70 year plus Volunteers

[swanhill41]

As we all know the heritage lines have a reliance on this age group to keep their operations going.
If there is a phased opening up of the country by say age groups,this would preclude this age group
from returning to "work"
An area of interest and concern I feel,or am I being too negative?

 

[Bedpan]

I don't think you are being too negative. I think that another problem they are going to have, bearing the number of older enthusiast visitors, is that the passenger numbers won't get back to their pre-covid levels for quite a long time. I'm not (quite) in the over 70 age group yet and much as I'd like to make up as much lost time as possible by visiting as many preserved railways as I can fit in when it is safe to do so, I think it will be a while before the infection levels have reduced to level where I feel safe touching a carriage door or sitting in a seat that a child (or adult) who has coronavirus has coughed over on a previous trip. The same applies to an unnecessary journey on the "big" railway or anything else indoors for that matter.

 

[Titfield]

If social distancing rules apply, it is very difficult to envisage how passengers can wait on a platform, board a train, sit in a seat and then disembark without breaking the rules. Add in the complications of contact with door handles, windows, tables, seats etc and it becomes almost an impossibility. Would a ticket inspector like to walk along 4 or 5 carriages of passengers coming into close proxity of potentially 200 covid 19 carriers?

 

[221129]

If social distancing rules apply, it is very difficult to envisage how passengers can wait on a platform, board a train, sit in a seat and then disembark without breaking the rules. Add in the complications of contact with door handles, windows, tables, seats etc and it becomes almost an impossibility. Would a ticket inspector like to walk along 4 or 5 carriages of passengers coming into close proxity of potentially 200 covid 19 carriers?

The same way they do at the moment?

 

[JonathanP]

I think it will be a while before the infection levels have reduced to level where I feel safe touching a carriage door or sitting in a seat that a child (or adult) who has coronavirus has coughed over on a previous trip. The same applies to an unnecessary journey on the "big" railway or anything else indoors for that matter.

As soon as the virus leaves the body it starts to dry out, and when it dries out it dies. There is no evidence of any kind that this virus is spread by people touching contaminated surfaces. All the evidence points to transmission by close contact: people talking face to face for an extended period of time.

The chance of catching it from a surface is almost zero, unless you follow someone infected around, wait for them to cough on something, and immediately rub you hands on that surface and stick them in your mouth.

I wonder if there will have to be some sort of public information campaign to persuade people to be less cautious when this is all over. Elsewhere in a thread someone was suggesting you shouldn't send letters because the postman might catch the virus from touching the recipients letterbox

 

[Bedpan]

I don't know about that!!! The whole emphasis about washing your hands is that you can pick it up by touching contaminated surfaces and then touch your face with your contaminated hands. The virus gets on the surfaces either because they have landed on them from an infected person's mouth, or because somebody has coughed onto their hands and then touched something and contaminated it. It doesn't die straight away, they say that it can survive on plastic or glass for a week, maybe under certain conditions, paper for maybe several hours etc. If it lands on a dry towel it doesn't last long as the protein spikes get pulled off as the water is absorbed. Re letters, an actual letter is okay because any viruses on the paper will have died by the time that you open the letter. But I would be careful about the envelope - pick it up, open it, throw it away straight away and then wash hands making sure that you don't contaminate anything, especially your face, in the meantime.

There was a "How Clean Is Your House" a few weeks ago on Channel 4 which was very informative (don't know if you can get 4 On Demand in Germany but worth watching if you can), also an American Department of Health or equivalent film on Youtube where there is a woman who does everything right in a supermarket but touches her phone with her gloved hand by mistake. The Virus is simulated by a purple powder and it shows how she then uses the phone in the car park after she has finished shopping, gets the virus on her hand, and then contaminates her car door handle, steering wheel, etc.

 

[Merle Haggard]

Heritage railways do indeed depend on retirees to provide their labour, particularly during weekdays when few people of working age are available.
Those people that the OP referred to are likely to have a final-salary pension and therefore don't have financial pressures and are happily able to work without being paid. Many had taken early retirement and are fit and healthy. They are motivated by remembering steam before 1968 and were there when the 'heritage' railways first came into being, and put their cash into buying the line and its early stock. Obviously the time is approaching when this generation will no longer be able to work hard, even without Covid-19 effects.
State pension age is increasing and comfortable final salary pensions are disappearing. There will be a much smaller pool of people who retire when still fit and healthy and have the cushion of a pension. They will not have had the same emotional investment in the line and steam. Although enthusiasts of later generations are happy with, and even prefer, diesels this traction is not as popular as steam with the general public who patronise the line.
In my opinion it is clear that the lines will have to increase the staff on their payroll, at least if they wish to continue operating during the week, but of course that will have a cost without any change in income. One would hope that the management has foreseen this coming and are planning accordingly - Covid-19 has clearly accelerated the process

 

[Bevan Price]

I don't know about that!!! The whole emphasis about washing your hands is that you can pick it up by touching contaminated surfaces and then touch your face with your contaminated hands. The virus gets on the surfaces either because they have landed on them from an infected person's mouth, or because somebody has coughed onto their hands and then touched something and contaminated it. It doesn't die straight away, they say that it can survive on plastic or glass for a week, maybe under certain conditions, paper for maybe several hours etc. If it lands on a dry towel it doesn't last long as the protein spikes get pulled off as the water is absorbed. Re letters, an actual letter is okay because any viruses on the paper will have died by the time that you open the letter. But I would be careful about the envelope - pick it up, open it, throw it away straight away and then wash hands making sure that you don't contaminate anything, especially your face, in the meantime.

