Did anyone else see the DM’s headline “Vulnerable could be told to isolate themselves at home from next week”

Oh does this mean social groups too. I go to exercise classes and knit and natter both are with older people???

petunia - very pertinent post for me as OH has just died after we, as a family, took the decision not to send him to hospital for IV treatment of his chest infection. He had end-stage PD and was completely physically incapacitated and also was suffering mental torture. The hospice doctor had, on several occasions, gently tried to engage him in a discussion about what he wanted in this sort of scenario, but he resisted this.

A very difficult situation for us all; and I will never know whether we took the right decision.

We were able to buy hand sanitisers and disinfectant wipes this morning in Morrisons but they were rationing the sanitisers to two per customer.
We are not over zealous but wanted to be able to wipe trolley and basket handles when we go shopping.

How will my DGC, aged 9 and 12, manage to travel from York to Oxford to check on us?

Luckygirl, I feel for you. We have just gone through something very similar. For us, it was the right decision, being strong enough to say, no more. Definitely.

I saw that too I'm a bit worried if they start closing schools due to coronavirus outbreak and we as grandparents have to look after grandchildren we are more vulnerable to it and could catch it

My Son and DIL who are living in NZ reported panic buying before it started here so regretting I did not get any handsantiser etc for my elderly relatives. My MIL relies on myself and DH for everything but I’m thinking I will have to leave it to him to do the visits as I would never forgive myself should I pass it onto her

Good to hear everyone is being pragmatic as usual on gransnet and sensible in limiting risks to ourselves and friends and family. I’m under 60 by a couple of years but DH is over 60 with heart issues so crossing fingers we avoid it before hopefully dies off before summer

As a fairly solitary 'elder', I won't find it too difficult to self-isolate myself. Much as I would love to board a train to go and visit my family, I'd be putting myself at considerable risk. In the past I've caught several bad colds from train travel. I am hoping my DS who commutes to London daily on stuffy and crowded trains will be able to work from home.

it was on tv today and makes the greatest sense. Meantime the younger ones go get covid and develop their immune systems as they recover, by autumn there will be fewer carriers about and less chance of the elderly getting the virus. Its a hugely logical thing to do, rather that cause that huge spike requiring hospital admission. Meantime stocks of oxygen etc can be built up ready for next winter

How about the vulnerable, barely mobile and/or elderly who depend on visits from younger family members for shopping/cooking/care ? Who will look after them ? The nurses, social workers and volunteers who will be caring for the percentage of the population who are seriously or critically ill and need constant attention?

Should they lay out their will and their "do not resuscitate" statement on a handy table, order their coffin, climb into it with a supply of water and nibbles, and wait it out?

How long do we have to isolate ourselves? Who knows how long this will go on?

If someone who was vulnerable isolated themselves and were already incubating the virus and had no-one to check on them, what would happen if they became so sick they could not contact the outside world?

Sorry, I have social events planned and I still intend to go.
I was surprised that children are back at the DGC's school who have recently returned from the Far East and from Italy though.

@bradfordlass, if you are on do tell me how things are in NZ, my son and DIL are there so it makes me anxious especially as she expecting their first child and my first GD or GS.
My son thinks they are panicking a bit more as it is harder to import things there.

Well, I’ve searched everywhere for the statement that the elderly will be asked to self isolate, and I can’t find any such advice from the NHS or the government. However, the Telegraph and Evening Standard are saying the government/ NHS “may advise” elderly and vulnerable people to do this. That “may advise” seems to be based on the Government’s covid-19 paper, which details long- term strategies. These long-term strategies will be used in a worse case scenario. At the moment the risk of catching Coronavirus is low.

The wife of a married couple who are friends of ours and who has serious heart problems had a phone call from her GP yesterday. The GP stated that she was very seriously advised to remain indoors throughout this coronavirus outbreak and not allow visitors into the premises.

He further advised that she should not visit the supermarkets etc and gave strong advice to her husband on the precautions he should take while doing so.

So, the advice to those most vulnerable and elderly persons in regard to self-isolation has very much begun.

Doramar - The risk to the public has been raised from low to moderate. It's on the NHS website.

One of the main keys to seeing the country through this epidemic is to ensure that the supply side of retail distribution and the distribution centres themselves are maintained in operation.

However, with up to 25 percent of staff expected to be off sick at the height of the outbreak, planing a route through such circumstances is proving very difficult to accomplish.

The above stated, the cooperation of those often underrated and underpaid staff in those distribution centres is remarkable and everybody should be in appreciation of that as all this begins with the rediculas about of panic buying being seen.

about = amount above.

Don't know how this would work. We, like so many other Grandparents, pick up our Grandchildren from school and would no doubt look after them if the schools closed. While I accept this probably makes us more likely to catch the virus unless their parents can work from home there is no real alternative.

Luckygirl and petunia, it is always medical staff who make the final decision on whether further treatment is advisable.

Views of relatives are taken into account, that's all. Relatives don't decide, even with a Health and Welfare power of attorney!

My nephew has just returned home from teaching in Dubai, all their schools have been closed for a month because of the virus.

He has to return after two weeks' early holiday, then begin two weeks of distance teaching.

I wonder if we should be doing something similar, to prevent children catching/spreading the virus?

Forty years of teaching has taught me that children are very generous with their germs!

Yes Grannmarie, kids are walking, talking germ dispensers!

and that is why the elderly should self isolate.

Closing schools is not a good idea, our structure would fall apart as working parents would have to stay at home. Children and young adults are very likely to survive relatively unscathed.

It is down to us and I don`t think it would be mandatory but who wants to become a statistic. Parents need to combine to form self-help groups re after school hours etc rather than relying on grandparents. I know that my dd has already told me (medic) that the risk is very much with the vulnerable

I think it will be time to say no to childminding - if they ask - time to be extra cautious and selfish for once!

Please get it in perspective in U.K. 21,460 people have been tested, 21,254 have proved negative Out of the ones tested positive two elderly and ill people have died
What’s the point in closing the schools the kids will just be wandering around
If you read up on this it says It’s very unlikely that Children get this virus yes very unlikely in fact up to the age if 20 it’s rare
You can’t close the country
Get on with your routine wash more frequently and if individuals are worried or compromised do what you feel is right for you but this fear is really over the top