# How long/much of a lockdown will people tolerate? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [March 18, 2020, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747 "2020-03-18T18:55:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/142 "2020-03-25T19:09:43Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Dont some of you care about our youth? The youth that arent even affected? > > No School? > > No sports? (not even allowing kids to have play dates) > > No summer camps? > > Ok, it might be fine for the older crowd to gloat how they can stay at home with their hobbies but is it right to take away the lives of the youth? > > Lets quarantine those that can be sick. Not those who wont get it. Based on this post, there seems to be a misunderstanding of what a virus is and how they work. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/143 "2020-03-25T19:32:21Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Dont some of you care about our youth? The youth that arent even affected? > > No School? > > No sports? (not even allowing kids to have play dates) > > No summer camps? > > Ok, it might be fine for the older crowd to gloat how they can stay at home with their hobbies but is it right to take away the lives of the youth? > > Lets quarantine those that can be sick. Not those who wont get it. Your ignorance is fucking scary. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/144 "2020-03-25T20:21:26Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@Babale](#): > > [https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/business/coronavirus-food-shortages.amp.html](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/business/coronavirus-food-shortages.amp.html) Please do not post just a link with no explanation or indication of what it links to. A brief description of what it actually links to would be very helpful. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/145 "2020-03-25T20:28:55Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > This crossed my mind when someone repeated the (false) rumor that they were going to announce an 18-month shutdown. > > I do not think society would tolerate a shutdown of six months; it’s unlikely the economy could function that long with most people unable to work. Long before that, people would start coming out anyway. Everyone’s different, but after six weeks most people are going to say “the hell with this.” > > We are still ramping upward in terms of people’s fear and willingness to place the coronavirus scare at the top of their priority list. But as they get more and more stir crazy, and less and less worried about COVID-19 - esoecially given that for the vasy majority of folks they will be sitting around not getting it and not seeing it - and they will insist on going out. > > Small businesses will, unless forced to by law, open up when it’s that or bankruptcy. > > There is a point at which people will be willing to accept a degree of risk of getting COVID-19. I think that point’s way before six months. This is pretty much it for me. My wife is being hyper-vigilant, and she’s probably right to be that way. We’ve been confining ourselves in a very small space for over a week and only been out once the last two weeks. I’m getting used to it, but there will be a point at which I say “Fuck it, can’t live like this.” I’m trying to decide what that threshold is. Could be a good two months of hyper-vigilance before gradually relaxing a bit. But it depends on the situation and the national response. If I see that the threat is getting closer and closer and nothing is stopping it, I might have to rethink that. I don’t have a death wish, and I’d feel terrible if I infected her or other members of my family. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/146 "2020-03-25T20:33:05Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Your ignorance is fucking scary. This is a lot of the “Life is tough, suck it up” bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/147 "2020-03-25T21:14:19Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > How long can America and the civilized world tolerate lockdown? As long as supplies last. So let’s assume ideal conditions: the supply chain is in no danger, and everyone is assured that their family and their business will remain financially secure during a lockdown. Are you thinking that Americans and/or people in general would tolerate a very long or indefinite lockdown given those conditions? ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/148 "2020-03-25T21:27:03Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Your ignorance is fucking scary. Tell that to the young person yearning to play in the senior year of spring sports. Tell it to the young waiter thrown out of work. Tell it to the senior who will no longer have graduation. No my knowledge is just fine and I see all around whats going on. People need to get back to work and life needs to be allowed to return. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/149 "2020-03-25T21:30:31Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Based on this post, there seems to be a misunderstanding of what a virus is and how they work. Why? When I went to the grocery store there were several elderly people easily plus 70 years walking around with no masks on. Those are the people most vulnerable and should be quarantined. NOT the 22 year old waiter who just lost his job or the 19 year old whos college was closed. No, I know darn well how this virus works plus I see the economic and social impact on our society. