General Covid 19 news

[SteveH]

Welsh Government issues coronavirus booster jab update for people aged 40 to 49
They have also issued an update on second jabs for 16 and 17 year olds

"The JCVI has recommended that a second dose should be offered to young people aged 16–17 year olds, who are not in an ‘at-risk’ group.

"The JCVI looked at the key benefits and risks of offering a second dose to 16-17 year olds and found that a second dose offered more durable protection against Covid-19 and further reduced the risk of infection and serious illness, hospitalisation and intensive care unit admission.

"For those young people who have had a Covid-19 infection at any time after having their first dose, they should be given the second vaccine dose 12 weeks or more following the Covid-19 infection."

"Based on the current available evidence, the committee has recommended that a COVID-19 booster should be offered to those aged 40-49 years old, at six months or more following their second dose."

A further decision will be made about offering a booster to 18-39-year-olds at a later date, "pending further evidence on vaccine waning in this group,"

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-government-issues-coronavirus-booster-22168946

[SteveH]

Covid rule changes in Wales that could become permanent
Welsh Government is consulting on issues like pop-up campsites and rules on al-fresco dining

"This made it easier to do things like outdoor drinking and eating and also pop-up campsites, although that change has come under fire due to the hike in temporary sites being created.

These were all temporary measures and many are due to end in January.

But the Government has now launched a consultation about retaining some of the changes to support economic growth"

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/covid-rule-changes-wales-could-22244594

[SteveH]

Covid: Wales' high school pupils should wear masks in class - FM

Wales' secondary school pupils are being urged to wear face masks in class in a change to Covid guidance.

First Minister Mark Drakeford announced the changes on Monday following the emergence of the Omicron variant.

The move goes further than advice given in England to wear face masks in communal areas, and brings Wales level with Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Welsh government said the changes "should come into effect in all settings as soon as possible".

Mr Drakeford told LBC that secondary school pupils would be asked to wear face coverings in classrooms, and communal areas, under changes to guidance.

"In most of Wales mask wearing in communal areas is already part of the repertoire that schools use," he said.

"We think now is the moment, with three weeks left of term, to introduce some additional safeguards to try and keep our school population safe [and] the staff they are in contact with safe".

cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-59469286

[SteveH]

People have been urged to be cautious when socialising indoors at Christmas by Wales' health minister.

In response to growing concern over the Omicron variant, Eluned Morgan said the "threat" of indoor mixing should be taken seriously.

But she said it is too early to say if there will be festive restrictions.

Meanwhile, Wales' Covid vaccination chief said the expanded booster roll-out would probably need a "call to arms" for volunteers.

In response to the variant, the Welsh government is expanding the booster programme to all adults three months after they had their second jab.

And everyone who is in contact with an Omicron case will need to isolate for 10 days, regardless of whether they have been jabbed.

First Minister Mark Drakeford warned the Welsh Parliament that demands on the NHS are "about to get worse" with the new variant.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-59476931

[SteveH]

Five tips to stop your glasses fogging up while wearing a face mask
Mask wearing is mandatory but it can be an annoyance when it causes your glasses to fog up

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/five-tips-stop-your-glasses-22334033

[SteveH]

1.....  The UK has approved another antibody treatment for people with Covid that cuts the risk of severe illness.
It's called sotrovimab, and scientists say preliminary checks suggest it should work well even against new variants such as Omicron.

The drug, given in a drip into a vein, binds to the virus to stop it entering our cells.
In a clinical trial, a single dose reduced the risk of hospitalisation and death by 79% in high risk adults.
cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59502745



2.....The first real world data showing the coronavirus variant Omicron may evade some of our immunity has been reported by scientists in South Africa.
Scientists have detected a surge in the number of people catching Covid multiple times.

It is a rapid analysis and not definitive, but fits with concern about the mutations the variant possesses.
It is also not clear what this means for the protection given by vaccines.

A week after the variant was named Omicron, the world is still scrambling to understand the true threat posed by the variant. But now the first of pieces of a large and complex puzzle are starting to be assembled.

We already know the variant is heavily mutated and officials in South Africa have warned it is leading to a surge in cases there.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59520945

[SteveH]

Mandatory vaccinations: Three reasons for and against

Nearly two years since Chinese doctors first observed mysterious new cases of pneumonia, Covid-19 is still with us. On top of that, what has been described as the most worrying variant yet has emerged. Could mandatory vaccinations be a way out?

Covid vaccinations are already a requirement for public life in many parts of the world.

