Is It Right That Because Of The Virus, The Old Should Expect The Economy To Be Locked Down On Their Behalf?

[dave50]

I am 62 and if I was in a vulnerable group there is no way I would expect the young to suffer impending economic meltdown heading our way just so I can add a few years to my life. And if I did get it I wouldn't blame the government or Boris or anybody. I would just accept as one of life's risks. Not everybody can be saved, sometimes we have to think of the greater good. So let's get back to normal and hope for the best, if some want to lock themselves away that's up to them. Anyone agree?

[margarettom]

dave50. I think things are getting back to normal. All my friends are considered vulnerable, but we have all been venturing out whilst keeping as safe as possible with face coverings, social distancing etc. I had coffee today in a cafe with two friends. We had plenty of room to avoid other people. Travelled back on the bus, where everyone wore face coverings. The bus was quite full but not worryingly so, mainly older people. I have had a hair cut and felt very safe. So the signs are we are getting back to normal, whilst still being careful. So, hopefully, the NHS will be fine. The economy does need to be kick started.

[fiction-factory]

Also where do you get your figures from on no flu deaths this year.
Sounds like Facebook misinformation to me

[Gromit]

Kathyan

// During the winter of 2017/18 over 50,000 people died from the flu. //

No they didn’t. There were 50,000 excess deaths, but only a small fraction were flu deaths. There were more flu deaths than normal that year because the flu vaccine was unusually ineffective.

https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2795/rr-6

[youngmafbog]

Ah!!!

So you admit excess deaths can go up then? If that is so why do you continue to attribute excess deaths to Covid 19?

[bednobs]

if there were 50000 excess deaths, but only a small number can be attributed to flu, what on earth caused tens of thousands of excess deaths?

[Mamyalynne]

The extreme conditions contribute on a broader scale.

//Dr Harries said: 'The winter of 2017/18 saw an intense flu season and some very cold weather. Such weather particularly affects people who are already vulnerable, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.//

http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/commissioning/flu-and-cold-weather-contributed-towards-50000-excess-winter-deaths-last-year/20037896.article

[zebo]

//Lots of young people have died because of not social distancing.//

And have possibly infected the 'old' members of their familiy by their stupidity. It seems that the 'old' people are the ones who have behaved in the most sensible way.

[Gromit]

Excess deaths are caused by observable phenomena.

In 2017-18 is was caused by the exceptionally cold winter ‘The Beast from the East’ hit the vulnerable hard.

This year we had a mild Winter and a mild Spring. The excess deaths are from coronavirus.

[Gromit]

Bednobs
// Over one third (34.7%) of the excess deaths between 2017/18 were caused by respiratory diseases.

There were also 28% more deaths from circulatory diseases compared with non-winter months, which accounted for nearly a quarter of the excess deaths. //

[margarettom]

'Lots of young people have died because of not social distancing'

This is simply not so. The percentage number of people under 50 years old who have died of Covid is less than 1% of all the deaths. Of these 91% had a pre-existing condition. Allowing for some slight variation in these statistics, it still means the above statement is incorrect.

[dannyk13]

Margaret //This is simply not so//
Apart from any underlying condition they must have contracted Covid29.So it probably is true.

[margarettom]

I was questioning the 'lots of' not that they died of Covid dannyk. And some deaths were health workers etc. who died because of their jobs.

[Togo]

"The old should expect the economy to be locked down"????

"The Old"....this member in particular didn't expect the economy(it's the economy stupid) to be locked down. We expected the fit and safe to get their idle arisses into work and make sure that the funds are there to pay our pensions. We did however expect that we would be given assistance to negotiate a curtailment in our activities in the name of safety, and to be protected, particularly here, in places where we tend to find ourselves unwilling attendees. Like care homes and hospitals for example. While they were at it, it would have been useful if the "orforaties" had done something about the heads who think that riding a cycle furiously on the pavement( how to avoid lockdown for the terminally self aware) is somehow a save the planet solution, or the couldn't give a toss advocates suddenly became even louder......given the slightest window of opportunity. They are even camping out and crapping in the lay-bys up here in Wales. Another question to ponder. Remember how we all gave the clap to the brave bame victims bravely giving it up for our enaichess and suffering casualties for us .....for us I tell you. Well in light of the recent stats coming from Bradford, Leicester, Rochdale, Blackburn and other similarly occupied areas how about perhaps the bame enaichess workers being held responsible for taking the virus onto the wards and into the care homes....instead of the "fashionable" theory that insists the opposite?

[jourdain2]

I never have done (O.P.) in fact my kids got angry with me for saying "Leave me alone, we'll look after ourselves, just carry on and keep the economy going for all our sakes. We need the hospitals working."

One daughter no longer speaks to me because I said that her children should be back at school and enable everyone to work.

I agreed to lock down for a few weeks, 3 or 4 at most to give the NHS breathing space..... after that 'NO!' Don't blame me, I don't want to be looked after.

[tomus42]

I'm not sure it's what 'the old' expect. The government was responsible for making that decision, and I think they made it without consulting 'the old'.

[pixie374]

We expect a certain number of deaths from flu every year. They won't count as "excess" unless there are more than usual.

[Peter Pedant]

good on you
why dont we shoot a few of us just to get the early predicted mortality moving ?

[Peter Pedant]

oh has this morphed into a
an excess deaths discussion:
"well no I dont think there any excess deaths and so no one died from covid and we can be free !"

normal day on AB

[allenlondon]

I am old and expect to be ignored.

[bednobs]

jourdain, that's really sad - is it repairable?