Three Towns Forum
The Local => Covid-19 => Topic started by: SteveH on February 26, 2020, 11:05:28 am
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I am not sure if the government are playing it down, but there is more and more mention of the Coronavirus, I have been concerned since it first appeared, as I am in the high risk group, various stories today increase my concern, are we doing enough to educate the public ? , I had an appointment this morning at 11am, with someone who returned from North Africa on Monday, which was cancelled, earlier due to sickness, guess who's getting paranoid now ?
Coronavirus: Hundreds of flu patients to be tested by UK hospitals and GPs
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51641243 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51641243)
Experts warned there was "little in the tank" to cope with the coronavirus.
There is mounting concern that the spread of the virus will lead to a pandemic with mass outbreaks in the UK.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51565492 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51565492)
Or just go to the BBC Health page https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health)
Boots rations hand gels as people panic buy sanitisers over coronavirus fears
https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/25/boots-rations-hand-gels-people-panic-buy-sanitisers-coronavirus-fears-12298288/ (https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/25/boots-rations-hand-gels-people-panic-buy-sanitisers-coronavirus-fears-12298288/)
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Well, Covid 19 is very infectious, with a long incubation period prior to the patient becoming symptomatic, which is why it's spreading so easily. However, looking at death rates they're significantly lower at the moment than the annual 'flu round.
It tends to kill through Pneumonia, and the thing about Pneumonia is that lying in bed tends to be the worst thing you can do. Sitting up with hot drinks and a whisky toddy tends to be the best course of action. And the GP will give you a pneumonia jab if you ask. Free for the over 65s.
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It tends to kill through Pneumonia, and the thing about Pneumonia is that lying in bed tends to be the worst thing you can do. Sitting up with hot drinks and a whisky toddy tends to be the best course of action
I'll drink to that $drink$
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Well, Covid 19 is very infectious, with a long incubation period prior to the patient becoming symptomatic, which is why it's spreading so easily. However, looking at death rates they're significantly lower at the moment than the annual 'flu round.
It tends to kill through Pneumonia, and the thing about Pneumonia is that lying in bed tends to be the worst thing you can do. Sitting up with hot drinks and a whisky toddy tends to be the best course of action. And the GP will give you a pneumonia jab if you ask. Free for the over 65s.
I am still going to take precautions.........
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Here's the very latest about Covid-19, direct from New Scientist. It should allay a lot of fears folk might have:
1. How bad is the infection?
More than 80 per cent of people infected develop only mild symptoms, such as a fever and a cough. Only around 1 in 100 people die – those who do are usually older and have existing health problems, such as heart disease or diabetes. No deaths have been reported in children under 9 years old.
2. How do people catch it?
The virus is thought to be transmitted by droplets emitted when people sneeze, cough or even just talk, says David Heymann at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who led the global efforts to contain SARS. If you are within 2 or 3 metres of an infected person, you can breathe in those droplets directly. The longer you are near them, the greater the risk.
Surfaces can be contaminated by falling droplets, or by people coughing into their hand before pressing a button, say. If you touch a contaminated surface and then touch your eyes, nose or face, you can become infected. Faeces from infected people might also be infectious.
3. How can I avoid catching it?
You can minimise your risk of catching the coronavirus through “social distancing” and good hygiene. Move at least a metre away from anyone who appears ill if you can. Don’t shake hands, hug or kiss people as a greeting. Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol hand rub, especially after touching surfaces that might be contaminated.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says there is no need for healthy people to wear face masks. It also says there is no evidence that pets can get and spread covid-19, or that the virus can be passed on via letters, packages or food.
4. How can I protect myself?
It is being claimed all kinds of things can protect you from the covid-19 virus, from vitamins to garlic. There is no evidence to support most of these claims. However, there is evidence that moderate exercise, adequate sleep and a healthy diet help keep your immune system in shape generally.
We don’t know if smoking increases the risk of people with covid-19 becoming severely ill because China hasn’t been reporting if infected people are smokers, but previous studies have shown that smoking increases the risk of being hospitalised if you get flu. Now is a great time to go on a health kick.
