It's beginning to look highly likely now that over 70's will have to self isolate for 4 months.

Not far away!!

Anniebach and others who may need help because you have no relatives in the immediate vicinity, have you checked to see if you have a local FB volunteer group you could contact if needs be?

Auntieflo The fences and shed hadn’t been painted last year, as the Bodach was ill, so that’s done, and the slabs cleaned. I’ve had flower beds covered with chips to keep weeds down, and pots prepared for planting later. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep on top of it myself, and my neighbour will cut the grass.

Callistemon yes we have a community group who will do
shopping. My physiotherapist has cancelled house visits, the person from Age Concern has stopped cutting nails.

I was going to buy an electric wheelchair so I can get out of
the bungalow for a while, the person who was going to help
me adjust to using one has cancelled his visits.

The council has cancelled work to install a ramp because they
are working in the houses which were flooded.

Don’t think having a cleaner is wise, wouldn’t know how many
houses she/he works in.

I am a grumpy old bat at the moment .

That's unfortunate about the electric wheelchair and the ramp.

I think reality is beginning to hit for many

Anniebach, better a living grumpy old bat!

Labaik, you really are very alarmist, but offer no evidence for anything beyond saying you think it.

The vast majority of people on ventilation are over 70s because, generally, people under that age are unlikely to have the virus so severely they need one. The death rate for children seems to be under 1% for over 80s and those with underlying health conditions up to 15%. The competition for ventilators will not be between young and old but between the old do you, who has asthma and high blood pressure get the ventilator or the person in the next bed, 5 years your junior but with asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

I'm not being alarmist. The government are now sending out letters to everyone that is high risk. What I was asking was what extra things should the government do to help people that they are now telling to self isolate. Eg many of the people receiving those letters will live alone. Will they be given contact details of people that will deliver food etc to them. Will surgeries phone patients up to see how they are coping. When our surgery was open we would have done that but it was closed to cut costs.

And as for your post of Sat 21-Mar-20 08:40:29, uncaring doesn't even cover it.

The high risk people are those with specific medical conditions, not all over 70s and not all those with underlying conditions.

Nothing uncaring in the post you mention. You should read the article I gave a link to and everything I said was a statement of the facts and in that link.

Do not shoot the messenger because you do not like the message.

Do not shoot the messenger because you do not like the message.
This applies to you as well.

You don’t like my message that a virus doesn’t know about date limitations.

That doesn’t make it untrue

The message is

In order of risk.

If you have a very serious condition particularly if you have an suppressed immunity - stay in

If you are over 70 with an underlying medical condition best to stay in but perhaps go out for a short while keeping 2meters apart for a bit of exercise

If you are over 70 you are still at relatively high risk so sensibly follow the guidelines for social distancing as strictly as possible.

Really exactly what we have all been saying for a while now.

Summerlove, I have no feelings about your message but I simply did not agree with it. The virus is not a steady state it is growing rapidly I risk assessed my decision, including the extent of the virus in my area, applied all the precautions advised, avoiding social interaction beyond that absolutely necessary, wore gloves when shopping. Kept at least 2 metres away from other people, washed my hands frequently and decided to delay going into purdah until my car had its safety modification. It enabled me to make sure I had all the materials to undertake a range of activities and projects at home, inside and out, thus protecting my mental as well as physical health.

That was my judgement. It was neither better nor worse than yours. Just different.

I am now socially distancing to the maximum meaning of the government guidance and have been since Friday afternoon