Should lockdown for the over 70s be extended when it’s relaxed for everyone else?

I feel very strongly about being targeted just because I am over 70. Before all this C**p started,I was still in full time employment,and saving the Government £s in Pension Claims,as I deferred My State Pension.My Employer deemed it necessary(For My own Good they say) to FURLOUGH Me,albeit on FULL PAY.Come end of June,My Company says that they will no longer be able to keep me on FULL PAY,but will give me what the Government has allocated them,and even with the MAXIMUM given by the Government,comes no where near the 80% the Government is allocating.In fact the MAXIMUM that the Government is offering does not even come close to half of what I am earning now.I am FIT,with NO UNDERLYING MEDICAL issues. I am on NIL Medicatioin.I looked after Myself ALL My life,and this is what it all has come to.I must hasten to add that I am,or was a KEY WORKER,but am not allowed to contribute my services because of this BLANKET LOCKDOWN on the OVER 70s.They call it "For My Own Good"! I call it AGESIM.

As I've just said on another topic, where is that magic switch that is activated on my 70th birthday---or any other arbitrary age that is chosen, that makes me more vulnerable than I was the day before?
Selection on age alone doesn't make sense.

Well now they are even mentioning the over 50s should stay at home! I wonder how people would react to that?

I am not stupid! I think ?? But unless my health was extremely compromised not seeing my grandchildren would be more detrimental to my health. I think we all need to make the call according to our individual circumstances.

I will be 70 later this summer. I will not suddenly become a different person. I am fit & active (& very thankful that I am!)
I see no reason at all to suddenly stop doing all the things I currently do.
I assumed the 70 but was just a rough guideline- I'm also sure there are many people in their 50s & 60s who should be taking more care of themselves for medical reasons.
Hopefully by the time I reach the dreaded birthday
(anything with a 0 at the end after 20!!) the restrictions will have been lifted & we can make up our own minds ( anyway they can hardly FORCE us to stay indoors!) I am shopping for half the road as it is so that is not going to stop.

Absolutely not. Obviously, there is not going to be a sudden return anywhere, for anyone, to what it was prior to Lockdown. It will be very slow, gradual, and will probably have small peaks as we go along.
Main reason for the mantra - Stay Home, Save Lifes, Protect NHS - was that due this government having failed to make any proper preparations for this panademic, despite many warnings, there was serious concern that the hospital service would be totally overwhelmed, Far too many cases, not enough ITU beds, ventilators, etc. etc.
The curve is well down, all reports state that there are plenty of excess ITU beds, etc. So, keeping so many people isolated and imprisoned is only going to lead to even more problems particularly in the term of mental health issues in times to come.
As a sensible adult, I take my own risk assessment on this as in others areas of my life. Not going to put anyone else at risk. But refuse to try to exist whatever time I may have left (I am just short of my 79 yrs old), sitting in isolating in my flat, however lovely it is here - not able to properly see and talk (not necessarily cuddle and touch) members of my family,.
Have continued throughout to go to do my weekly supermarket shop, gone to park, etc on dry days. Did my own RA on this, looking also at the extremely low number of cases in my area. e

BLINKO
Their flock?
They’re not priests, they don’t have the hand of God .
Some are good, some are not. They’re human and can discuss things with patients, explain and weigh up the risks WITH the patient, who should have the final say
But I repeat they are not gods

All this talk about who it effects etc.. they haven't got enough information to 100 percent be sure why otherwise healthy people die from this. I'm a key worker we have obese here, me one of them, Bame here, over 50s here, me one of them workers with partners at home with asthma and the list goes on. Just saying today on the phone to a colleague how lucky we are to still have a job. No I'm not NHS who have it harder than all us. One carer this morning helping an ill man, told me how she wasn't informed how he and his wife had had the virus before she started caring for him and she hadn't been told the poor wife had died from it. This lady was black cheerful and like me overweight and of course scared.
Please be grateful for what you have got and if you are selfish enough not to follow rules, just think of all the NHS staff who's mental health is frazzled.

And hey to the rest of you that used to be actively employed. I am a 68 year old woman with all her faculties. Have been working all my life and am still able to do so. At the moment teaching my kids how to bear up in a crisis. We oldies have some really good advice to impart. Hang in there ! It will get better, whether it returns to "normal" remains to be seen. I think NOT. There will be a new normal.

COVID 19 doesnt pick out a certain age group,anyone at any age can be infected, but we over 70,s are more likely to be more seriously affected especially if having other problems,however I feel too long a lock down for us will cause other problems, mental problems.I hope the end of the lock down will be for everyone,and done gradually.