It might also be worth booking yourself in for the flu and pneumococcal vaccines, which are already recommended for people over the age of 65 in the UK. These vaccines won’t prevent infection with the covid-19 virus, but by protecting you from other infections they will help ease the burden on health services.
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Thanks for that Ian, we have been discussing the news and the various comments, this morning, there are differing opinions,
on what you should and should not do, the ones that worry us, are those who are not taking it seriously, "it only affects the old" "I can't take time off work" "I have two of the symptoms, but I am not cancelling my travel plans" "it does not affect young children" .....Scary
I mentioned above about educating the public, the advice is no different than we should be doing everyday, even if there was no threat... repeating part of your post
How can I avoid catching it?
You can minimise your risk of catching the coronavirus through “social distancing” and good hygiene. Move at least a metre away from anyone who appears ill if you can. Don’t shake hands, hug or kiss people as a greeting. Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol hand rub, especially after touching surfaces that might be contaminated. PLEASE
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Yes; washing hands after going out and avoiding touching your face is good advice. But the more rational news is now appearing, and suggesting that far from the Zombie Apocalypse that the media are portraying this will be, for most folk, like a heavy cold (Coronavirus is a cold virus–not 'flu). HBwever, it is very infectious, and is so well before symptoms appear.
There are some interesting facts emerging. For 80% of those infected, it's just like a heavy cold with a mild fever. Even in the 'at risk' groups, regular exercise, a healthy diet and washing hands will prevent most major issues. The most fatalities are in the 80-90 year age groups among those with other conditions, such as receiving cancer treatments, and those who are leading very sedentary lifestyles.
Finally, it's worth remembering that our regular 'flu round kills far more.
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Fears North Wales' lack of free coronavirus hotline could have deterred people from seeking advice
Welsh Government says residents can now call 111 free about coronavirus only as it seeks to roll out the free call service across Wales.
A spokesman for the Welsh Government said: “For coronavirus queries, 111 can now be used from anywhere in Wales. We recognise the issue regarding call charging and are in the process of fully rolling out 111 across Wales for all other queries.
"Information and advice on coronavirus is also available on the Public Health Wales and Welsh Government websites and we ask that people look there before deciding whether they need to dial 111.”
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/fears-north-wales-lack-free-17848399 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/fears-north-wales-lack-free-17848399)
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The stats are beginning to emerge about, of course,the death rates. Deaths as a consequence of Covid 19 are around 2%, which is higher than the annual 'flu round. But muddying these figures is that we don't know how many people are infected and how many have recovered. In the case of the 80% for whom Covid 19 is simply a rotten cold, they may not even have bothered reporting it, so in reality we only have the death rate from those who've been diagnosed as infected, and who - by that every fact - are likely to have been more severely infected than the rest.
Masks are ineffective at preventing the wearer from being infected, but they're useful for those who might be infected, as they can stop the sneezes and coughs.
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News from some friends in Carlisle this morning. There is a case of Covid 19 in Carlisle now. It is a female who returned from holiday to be taken ill and diagnosed with this. Her father, a lawyer in Carlisle, was on the same holiday with her but isn't ill (as yet). He called 111 to ask whether he should take any precautions, self isolate etc, to be told not to worry and carry on as usual. I don't think they are taking this seriously enough by the sound of it. I do wonder whether they are content to kill off the elderly in order to save on pensions.
Helig
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That sounds ridiculous Helig. if you check out the link to the government website it's pretty obvious that the person in question is needing to isolate .https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public)
As for killing off pensioners.... not comment ! Maybe it will keep manic riders of mobility scooters off the local pavements for a while if they decide to take cover indoors.
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According to the PM the SSP will start from day 1 not day 4 because of the Coronavirus spread
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51738837 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51738837)
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This from New Scientist:
THE world dodged a bullet in 2003 when a global effort contained the SARS coronavirus, after it jumped from bats to humans in China and then spread to 26 countries. We nearly had another close call when MERS, another bat coronavirus, spilled over into people in 2012.
