Government faces 'social unrest' if over 70s are forced into longer lockdown, Baroness Altmann warns
Britain faces “social unrest” if over 70s are forced to endure a longer lockdown than younger generations, Baroness Altmann has warned.
The Conservative peer said that many older people would "risk going to prison rather than being forced to isolate at home" if the Government implemented such a policy.
It has been reported that the over 70s could be forced to stay at home for another year under measures being drawn up by ministers to lift the lockdown.
Under leaked proposals, people judged to be vulnerable could be shielded from normal life for up to 18 months, or until a vaccine is found. The former pensions minister argued that forcing all over 70s to do so would constitute “pure discrimination”.
She told the Telegraph: "The evidence also shows that the virus also discriminates against BAME groups, against the obsese and against men.
“Nobody would dream of saying, we're going to base our future restrictions of personal freedom on people in those groups - it wouldn't even be thinkable.
“But somehow when it comes to older people it’s OK.” Baroness Altmann has been leading the charge in the Lords to urge ministers to rule out an aged based extension of lockdown.
She said: “So far they have refused to do so. I would very much welcome an absolute rebuttal from Matt Hancock saying they are not considering this “The only answer we’ve had so far is, ‘It's not us discriminating, it's the virus’.”
Baroness Altmann revealed that she had been “inundated” with emails from over 70s, with some insisting they would face punishment from the police rather than stay at home. Others have told her “life won't be worth living” if they are forced to remain in isolation while others are freed.
She added: “Many of the over 60s are over 70s are living entirely on their own and they've made a good life for themselves by getting out into the community and having connections, and they can't wait to get back to that for their mental and physical wellbeing.
“Some of them will never walk again because they haven't had the activity they need, they could have a stroke as a result of being unable to get out. “There are huge implications for both mental and physical health.”
Monty Python comedian Sir Michael Palin agreed that discriminating against those over 70 would be "very difficult and very wrong and very unfair".
Sir Michael said: "I think it's a difficult call every time but you've got to be more selective here, because there are a great deal, 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.
"And I think that 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."
Meanwhile, Matt Hancock sparked confusion on Twitter over whether over 70s are allowed to currently leave their homes during lockdown.
The Health Secretary used Twitter to claim that "the clinically vulnerable, who are advised to stay in lockdown for 12 weeks, emphatically DO NOT include all over 70s".
Under current Government guidelines, anyone over 70 years old, regardless of medical conditions, falls into the category of ‘clinically vulnerable’. This group has been strongly advised to “take particular care to minimise contact with others outside your household” as they are at higher risk of contracting coronavirus.
However, they can still go outside if it is deemed essential and have not been advised to ‘shield’ themselves from all contact, as those in the ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ group have been told to do.
Baroness Altmann called for “clarity” on the issue, admitting that the mixed messages were “confusing”. Bestselling author and former frontline doctor Adam Kay spotted the mistake in Mr Hancock’s tweet, and said: “I suspect the Health Secretary meant to say “Clinically extremely vulnerable”. “I think it’s fair to say that the messaging is a little muddy.”
The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that over 70s "are not included in the most at risk group (extremely clinically vulnerable), who have been told to isolate for 12 weeks".
