Isolating over 70s for 4 months

This will kill me, staying in I mean drive me totally mad

It leaves me feeling that somehow, it's all 'our fault'

I don't think it is a matter of "fault" - I assume this would be for our own protection. Although what happens after the 4 months, goodness only knows - 4 months brings us up to July, when presumably the bug will still be doing the rounds.

Ageism at it's very worse! Is that isolation really reasonable? What about the Equality Act? It's the government's job to make reasonable adjustments and I don't know if that is one.

I've copied my reply on the health board. Nobody is prevented from self isolating for 4months or several more if they wish, but making it compulsory?
As long as it applies to all........judges, the Lords, MPs, company directors, Boris's dad etc etc . Isn't Corbyn 70? So his constituents are expected to go unrepresented for 4 months. I'm not 70 so won't be affected, but husband is and he has no intention of being put under house arrest for no crime. If either of us catches the virus then of course we'd self isolate.

Have they actually thought of who is going to cover the child care currently provided fee of charge by grandparents of 70 and over? Good luck with that one Boris! And the volunteers that run the electric buggies that ferry outpatients around my local hospital, most of them are over 70. Not to mention the drivers who provide transport for hospital appointments. Why no compulsory isolation of people that have the virus? South Korea seems to be doing a great job of that.

I think people are reading this wrong. They aren't treating the elderly as lepers. They are trying to protect you. It isn't ageism. It is because being older makes you more likely to be more seriously ill and less likely to survive if you get it.

However, if you are ill and still go out with it that would be a different matter and then I think there are measures being considered to force self isolating. But I don't think anyone is suggesting they will make you stay in just because of your age.

How on earth can this be ageism?

If it's what we have to do to keep ourselves safe then so be it.

Yes FlyingSolo, because of your age. It can be enforced by emergency measures, if necessary:

www.itv.com/news/2020-03-14/elderly-to-be-quarantined-for-four-months-in-wartime-style-mobilisation-to-combat-coronavirus/

My OH would never survive 120 days.

OH is over 70, is very concerned about the possibility of getting this virus, and is keen to self isolate.
I, on the other hand, am a lot younger and even if I wanted to, couldn't shut myself away without letting other people down.

We have just been trying to work out how we can make self-isolation work for him alone, and the only way we can think of would be to put a caravan outside for him to live in!

But merlotgran and FlyingSolo it is ageism, and the report states they will enforce the isolation of over 70s. Advice and voluntary withdrawing from any social interaction is fine. Forcing it on people because of their birthdate is totally wrong. The only forcing into isolation should be of people infected with the virus.
It's an ill thought out knee-jerk reaction. Lock down the whole country, like Italy, if that's the correct thing to do to stop the spread of the virus.

What I want to know is what are all these people doing that they are obsessive for toilet rolls. Are there mass classes taking up origami. Don't panic carry on as usual Mr Mainwaring

I'd say it's logical (if unfair) in that isolating infected people is impossible.

There is no capacity to test so many, although police can arrest anyone they suspect of being infected. People with the virus may be unaware that they have it. If they feel unwell, they'd hardly volunteer for isolation.

Normal rules don't apply when emergency laws come into force. I don't like the 'reduced' care of the elderly one. It can last for two years!

www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/uk-introduce-emergency-laws-curb-coronavirus-outbreak-200314085036585.html

Well I think it's shameful that other countries can test vastly more people than the UK. Just shows how low we've sunk. Other countries isolate the infected, UK isolates the vulnerable by force!

Other choices look worse. (from my first link):

'What keeps ministers and officials awake at night is the fear that if the epidemic becomes too great they would have to make appalling decisions, such as that the NHS would stop treating people over a certain age, such as 65'

In a wartime crisis, as people are describing this situation, Churchill pulled the country together with a coalition government using the brightest brains. Boris hides under his "experts" and "advisors" and is certainly no Churchill. If the NHS hadn't been starved of funds for so many years it would be in a better position to cope. Perhaps the lesson can be learned, but I doubt it.

Under discussion, the closure of schools and some ports, as necessary, stopping public transport - and possible rationing!

I think it is just how the media are wording it. Does anyone seriously believe they are going to arrest or fine people for being over 70 in public? How are they going to force you? Are they going to ask for proof of age everytime they see someone outside who might be over 70? There are a lot of things in that article they are probably going to force and could force but honestly how would it even work to have a law saying everyone over 70 must stay in? Who is going to police that?

There is not the manpower to enforce it. I'm far more worried about the cuts in social care. One home visit instead of two - how will that work? Lowering of standards in care homes? Can they get lower?

I am far more concerned about whether you would get all the treatment you need if you become ill than I am about staying inside. It could well be the lesser of two evils if you see what I mean. I want everyone to stay as safe and as healthy as they possibly can, that's all.

Hetty58, I agree with you.

That they're even considering it is the frightening part FlyingSolo Doesn't matter whether or not it's practicable to enforce, the fact it's there in writing is scary. It's coming from exactly the wrong angle, the infected are the ones to be isolated, not people based on age. Do you really think Boris intends to "house arrest" his father?

On one hand, we are hearing that younger people will be treated before older people, on the other, the gov’t is trying to protect over 70s with this.

Is it annoying and frustrating, absolutely, but surely we should be happy that the govt isn’t just trying to kill off the70s?