I'm 32 and not ready to die - anyone else care to demonstrate it's not just older people this will hit hardest?

[Helenshielding]

I keep seeing posts by people saying they dont think we should be on lockdown to protect older people who will "die next year anyway" or similar.

Here's the thing, over 70s are not "old" these days. People can live well into their 80s, 90s and 100s now.

I'm 32, I've survived cancer (which is now clear- it is not a case of it being controlled, it's been gone for 10 years), I happen to have some lung damage. I dont know what my life expectancy is, but I know it's not 33.

So if you're moaning about socially distancing etc for older adults, stop. You're doing it to prevent deaths of all ages. Younger people with no underlying conditions are dying of this virus.

Stay home. Shut up. Stop moaning. We will all get through this a hell of a lot quicker.

[Helenshielding]

The OP may be a tad upset that people are so quick to volunteer OP to be killed

This made me laugh, as much as I agree!

[Madhairday]

Agree @alloutoffucks. I am so done with seeing this repeated day after day at the moment. It's actually having much more of an effect on my mental health than shielded lockdown.

[meonekton]

LyingWitch, I am sympathetic to the posters like Op, because I am similar. I have a child with chronic illness, missing part of organs, and have weak immune system. I do panic.
But I do agree, that no one should tell anyone to shut up. Free speech forum, so we all should be able to say what we think. You have been nice to me even though I haven't been to you. So thank you for that. And I am sorry for being deliberately nasty.

[BanKittenHeels]

those who get it don't have much of a life anyway

I’m vulnerable and shielding and have a lovely life. I work full time in an emergency department, I have children and a husband who are my everything. I play tennis, I swim, I go to the cinema, to book group, I sew, I knit, I cook, I play the piano.

Yes, order my coffin now.

[frillyfarmer]

Well a 13 year old boy has just died of CV, accordingly to BBC news. People are mindlessly stupid to think this doesn't have the potential to turn their world upside down. I'm so grateful I can hide my family from humanity for as long as I need to.

[mauvaise]

I'm early 40s and, quite frankly, I'd rather be dead than in lockdown.

[larrygrylls]

Ban,

Luckily, no one knows whose lives it might be, so I don’t have to address your question. It might be my own life I am sacrificing.

Lives, however, do have a cost and the NHS uses a formula based on this every day when it allows/denies funding to new treatments and drugs.

And it is right that they have a cost as that money can be used to save, prolong or improve the quality of other lives.

As I said upthread, we now think we are immortal (at least short term). It is very scary to think that we have a significant chance of dying this year (albeit a low one). However, for most of history, humanity lived with this and still enjoyed their lives.

[MaudBaileysGreenTurban]

I'm early 40s and, quite frankly, I'd rather be dead than in lockdown

Why?

[BanKittenHeels]

No, no I asked you a question.

Is the life of a person in the vulnerable group (for example mine) worth less than your home, pension of lack of freedom for a few months?

[Helenshielding]

those who get it don't have much of a life anyway

Where is this quotation from? It made me laugh; house owner, got a lovely boyfriend, gorgeous dog, loads of friends, part time worker because I could afford the pay cut. My life is just terrible, eh?

[TeacupDrama]

some people on here have less compassion than Michael Gove
almost every death is someone's loved one ( there are probably a few cases where no living relatives are known)
there is a difference between the individuals who have died each of these people matter; and the epidemiological study of the statistics.

Epidemiology can seem very cold and heartless as dealing with chances in large populations
people are recovering who have other health problems and who are very elderly even in these groups there is nothing inevitable about dying from it though of course the risk is much higher than healthy teenagers
0.2% of teenagers who become ill dying doesn't equate to 0.2% of all teenagers dying ( but 0.2% of those diagnosed ie quite serious cases) as the large majority either won't get it at all or get it so mildly they hardly realise whether they had it or no
In Italy the average age of those that died is 81.3 which is only slightly lower than average age of death but most of the elderly recover
statistics from china might be less reliable but were pointing to 85% recovery rate in the very elderly ( this means that 15 % of the very elderly with covid-19 died ) not that 15% of the very elderly will die with covid-19

[Helenshielding]

Lockdown will end and life will return to whatever new normal we create. It wont for those who die.