If you are a French doctor, a New Zealand teacher or a Canadian government employee, getting your shots is essential to go to work. Indonesia can deny benefits to people who refuse jabs. Greece is making them compulsory for the over-60s.

BBC report  cont    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-59506339

[SteveH]

Wales could be on the brink of a "perilous moment" as the First Minister warns the country could be hit by a wave of Omicron variant cases in the New Yea,

Mark Drakeford issued the alert while addressing the Senedd in Cardiff on the continuing battle against coronavirus.

Five cases have been found in Wales but this is expected to rise substantially, with a peak by the end of January.

He said: "Last week the first case of the Omicron variant was confirmed in Wales. We now stand on the brink of another potentially perilous moment in our efforts to keep Wales safe and to keep Wales open."

He said public health experts have modelled the effects of the new variant drawing on information from South Africa and other parts of the world.

"While there is a great deal to be learned and any modelling is provisional we have to brace ourselves for the potential for a formidable wave of new infections in the New Year, potentially just six weeks from now, if we cannot slow the spread of this new variant."

Appealing for people to be vaccinated, Mr Drakeford said nearly a million people had received a booster dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/mark-drakeford-fears-wales-brink-22398638

[Hugo]

I saw this on TV this morning and it's an interesting idea but probably not suitable perhaps for the UK.      The people in the UK who are able to be vaccinated but choose not to be vaccinated because " it is their right to choose"   have no thought for the NHS or other people     
I wonder what they would think of the Singapore idea?.   
Singapore to start charging Covid patients who are ‘unvaccinated by choice’
Authorities say unvaccinated people make up a ‘sizeable majority’ of those needing the most intensive care


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/09/singapore-to-start-charging-covid-patients-who-are-unvaccinated-by-choice

[SteveH]

Seven day-a-week Omicron testing service with results back in 24 hours, launched in Wales
The new service will detect variant details of positive Covid-19 results within 24 hours

The service establishes the variant details of a positive Covid-19 result within 24 hours.

It comes as part of Wales' increased testing capacity as the country battles to get to grips with the new Omicron variant.

In addition to increasing Welsh NHS laboratory capacity, Lighthouse Laboratories operating under the UK testing programme will also utilise technology to identify mutations associated with Omicron to identify probable cases.

Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan, said: “The emergence of the Omicron variant is a sombre reminder that the pandemic is not yet over.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/seven-day-week-omicron-testing-22411764

[SteveH]

North Wales has confirmed its first case of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

Public Health Wales confirmed on Saturday that the first case had been found in North Wales, with the Wales total now standing at 15 confirmed cases.

“Many of the first reported cases of Omicron variant infection appear to be mild, although as with all variants, a lag exists between infection and more severe outcomes," explained the authors of the CDC report.

“Even if most infections are mild, a highly transmissible variant could result in enough cases to overwhelm health systems,” wrote the authors elsewhere in the report.

The report lists cough (89 percent), fatigue (65 percent) and congestion or runny nose (59 percent) as the three most common symptoms.

Shortness of breath (16 percent), diarrhoea (11 percent) and loss of taste or smell (eight percent) all featured at the bottom of the list.

ref  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/one-omicron-symptom-been-seen-22433301

[SteveH]

A tripling of the daily booster vaccination take-up is needed to tackle the Omicron variant, the first minister has said.

Mark Drakeford would not rule out more restrictions before Christmas, and suggested tighter rules may be needed between Christmas and New Year.

Mr Drakeford criticised unvaccinated people for "knowingly and deliberately" putting themselves at risk.

A nurses' union has urged caution due to staffing pressures in the Welsh NHS.

There were "enormous practical issues" in ramping up the vaccine booster programme when the "workforce are exhausted", he said in an interview with ITV Wales' Sharp End.

cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59648391

[SteveH]

Welsh Government representatives will take part in an emergency Cobra meeting with the other UK nations this afternoon as fears over Omicron grow.

Michael Gove, the UK Government's communities secretary, is set to chair the meeting with the devolved administrations on Wednesday afternoon, it has emerged.

The meeting will take place at around 5pm, with representatives of the Scottish and Welsh Governments and the Northern Ireland Executive.

It comes as UK Health Security Agency boss Jenny Harries warned the nation was facing "staggering" numbers of infections in the next few days from the Omicron variant.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wales-join-emergency-cobra-meeting-22469437

[Hugo]

Video shows anti-vaxxer berating people queuing for Covid booster in Llandudno
Police were called after the man started ranting and calling people 'stupid'

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/video-shows-anti-vaxxer-berating-22473085

[Ian]

There are a fair number of mental health sufferers around.