Low risk people getting on with things as normal

[PaperLaperRock]

Why is it that low risk cannot go out and go to work as normal if they are ONLY mixing with low risk?

Of course some from that group will need treatment. But less than 1% will. I think more from the low risk group are suffering and using the NHS for metal health reasons than they ever would be if they could go about as normal.

I’d happily not see those at risk until the vaccine is sorted. Which, newsflash, it certainly won’t be anytime soon. Bet good money we will all be living like this in autumn at least. I’m not inclined to follow this further, my career has nearly been destroyed from all this and I doubt the government will be picking up the bill when I can’t afford my mortgage.

Quote from Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty at one of the press conferences

'My final point is that if I increase my risk, a lot of people say, well, can’t people just be allowed to take their own risk? The problem with a pandemic or an epidemic infection like this is if I as an individual increase my risk, I increase the risk to everyone around me and then everyone who’s a contact of theirs, and sooner or later the chain will meet people who are vulnerable or elderly or have a long term problem from Covid. So you cannot in an epidemic just take your own risk. Unfortunately, you’re taking a risk on behalf of everybody else.'

@Tinselette thanks for that. Whilst I understand that to some extent, if we are apparently able to certain bubbles and tiers then, it would follow that we could also do so for a category called low risk.

*able to ring fence

Well, teenagers have sort of done that haven't they. It's not going so well.

I think the CMO had taken that into account OP.

Yet there’s no actual answer on it. It is worrying that Chris Whitty, as professional and educated as he is, is taken as gospel as to how this should be managed.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

Well, teenagers have sort of done that haven't they. It's not going so well.

Took the words out of my mouth. And their parents fine with socialising because it's 'their bubble'

Very few of us only come into contact with other low risk people in the (ordinary) course of their daily lives.

@Porcupineintherough they would if it was only low risk going about usual life

It's not a perfect idea. But neither is destroying our economy with constant lockdowns. Effectively it's what my elderly relatives are doing already and we are delivering food and only meeting them outside.

I think SAGE considered a plan (I'm guessing in the name of blue sky thinking) where everyone over the age of 45 was told to shield and the younger generation took on all the out of home roles. But that would mean that schools couldn't go back, etc., due to parents being in their 40s. Half the teachers wouldn't be able to teach, etc.

There's also the issue of long covid, which affects younger people. I really worry that we are going to have a huge increase in people with chronic conditions due to long covid and that an entire generation will need to support those people.

Sp you go about normal life, cinemas, pubs etc , which will push the rate up

That's fine, few days off work at its peak at worse, probably fine to carry on.

So you catch the bus, go to Asda, pop into Greggs all as normal. No masks, no hand sanitising.

But those are things that people with increased risk are currently also able to do. But instead of there being 3 people with covid in the store, two wearing a mask there's now 33 all without masks. Remember masks protect the public from the wearer.

So presumably we tell the higher risk don't leave the house, don't go to the shops or Starbucks or Greggs.

Except the higher at risk WORK in those places. So now they're what, on sick leave? How long for? Or sacked? Can't get another job as can't leave the house.

Rates are also rampant in kids and parents now which knocks onto schools. So now we're telling the at risk teachers, don't come in. 30 kids sat on a classroom with a teacher teaching from their living room. Fine of its one or two. But it could be so many the school is closed. And now your 8 and 6 year old need childcare. But you're in the office living life as normal, of course you can't be furloughed or work from home, were getting on with it.

Now what?

@frazzledquaver It seems like that is almost deliberately silly. Over 75 and anyone younger with one of the most risky health conditions for covid would be more sensible.

@PlumsAreNotTheOnlyFruit

It's not a perfect idea. But neither is destroying our economy with constant lockdowns. Effectively it's what my elderly relatives are doing already and we are delivering food and only meeting them outside.

Presumably because they're not working, aren't doing the school run and think it's short term. How many people do you know are doing that in their 30s with kids and jobs?

If Chris Whitty, professor in epidemiology, isn't the person to listen to, then who is?

Genuinely intrigued.

@SleepingStandingUp you spend some of the inconceivably enormous sums currently being lost from tax revenue by closing half the economy on paying wages to the working age vulnerable to stay at home and hiring supply teachers etc.

I think that most people do come into contact with the vulnerable at some point, as they can’t shield indefinitely, and even doing this they still have to come out for essential purposes such as hospital appointments. The more it is in the community, the more difficult it becomes to protect these people. I guess that’s why it’s so important it’s not let run wild if possible even in those that are young and healthy. It’s a crap situation with no good solution but really the best that can be done is try to control it in all populations. Not that that is going well with the infection rates!

How do you go to the supermarket without coming into contact with higher risk people?

How do you use public transport?

How do you use any service that requires staff, some of which will be higher risk?

What happens to single higher risk people? Do they just not see another living being for the foreseeable future?

What happens to higher risk children re: schooling?

What about higher risk parents or other carers of children?

What about healthcare workers?

bluewaves - he's an infectious diseases expert too as well as an epidemiologist.

I'm just wondering how you expect me to live as a higher risk person in their 30's?

Do my DC get an education?

How do me and DH earn money for our significant outgoings? Does the taxpayer pay for our £5k a month outgoings?

How do I get healthcare and dentistry without coming into contact with these 'low risk' people?

[quote PlumsAreNotTheOnlyFruit]@SleepingStandingUp you spend some of the inconceivably enormous sums currently being lost from tax revenue by closing half the economy on paying wages to the working age vulnerable to stay at home and hiring supply teachers etc.[/quote]
Brilliant.

So I get to have my significant outgoings, way above UK average paid?

I'm glad everyone would be happy about that...

How can people still think that this is a new or viable idea, nine months in?! If it was really possible to allow huge swathes of the population to resume normal life while keeping them separate from the vulnerable don't you think it would have been done by now?

I’m low risk, but my colleague who I work closely with (hospitality so can’t work from
Home) is higher risk, she’s not far off retirement so wouldn’t be able to find another job right now. So what do we do with her so that I can carry on as normal? Sack her? Or do I no longer count in your ‘carrying on as normal’ category. And what about when I go into the supermarket as normal and infect an elderly person there, or are we suppose to lock them away? It’s a completely unrealistic idea, none of us should be trying to take short cuts through this, we all need to get on with it together. Frustrating as it is.

The problem is that there are actually far more vulnerable people than you realise. It’s not just the elderly, its those with a number of medical issues who still ordinarily work and contribute to society. Take those people out of the picture and many things cannot run as normal anyway

The more the virus is allowed to spread, the more it will mutate. And as we've seen this past couple of weeks, that's not a good thing.