Boomer Plague & Terrified Boomers

[Stephen Cole]

I?ve increasingly noticed over the last few days that people ?of a certain age? are absolutely living in fear of Covid-19. On Monday in the Co-Op garage someone sneezed and several Boomers legged it out the shop; at Asda at the weekend I saw older people make panicked u-turns in aisles once they?d clocked a few people coming in at the other end the aisle; yesterday when taking the kids out for their mandated exercise, grey hairs were crossing the road to avoid us as we strolled around our 4 mile route (while walking through the woods by the river, one old dear nearly fell into a bush as she tried to get as far away from us as possible on the narrow path).

I?m not having a pop at these people, just commenting that their behaviour is so radically different from usual Boomer mannerisms that it really stands out.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa 2)]

This came up on bbc surrey yesterday, from the responses nobody blamed people for doing this, after all its what we are told to do. Myself if I am out on my own, I have to rely on others doing this, since I cannot tell how far away, or indeed if a totally person is just standing there. If I did realise and tried to move from my line, then I am the one who may end up in a road or tripping or getting lost after all. Brian

[Roger Hayter]

That is precisely what we (including you!) have been advised to do by the government and, more importantly, by public health doctors. It does make sense; while younger people are much less likely to be very ill it's a bit of lottery and might be more responsible to do the same yourself.

[Roger Hayter]

And don't forget these timid people may have more vulnerable people at home they are protecting - just as you are responsible for protecting your kids.

[Spike]

Perhaps the government, taking into account the fact that after a massive publicity campaign people such as the OP clearly have no grasp of the meaning of it all, should produce a simple cartoon version of it to help them out.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You mean like all those on here who voted Brexit?

Odd how they were all right then.

[Dave Liquorice]

Boomers were brought up in a time when many of the childhood diseases were still about, measels, mumps rubbella, polio, whooping cough, scarlet fever, chicken pox, etc. OK some are fairly benine like chicken pox theres are killers or leave their mark. A kid I was at jounior school with wore calipers as a result of poli. The large TB isolation hospitals were still in use. A bacterial infection could kill as antibiotics were new. Boomers are aware of what an unfettered, infectious, disease can do.

Younger people haven't that, the worst many are likely to have experienced is the common cold and maybe seasonal flu. Antibiotics deal with infections (but for how much longer?).

[Brian Reay]

Interestingly, TB has been on the increase. I don't recall exactly when the routine BCG at around 13/14 was ended but, in the 2000s, someone under 20 almost certainly won't have had it, may be 22 or 24. Of course, some people have a 'natural immunity' but not enough to protect those who haven't.

Around the time the BCG was withdrawn, it was reported there had been a rise in TB cases, not least in young people. As you alluded to, TB is a serious matter. We used to be able to fight it with drugs but the newer strains are increasingly resistant.

I'm not sure what they will do with more recent intakes of medical students etc. It used to be a requirement that you either had received a BCG or demonstrated resistance via the standard test. Those under the ages above won't satisfy this requirement.

As for Polio, while out breaks here were (as far as I know) rare in my life time, I met several people in the US of about my age who bore the signs of having suffered from polio. They came from various states.

[Stephen Cole]

It?s perfectly straightforward to follow the government advice without being scared of your own shadow. No, it?s quite striking to see the difference in attitude/temperament between younger people (<50, say) and Boomers when all doing the same thing. I mean, nobody under 50 flinched when that person sneezed in the Co-Op but the Boomers fled. There?s a definite sense of dread amongst them that I?m not seeing elsewhere.

All that said, I?m quite enjoying the end-of-the-world ambience out there at the moment. The roads are deserted, parks are almost empty, shops are peaceful (when you get past opening time, of course). I?ve had a thoroughly pleasant time of it this week, all in all. If this is the new normal, that?s fine by me.

[Stephen Cole]

Yes, there is a satisfying sense of justice here; the Boomers called young people ?snowflakes? when they complained about having their human rights torn up by the block vote of the soon-to-be-dead, but now the Boomers are crying their eyes out about young people barely noticing this plague.

[Stephen Cole]

Went out to exercise the kids this afternoon and same was happening; Boomers are like cats on hot tin roofs, absolutely terrified of us. I?m starting to understand how black people feel.

[Rambo]

You haven't got a clue have you?

[Fredxx]

The issue with the BCG is that immunity is temporary. It was given to teenagers at school as there was a belief that many teenagers would leave the area and more likely to come into contact with TB.

When in 20's and older they would be likely to be more settled. It seems that mobility wrt age has changed and giving the BCG at school was no longer the panacea previously.

I wouldn't object to it being made available on a free voluntary basis.

Which I thought was almost eradicated.

[Brian Reay]

That isn't my understanding- when I used to travel to places it was common, I was asked if I'd had the BCG, although I was naturally immune.

Also, they check, or did until about 8 years back, new medical students have had it or if they were immune. If they can't provide an answer, they are tested etc.

If they do all young teenagers, then most adults would be covered.

I'm not sure it is suitable for eradication in the same way that smallpox is. Preventable by mass vaccination but that isn't quite the same.

[Tim Streater]

Polio *is* almost eradicated. Unfortunately religious nutters in Pakistan and possibly northern Nigeria are preventing vaccinations on the usual bollocks grounds.

[Stephen Cole]

Boomers are notoriously racist, Rich.

[Roger Hayter]

Ground like that the last set of vaccinators turned out to be paid by the CIA to steal DNA samples to trace the movement of Bin Laden; and presumably of other Taliban officials the CIA were interested in. Does rather put you off imperialist funded do-gooders.

[Brian Reay]

Has your supply of tinfoil run out already?

(Bin Laden was of Yemeni/Syrian heritage, he was living in Pakistan. I would have thought, as a medical man, you would known WHERE YOU LIVE doesn't determine your DNA.)

[Rambo]

It does if you leave DNA behind to be traced.

YFI

[Rambo]

Care to provide a reference for that statement?