It’s probably the elderly will mostly conform to government lockdown ruling and stay indoors. Younger people will eventually rebel and socialise regardless of it being unlawful. I’d like to think the government are doing this to help elderly survive. However considering the thousands of elderly deliberately left to fend for themselves in care homes leaves me extremely doubtful. I’d chosen to isolate myself in advance and will continue until I feel it safe to venture out. I do not trust the government to be open and honest at any point...

And thank you to all the health professionals who are getting us through this awful time. As Jishere says they are putting their lives on the line.. So thanks again you amazing people ! May God bless you and keep you safe.

P.s if any one did watch love island will remember Dr Alex George who although got a so called famous platform which he uses to spread goodness, he works in the local hospital here in A&E and goes home most nights crying!! I'm sure he isn't the only one.

Personally I think over 70s should have been left to sink or swim. I would be very pleased to have been done away with. I think a lot of people in old folks homes would feel the same. No drain in government anymore, what a boost to the 3conomy.

Thanks for your response Muzzybear because just getting on the train to come into work is scary, so how these wonderful NHS people are coping is beyond mex

My mind keeps going towards the great escape but actually I think people are going to find it hard to get out and about again. I should like to see my family and a very few friends I don't feel any desire to go to restaurants, shops or the cinema, if enough people are thinking like me then business is in for a very hard time. One sighting of my SIL when he left food on the doorstep, a wave, a smile, a short chat is that how it is going to be for months.

Totally agree People are able to judge situations for themselves and people need to socialise or it might affect their mental health

Annecan and Blinko my GP wouldn't know me if they fell over me in the street! That's because I rarely need to see them. Last time was something growing on my foot and that turned out to be a fungal thing from doing karate in bare feet in the rank, dirty, local leisure centre. I wonder if extra (much) cleaning will go on in such places after this crazy time is done with. One good thing to come out of it is the suggestion that footballers stop spitting on the pitch! Be nice if people stopped spitting in the street too. Remember the stern notices on buses years ago NO SPITTING? That was to help stop the spread of TB.

annecan and Lizziepb* my point is that GPs will know their most vulnerable people if only because they see them so often. If they don't see you, it's probably because you're fit and well. they could assess on that basis.

NO NO NO definitely NOT …...I have had many health issues in the past for which, even at my age, in France, I had nothing but excellent care and follow up ! I am not fit and so far healthy ...albeit still with some issues which don't trouble met at all ! I had (ha ha HAD) an expedition planned to Antarctica but this has had to be cancelled because of COVID …...the only stipulation my Ins Co (not GP ...he laughed and thought it was funny !) was that I would not be allowed to hire a snowmobile or self drive a husky sledge ...bah humbug ! Where I presently live there are a group of ladies aged from around 65 to over 80 who SWIM (yes, even in winter !) in the freezing cold North Sea every day ….Personally I would say if the government is unfairly targeting our age group so as to protect the young (!) then ok but only on a person by person basis....I had lots of other things planned this year too (now all gone !) an overland trip to Russia …...etc etc and even if the lockdown is lifted I am concerned my Ins co will not cover me ….have to find someone to make me a fake passport ……..Ha ha ...should be a depletion in the dormitory (oh sorry its called the House of Lords where they sleep isn't it ) as a lot are over 70...…...but, quelle surprise ...why do I expect it will be, as usual, one law for some and one for others !

HA Ha...that second line should read I am now FIT etc and not I am NOT ..…..hoist by my own petard !!

People over 70 are not being told to stay at home in France. Macron was told it was discriminatory. I just hope people of any age will be sensible, not take unnecessary risks with their own health or that of others.

My Health centre said they hadn’t got time to add anyone’s names to the Vulnerable list if they didn’t get a letter, so I do not see them providing a further list.

There isn’t going to be a sudden complete lifting of all restrictions! It will be phased.

What is it you want to do after lockdown? My main activities won’t be happening for ages yet. I don’t see choirs being able to meet- too many people breathing together in close proximity, and probably no concerts to rehearse for . I don’t see church congregations getting back to normal in a hurry.
I certainly won’t be rushing to do my voluntary advice work, confined in a small interview room with a client.

Would you feel safe going to a cafe, pub or restaurant, when they re- open? Or going to the cinema, theatre?

Even when when restrictions are lifted, not everywhere is going to be open. Many pubs and restaurants will have gone out of business.

I have just come back from the Health Centre after a blood test. ( routine, but rescheduled ). It was very safe. I shall feel far less safe when there are more people around, especially as they will be ones who will be allowed to mix freely, at school, work, shops, buses.... that time will be much more risky than anything we might venture to do now.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Marieeliz You and me both. This is what this is really about for me