A year later, Chinese scientists found SARS-like viruses in fruit bats that could infect human cells And in 2016, the World Health Organization put coronaviruses among the top eight known viral threats requiring more research.
So you would think we would have some coronavirus drugs and vaccines by now. But there are none licensed. That is why we are hurriedly testing drugs designed for other viruses to see if they can help, and running expedited trials for experimental vaccines. Why were we so unprepared for a threat we knew about?
After 2003, there was a burst of research, but it was short-lived. “From 2005, it became really difficult to get funding for work on SARS coronavirus,” says Rolf Hilgenfeld at the University of Lübeck, Germany.
This was partly because, when SARS disappeared, there was no obvious market waiting for drugs or vaccines to treat it, says David Heymann at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Only big drug companies have the money and expertise to get drugs or vaccines through human trials, and without a market they can’t invest. But Hilgenfeld says agencies that fund research also lost interest, because “prominent virologists believed that SARS coronavirus was a one-time only thing”.
Compared with other coronaviruses, SARS had an extensive genetic mutation that prompted some virologists to guess that this was what allowed it to suddenly spread in humans – and that such a mutation was unlikely to happen again. They were right about the second part. The covid-19 virus doesn’t have this mutation, but it spreads even better in humans than SARS did.
SARS did inspire some global measures. MERS was rapidly identified in 2012 because the European Union had started funding labs to sequence mystery respiratory viruses. In 2007, a revamped version of the International Health Regulations, a treaty designed to reduce the spread of diseases internationally, required advanced economies to help developing ones improve their capabilities for detecting and controlling disease. But nations mostly invested in global initiatives and “not enough in helping countries take care of themselves”, says Heymann. No countries now meet the requirements of the 2007 treaty.
Another problem is getting people other than doctors and scientists on board. After SARS, China set up a network to spot mystery clusters of respiratory disease. It spotted covid-19 in Wuhan – whereupon local officials stifled efforts to raise the alarm.
Public health experts have warned for years that we need to do better. The next new disease might be worse and, unlike covid-19, totally unexpected.
What happened in earlier pandemics?
It wasn’t that long ago that the last pandemic struck. In 2009, a flu virus from pigs jumped to people. The first serious cases were identified in Mexico but containment efforts were soon abandoned. The virus went on to infect a quarter of the world’s population within a year.
Fortunately its impact was relatively mild. That virus killed only about 1 in 5000 of those it infected. But the covid-19 death rate appears to be around 1 in 100, more in line with the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.
Almost all those people who survived that infection just over a century ago had normal flu symptoms. But with coronavirus it is different: around 20 per cent of cases fall seriously ill, and many of these people require ventilation to keep them alive until their immune system kills the virus.
If there was a rerun of 1918, in which half the US population was infected within a year, millions might need intensive care in that country alone.
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Posted by: Ian
« on: Today at 02:22:01 PM »
So you would think we would have some coronavirus drugs and vaccines by now. But there are none licensed. That is why we are hurriedly testing drugs designed for other viruses to see if they can help, and running expedited trials for experimental vaccines. Why were we so unprepared for a threat we knew about?
Unfortunately profit....
This part worries me, as I assume it will other's in the high risk group,
"But with coronavirus it is different: around 20 per cent of cases fall seriously ill, and many of these people require ventilation to keep them alive until their immune system kills the virus."
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At the moment the death rate is looking like 1%, Steve, but for most it will only be like a nasty cold. And experience with pandemics throughout history is that for reasons that aren't clear, they tend to disappear by themselves for no obvious reason after a while.
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What puzzles me is that there are antiviral drugs available but so far there has been no mention of them. I don't know whether they work on Covid 19 but because of my health conditions I have always been told to take Relenza if I feel have the flu coming on. Would this work on Covid 19?
These are the antiviral drugs listed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_antiviral_drugs
Helig
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The Japanese are currently testing a number of those to see what effect, if any, they have. AV drugs are very specific, unfortunately.
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From New Scientist today:
Updated, 5 March: The UK government has now said it will continue to provide daily updates on new coronavirus infections, but it will delay the release of information by 24 hours to allow time for it to be verified.
