Coronavirus UK: Will over 70s be in lockdown for a year? OAP 'shielding' explained

20 April 2020, 15:35 | Updated: 20 April 2020, 15:36

There is still a lot of uncertainty about how Britain will leave lockdown and start getting back to normal in a post-coronavirus world - but it looks like older people might need to stay home a little longer...

People aged over seventy could be told to follow social distancing rules for a YEAR to fight coronavirus.

Ever since UK went in to lockdown on March 23, there has been a lot of concern about the effect being isolated will have on more vulnerable members of society, including the elderly and disabled.

Yesterday, it was reported that Government ministers are keen to bring the country out of lockdown with a three-stage 'traffic light' plan, but separate restrictions would apply to older people.

Ministers told the Mirror that it was "inevitable" that OAPs and people with underlying health conditions would have to be protected the longest.

Read more: This 40,000 piece Disney puzzle is ideal for lockdown

One told the paper: “This is one of the most difficult aspects. I know people don’t want to be the reason why Granny or Grandad get sick.

“This will get harder the longer it goes on. I doubt it can last too many months behind others.”

Another Westminster source was reported as saying people will need to get used to being told “you can’t see Granny for 18 months”.

Read more: Ofcom flooded with complaints over Gogglebox 'social distancing fail'

Doctor explains how one person can infect 59,000 others

It is not known when the UK will leave lockdown, but one thing is for sure, things will take a while to get back to how they were, and we will all need to get used to a new 'normal'.

Speaking to The Times, scientist David Nabarro of Imperial College London, an envoy for the World Health Organisation on Covid-19 said the virus will now be part of our lives.

He said: “For the foreseeable future, we are going to have to find ways to go about our lives with this virus as a constant threat.

“That means isolating those who show signs of the disease and also their contacts. Older people will have to be protected. In addition hospital capacity for dealing with cases will have to be ensured.

"That is going to be the new normal for us all.”