Pandemic panic

People are acting like questioning human beings Jane10. Not wanting clarity or being concerned would be more chicken-like.

Are you over 70? Are you prepared for four months in self-isolation? Once we all have enough in our cupboards to do this - it is what the government is intending to ask the over 70s to do - the buying will slow down. I know my next on-line delivered order is bigger than normal but that is because I have added the normal things I would go to the shops to buy. I am not actually buying anything extra. People buying in bulk may be buying for two sets of parents. And there will always be a few who don't think it through but it will even out and the supermarkets seem to have some control over it already.

Please don't use this as another excuse to paint everyone who isn't you as "less than". We have surely had enough of that.

Absolutely agree with everything you have said above GracesGran.

Off again GracesGran?
'self isolating' or to be less dramatic, staying in for four months is an awful prospect. Mental health will deteriorate and physical health too as we all need activity and fresh air. Social isolation is already a mental health problem for many elderly people.
If everyone stays at home for 4 months what will happen when they all emerge?
A middle course seems most useful to adhere to. Keep clean, think carefully before going out and where you might be going and try to keep a positive mental attitude.

Off again GracesGran?

That makes no sense to me. Perhaps you would like to explain it Jane10?

A middle course seems most useful to adhere to.

Except that is not what the government is planning Jane10. They are planning to ask all over 70s to self-isolate for 4 months according to Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on Sophy Ridge this morning. It may be worth trying to see the programme if it is available on Youtube or elsewhere later on.

They may decide not to do this of course but, because the NHS has been so under-resourced they may have to.

I was watching Matt Hancock on BBC this morning. He was carefully non committal about over 70s staying in for months. We were impressed at his reasoned responses and open mindedness.
A good suggestion that, as in Denmark, supermarkets should open for an hour first thing just for older people. This would be after freshly sanitising these shops. That would give the chance for shopping and some socialising.

I do not see how 4 months isolation for over 70s will work.

If someone could explain to me how this could happen I'd be grateful.

We are not a separate group with separate problems and needs; we are a cog in the wheel which keeps the country going.

Social distancing yes, self isolating no. It is possible for oldies to lead a relatively normal life and keep a distance from others. Obviously public transport, restaurants, group activities and the gym are out, but walks and fresh air should not be a problem, sitting away from others outside. Common sense should prevail. Younger people can always wear a proper protective mask for visiting or taking the oldies out in a car. They are available online for less than £25, I've just bought one! They look like WW2 masks but they provide 100% protection unlike the surgical masks.

I was watching Matt Hancock on BBC this morning. He was carefully non committal about over 70s staying in for months.

They keep repeating it on the news programmes and it doesn't sound exactly non-committal to me Jane10. It makes sense too as the death rate for children and young people is about 0.2% rising to 1.3% at 50 to 59, 3.6% at 60 to 69, 8% at 70 to 79 and 14.8% at 80+.

If this does have to be for such a long time I expect it will be managed quite carefully.

This seems to be an informative site

I also watched Andrew Marr this morning. He interviewed the South Korean foreign minister and the Italian ambassador, both of whom were most articulate, knowledgeable and impressive, then Matt Hancock who seemed incapable of answering a straightforward question. He was embarrassingly awful and didn't seem to have a clue.

I thought AM let him off very lightly. Why did he not even ask him how we can know what is going on in the UK if we're not even able to get tested?

Social distancing would not work - yes, I can see how it would work for fit and healthy over 70s provided they:

do not work
are not the mainstay of the charity sector
do not care for grandchildren so that parents can work possibly in vital services
do not have family members living with them who are not in that age group
Do not have routine medical appointments

For those requiring help at home, carers would still need to go in on a daily basis

GracesGran is right, it has been mooted by government that over 70s should self isolate for up to four months, and that an announcement is expected over the next days/weeks. I’m not over 70 yet, but my 92 year old mother certainly is, and will need shopping taking to her in her sheltered apartment. My daughter who is a GP is extremely worried about us, we are 66 and 67 and both on high blood pressure tablets. More worryingly I have asthma. I’ve become more worried about this since my daughter is so very worried about us.

Absolutely Callistemon, my mother has a cleaner and medical appointments, I have to go to the hospital tomorrow for my first physiotherapy appointment, following hand surgery nearly eight weeks ago. I can’t miss it as my hand is so stiff and painful with no grip whatsoever and no strength whatsoever. I need to get it moving and build up grip and strength.

If I'm told to self isolate for 4 months I shall. No questions asked. If by doing so it helps the situation then 4 months of isolation is a small price to pay [imo] given that it will free up hospitals, ventilators etc for younger, at risk people.

Maddyone it hasn't happened yet so if your physiotherapist is still seeing appointments there is no reason why you should not go.

Your mother and her cleaner just need to stay apart while she is there. Perhaps your mother could stay in her bedroom and then move to the sitting room for that to be cleaned. The cleaner might also find disposable gloves acceptable. I am sure this will be brought in, if they decide to do it, with care and explanation.

I agree with you Labaik but not only will it free up the ventilators for others some over 70s may still get it and it means there should be ventilators for them too.

Labaik you may well be able to do so, but others may find it difficult for reasons (and more) listed in my post above.

GraceGran
Thank you for that advice. I will tell my mother about using separate rooms when her cleaner is there, and the disposable gloves, excellent idea, and we have some so I’ll give some to Mum.
I’m definitely going to physiotherapy tomorrow, at least it’s in a separate building from the main hospital building. Thank you again for good ideas re Mum.

You are welcome Maddy. I think we may all come up with some interesting ideas by the time this is finished. Do you think they could clear the streets for an hour each day so we could have a walk? Several metres apart of course (although they need to tell me in yards/feet )

There will be ways round most things. I've just heard that my SIL, who works in London, has been at a meeting with someone who now has the virus. They have been given no guidelines as to what to do next but are currently self isolating themselves. So I'm glad that my partner and I have kept away from people for a while. I can only recommend people watching the BBC4 pandemic programme which is very interesting/informative. We all have to do as much as we can within reason, although I think all this should have been done weeks ago. And I'm angry that, had the virus not been covered up by the Chinese government, there would be a vaccine now. I was going to have a holiday with all of my family at Easter; first time we've all been together for many years, but we're probably going to tell the children to go without us. I was so looking forward to it.

I am very angry really that China wasn't sealed off at the start when they realised there was a virus. No flights or travelling outside the country except goods. If the virus had been contained in China then it would not have spread throughout the world. And with their draconian measures they would have managed to get it under control. But as usual countries carried on with all the travelling and this is the result.

And when did it really begin?

I can remember reading something in December [although I think that referred to an outbreak of plague in China] and that set off a few alarm bells. However, a family member had booked a holiday to China and I stupidly didn't say anything because I didn't want to upset them, especially as I'm a known worrier and people get fed up of my gloom and doom approach to life.

We first heard about an outbreak in Wuhan and that they had sealed the area off. At that point they should have sealed China off altogether. Look what this has caused, a worldwide crisis.