Ok for healthy 65 to babysit??

oopsadaisy I think there is information out there about what underlying bad heath is and it isn’t an earache or a sore finger
If you look at the statistics for Italy’s deaths it is serious things like heart disease, COPD, lung disease, diabetes, cancer
The youngest person in U.K. to die had motor neurone
Whilst I agree with great caution I do think we have to try and take a level headed outlook
What is the difference between 69 and 70? A person of 40 can be less healthy than someone of 60
I think if you want to look after grandkids that is up to you but you MUST MUST MUST stay away from everyone else as they may well be carriers

The children and their parents themselves could be carriers. It's up to you whether you take the risk. If you do and catch it from them, you are just as likely to infect somebody else as their parents are, but you are likely to have worse symptoms.

The median age for admission to hospital ICU with covid 19 in the U.K. is 64, with 37% under 60. Report in papers today. It’s not just extreme oldies. Protect yourself and others.

Bluebell as I said In my post, do it but stay away from everyone else.

Why are people posting about babysitting? They know the advice, the ACs are saying no, what is the problem?

The problem is that it’s not so clean cut. NHS staff are working very long shifts in extremely difficult circumstances. They need to be at work. For those who have children it’s imperative that they are being cared for at home while they concentrate on caring for others in hospitals. For grandparents who normally provide that childcare and know they may be prevented from doing so it’s heartbreaking. I’m very proud of my nursing daughter giving her all as she spends 12+ hours trying to keep patients alive. They don’t even stop for a meal break or rest. But right now I wish she had a job that enabled her to work from home and be with her children.

As the advice is that people should visit their mothers on mothers day I would think that the rational advice is no, you should not be babysitting. Even though you want to. The evidence is that the children would be fine with the virus, but you may not. The NHS is starting to struggle already, we all have a part to play.

not visit on mothers day!

I am 69 years old, no health issues. I have been isolating for 4 days as have my family. When we have all completed 10 days isolation, my son wants me to go and live with him and the grandchildren, to know I am safe. I live an hours drive from them.

Would miss my home and family is most important. Would this be a safe action for all?

Please note @vegansrock comment - The median age for admission to hospital ICU with covid 19 in the U.K. is 64, with 37% under 60.

By the time a patient gets to ICU, the odds of survival are rapidly sliding. So 37% - over a third - are under 60. Doctors are having to make ‘battlefield’ triage decisions about who is put into respirators based on their odds & likely speed of recovery. Those who are not eligible or suitable for respirators are made as comfortable to probably to slip away. Have no doubt the medics are counting the odds/probabilities of survival hour by hour round the clock. Those who survive face a long & difficult recovery as COVID-19 wreaks havoc on the respiratory system.

The deckchairs are being rearranged day by day. No longer the overs 70s & those with underlying health conditions are of the greatest concern. It is all of us, any of us can contract this extraordinarily contagious novel virus.

Good luck keeping your young charges at a sensible 2 metre distance, & everyone keeping their hands scrupulously clean & nowhere near eyes, nose & throat. Go ahead if you really really must, but you are being told to not do so. So stay there day & night for as long as it takes this storm to pass, do not go out or mix with anyone else. This is the politest way I can say it...

Gramjo it’s only safe if they all stop going out , that means the whole household must stay indoors for as long as this lasts.
Can they all do that? Chances are that they will pop to the shop , then you will be exposed to the virus via them.
Might be best to stay at home , then you can control your environment.