# Do seniors have to wait for the Coronavirus vaccine to be developed before leaving their homes?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seniors-have-to-wait-for-the-coronavirus-vaccine-to-be-developed-before-leaving-their-homes/849660>\
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone\
**Tags:** covid-quarantine\
**Created:** [March 17, 2020, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seniors-have-to-wait-for-the-coronavirus-vaccine-to-be-developed-before-leaving-their-homes/849660 "2020-03-17T16:26:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seniors-have-to-wait-for-the-coronavirus-vaccine-to-be-developed-before-leaving-their-homes/849660/1 "2020-03-17T16:26:22Z")

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Senior citizens have been advised to stay home to avoid getting infected with Coronavirus. Even after the number of infected people peaks and declines, the virus will still be in the world until a vaccine is developed, which will take 12-18 months minimum. Are seniors expected to stay in their homes for the next year and a half?

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seniors-have-to-wait-for-the-coronavirus-vaccine-to-be-developed-before-leaving-their-homes/849660/2 "2020-03-17T16:44:38Z")

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Of course not. There are plenty of other infectious agents out there that are dangerous to anyone, not just seniors. As with anything else, people will need to assess the level of risk they are willing to take.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seniors-have-to-wait-for-the-coronavirus-vaccine-to-be-developed-before-leaving-their-homes/849660/3 "2020-03-17T18:18:17Z")

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Everything in life is a risk. There’s a risk that, after the quarantine ends, a senior will leave their home and catch the coronavirus. There’s also a risk that they’ll leave their home and get hit by a bus. And there’s also a risk that if they _don’t_ leave their home, they’ll get out of shape from lack of exercise and die of that. Or have such a diminution of their quality of life that it’s not worth it. A prudent decision must weigh the risks against each other.