Covid 19

[SteveH]

Cases of long Covid have been mentioned now and again, but to soon forgotten, one piece in this article stood out, and shows that it needs to be given more consideration, it took me a moment, but they are only discussing one hospital

"One of more than 1,000 patients seen by the long Covid clinic in Croydon. Another 500 are on the waiting list "


Inside a long Covid clinic: 'I want to play with my kids again'  BBC report on long covid
Zaz Hassan survived Covid but, one year on, is still living with the after-effects of the virus.

"You live with the hope that you will get better," Zaz tells me, as he takes a break from his physio class at Croydon University Hospital's long Covid centre.

"For me, the end point would be to get back to work and just play with my kids. It may take time but people are recovering, so there is still the hope that I can come out of this."

The paediatric doctor, 42, has been off work since March 2020, when he fell ill with Covid-19, at the peak of the first wave. And like many other patients, his recovery has been far from straightforward.

After spending two weeks on a ventilator in intensive care, Zaz was discharged from hospital and felt he was slowly making progress.

Then, in September, his young children returned to school. He thinks he probably picked up a cold from one of them, which "completely wiped" him out.

Since then, he has been dealing with recurring symptoms, from fatigue to back problems to "shooting pain" in his legs. "It's like when you have the flu where you absolutely can't move and your whole body aches," Zaz says.

"You are just absolutely exhausted. The fatigue was a big thing and then I started developing the brain fog, which, for me, was not being able to find words, not being able to speak in sentences."

cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56879203

[SteveH]

         "Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water"     


Knightly's Fun Park defends social distancing measures amid concerns over 'neck to neck' queues
The owners the Towyn attraction offered a night of free rides to thank customers for their support - and hundreds took them up on the lovely gesture

But their offer was widely shared reaching 50,000 people within a matter of hours.

By the time they opened their doors last night, hundreds packed into the site.

It meant some residents and their families could not get anywhere near, with many turned away as the funfair was at full capacity.

Some told North Wales Live it was "almost impossible" to get down Sandbank Road for the sheer amount of people making their way towards the gates and queuing "neck to neck."

Images appeared to show chaotic scenes as dozens waited for rides.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/knightlys-fun-park-defends-social-20503458

Quiz ...spot the masks ?

[SteveH]

Over one hundred mixed comments on the above story...........

One that stood out ..."Kids deserve it after all they've suffered for the elderly. If you're concerned over this it is quite simple. Don't go!"

[Dave]

What is really disappointing to hear is that the number of no shows for their vaccinations at Venue Cymru yesterday was apparently huge. Yes it was sunny, yes it was a bank holiday, yes the beer gardens and so on have re-opened BUT the staff at the vaccination centre could have been there too instead of giving up their time to save people from getting the virus.
I think the NHS app as a covid passport to all things is a really positive move and I don't care about the invasion of privacy etc etc. You want to share my space( and I have been double jabbed) make sure you have done everything you should have to make it a safe one.

[DVT]

Mrs DVT had her second jab at Venue Cymru yesterday - I took her there and was surprised how empty the car park was.  She went in at 11.55 and came out at 12.15 - her appointment was actually 12.15!  Because she had the AZ jab there was no 15 minute "rest" time afterwards.

As for proof of second jabs, we now have cards showing the dates, so that is all that is needed as proof I would have thought ... Mrs DVT does not have a fancy phone and no idea what an app is!

[SteveH]

A TOTAL of 600,068 vaccinations have been administered in North Wales.

More than 400,000 people in North Wales have now received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and BCUHB say they continue to make good progress as they look ahead to offering vaccination to all eligible adults before the end of July.

Vaccination progress/stats as at May 4:        https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19280984.growing-problem-people-failing-attend-vaccination-appointments-say-bcuhb-latest-update/




Gill Harris, executive director of Nursing and Midwifery, said: "We are seeing a growing problem with people failing to attend vaccination appointments.

"Vaccines are never thrown away, but each missed appointment wastes vital NHS resources and creates significant logistical challenges for our staff, who are pulled away from other duties to contact people next in line at short notice to fill appointment slots.

