Forum Topic

Brassed off!

So people over 70 are to be 'quarantined' in their homes for four months are they? Why does the government suppose that everyone over that age is in poor health and/or frail? That most certainly is not the case - there are people of all ages who suffer with varying health problems who may be vulnerable to this virus. We all need to be sensible and heed the hygiene advice, but surely those who have no symptoms should be allowed to live their lives as usual. We've so far survived Thatcher and Cameron, heralding another 10 years of Tory government and the huge damage to our NHS which is now coming back to bite Johnson on his a*se, we are not over the hill, knackered or clapped out, so please just give it a rest.........................

Vanessa Smith ● 2426d21 Comments

From the announcement it sounds like they’ll be shooting us in the streets soon! But seriously I hope what they mean is for us over 70s to restrict interaction with others to a minimum rather than total ‘stay in your homes’ isolation because we are not going to stick to that. Also they are trying to calm down panic buying but now shops will be packed with over 70s panic buying and for good reason.

Michael David Rowe ● 2426d

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51898288
"Elderly people could soon be urged to "reduce social contact" to reduce to coronavirus infection, Scotland's chief medical officer has said. But Dr Catherine Calderwood insisted over-70s would not be asked to isolate themselves unless they were ill. She said people in the higher risk age group might typically be expected to reduce social contact by about 75%."

Les Fletcher ● 2425d

yes and there are plans (according to the BBC, that when you are over 60 to chances to get on a respirator if needed are very slim, I was at Morrisons this morning and the amount of people there was staggering, whats the point to stop social gathering if they are all squeezed into one supermarket. Also, only people in hospitals will be tested, so they have not a clue how many are infected, might be as many or more as in Italy, The NHS cannot cope at all, and our government is just dishing out lies (as usual)

Silvia Kinner ● 2425d

Hes coming to get you

Julian Pavey ● 2425d

He was the ChildCatcher not the 'Over 70's Catcher'.
My grown-up children are still frightened of Robert Helpmann in that role.

N V Brooks ● 2425d

Agree with the main sentiment of the original post albeit Cameron didn’t herald 10 years of Tory rule owing to the fact there was a coalition. The Thatcher piece typical lefty tosh - we had as much time with Blair so ample time to reverse any mis-management. The issue with NHS is obviously the wastage at management level which no government of any party can / wants to address - of this I’ve many examples

Matthew Acton ● 2425d

Julian, enough to scare them to death.

Janice Evans ● 2425d

Leaving aside the snarky 'typical lefty tosh' jibe. I can only say the government had better hope all those 70 odd year olds who still work, run businesses or volunteer aren't quarantined. How many MPs and those in the House of Lords fall into that age group too? This is just government propaganda to try and persuade us they actually know what the hell is going on.

Vanessa Smith ● 2425d

Have any 60 - 70 age group survived the virus, cannot find any info on this.

Janice Evans ● 2425d

Agree Matthew/  I am one of the extremely vulnerable old persons and I am NOT stock-piling anything - it's selfish utter nonsense.  Those doing so I wouldn't mind betting are younger fitter people, not we older folk, we have more sense.  Also doubtful about total isolation for all but the extremely vulnerable.  OK you are suggesting total isolation for 4 months - assuming that is possible, what will that do to ones mind & general health?    Then, when it's deemed "safe", how many thousands of us with absolutely no immunity to Covid19 at all, be let out to suddenly collapse and have to be admitted as emergencies to the corridors of the local hospitals still reeling from months of emergencies!  No, imo this virus is here and amongst us - spreading like wildfire.  Majority of the infected will not even notice it, , several will experience mild flu like symptoms and some of the very old and vulnerable will perish.  We should be trying to slow down and level out the spread which involves ALL people, of all ages to comply with the advice from the Government and avid close contact, be scrupulously clean, constantly wash one's hand with SOAP and water.

Jennifer Selig ● 2425d

This is a non-starter and I can't help thinking that whoever leaked it to Robert Peston was basically winding him up to see what he'd swallow.

