Millions of over 50s could be told to stay at home under a "nuclear" option to prevent a new nationwide lockdown if there is a second wave of coronavirus.
Boris Johnson is reportedly considering asking a greater number of people in England to take part in the shielding programme should there be a big spike in COVID-19 cases.
A Sunday Times report said people aged between 50 and 70 could be given personalised risk ratings, taking into account factors such as age and medical conditions.
5 comments:
The virus epidemic ended weeks ago, the psychological epidemic is still raging.
I do quite like the idea of being given a "risk rating". Why on earth could this not be done for everyone, and let them make their own choices? Were I twenty years older with dodgy lungs, I would probably choose to stay home for a bit. As it is, I think the risk to me is miniscule. I'll take my chances, thanks, Boris. You do the Brexit thing, and I'll worry about masks.
Sam: The virus epidemic ended weeks ago, the psychological epidemic is still raging.
Good summary. But the psychology quickly wears off. Remember Mad Cow Disease? Beef consumption halved for a few months, then people found something else to worry about and started eating it again.
I have said it before, the Hong Kong flu of 67-68 was a lot worse yet no one stopped doing anything they had not done before we all carried on as normal and still didn't know anyone who contracted it.
Makes all this seem like nanny state on steroids, something very wrong here in all this, if this government is covering its arse because of early mistakes they should be hung from Westminster bridge by their proverbial s, no one has the right to wreck the country and reduce people to bloody morlocks for no good reason and I haven't been convinced of one yet.
it wasn't the virus epidemic which ended weeks ago, but the reduced transmissions due to distancing.
Now everyone's out again, mingling closely at the seaside etc., it's going to spread again, entirely as expected (and as seen already in the USA, Iran, etc.)
As only approximately 0.5%(306,000 of ~60million) of people in the UK have been tested, there are still unknown facts re infections, spread, immunity & recoveries - extrapolating from such a low figure is bound to be inaccurate.
So, maybe it's over for the majority or maybe it's only just started - time alone will tell.
Sam - would a "risk rating" be reliable though? It would certainly be heavily skewed towards the nanny state.
Mark - I'm hoping the psychology wears off quickly. Another big scare story would be good.
Wiggia - I'm sure the government is covering its arse because of early mistakes, although media pressure may have been such that it couldn't win this one anyway.
Ed - to my mind we don't know that the epidemic ended due to reduced transmissions because of distancing. We can't run the thing again to find out. At the moment it appears to have followed Farr's law but what happens next we'll have to see.
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