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/150 "2020-03-25T21:31:14Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > **Moderator Note** > > Please do not post just a link with no explanation or indication of what it links to. A brief description of what it actually links to would be very helpful. That was a cite to my claim the post before. Eta: but I could have made that clearer in the addendum post ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/151 "2020-03-25T21:33:35Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I’m trying to decide what that threshold is. Could be a good two months of hyper-vigilance before gradually relaxing a bit. But it depends on the situation and the national response. If I see that the threat is getting closer and closer and nothing is stopping it, I might have to rethink that. I don’t have a death wish, and I’d feel terrible if I infected her or other members of my family. I think that’s why testing is really important. Imagine if we had a map of census districts, color-coded based on case density (# confirmed cases per 100,000, let’s say). If you knew your district was high density, you would probably be really vigilant about staying away other people, and everyone in that district would understand why they were being placed under a “shelter-at-home” order. I like talking walks. I live in a neighborhood where the houses are close to the sidewalk. I’ve been walking in the middle of the street to maximize my distance from any one domicile and thus minimize my risk. It would be great if I had an app that would alert me if I was in close proximity to an address with a known carrier. Or alert me if the pedestrian approaching me on the sidewalk is a known carrier or lives with someone who is (as long as they are carrying their cell phone). I know this is an unrealistic dream. But it could be done if we had unrestricted testing and people shared their results with a data scientist with enough time on their hands. Right now we’re flying blind and that’s maddening. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/152 "2020-03-25T21:33:47Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > People are idiots. We’re gonna get hit just as hard as Italy did. Yes and no. Yes we will have numbers just because we are a larger country. But no because since we have fewer elderly and those we have, well the US has fewer living with families but whom live in nursing homes which are easier to quarantine. We also have fewer connections with China. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/153 "2020-03-25T21:35:29Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Yes and no. > > Yes we will have numbers just because we are a larger country. > > But no because since we have fewer elderly and those we have, well the US has fewer living with families but whom live in nursing homes which are easier to quarantine. > > We also have fewer connections with China. “Easier to quarantine” You may want to re-think that after you look at the pandemic hot spots. And the connections with China are meaningless at this point. The virus is in every state, currently propagating through the communities. Even those with ZERO “connections with China” ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/154 "2020-03-25T21:42:21Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Yes and no. > > Yes we will have numbers just because we are a larger country. > > But no because since we have fewer elderly and those we have, well the US has fewer living with families but whom live in nursing homes which are easier to quarantine. > > We also have fewer connections with China. That’s like saying, “at this point the arson is under arrest and no vegetation is in contact with his lighters, so we expect the wildfire to die down any day now” “And luckily, we keep everyone’s dry brush in one central location, so we don’t have to worry about fires spreading into town!” ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/155 "2020-03-25T22:19:28Z")
> [@](#): > > But no because since we have fewer elderly and those we have, well the US has fewer living with families but whom live in nursing homes which are easier to quarantine. [Entire N.J. nursing home presumed to have COVID-19 as U.S. toll hits 800](https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2020/03/25/Entire-NJ-nursing-home-presumed-to-have-COVID-19-as-US-toll-hits-800/5061585164751/) ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/156 "2020-03-25T22:33:01Z")