"While a small number of these missed appointments are a result of duplicate appointments, incorrect contact details or appointment letters arriving late, we know that in the vast majority of cases, it is because people have failed to notify us that they cannot attend, or do not wish to be vaccinated."

People are being urged to let the health board know if they cannot attend their appointment so the jab can be offered to somebody else. Residents can call the GP surgery if they are due to receive vaccination there or call the Covid-19 Vaccination Contact Centre on 03000 840004 if they are due to receive vaccination anywhere else.

[SteveH]

Decommission of Llandudno's Ysbyty Enfys to start

OXYGEN tanks outside Llandudno's Ysbyty Enfys will be emptied as part of the temporary hospital’s planned decommissioning,

This will happened on Tuesday, May 11.

Venue Cymru was transformed into Ysbyty Enfys to treat Covid-19 patients.

Due to the low rates of Covid-19 in North Wales, the facility and oxygen system are no longer required.

A spokesperson from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said: "For safety reasons, the leased oxygen tanks cannot be transported away from the site with oxygen inside.

"This standard process of depressurisation may be noisy and, depending on the weather conditions, can take up to a few hours. An oxygen cloud will be visible from a distance, however we wanted to reassure the public that this is a controlled and safe procedure undertaken by the equipment owners.

"North Wales Fire and Rescue Service are aware of this planned activity, therefore there is no need for this to be reported to them.

cont  https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19291705.decommission-llandudnos-ysbyty-enfys-start/

[SteveH]

Re above .... a FB post ..... "What would India give for this"

[SteveH]

Vaccination progress as at May 11 2021:

640,259 total vaccinations have been administered in North Wales
First dose vaccines – 433,350
Second dose vaccines – 206,909
Percentage of people in Priority Groups who have received a first dose:

People aged 65 to 69: 94 per cent
People aged 16 to 64 in an at risk group: 86 per cent
People aged 60 to 64: 89 per cent
People aged 55-59: 86 per cent
People aged 50-54: 85 per cent
People aged 40-49: 55 per cent
People aged 30-39: 22 per cent
People aged 18-29: 44 per cent

Ms Harris said: "We are continuing to see a high number of people failing to attend their appointments.

cont  https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19296321.latest-vaccine-update-bcuhb-three-quarters-adults-north-wales-received-least-one-dose/

[SteveH]

Ysbyty Enfys in Llandudno holding drop-in Covid vaccine session today

ANOTHER drop-in jab session for residents aged between 18 to 39 is being held today (Wednesday, May 12).

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) said they are inviting those in the above age bracket to attend their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at Ysbyty Enfys Llandudno, Venue Cymru.

A spokesperson added: "The session is available for Conwy residents to get their first vaccination only, who may have had difficulty already attending due to their work commitments.

"This is on a first-come, first served basis.

"No booking is needed, but please be prepared to wait and queue."

[SteveH]

This is what we get with weak travel restrictions, you would think lessons would have been learned, after allowing flights in from Italy last year.

Sage calls emergency meeting over rapid spread of Indian variant as No10 plays down reopening fears
An emergency meeting of the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) committee will convene on Thursday to discuss the rapid spread of the Indian variant of Covid.

Fears emerged among scientists on Wednesday that the situation could force the fourth and final step in the Prime Minister’s roadmap out of lockdown on June 21 to be pushed back.

A member of Sage said a delay to the date for the last tranche of restrictions to be lifted was “possible”, according to the i newspaper.

cont   https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/coronavirus/sage-calls-emergency-meeting-over-rapid-spread-of-indian-variant-as-no10-plays-down-reopening-fears/ar-BB1gFws0


Covid: Surge vaccinations could be used to tackle Indian variant
Surge vaccinations have not been ruled out as a way to deal with the rise of the Indian variant, No 10 has said.
On a visit to Durham, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "anxious" about the variant and did not rule out reintroducing regional restrictions.