The full details of new coronavirus infections in the UK will now be released only once a week. While the number of new cases will be published on a daily basis, the location of these cases will only be reported on a Friday.
Due to the steep rise in the number of new cases – which reached 85 on 4 March – the Department of Health and Social Care says it is “unrealistic” to continue publishing this information on a more regular basis.
The announcement – made via Twitter – was met with anger and concern, with some Twitter users declaring that they will stay at home and keep their children out of school.
“I would hope to see more regular updates,” says Devi Sridhar at the University of Edinburgh, UK. “If we see [a rapid increase in cases] then once a week is not enough.”
Sridhar points out the contrast with the World Health Organization’s approach to public information. Ever since the WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, a committee has held daily briefings, sharing the latest developments and taking questions from journalists. “Each day there is so much new information that needs to be shared,” says Sridhar.
Limiting information isn’t going to help public anxiety surrounding the virus, either, says Sridhar. But she says that, as things stand, individuals are unlikely to be affected by not knowing where cases are being reported.
The people at the greatest risk of becoming infected with the virus are those who have been in close contact with someone who already has it. If you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus, it is likely that health officials will get in touch with you, says Sridhar.
The UK’s approach stands in stark contrast to that taken by the government of Singapore. The country’s Ministry of Health regularly updates details on new cases of the virus – down to the home address of each person who has tested positive.
“What Singapore is doing is a real breach of people’s privacy,” says Sridhar. The approach is likely to leave some people reluctant to report having symptoms, which could hamper efforts to track and limit the virus’s spread.
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These companies who make sanitizing gel must be rubbing their hands! 😳
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What puzzles me is that there are antiviral drugs available but so far there has been no mention of them. I don't know whether they work on Covid 19 but because of my health conditions I have always been told to take Relenza if I feel have the flu coming on. Would this work on Covid 19?
These are the antiviral drugs listed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_antiviral_drugs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_antiviral_drugs)
Helig
Looking at old information, (2014) there was not a lot of confidence in these treatments..............
"The government has wasted half a billion pounds stockpiling two anti-flu drugs that have not been proved to stop the spread of infection or to prevent people becoming seriously ill, according to a team of scientists who have analysed the full clinical trials data, obtained after a four-year fight.
The government has spent £424m buying stocks of Tamiflu and £136m on Relenza in case of a flu pandemic. During the swine flu outbreak of 2009, the World Health Organisation recommended that all countries should stock up on supplies."
Check out other links within this article.... https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/10/uk-wasted-560m-stockpiling-flu-drugs (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/10/uk-wasted-560m-stockpiling-flu-drugs)
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It's also worth remembering that the NHS ICU and critical care facilities are now ranked 23rd out of 31 countries, and for hospital beds we're now almost the bottom. This is entirely because of Tory cuts to services, with the Tories confident that most people won't actually notice the effect of cuts in services because they don't use them. They may well start noticing them soon.
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Local GP Dr Mike Bloom from the Lonfa Practise in Llandudno Junction has blasted Public Health Wales for refusing to tell him whether a patient at his surgery tested positive for the Coronavirus.
The Practice was shut after a patient visited & PHW asked that the surgery be given a deep clean.
Dr Bloom stated although the patient in question was tested PHW refused to tell him whether the person has the virus. The patient had just returned from a skiing trip in Italy & was displaying Coronavirus symptoms.
PHW was approached for a comment & Dr Frank Atherton Wales Chief Medical Officer said " All appropriate measures to provide care for the individual & to reduce the risk of transmission to others are being taken".
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Local GP Dr Mike Bloom from the Lonfa Practise in Llandudno Junction has blasted Public Health Wales for refusing to tell him whether a patient at his surgery tested positive for the Coronavirus.
The Practice was shut after a patient visited & PHW asked that the surgery be given a deep clean.
Dr Bloom stated although the patient in question was tested PHW refused to tell him whether the person has the virus. The patient had just returned from a skiing trip in Italy & was displaying Coronavirus symptoms.
PHW was approached for a comment & