EXAMINING the possibility of the over-70s having to observe different guidelines than other age groups as the UK enters the post-peak second phase of the coronavirus outbreak would be “perfectly reasonable,” Downing St has said.
The suggestion came amid a growing row over whether those over-70, many of whom continue to be fit and healthy, should be subject to different measures, including the prospect of a longer period of self-isolation, as Britain begins to emerge in the coming weeks and months from the more severe lockdown restrictions.
At the weekend, Professor Stephen Powis, England’s National Medical Director, explained, ahead of the UK Government’s SAGE group of experts this week putting forward recommendations to UK ministers for the next phase, raised the issue of looking into whether certain age groups should be subject to stricter conditions than the rest of the country.
Yet Matt Hancock, the UK Health Secretary, rejected any idea of the over-70s facing “a blanket ban” should lockdown measures be eased.
This morning, another SAGE member Sir Jeremy Farrar, the Director of the research charity the Wellcome Trust, made clear he would not support giving different rules to over-70s when easing the lockdown.
“It's very difficult to have different rules for different age groups. Isolating certain groups and saying you're different to the rest of society is a very, very difficult message to give and I personally would not be in favour of that," he added.
Dr Chaand Nagpaul, who chairs the BMA Counci, declared: "Any proposal to impose stricter social distancing for those at higher risk - essentially quarantining - based solely on age would be both unethical and illegal."
Yesterday, actor Sir Michael Palin, 76, accepted the issue of lifting restrictions was a “difficult call” but said: “You’ve got to be more selective here because there are…a great number of people in their 70s who are very active, very thoughtful, who’ve got lots of ideas, can contribute to our recovery; to treat them all as people who have to be sort of kept out of sight is going to be very difficult and very wrong, and very unfair on a lot of people who want to help.”
Asked about fears that the over-70s could be forced to endure a longer lockdown than other sections of society, Boris Johnson’s spokesman said: “Everybody is being asked to stay at home, at the moment, whatever age you are.
“Over-70s are classed as being in the clinically vulnerable group; they are not necessarily in the clinically extremely vulnerable group, which are those people who are shielding. Therefore, the advice to them is to take particular care and minimise contact with others outside of their households.”
Asked when the country reached the next phase if it was likely the over-70s would be asked to observe different rules from other age groups, the spokesman replied: “We know as you get older there is a higher risk of coronavirus having a more serious impact. Complications and deaths are more common in the elderly even those without pre-existing conditions but as we look forward it’s perfectly reasonable that we will look at how guidance is applied for different age bands and we will continue to be guided by the science.”
When it was suggested there would indeed be different advice on lockdown restrictions for different age groups, the spokesman said: “Currently, the over-70s are considered to be clinically vulnerable but they are not in that extremely clinically vulnerable group of people who are shielded necessarily; some will be but some are not.
“What that means in practice currently is for over-70s to take particular care, to minimise contacts with others outside of their households, to ask friends, family and neighbours to support them with essential supplies such as food and medicine; if this is not possible, people in that group can go out for essentials but should try to make this as infrequent as possible,” he added.
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