Isolating over 70s for 4 months

DD is an ICU nurse.Her view is the more people who are the most vulnerable to the virus ie younger with serious health issues or elderly who remove themselves from general circulation for the immediate future the better.Not ageism.Common sense.So if not an absolute lockdown - unless advised - cut back on all but essential trips out.Some younger people will still be out of action and take some time to recover if they get a bad dose.We need working age people to keep shops,food deliveries,bin collections etc ticking over.And even though she's at heightened risk on the front line she also has to run a home and family outside work.Lots of over 70s becoming infected isn't great for them,or anyone.So being b minded and writing to your GP.?Why ?

washerwoman I’m sure when people think about it rationally, they will begin to see the sense and step up to their responsibilities towards keeping themselves healthy.

What matters is as your daughter has our cooperation in trying to keep ourselves away from needing her services.

Give her my heartfelt thanks and all the others working with her. I think looking ahead she is going to need every support and empathy for her hard work.

Today I visited the local Waitrose having heard they had a special offer on wine, it was bedlam, you couldn’t move.
Picked up the wine a few bits and pieces and a Telegraph.
100% doom and gloom worst case, no wonder everyone was panicking, obviously they had read the paper first.

I have actually been suffering from flu for 16 days now, over the worst I think, the worst flu I’ve ever had by a long way. All the symptoms of Corona virus if I had been vulnerable it would have been serious, yet my partner has shown no symptoms at all, and she has been back and forward to her mum who is 86.
So I guess its a complete lottery who catches it, only a small proportion of us are going to be seriously ill and I rather think the panic is going cause far more damage than the virus - we will see.

I don`t object to cutting back on non essential trips, it is the enforced isolation that I can`t deal with.. mental issues, can`t be locked in

what about the thoughtlessness of the people who are STILL trying to go on holidays abroad..those posters who are condemning some of us for our opinions here?

there are far more thoughtless actions going on from fit and healthy, (I assume) people than anyone who happens to be over 70 not wanting to be incarcerated.

Couldn’t go 4 months without a haircut.........

As usual, the UK is largely unprepared and behind other countries in implementing safety precautions.
DH and I, (71 and 79 respectively) had already decided to self isolate from tomorrow.
We have plenty of food, freezer and store cupboard are always full. Whilst probably not enough of anything to last the proposed four months, we have plenty of loo rolls etc without panic buying and depriving those really in need, and should we be unlucky enough to run out, we have plenty of newspapers, remember the good old days!
Brexit, what was that all about? Roll on July I say!

I tried self isolating today and it was miserable. I agree with MOnica mental health is of equal importance. We should be allowed to be responsible for our own behaviour. I was on the bus yesterday and made sure to avoid skin contact with both people and handrails.

Of course we must look after the vulnerable but we can't do that without at least some human interaction. We are going to a friend for dinner tonight. At least we can still do that.

I am very sorry for you Scribbles in your grief. I hope there can be a memorial later on when everyone can come.

With you on that SusieFlo not sure I could go 4 months without a haircut either. However needs must and it is a small price to pay for keeping safe and healthy.

Susiflo - never thought of that!?How scruffy we will all look!

A haircut isn't essential.

It's ironic really. We hear so much about the wartime spirit. Nevertheless, during WW2 the government faced all sorts of resistance from people who objected to their freedoms being curtailed.

One of my grandmothers was an ARP warden during WW2 (unusual for a woman) and she used to be full of stories of people who broke the rules.

I am so shallow. I suddenly remembered haircuts too. I'm sure there will be a way - won't there?

We talked about haircuts today. As we won't be seeing anyone, we've decided haircuts is the least of our worries.

Hair cuts
Someone different cut mine the other day as my usual hairdresser was away.
I reckon it could last me for 4 months, it's so short

Pudding basin?

Chignon?

Flowing a la Kate.

Beanie hat - always looks fine!

Will we be set upon younger people if we venture out. Like something out of a science fiction book.

The country will come to a standstill if we oldies all isolate. It’s the oldies who volunteer, childmind, keep garden centres and cafes going. Some of us are war babies. Hitler couldn’t defeat us. We are solid. Chins up. Be brave and positive.

It would be to keep the old person relatively safe from the raging pandemic outside .

And it would be to lessen the burden on the NHS if old people are safe at home instead of gallivanting about getting infected.

But when the seclusion is over and we all reappear, will we all go down with The Virus, because we have built up no immunity and groups of us resuming our usual activities are a fertile breeding ground for a recrudescence of it.

I doubt if the country would come to a standstill if all people over 70 self-isolated.

Exactly, Alexa. Experience in other countries has shown that older people have a greatly increased risk of serious symptoms or death. The NHS is going to have to make choices anyway, so it's selfish to place a higher burden on the system than necessary.

If the country is really going to adopt a war-time spirit, individuals need to accept they rarely have exceptional needs and they need to follow the rules for the common good.

That's very possible MOnica, but the plan is that there will at least be NHS beds and staff to nurse you. If you can hang on long enough, there might even be a vaccine.

monica I think that you are missing the point. Of course we will have no immunity and will if we begin to associate with other folk after a period of isolation get infected.

What we hope is that the curve will have been flattened and the NHS will be in a better position to cope.

MOnica, a good point. Nobody will be perfectly isolated as that is not possible living in the community. So old people too will receive some of the virus enough to get natural acquired immunity to the coronavirus. It's a relative matter. Old people will be relatively safer keeping themselves to themselves.

Thanks for your best wishes Whitewave. I will pass on to DD.And you're spot on.Those on ICU are resigned to this virus being around for months.But by flattening the curve and avoiding a massive peak they have more chance actually saving more lives,and making less heart breaking decisions as to who gets dedicated critical care.

I see in Spain they are imposing a £25K fine on anyone breaking the lockdown. Guess that would concentrate minds. Again, unlike China, we have plenty of warning of what's coming so it would be as well to prepare. I am going to learn something new to occupy the mind.