Susan Kelly ● 2425d

I probably shouldn’t put this out there but what the they could do to keep us over 70s from getting about quite as much is stop our Freedom passes working!

Michael David Rowe ● 2425d

I agree with everything you say Jennifer. I am 87 and in good health. I have outlived close relatives, London friends and my neighbours so I have to keep my independence.  I am not going to stockpile like all the people in Morrisons yesterday. Decades  younger than me. Slightly worried though  as I can not find any paracetamol capsules any where. Suoerdrug in Ealing had closed today to restock their shelves. Boots don;t know when their stock of pills will be replaced .  I have just recovered from an ear op. and need to replenish my supply of paracetamol capsules so shall have to google .online I suppose .

Beryl Bashford ● 2425d

Bit more than a leak, as the deeply reassuring Matthew Hancock was stating it pretty clearly on Sky News

Guy Lambert ● 2425d

But won’t some of the retired medics and healthcare workers they are contacting to help out be over 70?

Jean Ross ● 2425d

Pretty mild compared with what other countries are doing - in Spain,  people are being told by police to get home if found outside - whatever their age. Bars, restaurants, cinemas closed in France.  I am not in my 70s but have taken the decision to self isolate for the time being until we see how this goes. I work from home anyway so it won't be that much different, but I now have an excuse not to go to silly meetings including new business meetings or to events I don't really want to attend for business-related networking or FOMO. Big Ocado delivery due tonight, a couple of substitutions but nothing major. They are not bringing deliveries into the house so as have back problem is going to take me ages to bring it in but hey, better than the nightmare Sainsburys seemed today. Looking forward to being able to get real work done, do some online training as well as personal admin, more time with the animals, read the (delivered) newspapers, get house and garden sorted, listen to music, watch tv, plan for the future, go long walks with the dogs - all the stuff I never usually have time to do!  If it goes on maybe will top up foreign language skills with some online courses.  Bliss. Will stay connected with friends by phone.  I am in touch with an elderly neighbour and she will let me know if I can order anything online for her.  Hopefully those without Internet capabilities will know someone who has them so they can order for home delivery?

Claire Moran ● 2425d

Thousands!
You are never going to see a headline are you that "80-year-old man survives Covid-19!.

N V Brooks ● 2425d

"Matthew Hancock was stating it pretty clearly on Sky News"I wouldn't say he was pretty clear. He tended to fall back on saying it was "in the action plan", but wouldn't go further.  I suspect it's an intention that has yet to be agreed in detail. At the moment we don't know when it will start, how long it will last for, whether it is mandatory or a recommendation.

Richard Jennings ● 2425d

Beryl, might be worth trying to get a prescription from your doctor. I use ibuprofen (among other meds) for my back problems - none are brilliant, but give a little relief, sometimes enough to enable me to sleep when I probably wouldn't have otherwise, and have a regular presc from my doctor.  Will find out this week when I try to collect if it is allowed!

Claire Moran ● 2425d

Like most healthy over 70's I had exactly the samereaction to this. Its totally over the top and unnecessary.However if the gloomy projections the Govt are relying on are correct, and I don't believe them for various reasons*, then in two or four weeks timepeople's opinions on the matter might change . On the other hand if the figures aren't asbad as the worst Govt projections, then therewill probably be no need to introduce any suchmeasures at all. It appears the Govt are simply laying the ground should the worst possible outcome occur in the#next 2 to 4 weeks. Which doesn't necessarilymean that it will.*The UK appears to have been very lucky in the number of super-carriers in circulation. And it is just luck IMO but none less welcome for that.michael adams... 

Michael Adams ● 2425d

As I've said elsewhere on this forum (not entirely tongue in cheek), even Boris has managed to work out that the reason he is PM is down to a majority of over 70s voting Tory. He obviously needs to keep them alive (which quarantine will do - he hopes) partly as thanks and partly so that someone (anyone?) will argue for him in 5 years time....

John Hickman ● 2425d