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Original poster

How are over 80s getting the virus?

99 replies

MummaBear4321 · 14/01/2021 16:31

PHE reported today that cases in all age groups decreased between the 1st and 10th of January, except for the over 80s. How is this age group still getting so many infections? They should be isolating/shielding surely, especially as their vaccine and protection is basically around the corner if not already in place? Is it professional carers bringing it from house to house? Are care homes still riddled with it (I thought with no visitors and proper hygiene they would have had less infections by now)? Is it that this age group are simply not complying with rules? Anyone know?

OP posts:
XenoBitch · 14/01/2021 16:34

One chap I know in his 90s picked it up in hospital. I would have thought that the over 80s in general get admitted to hospital more than the rest of the population, therefore they get exposed to it in a place that I read accounts for up to 20% of infections anyway.

Rosehip10 · 14/01/2021 16:34

Care homes, home carers and hospitals. Don't know if you saw on the news, half the residents of a care home in Sussex died from covid in the last few weeks.

candycane222 · 14/01/2021 16:36

I suspect like xeno its health care settings, also from carers coming in. I don't know the % of thie over 80 population in residential care but I believe that is still v risky as staff have to go home to the community between shifts.

HoppingOnSteppingStones · 14/01/2021 16:36

Carers, home help, meals on wheels, workmen, family shopping?

candycane222 · 14/01/2021 16:37

even my super careful shielding mum needs a blood test every 6 months so...

TooTweeForMe · 14/01/2021 16:37

Yip care homes are riddled, home carers see multiple people per day passing it on and it spreads like wildfire in hospitals.

But rather than address all of this they will tell you it is because Mavis at number 12 has been on two walks today and had the audacity to grab a takeaway coffee.

vodkaredbullgirl · 14/01/2021 16:37

Because they are still dying, not all care home residents have been vaccinated. Work in a care home and still not been called for vaccinations.

My parents hardly go out and they are in their 80's.

Useruseruserusee · 14/01/2021 16:39

In many areas multigenerational living is common. It is that way in the London borough I teach in.

HouseofBrieandBanter · 14/01/2021 16:39

My mum had a hip op and still needs check ups

It’s things like that I imagine

Many over 80s need some form of medical care

Lottie4 · 14/01/2021 16:40

My Mum is very close to 80. She won't lower herself to an online delivery (shared or personally to her home) from Iceland - only place I can get one. During lockdown I did all our shopping in store, but am really trying to reduce risk so online at Iceland.

So she tells me she's getting her milk when she goes to get her daily paper (only used to get one on a Saturday). Also, very pleased with herself that she can fit more than M&S food shop inbetween buses, sometimes going to Santander (told her I would write over particular issue), Wilko and WHSmith. I've told her cases are higher than ever in our area and if she gets covid I can't/won't enter her house to help (on her own) but ...

Original poster
MummaBear4321 · 14/01/2021 16:41

Care homes having it is pretty infuriating. My DM works in a care home in Ireland and they have managed to go the whole pandemic without one case. They are super on top of testing staff, no visitors, and hammering home that people dont come in if they feel sick at all. They are also giving the vaccine to care homes first, before the wider community. Care homes should be a priority.

OP posts:
JS87 · 14/01/2021 16:41

Hopefully not when they are going to get the vaccine!

LordoftheDance · 14/01/2021 16:42

I know someone who is a carer and they've just been confirmed positive which didn't come as a surprise as they've been totally disregarding the rules and guidance. Mixing with 8+ family members on a regular basis who all mix with other family members, etc. Still had a big family get together over Christmas. I just wonder how many of the people she cares for that she unwittingly passed it to.

Kazzyhoward · 14/01/2021 16:43

In hospital, in care homes, in GP surgeries. They're NOT safe places to be anywhere near at the moment. If you don't have to go to one, then stay well away. Nearly everyone we know who's had covid has caught it in hospital or suspiciously a few days after a visit to the GP surgery or out patients dept!

FunnyItWorkedLastTime · 14/01/2021 16:44

A lot of over eighties need care or some form of help around the house. The people who care for them, (whether family or professionals), have lives of their own, families, children, other jobs. If the disease is running riot in the community then the carers will get it. You cannot shield the over eighties.

zafferana · 14/01/2021 16:48

Care homes should be a priority.

Care homes ARE a priority and all residents and staff are included in Group 1 for vaccination - the group that is currently being vaccinated as quickly as possible. But the first vaccine to be approved here in the UK was Pfizer, which isn't easy to transport and since HC professionals need to go into a care home with a team of people and a box of vaccines it's been much easier to vaccinate care homes since the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine was approved.

Livedandlearned · 14/01/2021 16:49

@TooTweeForMe has it spot on.

Also one patient I was talking to in hospital said he had no idea how he caught it as he hadn't left the house in months and has no carers or visitors at all. He died however get his shopping delivered.

Livedandlearned · 14/01/2021 16:49

Ffs does however

viatheapp · 14/01/2021 16:51

Lots of older people I've heard about catching it have done so in hospital, and there are outbreaks in care homes.

ILovemyCatsSoSoMuch · 14/01/2021 16:52

That’s lovely for your DM’s care home. But when there’s 1 in 20 people infected with the super infectious variety in the local community, it is impossible to keep out of care homes even with the best infection control and regular testing. That’s why the vaccine is so urgent.

All the care homes I know had one or two isolated cases at a time through the whole summer and autumn, only picked up through the regular testing. But from December it’s been completely different, the new variant is a game changer.

The other reason it lags with older people is because it tends to spread from younger generation up. Take my friends dad (80s) currently ill with it - infected from his son who has to provide some support to his dad. Son infected from Christmas Day with in-laws. The Christmas Day infection was most likely a school child with no symptoms. So it’s taken about 3 weeks to move up the family age groups.

StatisticalSense · 14/01/2021 16:52

Too many of them continue to fetch a newspaper daily.
Given the typical demographics of those who buy a newspaper and the fact it gives people an excuse to go shopping daily newspapers should have been restricted to delivery only months ago.

WhydoesItAlwaysRainMe · 14/01/2021 16:55

Apparently hospital is where most people are catching it

SnowFields · 14/01/2021 16:58

Unfortunately in some situations you have many octogenarians in living close proximity (think hospital wards, care homes, retirement complexes) or sharing similar resources (home care, GP, meal service, physio or health care etc) that continues despite the pandemic. Once one person gets it, they are close enough for it to sweep through most of them because of the close proximity they live. Many dementia patients also don’t understand social distancing or being in a pandemic.

DahliaMacNamara · 14/01/2021 16:58

A good number of people in my neighbourhood are very lax about distancing and household mixing, even those who work in care settings with elderly residents. The rationale seems to be along the lines of 'I have to put myself at risk in work, so nobody's going to tell me I'm not allowed to see my daughter/friend/brother/cousin whenever I fancy'.
Do not delete as applicable. I mean all of them.

Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum · 14/01/2021 17:00

Gran kids licking them, TU holidays, insisting on going to supermarket with their daughters, playgrounds being open, click and collect being allowed and exercising more than one a day apparently.

Though those examples could be just how mumsnet relatives have caught it Hmm