Allow people over 70 to decide for themselves. Advise them to stay indoors and avoid contact with others. If they decide not to, then make them aware that they may be refused medical treatment. I presume if the Government goes ahead with this they will also include people younger than 70 who are vulnerable - those recovering from serious illnesses or who have asthma? Has this really been thought out properly?
I agree this would be a sensible approach - but how do you implement the bit in bold?
If an ITU ward has one bed free and a 70 year old refusnik is brought in with acute respiratory distress do you apply the policy and tell them they cannot be treated (i.e. tell them they are very likely to die), or do you give them the bed?
And if they are given the bed, what do you do when the next patient through the door is a 30 year old single parent who followed the advice and did their best to self-isolate? Does the 70 year old now get turfed out?
Healthcare professionals are going to have to make some terrible and traumatic decisions in the coming months. All of us need to spare a thought for them.
