The Economist UK - 21.03.2020

26 Britain The EconomistMarch 21st 2020

D

orothy moir, a 77-year-old retired

head teacher who lives on the Isle of

Wight, kept busy last week. She talked to

teenagers in a nearby school, attended a

charity-trustees meeting and two intellec-

tual clubs, and dropped in on friends. “I

had a lovely time,” she says. “There won’t

be another week like that for some time.”

Muddled and changeable though the

government’s response to covid-19 has

been, it is clear about one thing. The

over-70s must isolate themselves from

society more drastically than younger peo-

ple. That will change Ms Moir’s life. But for

a large proportion of old people—bigger in

Britain than in the rest of Europe—it repre-

sents a sadly small adjustment.

Joël Mossong, head of epidemiology at

the national health laboratory in Luxem-

bourg, has studied social interactions in

eight European countries, as recorded in

special diaries. He found the same basic

pattern everywhere: the young are much

more sociable than the old. But the study

also turned up differences between coun-

tries. On average, old Britons see many few-

er young and middle-aged people than old

Italians do (see chart).

That is probably because family life is so

different. Despite complaints about a “boo-

merang” generation that goes to university

and then lands back at home, young

Britons are comparatively keen to get away.

In 2018 just 16% of 25- to 34-year-olds lived

with their parents, compared with 44% of

Spaniards and 49% of Italians. Three-gen-

eration households are much rarer than in

southern or eastern Europe. Britain has

28m households, of which 4m consist of a

single person over 65, living alone. British

social butterflies like Ms Moir go out to so-

cialise; her Mediterranean equivalent

would hold court over a busy home.

When British children leave the paren-

tal home, they tend not to come back. Re-

searchers have developed a “filial responsi-

bility” index to measure how obliged

people feel to care for their parents. Britain

comes 20th out of 24 European countries

(Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Fin-

land are lower). Nor do the old feel much

obligation to their children or grandchil-

dren. In the Netherlands, where many

mothers work part-time, many grandpar-

ents baby-sit. That is rarer in Britain,

though not as rare as in Scandinavia, where

almost all children go to nurseries.

All this is a shame in many ways—but it

does protect old Britons from dangerous

germs. Melinda Mills, a sociologist at Ox-

ford University, says that northern Italy

was particularly susceptible to the new co-

ronavirus. Not only does it have a lot of old

people; those people see a good deal of the

young and middle-aged. Many workers

commute to highly connected, germy cit-

ies like Milan, then go back to their village

to have dinner with mum.

Despite their isolation, old Britons do

not feel particularly lonely. According to

the national Community Life Survey, con-

ducted in 2016 and 2017, just 3% of over-75s

report feeling lonely all the time, compared

with 10% of 16- to 24-year-olds. That could

reflect a generally benign outlook on life—

the old are more cheerful in many ways. Or

it could be that the few social interactions

they have are especially enjoyable. We are

about to find out. 7

Many old people already practise social

distancing

Old people

Leave granny alone

It’s colder in the north

Daily encounters people aged 70+ have with

different age groups,average, May 2005-Sep 2006

Source: “Social contacts and mixing patterns”, J. Mossong et al.

70+

65-69

60-64

55-59

50-54

45-49

40-44

35-39

30-34

25-29

20-24

15-19

10-14

5-9

0-4

1.5 1.0 0.5 0 0 1.51.00.5

BritainBritain ItalyItaly

Half measures

“Of course I’ll go to a pub if I need to go to

a pub.”

Stanley Johnson, the prime minister’s

father, intends to ignore his son’s advice to

stay at home. He is not alone; staff in one

London pub said it was busier than usual.

Faith and science

“We respectfully ask that you refrain

from the physical sign of peace—espe-

cially anyone with cold or flu symp-

toms—and for all to receive Holy Com-

munion on the hand only. The

distribution of the Precious Blood of

Christ has been suspended.”

Immaculate Conception, a Catholic church

in the Oxfordshire town of Bicester, tends to

its flock’s physical as well as spiritual

health. The Church of England has sus-

pended services. The Archbishop of Canter-

bury will lead believers in a digital service.

Especially honourable members

“He’s making a series of very powerful

points.”

Boris Johnson responds to Jeremy Corbyn,

the opposition leader, in an unusually

even-tempered Prime Minister’s Questions.

Soap shortage

“It’s a shame ‘EastEnders’ has been post-

poned for now. It could have served as a

timely reminder that there’s always

people worse off than you.”

Paul Sinha, a television quiz-show perso-

nality, responds to the BBC’s decision to

suspend filming of the soap opera.

Viral video

“We’ve all got the virus, na na na na.”

British holidaymakers in Benidorm failed to

impress locals with their football-style

chant, which was quickly shared online.

Old-age protesters

“The proposed self-isolation for the

over-70s is a euphemism for house ar-

rest...We have done nothing wrong ex-

cept grow old and are set to be sentenced,

without trial...What punishments will be

meted out to those who sneak out, maybe

to their allotment, or just for a walk in a

green space by the sea?”

Eve Woodward in a letter to The Times,

March 17th.

Dispatches from the front room

Life under lockdown

Behaviour in the time of covid-19

Rearguard action