then they also self isolate
OddBoots · 16/03/2020 20:06
It makes sense because it is the age group that are more badly effected by it (especially the men) and the vast majority of people int his age group have an income that doesn't require them to go out to work (I know exceptions apply).
I don't like this government much but I can see why they have made this decision, it is based on a lot of logic not emotion.
Snowy111 · 16/03/2020 20:06
If there’s no herd immunity then we’re all fucked
Lynda07 · 16/03/2020 20:07
Erm.....I thought it was the over 70s facing lockdown (along with others who are vulnerable because of existing health conditions).
I'm quite prepared for lockdown, it won't bother me personally. It will be difficult for some though and we must be sensitive to that.
Snowy111 · 16/03/2020 20:08
Yes the govt said over 70s, but it should be over 60s imo
Lotuscup563 · 16/03/2020 20:11
Whilst the elderly are more affected, fit, healthy and young people are still getting seriously ill, need intensive care or are dying....with all the mention of the elderly, ‘others’ think they are so how gaurenteed to just get a little cold and survive....it’s not like that though!!
longearedbat · 16/03/2020 20:11
No, corona virus isn't ageist op, but your post, along with many others calling for 'the elderly' to be locked away for their own good, is. Can you not see how offensive it is for a massive group of people to be lumped together with the use of one patronising word?
Lotuscup563 · 16/03/2020 20:13
Soon the young will start dying too, then there will be panic. You are not 100% going to survive just because of your age and that you are fit and healthy
Snowy111 · 16/03/2020 20:14
I don’t believe I was offensive, just realistic. I am seen by many young people as elderly myself! It’s just a descriptive word, not an offensive term.
Snowy111 · 16/03/2020 20:16
I absokutely agree that young people will die too. But the over 60s are more likely to overwhelm the NHS and need ICU. That’s a statistical fact. Take the over 60s out of the equation and save the poor doctors from the decisions of who to save, who to allow to die
Lotuscup563 · 16/03/2020 20:16
But your not being realistic, because you believe in no uncertain terms people 20-40 will be ok....when thousands will and have already died. It’s just more of the elderly die.
I do feel people are being led to believe they are ok just because their not old...your chances are better...but not guaranteed.
Macaroni46 · 16/03/2020 20:19
Ffs. Now is not the time to be offended! The fact is older people are more likely to get the virus badly so asking them to self isolate makes sense.
Snowy111 · 16/03/2020 20:21
If there were no over 60s in the equation, there would be far fewer people requiring ventilators/ICU care. The age graph shows about a 14% death rate (from memory) amongst one of the older age groups. Death isn’t immediate, the doctors and nurses will have worked to save their lives for a couple of weeks , taking up oxygen facilities, ventilators . There are only 5000 ventilators. Potentially hundreds of thousands could need the ventilators.
Keep isolated, let the young get ill, at a low rate, then the young people who need intensive care will get it
Mrsfussypants1 · 16/03/2020 20:25
My mum (70s)has diabetes and high blood pressure and my brother and I are struggling to get her to fully understand the situation, she's brushing it off. My daughter and young grandaughter have come down with a cough and as a precaution they are self isolating for 14 days, though so far school has said 7. My mum thinks they are crazy doing this and is carrying on like normal.
Snowy111 · 16/03/2020 20:28
Think people will only take notice If the government say it has to be so, and the police enforce it. Suspect the police are going to need to Guard shops soon
MrsDrFC · 16/03/2020 20:31
What about those over 70s that still work and.Boris wants retired drs and nurses to come out of retirement to help
lotsofdogshere · 16/03/2020 20:32
I'll be having my 71st birthday in a couple of weeks, in isolation. Not entirely as I live with my partner and dogs.
We have been reducing our usually busy social life for several days in anticipation of being asked to self isolate, which is what's happened in today's press conference.
We usually have our four under five year old grandchildren for a day a week, plus overnights and emergencies. Our children decided to stop that from this weekend because they don't want their children potentially bringing the virus from school or nursery. We're upset about not seeing the children, not being able to support their parents but, if we get it, we're more likely to be a drain on the NHS than younger people would be, especially as many people of our age who have challenged immune systems or other significant health problems.
I'll be walking my dogs in open country side and enjoying some enforced down time (I hope)
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