I use gloves to pick up letters, and put the letters aside for 2-3 days before opening them. I also wash the plastic gloves immediately after use, and then wash my hands,

 

[Bedpan]

I use gloves to pick up letters, and put the letters aside for 2-3 days before opening them. I also wash the plastic gloves immediately after use, and then wash my hands,

Me too re the gloves - another thing I learned from "How Clean is Your House" afaicr. My neighbour delivers a paper for me and I leave it for about 6 hours - I think that is long enough bearing in mind that it is quite absorbent, but I wouldn't swear to it.

There was a bloke on the BBC News tonight - he had MS and caught Covid 19 despite the fact that he was shielding, luckily recovered quite quickly though. When asked how he caught it he said that it must have been from a delivery. Just shows that you can't be too careful.

Back to the topic - if I was a volunteer I'd be happy to do open air jobs where I as on my own or could keep social distancing, but I wouldn't want to spend all day in a crowded train.

 

[swanhill41]

M

Heritage railways do indeed depend on retirees to provide their labour, particularly during weekdays when few people of working age are available.
Those people that the OP referred to are likely to have a final-salary pension and therefore don't have financial pressures and are happily able to work without being paid. Many had taken early retirement and are fit and healthy. They are motivated by remembering steam before 1968 and were there when the 'heritage' railways first came into being, and put their cash into buying the line and its early stock. Obviously the time is approaching when this generation will no longer be able to work hard, even without Covid-19 effects.
State pension age is increasing and comfortable final salary pensions are disappearing. There will be a much smaller pool of people who retire when still fit and healthy and have the cushion of a pension. They will not have had the same emotional investment in the line and steam. Although enthusiasts of later generations are happy with, and even prefer, diesels this traction is not as popular as steam with the general public who patronise the line.
In my opinion it is clear that the lines will have to increase the staff on their payroll, at least if they wish to continue operating during the week, but of course that will have a cost without any change in income. One would hope that the management has foreseen this coming and are planning accordingly - Covid-19 has clearly accelerated the process

I am myself in the lockdown age group,in my 70's...Unfortunately not a final salary pension person,but still all the same comfortably off...What prompted me to pose the question,was that we are due a bit of a change in this country and probably the world after Covid has done its damage...In the long term there will be a need for heritage railways,as they are now ,as entertainment...Places like Howarth,Bridgenorth,Porthmadoc,Llangollen and more locations now are reliant on the jobs on the railway and in the locations that come from the heritage lines...So

 

[swanhill41]

The indications from Chris Whitty at the Downing Street today is not good news for people of my age,which is 75 this year...
There was indications that it was possible that you may not be seeing your loved ones at Xmas.!..That was hinted
The fact is that there will not be a virus till well into 2021.
This will mean that social distancing will be in a highly disruptive fashion,without exactly indicating what that is.
So keeping to the heading,70 year volunteers.....Will our group be still be in lock down till 2021?
Whatever happens the heritage railways will not be the same as before in 2020 and probably forever.
A lot to take in...

 

[theironroad]

The indications from Chris Whitty at the Downing Street today is not good news for people of my age,which is 75 this year...
There was indications that it was possible that you may not be seeing your loved ones at Xmas.!..That was hinted
The fact is that there will not be a virus till well into 2021.
This will mean that social distancing will be in a highly disruptive fashion,without exactly indicating what that is.
So keeping to the heading,70 year volunteers.....Will our group be still be in lock down till 2021?
Whatever happens the heritage railways will not be the same as before in 2020 and probably forever.
A lot to take in...

I think it's fair to say this thing isn't going to end soon or abruptly when it does. However, I've stopped listening to government briefings , alas including the two nominated scientists having to spout then government line.

This whole fiasco is made worse by govwrnemnt ministers just trying to talk a load of nonsense thinking they are still on the today programme and they just try to grab soundbites. Four weeks ago the whole public was going to be tested and kits would be delivered by Amazon and available at boots. Really? The whole daily statistics things is a fudge .

If this government wants to send a message to people it should be through a government of national unity, with all parties in government and all partisan politics suspended for at least 12 months.

I'm afraid that most HR will need to plan that they won't be open in any meaningful way this year even when they can open.

I don't think the under 70 or over 70 will tolerate a lockdown until the end of the year, even this half hearted one with people still flying in and out of the country and more people on neighborhood streets 'exercising' than ever.

 

[Journeyman]

I use gloves to pick up letters, and put the letters aside for 2-3 days before opening them. I also wash the plastic gloves immediately after use, and then wash my hands,

That's ridiculously excessive and there's no need to do that at all. If you're even remotely concerned, all you need to do is wash your hands after handling your mail.