But he said there was no evidence to suggest England's planned lockdown easing could not go ahead.

Covid jabs are already being opened to all over-18s in parts of Lancashire to tackle the Indian variant.

cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57102392



Sage to hold emergency meeting as Indian variant threatens UK’s roadmap out of lockdown
The Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) committee will hold an urgent meeting on Thursday to discuss the rapid spread of the Indian variant in the UK.

The variant is now growing faster than the Kent variant in London.

The meeting comes amid fears the B.1.617.2 variant, which is thought to be behind half of all Covid infections in London, Bolton, Bedford and South Northamptonshire, could mean “a delay is possible” to the final step of the roadmap on June 21.

Manchester’s Mayor Andy Burnham called for over-16s in Bolton and Greater Manchester to be vaccinated ahead of others.

Professor James Naismith, from the University of Oxford, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday, the variant may spread “way beyond” local areas where it has been detected.

cont  https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/india-variant-covid-lockdown-roadmap-uk-b934877.html

[SteveH]

This story if true, makes a mockery of the quarantine rules, and can only add to the present dangerous situation .

Indian variant: People arriving from India spent hours in busy Heathrow queues close to other travellers
A woman who arrived in the UK from ‘red-list’ India last week has claimed passengers from her flight queued for hours next to travellers from other flights despite concern over mutant Covid variants

https://inews.co.uk/news/arrivals-from-india-spent-hours-in-heathrow-queues-insanity-close-to-other-passengers-says-ex-pat-1002477

[SteveH]

Indian variant could spark third wave, scientist warns
Britain could be at the beginning of another wave of coronavirus infections, a professor has warned.

Prof Andrew Hayward, an infectious disease expert at University College London who is also a Sage member, told BBC Breakfast earlier that he is “very concerned” about the spread of the B1.617.2 variant first identified in India and “more generalised” measures may be needed.

Asked if the UK is at the start of a third wave of infections, he replied simply: “I think so.”

Prof Hayward said the so-called Indian variant has spread very effectively within households and into the broader community, and is likely to spread to other parts of the country, which will cement its status as the country’s dominant strain.

“Obviously we’re doing everything we can to contain the spread of that but it’s likely that more generalised measures may start to be needed to control it,” Prof Hayward said, adding a third wave has always been likely but its size will depend on how transmissible the variant is and how many people are vaccinated.

Almost 3,000 cases of the mutation have now been identified across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, up from the 2,323 declared on Monday.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/coronavirus-cases-news-live-vaccines-b1850527.html

[SteveH]

The public is being urged to take part in trials to find out whether a third dose of Covid vaccine could protect against new variants.

All seven vaccines the UK has ordered will be tested on working-age people and over-75s as part of a randomised trial.

Data on side-effects and immune responses will be gathered.

The findings will help vaccine advisers decide if re-vaccinating some people in the autumn is necessary.

More than 20 million people have been fully vaccinated - with two doses of a Covid vaccine - since the UK's vaccination programme started, but it's still not clear how long protection lasts.

Offering some groups a third dose to boost protection from coronavirus ahead of winter has been suggested - but not confirmed.

The Cov-Boost study, which starts in June, will recruit 3,000 people of all ages who had their first dose in December or January, to test if this is worthwhile.

"It could be that some age groups may not need a booster and others do," said Prof Saul Faust, chief investigator for the trial, from the University of Southampton.

Interesting ...  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57174733

[SteveH]

Early action on Indian Covid variant vital to stop 'uncontrollable' spread and hospitalisation surge
The Welsh Government's technical advisors concerned mutant strain, which is 50% more transmissible, could surge through population if left unchecked

There is also some evidence, vaccines may provide less protection against the strain, with concerns it could become the dominant variant in Wales.

Although case numbers remain very low in Wales, the report - which covered up to May 14, but was published yesterday - advised "early action to prevent uncontrolled growth".

It comes as lockdown restrictions ease in Wales and across the UK, but with concerns growing about the possible impact of the Indian variant.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/early-action-indian-covid-variant-20651296