Elderly will be urged to avoid crowded areas
THE elderly will be urged to keep away from crowded public areas if a coronavirus epidemic takes hold.
Official advice will be for them to avoid supermarkets and public transport because their risk of death is far higher than the rest of the population.
Families would be told not to visit older relatives but to speak to them over the phone or via Skype.
Department of Health officials are also considering whether to ask patients who have recovered from the illness to volunteer to help their elderly neighbours.
These individuals would have a minimal chance of passing the illness on and could do the shopping or simply provide company.
The Department of Health is drawing up specific advice on what precautions the elderly and patients with long term conditions should take during an epidemic.
Figures from Wuhan, China, where the outbreak began, show that between 8 and 9 per cent of over-80s who became infected died.
Coronavirus is also far more deadly for men than for women.
Latest figures from the World Health Organisation and Chinese scientists show that from all known cases, 1.7 per cent of women will die, compared with 2.8 per cent of men.
The Government believes this is the worst case scenario but have drawn up specific advice for the elderly.
They say older people should not make changes to their routines at this stage as their risk of contracting the disease is so low.
Giving evidence to the Health and Social Care Select Committee, Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said: ‘One of the bits of advice we will give when this starts to run is for
‘Don’t isolate from society’
people who are older or who have pre- existing health conditions to have some degree of isolation from more public environments.
‘One of the key things on this it is clear from the modelling that one of the best things we can do reduce the impact on older people and reduce the impact on the NHS as well is to isolate older people from the virus.
‘The difficulty is we need to make sure we do that without isolating them from society, exacerbating loneliness, providing barriers to social interactions and practical things like shopping and people coming into help them. The biggest thing we can do at this point is not to go too early.’
It is hoped that more healthcare for the elderly could be provided in their homes. This might include visits from nurses or video consultations to prevent them venturing out.
Professor Whitty added: ‘One of the things which is really remarkable in all past emergencies is the altruism of the British public. I think people will rally round.’