Obesity is big factor for COVID-19 hospitalizations and mortality. So is diabetes. So is asthma. We have a lot of folks with these conditions here in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/157 "2020-03-25T22:33:01Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Those are the people most vulnerable and should be quarantined. …what you don’t seem to understand here is what is meant by _vulnerable_. Those 70 plus people that are wandering around the supermarket are probably more likely to be hospitalised and die from Covid-19. But the 22 year-old waiter or the 19 year-old student are equally vulnerable to catching and spreading Covid-19. And being 22 years of age does not make you immune to being hospitalised or from dying of Covid-19. There are people that age tying up hospital resources on ventilators as we speak. However you are imagining Covid-19 works isn’t the reality. Quarantining only the old won’t stop the spread of Covid-19, it won’t take the pressure of the medical system and it won’t flatten the curve. > [@](#): > > We also have fewer connections with China. This…isn’t how ANY of this works. This [animation](https://www.dezeen.com/2020/03/22/coronavirus-animations-toby-morris-siouxsie-wiles-design-graphics/)shows how viruses spread. You could have zero connections with China, and only a single case of Covid-19 and you would get the same exponential explosion of cases. ---
**Author:** ![1m1e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/e47774/32.png) [@1m1e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1m1e)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/158 "2020-03-26T05:58:29Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …what you don’t seem to understand here is what is meant by _vulnerable_. Those 70 plus people that are wandering around the supermarket are probably more likely to be hospitalised and die from Covid-19. But the 22 year-old waiter or the 19 year-old student are equally vulnerable to catching and spreading Covid-19. And being 22 years of age does not make you immune to being hospitalised or from dying of Covid-19. **There are people that age tying up hospital resources on ventilators as we speak.** Hate to be the one, but you really need to be citing this sort of stuff. You are essentially spreading panic and misinformation; not once have I seen any footage, credible reports, or sources pertaining to 19-22 year olds being on ventilators. I’ve actually seen this posted around everywhere, particularly the panic ridden subreddits - that teens to 20 somethings are having to take ventilators away from the old. Please, source this crap. I’ve read it everywhere and the statistics of this virus simply do not match up with that narrative. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/159 "2020-03-26T06:08:47Z")
> [@1m1e](#): > > Hate to be the one, but you really need to be citing this sort of stuff. You are essentially spreading panic and misinformation; not once have I seen any footage, credible reports, or sources pertaining to 19-22 year olds being on ventilators. […do twelve year olds count?](https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/22/us/georgia-coronavirus-girl-hospitalized/index.html) > [@](#): > > I’ve actually seen this posted around everywhere, particularly the panic ridden subreddits - **that teens to 20 somethings are having to take ventilators away from the old.** Please, source this crap. I’ve read it everywhere and the statistics of this virus simply do not match up with that narrative. This isn’t my **narrative**. I’m not spreading panic. If you reading stuff on subreddits that you disagree with then the appropriate place to address that is on that particular subreddit, not here. I don’t know what the fuck this has to do with anything I said. Oh, and welcome to the dope. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/160 "2020-03-26T11:20:41Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > […do twelve year olds count?](https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/22/us/georgia-coronavirus-girl-hospitalized/index.html) > > This isn’t my **narrative**. I’m not spreading panic. If you reading stuff on subreddits that you disagree with then the appropriate place to address that is on that particular subreddit, not here. I don’t know what the fuck this has to do with anything I said. > > Oh, and welcome to the dope. You kind of are spreading panic. A pretty insignificant number of 10-20 year olds will need ventilators. [Vox](https://www.vox.com/2020/3/23/21190033/coronavirus-covid-19-deaths-by-age) > [@](#): > > **Tweens and teens (10 to 19 years old)** > > The important stats on adolescents and just-turned-adults: > > - In Spain, out of 221 cases for people 10 to 19, 15 of them have been hospitalized, a 7 percent rate; none have ended up in intensive care. One person in this age range has died, a 0.4 percent fatality rate. > - Italy and South Korea have reported no fatalities for this group; China reports that 0.2 percent of cases for these young people end in death. > - In the US, there had been no ICU admittances or deaths reported among people under 20 as of late last week; only a small percentage (1.6 percent) had been hospitalized. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747/161 "2020-03-26T11:38:51Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > You kind of are spreading panic. A pretty insignificant number of 10-20 year olds will need ventilators. [Vox](https://www.vox.com/2020/3/23/21190033/coronavirus-covid-19-deaths-by-age) …can you point out the people that are panicking because of my (pretty mild, uncontroversial in context) statement? Just one person panicking would be enough to suffice. My statement said nothing about risk which was what your cite is all about. I made a simple, factual statement that both my cite and your cite backs up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-much-of-a-lockdown-will-people-tolerate/849747.md?page=9)