Those who are anti lockdown and such measures, do you think France, spain and italy are doing the wrong thing?

To be fair, debate all you like. Just dont pretend I'm on deaths door so I wont mind dying so your kids can get back to school. And remember, it's not just the old and vulnerable who will die from this. The NHS being overwhelmed could impact any one of us.

[Hamiltoes]

Is the life of a person in the vulnerable group (for example mine) worth less than your home, pension of lack of freedom for a few months?

I'll answer.

Of course your life is worth more.

Which is exactly why you should be at home shielding on 100% wages (as many people who are against the effects of lockdown are saying).

Question:

Is your home and pension worth more than the life of a child dying of starvation in Africa?

You don't even need to answer that, as it's a bit philosophical. But people do need to think a bit deeper and see that it's not a straight up black and white answer.

My own answer to that question is sadly... yes. Considering I haven't sold my house and donated my pension to feed the starving children.

[Shmabel]

The was a thread the other day (now deleted) with the OP casually dismissing the life of a 90 year old who was going to die in the near future anyway.

A couple of people have mentioned this. I saw it too. Most disturbing was the amount of people who agreed. It made me feel genuinely sad.

I don't mind people arguing lockdown may not be the most effective way to deal with this crisis. I specifically can't stand people dismissing the lives of the vulnerable (many of whom have plenty to live for and expect to live much longer) just so they can carry on as normal.

And far from being a doom and gloom thread as a PP suggested, this thread has raised my spirits after all the truly selfish shitty posts I've read lately.

[IllustriousToad]

I'm 29. I need a kidney transplant which I hope to have as soon as all this is over as my dad is a match! I'm not ready to be written off... please please stay in.

[Nat6999]

I'm 54, have ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, peripheral neuropathy, Arthritis, anxiety, depression & autism. I've already made my mind up that if I catch the virus I will be refusing permission for them to ventilate me should the need occur. I am shielding, so the chances of me catching the virus are small, but I don't want to end my life alone with masked strangers, if I am going to die I want to be with my family. I don't have much of my life due to my health & I would rather my life was not prolonged. I'm not suicidal before anyone says I am, but what life I have I want to be in charge of.

[midgebabe]

Well I would find it hard to live with myself if I caught the virus and passed it on to someone who then died.

People who kill people by accident often suffer tremendously with guilt.

Indeed people who survive often have survivors guilt even if they were totally incidental to the death around them

[larrygrylls]

Helen,

You state ‘lockdown will end’. Well, it will eventually but no one knows how long at all. Even 18 months is on the basis of a successful vaccine being made.

I am in favour of limited lockdown (2-3 months) and seeing where we are, not eternal lockdown.

[larrygrylls]

Hamiltoes,

Excellent post!

[DisneyPlus]

@larrygrylls

“ I think that those who are vulnerable and old should be very grateful to those giving up their lives short term and, for many, putting their ambitions on indefinite hold”

Do you think us vulnerable people haven’t given up our lives too? Do you think we haven’t put our ambitions on hold? Do you think every vulnerable person sits at home all day anyway and does nothing? I’d laugh if it wasn’t so offensive.

I work and I am working from home right now, albeit in isolation. My health puts me in the extremely vulnerable category but I am able to contribute to society. I volunteer too. Such a belittling attitude!

[Bluecattt]

I went to my local Budgens and spoke friendly to the cashier and she said she is worried as apparently only the ill and old people die..
Nice one lady!
That’s me actually as I got underlying health condition..

[midgebabe]

You are being asked to your lives on hold, but you would rather that others gave up these lives entirely?

[Bluecattt]

• sh is not Worried ..
  Hence my post...

[BrokenBrit]

Such sad news with the young British boy and Belgian girl.
I’m worried. Married to a front line NHS worker who doesn’t have the right PPE and I have asthma. We are only early thirties and have very enjoyable and fulfilling lives with our family. Everyone’s life is precious. We are certainly not ready to die.

[alloutoffucks]

The 0.2% of young people who will die is not just those in hospital, it is 0.2% of all young people who get it including very mildly. If every child in your average secondary school got it, 2 would die.