Christian Council on ageing

for older people and their life of faith and hope.

   

A VOICE FOR OLDER PEOPLE AND THEIR LIFE OF FAITH AND HOPE

 

No simple answers

By

What the papers have said in the week ending September 26th

To add to our worries

Small wonder that the rest of the world continues to look on in disbelief.

The coronavirus is most certainly still with us.

All this is presented as being in line with advice from medical experts who should know, but there are differences of opinion amongst the experts. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/sep/22/scientists-disagree-over-targeted-versus-nationwide-measures-to-tackle-covid

  • An open letter from Professor Trisha Greenhalgh and signed by 22 other highly qualified and distinguished experts, broadly supports the new rules which limit people’s freedom in the cause of containing the virus.
  • On the same day Professor Sunetra Gupta of the University of Oxford, and 26 other highly qualified and respected experts wrote cogently from a different perspective, and with a different conclusion.

‘Our view is that that the existing policy path is inconsistent with the known risk-profile of Covid-19’.

Current policy they say is predicated on an aim to suppress the virus and anticipate an effective vaccine but: ‘This objective is increasingly unfeasible … and is leading to significant harm across all age groups, which likely offsets any benefits’

‘Instead, more targeted measures which protect the most vulnerable from Covid, whilst not adversely impacting those not at risk, are more supportable. Given the high proportion of deaths in care homes, these should be a priority’

  • Both letters make more points in detail, but the divergence of views and advice is clear. For now the government is taking the country along the path of across-the-board restrictions, with known consequences for the health and well-being of many citizens of all ages

Other highlights

Real science of Covid is finding that

Ageism and sexism: women in the media run the risk of being discarded in favour of younger women, more so than their male counterparts

 

All else:

Religion has not made many headlines this week

The hazards of food faddism were confirmed by the death of a man in his 50s who was eating large amounts of black liquorice: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/24/man-licorice-dies-massachusetts

Unexpected findings from studies of a drug used in cancer treatments raise the possibility of treatment for Multiple Sclerosis https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/sep/25/ms-treatment-step-closer-drug-shown-to-repair-nerve-coating-trial-multiple-sclerosis

Justice: The Financial Conduct Agency has, at last, ruled that insurance companies must not charge loyal customers higher rates than new customers. This is a triumph for fairness and good sense which is likely to benefit older people www.theguardian.com/business/2020/sep/22/loyal-insurance-customers-should-not-pay-more-says-fca

Obituaries:

Sir Harold Evans – a fearless, great and campaigning newspaper editor has died. One of his contributions was to champion the cause of victims of thalidomide The Observer view on the formidable career and legacy of Sir Harold Evans | Observer editorial

 

David Jolley 

 

Reflect and Pray

Lead me from death to life, from falsehood to truth.  Lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust.  Lead me from hope to love, from war to peace.  Let peace fill my heart, our world, our universe.

The noon prayer for peace

Prayers and Reflections

Postal Address

Ms Barbara Stephens
Honorary Secretary
Christians on Ageing
The Depozitory
23 Nelson Street
Ryde
Isle of Wight PO33 2EZ

 

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