Should we ask over 60s to stay in?

What would be the point in over 60's isolating?

Isn't it plainly obvious that the virus will now run it's course (eventually) through the population? There is no defeating it.

All our efforts to contain it are merely an attempt to slow down the spread. We're trying to avoid the NHS being overwhelmed, possible civil unrest and huge disruption to services - that's all.

I don't know, I can think of pros and cons so, I'm going to let the individual decide and say, we all have in our power to take all possible precautions and we should all be doing that.

Over 60s?? I would hope you were joking, but clearly not.

This slightly-over-70, and dh ditto, are certainly not staying in. We don’t have food shopping delivered, and we need our exercise in the fresh air.
We are lucky in that we’re reasonably fit and have no underlying health conditions though.

My son's friend (in his thirties) died from Pancreatic cancer. He was in terrible pain and there was just no effective relief from it. We allow such awful cruelty to the dying - yet we'd be prosecuted if we let our pets suffer like that.

SueDonim, the death toll from flu and pneumonia is low because - many of those who would have succumbed this year have already gone with Coronavirus.

My sister died slowly and hideously of brain cancer. Covid/flu/pneumonia would have been a blessing.

Agree M0nica. I watched my dad die from lung cancer, a tortuous process where he struggled for every breath. Many illnesses have the potential for a painful, undignified death.

Lots of ways of dying are awful. My father, fully in his right mind, despite sedation, slowly died of heart disease struggling to breathe

It's an awful way to die though.

To put it brutally COVID culled the sickest and frailest. Those who would probably have died within the year anyway. This as much as new treatments accounts for the drop in deaths and hospitalisation in the second wave.

Mortality rates by age will be based on these deaths. I suspect that, while the death rate does rise with age, the death rate for older people without underlying medical conditions who are fit and healthy is much lower.

Monica, I recently read that the average age of those who sadly succumb to Covid is 82 years. That’s roughly the same as modern life expectancy.

Also, that currently the number of deaths isn’t much different from what they’d expect to see at this time of year and that the number of people dying of flu and pneumonia is actually down. Whether that’s because people are getting CV instead of those conditions or whether it’s because people are steering clear of each other, I don’t know.

No, just no.

We are both over sixty but we have childcare responsibilities during school holidays, and one day a week every week childcare with a three year old. The children’s parents are doctors, therefore key workers, and need to work for the rest of us. We also look after my 93 year old mother who lives in a sheltered apartment nearby. We take her to medical appointments, and sometimes to the shops, and add her weekly shopping to our Click and Collect and clean it, and take it round to her. We also visit her several times each week, sort out any problems for her and so on.
Who would do all this childcare and elderly care if sixty plus people hung up their caring responsibilities and said they were looking after number one so s..d the rest of you?

I think locking down the over 60s is excessive. When you analyse the age and conditions of those who died, it was mainly the over 80s with pre-existing medical condtions who were most affected and many were in care homes. While I appreciate that many of those in care died because residents with the disease were discharged from hospital to these homes and staff had insufficient PPE and little testing. The fact remains that whether, at home or in care, it was the most frail who were most affected by the disease.

If they can have three tiers for controls for shutting down areas, I see no reason for not doing something similar for older people and those with underlying medical conditions. I think this cohort of people are generally being the most careful because we know it is our lives that are on the line.

Well I think 60 is way too young but I do agree that it should be older, ill infirm or frightened who should stay in whilst the younger workforce keeps the country open
So in theory I agree kitty just think you ve got the age group a bit wrong

Don’t think so. I’m over 65 and a great deal healthier and fitter than many half my age. I don’t take any meds, walk 10 miles a day and regularly swing my kettle bells for a 20 minute work out. I swim regularly. I don’t eat junk or processed food, don’t smoke or vape and have a bmi of 22. Ok I do enjoy red wine so not a total goodie two shoes but certainly healthier than many much younger than myself.

I don't think we can put an age on it Kitty but I do think that if those who can, do and those who can't follow the hands, face, space rules and stop visiting in other houses as far as possible, just until the spring, we might get the numbers down.

Gosh good luck trying to keep my DH indoors. He out of the house playing golf more than he is in.

Seriously are you having a laugh?Some of us over 60 are very busy looking after family.

Definitely not!

As others have written, many over 60s are still working. Many clinically vulnerable people are under 60 and have had to return to work.

My dh worked for the nhs till he was 71 but over 60s are disproportionately responsible for high hospital admissions currently.

I don’t think so. 60 is actually very young. Would you also ban visitors to those over 60? Many people over 60 have responsibilities out of their home - employment, childcare, family and neighbour care, voluntary work. They have mortgages, families to support, bills to pay. Not everyone can have the luxury of being away from others. Isolation can and does impact mental health, living with a loved partner is very different to being alone or in an unhealthy relationship. There are many older people who are unable to order groceries or buy other essentials on line, not all areas are well populated with people to shop for others. There are so many reasons why a blanket shutting away seems wrong to me no matter how well meant. I’d much prefer to see mask wearing enforced everywhere out of the home and a greater focus on encouraging and if necessary enforcing appropriate behaviour across the age range. The thought of singling out any group because of age alone makes me uneasy.

Good job no one told me to stay home when I was a keyworker at a hospital through lockdown. Many experienced medical staff are over 60.
I would not take kindly to being told to stay home even though I have retired now.

Good grief, my Dh and I moved abroad for work when he was 60! If we’re over the hill at 60, I’m not sure what the point of living beyond that is. ?

Btw, my mum is 92, being careful, but still going strong.

Why? On the whole it's not the over-60s that go out in great gaggles, not wearing masks, not maintaining social distances and losing their inhibitions through drink.

It's possible to keep reasonably safe by following the guidance. Why allow ourselves to be imprisoned to spare the blushes of government?