LABOUR MP for Stockton North, Alex Cunningham, is backing Independent Age's call for an urgent overhaul in how the government deliver coronavirus guidance after a new poll shows just 30 per cent of older adults are able to correctly identify advice for over 70s – leaving thousands self-isolating unnecessarily.

The poll carried out by Opinium found that 43 per cent of over 65s incorrectly believed that over-70s with no underlying health conditions had been instructed to shield themselves.

The correct guidance for this group is to practice social distancing. Less than a third of those asked were able to identify this.

The result of this misunderstanding is that thousands of older people across the UK, including in Stockton North, have shielded themselves and lived in isolation for months unnecessarily.

As lockdown is eased, Alex Cunningham supports calls from Independent Age for the government to introduce targeted messaging to health over-70s to clarify the guidance and offer real life examples.

Mr Cunningham said: "Older people in my constituency of Stockton North have put in remarkable effort to keep themselves and their communities safe. This polling from Independent Age suggests that some people may have been more strict than was necessary. The government's guidance has, quite simply, not been clear enough. Those over-70s with no underlying health conditions who thought they were required to shield have had their independence removed – not realising they could have continued to take outdoor exercise or shop for themselves."