Lockdown should be Extended past Dec 2nd until all over 80s are vaccinated

[IslandGyal]

So the first vaccinations will be available at the start of December. If we extend our lockdown until the end of January we could get most of our elderly population vaccinated. This would save so many lives and avoid a Xmas surge.

This is certainly achievable if the other vaccine candidates are effective.

Once we have vaccinated our over 80s we are unlikely to return to the high levels of deaths since 60% of the deaths so far are in those over 80.

This would save so many lives and enable us to reopen faster.

We should all sacrifice Xmas now there is an end goal in sight and Thousands of lives Can be saved.

Given that most over 80s don't have a job, wouldn't it make more sense to support them to shield for 4 weeks and let everyone else get on with it?

Absolutely not, NO. I cannot understand the mentality of people calling for more lockdowns. Just NO.

@Usernamenotavailabl

Lives won’t be saved. You might extend a few for a bit until they die of something else

PMSL

Let's stop treating for anything then as we are all going to die eventually anyway.

🙄🙄

I also don't think that many 80 year olds want to die alone, in pain, in a hospital connected to machines

Honestly, this is inane as the "rather a mask than a ventilator" sound bite bollocks.

@thatwastheriver

People should educate themselves more about the vaccine instead of believing everything the media and the government tell them. There's plenty of information available on line. There is no way a vaccine will be available in December, and if there is it won't have been properly tested. And maybe some over 80's won't want to take that risk.

Of course it will have been properly tested and AGAIN in the uk.

Stop spreading misinformation.

@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants you are aware a lot of elderly people are refused treatment for various conditions even pre COVID? My Dad had a heart issue. Had he been 40 they would have fixed it. Because he was 77 they didn’t and it killed him a few weeks later.

People get old and frail and die. Always have and always will.

My over 80's neighbours aren't complying with the lockdown now. They are the loudest supporters for the lockdown but the least compliant. I can't see that an extension would help? Two of my elderly neighbours have continued to have people coming and going every day. They're also continuing to go to the shops despite the fact they have the local authority as well as several family members bringing them food regularly. There were six cars at one on Saturday with at least 10 people inside the house. If this sort of thing isn't going to be monitored in some way then it's not fair for those of us or are trying to obey the lockdown and becoming more isolated from our own family and friends.

So many businesses depend on the pre-Christmas period for trade. If we can't get things, at least partially reopen before Christmas, the economy will crash and burn and take many more lives and livelihoods with it.

We should all sacrifice Xmas now there is an end goal in sight and Thousands of lives Can be saved.

I couldn't give two shits about Christmas, but certainly do about what these lockdowns are doing to peoples jobs and businesses.

No way this should happen.

Are you aware that the vaccine needs to be stored at -70C? The logistical problems will be considerable. This article in today's Times (hardly youtube conspiracy theory false news) quotes Matt Hancock admitting this and also saying "safety data will not be available until the end of the year".

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pfizer-covid-vaccine-could-get-green-light-next-month-st5r8jtww

I simply don't think it's right to over-hype this vaccine and give people unrealistic hopes.

buffyp Yes I am concerned about suicides, having lost my daughter last year. Unrealistic hopes can also lead to the same result.

I think you need to watch the interviews with the doctors and scientists about this.. We don't yet know how effective the vaccine will be in anyone over 75. The flu vaccine isn't fully effective in the over 65's. Very elderly people may have to rely on herd immunity as will younger people who can't have the vaccine.

No we shouldn't be shutting down society to keep people over 80 alive. A fall at 80 can kill, as can many infections.

The over 50's are filling up the hospitals. That's why we are in lock down. So to 'protect the NHS' we will have to get all over 50's vaccinated. No one over 75 should be vaccinated before children and people under 50 who are ECV are. I say that as someone over 50 who is CV. I don't get priority over a teenage cancer/CP/Heart patient.

Unfortunately we can't test people over 70 with the vaccine because we can't infect them with Covid.

Absolutely not but I won’t put it past our current government to try this tact. For all we know, the OP could be putting feelers out on behalf of the government!

I do wonder how apparently, support for this “lockdown” and the previous restrictions is so high, when people’s actual behaviour would suggest otherwise. Personally, I know more people not taking any notice of the restrictions than are. Not saying I agree, just stating my experience.

I think we really need to change the narrative and our approach to how we respond to this pandemic; carrying on as we are with lockdowns and restrictions which people don’t comply with but which does untold damage to our economy, society and the life chances of our young is tantamount to insanity.

Nobody is getting vaccinated in December 😂

I think some people are so desperate for good news that they've jumped on this vaccine report and decided that's it, it'll all be over by end of December.

Don't get me wrong, it's great news, but even if the final data confirms its safety and efficacy in the timeframe they're hoping for (3rd week of November) and its approval is rapid, there are still many logistical factors to consider.

So yes, lets hope that by January it's rolling out and that through the early months of next year, things improve considerably as more and more people are vaccinated.

HOWEVER, you can't just shut down businesses until that happens on the hope that it'll be quick. This month-long lockdown alone is destroying many businesses and making many people jobless. Every day you extend it would make that worse. It's just not feasible.

Every day you extend it would make that worse. It's just not feasible.

You are right there. The number of redundancies announced on the high street last week was far more worrying than covid.

Earliest would be second week in December, and front line NHS get it first. People getting really carried away here. Definitely positive news but a long way to go yet.

You would still need 21/28 days apart between 1st and 2nd vaccine injection.

Just because the NHS are ready to administer the vaccine on 1st December doesn't mean if wil be ready to go

If 10000s of OAPS are left at home, alone over Christmas I think we’d have far more to worry about than them catching Covid. The amount who would freeze in poorly heated/ unheated homes. The emotional and physically tool of being made to stay home over Christmas. And it’s not just about the over 80s!
The vast number of businesses retail and hospitality that would fold if not able to open for the Pre Christmas boom. It just can’t happen.

Terrible idea.
Absolutely terrible.

Glad to see I'm not the only one ...

I think it’s a brilliant idea vaccinate the elderly ASAP and tbh not over 80 I’d say over 60
Where I live (busy and high risk area) all I’ve seen consistently since March is elderly people out and about not socially distancing etc etc
The sooner they are not spreading this around the better

It's a no from me.

The vaccine release is not due to start on the 1st December. So it will not be possible to vaccinate all over 80s by Christmas. You cant lock up all areas with lower cases to wait for it. It's not justified.

I don’t agree with extending lockdown though just get people vaccinated quickly

Nope from me

@Ponoka7

I think you need to watch the interviews with the doctors and scientists about this.. We don't yet know how effective the vaccine will be in anyone over 75. The flu vaccine isn't fully effective in the over 65's. Very elderly people may have to rely on herd immunity as will younger people who can't have the vaccine.

No we shouldn't be shutting down society to keep people over 80 alive. A fall at 80 can kill, as can many infections.

The over 50's are filling up the hospitals. That's why we are in lock down. So to 'protect the NHS' we will have to get all over 50's vaccinated. No one over 75 should be vaccinated before children and people under 50 who are ECV are. I say that as someone over 50 who is CV. I don't get priority over a teenage cancer/CP/Heart patient.

Unfortunately we can't test people over 70 with the vaccine because we can't infect them with Covid.

Your argument is not totally valid. Another vaccine in stage 3 has tested ppl up to 85. However the under 18s were not part of testing. The UK has ordered more of this vaccine and the Oxford vaccine over Pfizer. I totally support ppl over 65 and those with illneses necessitating it going first.