 

[Meerkat]

Four weeks ago the whole public was going to be tested and kits would be delivered by Amazon and available at boots

I think you very much misinterpreted something......

 

[theironroad]

I think you very much misinterpreted something......

I don't.


Home Covid-19 tests will not be readily available to the public by the end of March
27th Mar 2020

Claim
Home tests for the new coronavirus will be available in days.

Conclusion
This was said by the director of the national infection service at Public Health England. However, medical experts and politicians have since said the new tests will not be ready so soon.

Remarks made by Professor Sharon Peacock, the director of the national infection service at Public Health England, have been widely reported in the press. Prof Peacock told MPs that a home testing kit to check if you have had the new coronavirus could be available from retailers like Amazon and Boots in a matter of days. However, this timeline has been disputed by medical experts and politicians who insist more time is needed to ensure the tests work.

At an appearance before the science and technology committee on 25 March, Prof Peacock described an antibody test that is in development that will allow people to check if they have already had Covid-19. She said the tests, which could be done at home, would be evaluated that week to ensure they work properly. Once this is done, they will be “distributed into the community” and available to buy from Amazon or Boots.

She told MPs she anticipated the evaluation of these tests should be completed “by the end of this week”, and that in the “near future” people will be able to purchase the tests. Asked if she’s talking about a “small number of days rather than weeks or months” for the tests to be available, Prof Peacock responded: “Yes, absolutely.”

However, at the government’s daily Covid-19 news conference later the same day, Chief Medical Officer Chris Witty disputed this account and insisted the focus was currently on ensuring the tests work properly.

“The key thing for us to do is now to evaluate are these tests accurate enough to be used by the general public. And if the answer is they’re all incredibly accurate then we will work out the most quick and effective way to release these,” he said.

“I do not think, and I want to be clear, that this is something we’ll suddenly be ordering on the internet next week.”

In an interview on BBC Breakfast on 26 March, health minister Edward Argar said “good progress” was being made with the evaluation of the tests, but he didn’t want to be “premature in setting a specific date when it will be ready”.

“We’re hopeful we’ll be able to do it very quickly but I don’t want to set an artificial timeline.”

Boots have also responded to the claims on Twitter, saying: “We are keen to work with the government to explore opportunities to support Covid-19 testing and to support the NHS in any way we can. However we do not have any type of Covid-19 tests in our stores. Customers should not make a trip to a Boots store or pharmacy for this purpose.”

By Pippa Allen-Kinross

 

[Meerkat]

I don't.


Home Covid-19 tests will not be readily available to the public by the end of March
27th Mar 2020

Claim
Home tests for the new coronavirus will be available in days.

Conclusion
This was said by the director of the national infection service at Public Health England. However, medical experts and politicians have since said the new tests will not be ready so soon.

Remarks made by Professor Sharon Peacock, the director of the national infection service at Public Health England, have been widely reported in the press. Prof Peacock told MPs that a home testing kit to check if you have had the new coronavirus could be available from retailers like Amazon and Boots in a matter of days. However, this timeline has been disputed by medical experts and politicians who insist more time is needed to ensure the tests work.

At an appearance before the science and technology committee on 25 March, Prof Peacock described an antibody test that is in development that will allow people to check if they have already had Covid-19. She said the tests, which could be done at home, would be evaluated that week to ensure they work properly. Once this is done, they will be “distributed into the community” and available to buy from Amazon or Boots.

She told MPs she anticipated the evaluation of these tests should be completed “by the end of this week”, and that in the “near future” people will be able to purchase the tests. Asked if she’s talking about a “small number of days rather than weeks or months” for the tests to be available, Prof Peacock responded: “Yes, absolutely.”

However, at the government’s daily Covid-19 news conference later the same day, Chief Medical Officer Chris Witty disputed this account and insisted the focus was currently on ensuring the tests work properly.

“The key thing for us to do is now to evaluate are these tests accurate enough to be used by the general public. And if the answer is they’re all incredibly accurate then we will work out the most quick and effective way to release these,” he said.

“I do not think, and I want to be clear, that this is something we’ll suddenly be ordering on the internet next week.”

In an interview on BBC Breakfast on 26 March, health minister Edward Argar said “good progress” was being made with the evaluation of the tests, but he didn’t want to be “premature in setting a specific date when it will be ready”.

“We’re hopeful we’ll be able to do it very quickly but I don’t want to set an artificial timeline.”

Boots have also responded to the claims on Twitter, saying: “We are keen to work with the government to explore opportunities to support Covid-19 testing and to support the NHS in any way we can. However we do not have any type of Covid-19 tests in our stores. Customers should not make a trip to a Boots store or pharmacy for this purpose.”

By Pippa Allen-Kinross

Seeing as Whitty disputed it I think it got misquoted/misunderstood.
i think the press saw home delivery by Boots/Amazon as meaning we could all order one, whereas i believe they are only ever going to targeted people - the government needed a logistics organisation to deliver and collect the tests and Boots and Amazon have the infrastructure to do that (Boots deliver prescriptions).