Should we ask over 60s to stay in?

polnan If every pensioner was dead, the government wouldn't allocate the money saved on state pensions to feed needy children or house the homeless. They wouldn't do it because they don't have the ideological motivation to do it.

More money is lost through tax evasion than benefit fraud, but we hear a lot about the latter whereas no effort goes into closing tax loopholes. The government says that it "can't write a big cheque" for free school dinners in the holidays and yet it writes massive cheques for billions of pounds worth of contracts never even put to tender. Contracts that were, in many cases, never fulfilled - including PPE that didn't meet specifications and the useless attempts at Test and Trace, such as the £18 billion which Serco has pocketed for the current shambles. Money down the drain, that could actually have helped people.

No doubt Boris would be glad if I hurried up and died, so that I didn't draw my state pension. Therefore I am going to live to be 100 ,just to spite him.

No I don’t agree I’m over 60, fit healthy working, looking out for older neighbours and doing child care. So it’s not for me.

Maddyone in the area where my dd works with schools, an extra payment or voucher is made to parents on FSM in the holidays. The children don’t actually go to school to get them.

Regarding working, this thread has also made me think about my dad, who didn’t retire until he was 73 and my grandad, who worked until six weeks before he died at the age of 84. He began work at 12 - a working life of 72 years.

How old are you kittylester?

Well I have no intention of getting killed off by this virus if I can possibly help it, and therefore I take all sensible precautions.
I don’t agree that children need school dinners all year round. My children took packed lunches because we couldn’t afford to pay for school meals and didn’t qualify for free meals. Children who qualify for free meals should have them when they’re at school. During the holidays they should eat at home. Providing meals at school in the holidays in a pandemic will just allow the virus to continue spreading.

Yes but what if you can't stay inside. Not for one minute am I suggesting I'm young, just that I can't afford not to go out and work. I would love to be in a position to say, yes I'm not going out for the foreseeable future. By the way. I'm in West Wales and we are going into lockdown on Friday. So 2 weeks holiday!! There will be a lot of people who will struggle as their businesses once again have to lock down.

Definitely not from a very active 70 year old

listening to BBC News, how children need free school meals all the year round,, that if all we people who get the State Pension were actually killed off with this virus, that there would be more than enough money to feed the children, and even house the homeless.

I agree with BlueSky. We all know what we need to do to keep safe. I've been wearing a mask in shops ever since we started lockdown, I keep my distance from people, I don't go to gatherings, all our local groups and clubs have stopped. If everyone did this when not actually at work we would get rid of the virus much more quickly. All of these things apply to every age group. I'm fed up of some people thinking they can do what they like because even if they get the virus they won't be ill. They couldn't care less who they pass it to. Everyone should be treated the same whatever the age group. It's not just about the RULES, it's about common sense.
Rant over!

maddyone -my point was that the virus came to care homes, the residents did not need to go out to be exposed to infection. We all only have one world to inhabit and we can't get away from that no matter how hard we try. I am all for doing your best to avoid catching Covid 19, but its here for the forseeable future.

Yes, probably they should. Certainly the over-65s should, and the older you get, the stronger the case for limiting interaction becomes.

This isn't a matter of discrimination. It isn't about the fact that you don't think that 60 (or 70 or 80) is old. It's not about you being very fit when you're 75 or being able to jog when you are 80. It's about your biology and you can't do anything about it.

The older you are, the more likely you are to have co-morbidities. Maybe you don't even know about them. Even if you think that you are in perfect health, you are much more likely than a young person to have an undiagnosed health condition. This may put you at greater risk. But the big, inescapable fact is that your immune system is as old as you are. The older you get, the less effective it is. The less effective it is, the more likely it is that, if you catch it, the virus will invade your organs and you will die.

So do your best to avoid catching it.

Even if you are ready to die at some point soon, and you are prepared to expire alone on a ventilator, what about your loved ones? If you have a spouse, will you risk passing it to them and killing them too? If you have children and grandchildren, are you ready to leave them? Do you want them to grieve, because you weren't prepared to limit your life for a while? And what about the burden on the NHS? And the risk to the medical staff? Do you want to add to that?

I think that anyone who can stay inside should stay inside. If you won't do it for yourself, then do it for other people.

I have a small business and normally would be working full time. I am 66. Why would I stay in? I can't afford to give up work as I have no pension apart from the old age one.
I have a very dear friend who has not been out and about since March, he is 70 and fit and healthy. His choice but not mine.

You can ask all you like. It ain't gonna happen. I've got a life to live!

We have to remember that most people in care homes are 80 plus, and some 90 plus. Of course there are some who are not that old, but it’s not the majority. In all fairness, it’s hardly a surprise if someone over 80 dies of anything, let alone Coronavirus. The average age of a person who died of Covid was 82. The media made very sure that we all knew about the unfortunate ones who were younger, and managed to scare us all half to death. However, what we must remember is that if we follow the rules and guidelines we stand a very good chance of coming through unscathed. Especially if we live in Tier One. As the tiers rise, so must the precautions. If I lived in Tier Three I would curtail my activities in line with that.

People in care homes in the last peak did not go out and we all know the situation there. I think that currently the vast majority of the older population are being especially careful. I know someone locally who was infected in hospital, discharged and passed it onto their partner. They didn't actually go anywhere.

I worked till I was 66 also looking after GCs till I was 72. It would not be practicable for over 60s to stay in.
As hospital admissions seem higher in the over 60s it is a good idea to take extra care in that group.

Sawsage2

kittylester
Just that really. I think so.
People have enough on their plates Kitty without you upsetting over 60's. What a stupid question.

Finally another sensible poster - I feel like starting a thread asking if over 63 year olds should be told to eat sausages on Tuesdays. Sadly too many posters on GN think that when a thread like this is started, it’s a genuine issue. It isn’t - it’s complete GFery tommyrot

They don't need to be asked to stay in. All the people I know who are in any way vulnerable whether through age, weight, or otherwise are already staying in.

kittylester

Just that really. I think so.

People have enough on their plates Kitty without you upsetting over 60's. What a stupid question.

My friends and I are all taking care of grandchildren so that their parents can work and make enough to get by. We're all over 70 and are an essential part of our children's means of earning a living.

Absolutely not. I’m 70 and very healthy. Help with child care when required and help friends when necessary.
I don’t take risks or do anything silly but if I was confined to the house with someone I don’t get on with 24/7 I might as well end it all now.
Today I met a friend in a coffee shop who is younger than me but in worse health.
It’s not always to do with age.

No one should be asked to do something against their will.

It ain’t going to happen, why are you all getting in a lather about it?

Absolutely not. Why??
As long as you mask up & use a bit of common sense I see no reason why anyone should have to stay indoors.
I need to shop. I do a distanced dance class & I went out with a friend for coffee yesterday-it was warm so we sat outside well distanced & there was no risk.
I think we need to weigh the risks of carrying on as long as we are careful against the risk of getting depressed & lonely.
I understand the mental health practitioners are totally over whelmed.

What about those of us who are still working because we won't get the state pension until 66?