How to avoid catching it in the long run

[Therabble]

Just that really. Pretty easy to avoid catching it during lockdown but once normal things start happening again how will we be able to avoid catching it over the next 12 months?

It's important to avoid getting it right now because 1. It will burden the nhs and 2. Your life may be more at risk if there isn't enough hospital equipment and you need critical/intensive care.

But your likelihood of getting really sick from it isn't going to be different if you catch it now or in 6 months time, presumably. Does this mean we will have to avoid seeing grandparents etc for a year/until a vaccine is out?

No, sadly it doesn't surprise me at all.

There is a really shocking lack of critical thinking in society.

@PomBearsyummy

Don't be so patronising. It was quite clear that the poster meant we were all going to have to expect to have a lower life expectancy. That is scaremongering.

I agree somewhat with the point that if you’re healthy with no underlying health conditions then these are the people we need to get the virus and recover and help protect the vulnerable.

I’ll just make sure I can be as healthy as possible for when I do get it! So carry on supplementing with Vitamin D through autumn and winter months and making sure I get some sun throughout summer.
Staying a healthy weight.
Lots of running/ exercise to strengthen lungs.
Gut Health support. So pre and probiotics, varied diet etc.
And try not to stress and keep it in perspective.

I know about 15 people who have had this locally and all recovered well.

I think once we’re through the peak I’d rather crack on and take the risk. I’m always healthier in summer so I’d much rather get in in July/August than in winter.

I’d hate to be in lockdown for months and months.

@Eckhart

Have you looked at the breakdown of deaths by age that a PP has posted above?

The overwhelming majority of deaths are in the elderly population.

There are a handful of deaths in younger age groups, but its very irresponsible to try to claim that the risk of dying with Covid - 19 is evenly distributed across all age groups.

Its just yet another claim that isn't supported by the evidence.

I hear so many stories about people barricading themselves in their houses when they are young, fit, healthy and have literally no reason to fear Covid-19

But surely the whole point of lockdown is that anyone can spread it about. So whether they have anything to fear personally isn't really relevant, they can still pass it to vulnerable people either by being asymptomatic and getting close to others, or spreading it on their hands from one place to another.

No, the point of lockdown is to still spread the virus, but in a more controlled manner - the idea is to flatten the curve; the area underneath the curve (number of cases) is always going to be the same, whatever approach you take.

My comment was referring to people who genuinely aren't planning to come out of their houses until the threat has gone away - as in their game plan is to never catch it.

We need the virus to spread to create herd immunity, albeit in a slower manner so that the NHS has the capacity to treat patients.

Probably worth remembering that the vast majority of under 40s won't even need medical treatment, much less ITU care/ventilation etc

I think one key point is that we need a cheap and accurate test which shows if a person has had Covid 19. I am sure there are households shielding one person but it is possible that some of the people in that house could have had it already and are therefore able to resume some sort of working life without risk to their vulnerable loved one?

I think testing the shield group and their cohabitants would be a very good idea. Because if any have had it, it would make a massive difference to those who might otherwise have to live indoors and isolated from other household members, possibly for weeks or months to come

We're shielding and Im scared to send kids back to schiol BUT I did have a horrid cough for 2 weeks that agrivated asthma/tight chest etc in March. I would pay to test to see if I had had it (assuming the antibody tests become accurate). It would be lifechanging for our family to go from shielding to even walks, never mind losing The Fear long term.

Agreed. The only reason we are having to flatten the curve is because otherwise the NHS wouldn't cope.

If we could get more NHS staff back to work, the capacity of the NHS increases dramatically and the need for flattening the curve diminishes.

@DCOkeford

Yes, I've looked at the stats. Your statement that young people have

literally no reason to fear Covid-19

is wrong. And dangerous. Young people may not get seriously ill/die as often as other age groups, but it is happening and awareness needs to be raised, not lowered, as your post would suggest.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-52254674

I think one key point is that we need a cheap and accurate test which shows if a person has had Covid 19. I am sure there are households shielding one person but it is possible that some of the people in that house could have had it already and are therefore able to resume some sort of working life without risk to their vulnerable loved one?

I can understand why you might think that but really it's not true is it? My friend is a teacher. Her DH is very high risk due to MS and the drug cocktail he has to take. If she gets COVID-19 she still wouldn't be able to go back to work as at some point, despite all the handwashing and stripping off in the doorway, she will carry that virus to him via touch/depositing the virus onto something he touches.

I'd be willing to take my risks (no underlying health issues that I'm aware of) once restrictions lifted a bit with the best I can do, namely:
Frequent hand washing (and forcing DS to do so!)
WFH (I do that anyway), as many virtual meetings as poss too
Avoid unecessary public transport or travel
Avoiding crowded spaces
Social distancing from parents or anyone else who is at risk

Apart from that I'd like to get back to normal life pls. Surely for those without underlying health issues our attitude to the risk of this will ease over time? Even if risk is same i think we'll get a wider perspective on it.

The real ongoing impact will be for those in at risk groups. We must do all we can to support them.

Does anyone have the stats by age for the UK like the one for Italy upthread please