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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:
Justmuddlingalong · 14/01/2021 17:01

DP was discussing the vaccine with a care home worker. She passed up her vaccine in case it made her feel unwell and interfered with the multiple nights out she was attending over Christmas and New year. I know it's not representative of carers, but not all are sticking to the restrictions when they're not at work. So I'd presume that a minority of other front line workers have and will continue to do the same.

tenlittlecygnets · 14/01/2021 17:03

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.

That's so sad for the poor man, @Livedandlearned. No visitors at all?

I thought there was no proof that you could catch Covid-19 from supermarket shopping (fomites)?

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 14/01/2021 17:05

Age in itself isn't a criteria to isolate or shield. My MIL is fit and healthy and 80.

Ifailed · 14/01/2021 17:06

As you get older, your immune system typically weakens. It could just be that those other 80 are far more susceptible to picking up an infection with a low dose of the virus, something that 'fitter' people can shake off before it establishes itself?

Livedandlearned · 14/01/2021 17:07

It is sad but he had prostate cancer that was advanced so I guess he contacted family and friends by phone. He certainly had a lot of calls when on my ward.

He was clueless to how he caught covid so shopping seemed to be the only way.

He was independent with mobility and ADLs so he genuinely had no one in his home at all.

TheRuleofStix · 14/01/2021 17:09

Hospitals. In the main.

MabelMoo23 · 14/01/2021 17:10

My FIL died this morning of Covid. He was 78. He went in without Covid, caught it in hospital and died this morning

Tal45 · 14/01/2021 17:12

I know of an 80 year old living in sheltered accommodation that still mixes with the others in their building and still sees their kids. I'm sure there are people that don't follow the rules in every age group.

Livedandlearned · 14/01/2021 17:25

Sorry to hear that @MabelMoo23

MiniTheMinx · 14/01/2021 17:26

In Sussex domiciliary agencies are rationing care by cutting calls short or cutting out calls altogether because so many staff are now sick.

Its not always the staff taking the virus in. From talking to one agency worker I know it seems its often the case that people who have tested positive have been those not 'shielded' they are overwhelmingly the ones who have lots of family visits as well as care calls. If this is true then the staff have a right to feel a bit aggrieved themselves. One agency with 35 staff now have 21 sick.

Quite honestly I feel for the people looking after the old and frail. Its almost an exercise in futility in domiciliary care now. Im certain most of these poorly paid, unappreciated people would rather be at home with their own family.

thelittlefox · 14/01/2021 17:27

My Nana is 97, and hasn't left her flat since last March. She caught it from a home carer, and passed it to my Dad who is her support bubble.

Her vaccine appointment came through the same day she tested positive.

boysonthesofa · 14/01/2021 17:32

I know someone who went into hospital for routine op, got Covid and died two weeks later. 84 year old in rude health. Very active etc. Also know 80 something who caught it three weeks after vaccine. I don't think the vaccine is necessarily going to be bulletproof for this age group.

Akire · 14/01/2021 17:32

I think it’s a scandal that care homes don’t get the same kit as ICU in proper fitted masks, visors etc. When you give close personal care there are risks. Then same carer goes home to their kids the supermarket. So many members of staff and contacts and if you are lucky a plastic pinny and ill fitting mask.

BlueBaubles12 · 14/01/2021 17:35

By not following the rules.
By being in a care home or hospital.
By attending medical appointments.
By having to leave the house for shopping because they don’t have support from relatives / friends or the internet.
By receiving care in their own home, either from a relative or professional carer.
By having tradesmen in the house to undertake essential work.
Within the household - one 80 year old infects their 80 year old wife / husband / live in lover.

Ormally · 14/01/2021 17:36

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.

This is a characteristic of most of the previously-known coronaviruses so it's not surprising this one is showing this pattern too. Kids may have been generally asymptomatic or lightly affected but it's still an issue for the parental and grandparental age groups even if frequency of transmission appears to be lower than between adults once they have it.

I also fully agree with the comment about newspapers. Parents have curtailed most shopping but are unwilling to switch to online subscriptions "and Eddie puts one through the door for us when he goes to get his".

SkiWays · 14/01/2021 17:37

In hospital and via carers that I know.

LadyOfTheImprovisedBath · 14/01/2021 17:38

@XenoBitch

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.
My early 70s DMum has just turned down a routine hosiptal appointment as she worried it would bring additional risk to DDad who is really high risk. FIL also 70s is trying to delay his routine hopsital appointments now as well - they're hoping they'll be vaccinated soon.

So I agree over 80s probbaly have more of these and perhaps are less in a position to re-arrange and put off than my family members.

Another family member works in carehomes - has regular tests but says they've had massive staffing shortages so have had to bus staff in a nearby area with really high rates as that's who was free - they were given the routine staff covid tests though.

Suzeyshoes · 14/01/2021 17:39

I know several elderly people who went into hospital for other issues and caught it.

QueenPawPaws · 14/01/2021 17:41

They don't have to shield because of age. So could be supermarkets, shops, carers, relatives, anything really

I swear the amount of times I've seen "once the over 50s are vaccinated/elderly shielding" on here...
35 and shielding here! My parents are 75 and have whilst followed rules, never had to shield throughout. So they've been to the pub/shops/meals out/haircuts etc

Purplewithred · 14/01/2021 17:41

There's lots of blame on 'rule breakers' but I really feel the 'rules' about PPE used in health and care (Level 2), mask use in supermarkets etc just aren't strong enough defence against this version of the virus.

Ligglepiggle · 14/01/2021 17:41

I work in a bank and the vast vast majority of customers coming in currently are elderly. We are trying to show them alternatives to coming in, but they are often saying things like, it gets me out of the house or it’s something to do.
I feel for anyone in their situation so we just do our best to help them from the furthest distance possible, masks don’t help as people who can’t hear well naturally try to get closer to you if they can’t hear you,
We keep visors for this purpose and talk to them behind glass but it’s so hard Sad

Ratched · 14/01/2021 17:41

My dad is in sheltered housing. He is 80 and very careful.
I visit(I am the only one allowed in his flat).
He has district nurses twice a day.
He has a cleaner once a week.
He has carers twuce a day.
I took him for his covid jabs. That involved other patients, doctors, hcp, receptionist, me........ its really not difficult to see how easy it is, even for the most careful of older people, to catch, or pass on the virus.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 14/01/2021 17:41

@StatisticalSense

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.
My uncle asked his local paper shop to deliver but they don't have anyone to do it. He has no internet so a newspaper is how he keeps up to date.
MyBossIsATwat · 14/01/2021 17:41

Going out every day to buy newspapers.

Obviously not then reading said newspapers.

striation980 · 14/01/2021 17:44

Carers / cleaners. Loads of over 80s have people popping in and out of their houses who themselves are living with other people, often young kids, and don't have the economic resources to live isolated lives.