Coronavirus: Young people urged to phone grandparents every day by senior WHO doctor

‘If you can’t see your grandparents, call them every single day or twice a day,’ says head of the WHO in Europe

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Young people should phone their grandparents every day while in lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak, the head of the World Health Organisation in Europe has said.

Speaking on The Times‘ podcast, Stories of Our Times, Hans Kluge offered advice to young Britons, encouraging them to stay connected to relatives by using online technologies.

“My message to the young is: if you can’t see your grandparents, call them every single day or two times a day,” he said.

“Help them to translate the information, there is so much information everywhere. Help to translate it into understandable and relevant information.”

Kluge also encouraged young people to “have a daily routine, stay healthy, do daily exercise”.

His advice comes as millions of elderly people around the UK will be self-isolating as per the government's advice.

Earlier this month, health secretary Matt Hancock announced that everyone over 70 in the UK should stay at home in order to protect themselves from the risk of contracting coronavirus.

Hancock said they would need to self-isolate at home for up to four months, acknowledging that it was “a very big ask” – but saying it was part of the government’s action plan because it would be necessary to protect them.

The announcement has prompted concerns among charities that support elderly people such as Age UK, which many saying such measures would exacerbate levels of loneliness in the country.

Hence what makes Kluge's advice so prescient.

If you or your elderly relative is concerned about self-isolation, head to Age UK for tips on how to combat loneliness, information on how to do your supermarket shopping and further support.