Shouldnt we be placing seniors in quarantine rather than..

amother

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 8:40 pm

everyone else?
seems to me that it would make MORE sense to take all the seniors and immune compromised people and place THEM in precautionary quarantines rather than putting every single healthy and young person who has ever come in contact with the virus into it. This thing is spreading beyond what we can control at this point. for your average healthy young person it makes no difference. There seems like there is no point in putting thousands of people into quarrantines if it doesnt help curb the spread anyway.
It would seem to me it would make a lot more sense to take the ones who it can be fatal for and put them into isolation. No contact with outsiders aside from designated caregivers who will mask and glove up before providing care as a way of protecting the seniors.
For example, my parents are in their 70s and not in the best of health. Instead of putting the entire community into quarantine wouldn't it make more sense for them to not leave their home and have meals and groceries delivered to them? and If I were to go visit them I would mask and glove up before I enter their home and make sure to stay a few feet away. Any groceries I buy for them I would keep outside of their home for 24 hours before bringing into their home to make sure no virus is lingering on it from the store.

why are we doing this quarantine backwards?

OBnursemom

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 8:47 pm

I imagine the problem has to do with the virulence of this virus. There is usually a percentage chance that someone who comes in contact with a given illness will contract it. That is why we don’t put people who get flu in quarantine. There is a chance a person could not get it after being exposed. On the other hand, coronavirus is now on multiple continents and it seems that every single person exposed, even for a few minutes, is getting the illness. It is also notable that this virus lives on surfaces for extended amounts of time. It is a danger to everyone, not just seniors and those chronically ill, and we’re just going to have to live with the quarantine orders for now.

amother

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 9:08 pm

but thats my point it is NOT dangerous to everyone. Only to those who are ill or old. we should do what we can to protect them and let everyone else go about their business. why cant we have regular bar mitzvas, parties, events happening ? just make sure that anyone over the age of 70 does not attend. or even 65. and then do not go near those senior relatives either.

amother

White

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 9:11 pm

OP, I totally agree with you.
I was at shul today and an elderly woman with health conditions was ranting about how there was a kiddush and people were touching the same utensils, soda bottles, serving trays... and how there should be no more kiddushim or gatherings...
I wanted to tell her - maybe you just shouldn't be here!

amother

Fuchsia

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 9:15 pm

Just like in our PC world we can't racially profile people at airports even though it would make a lot more sense than all of us taking off our shoes and not being allowed water bottles.... we aren't allowed to be ageist and tell old people to stay home even though of course that would make total sense. Common sense has no place in this world today.

amother

Tangerine

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 9:20 pm

There definitely are countries planning such measures. I read that both regarding Israel and the UK.

However, although the risk is much lower, there have been a lot of fatalities in other age groups as well. And the senior risk group begins already around age 60.

Note that even for the younger groups, the percent is 0.2% which is the same or more than the overall death rate for the flu which is also accounting for seniors. When seniors are taken out of the flu picture the percent is negligible.

WhatFor

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 9:26 pm

amother [ White ] wrote:

I know, right??

Why should the weak elderly be permitted to partake in community events or walk outside in the fresh air, if it's going to mean that young otherwise healthy carriers of coronavirus need to self quarantine for 14 days? Wouldn't it make much more sense to just allow the virus to spread unmitigated amongst those presumed healthy, so that everyone who can handle it can catch it?

The elderly and immunocompromised can stay indoors for the next year, or forever, depending on how long it takes for this to go away, since people can potentially catch it multiple times.

Don't worry. They'll be taken care of by someone. Of course their young healthy relatives (assuming they have any) won't be able to see or help them when they themselves have it, but someone in the universe will certainly volunteer to bring them food and necessities while they quarantine indefinitely due to their irreversible old age.

And they probably shouldn't be going to hospitals for the next year or ever because the health care workers would all have it due to the unmitigated spread approach, but what are you going to do? That's life, they had their chance to live it, sure they gave us life, raised us or our parents, but now that we're functioning adults, their utility is done with, bye!

Now it's time for them all to isolate themselves so the infected youth can unrestrictedly hold kiddushim, no holds barred. Taking precautions to consider the elderly amongst us is way too inconvenient!

/S

amother

White

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 9:35 pm

WhatFor I did not mean to come across as obnoxious in the slightest. Bh the virus has not hit my city yet, although I know it's just a matter of time. But to tell the entire world to just stop and shut down makes no sense. Elderly people are more than welcome to go wherever they like, but I if they are nervous I think it makes a lot more sense to tell someone don't come to the kiddush, rather than to tell the entire shul, no we are no longer having kiddushim

boots

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 9:36 pm

WhatFor wrote:

elisheva25

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 9:43 pm

WhatFor wrote:

Jeanette

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 9:47 pm

amother [ White ] wrote:

You do not understand.

We don't know who is most at risk of getting a severe case. Quarantines help confine the disease instead of having it spread uncontrolled throughout the population.

Where are you getting your information from, that it's just a mild illness unless you're 65+?

Everyone is at risk of getting a severe case! And then you better just hope there are enough hospital beds and healthcare workers who aren't sick themselves to take care of them.

Please let the experts and epedimiologists handle this one.

happyone

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 9:47 pm

amother [ White ] wrote:

it's an effort to contain this. Even staying home puts ppl at risk as deliveries, visitors, food orders etc can bring the virus in. the most vulnerable will die if this gets out of control. so you may miss a few kiddushim and a few parties . worth saving the lives of those not as fortunate to be as healthy and young as you.

Laiya

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 9:49 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Because there's still a lot that we don't yet know about the virus. I understand that 3 of the 10 NYers currently in the hospital are 50, in their 40's and 30's.

And, yes that too, people who are elderly or in poor health should avoid public places. CDC currently recommending that.

WhatFor

Sat, Mar 07 2020, 9:49 pm

I'm not saying everyone who suggested that is a selfish person although I do think some people haven't thought this through entirely. Immunocompromised people are likely already taking a lot of precautions as they must always. It doesn't change the fact that healthy people also need to do everything to help stop the spread.

Elderly people are going to need to be in human contact with other people from the community one way or another. If no one else takes precautions, that substantially increases the likelihood that they'll catch coronavirus, yes even if they self-quarantine.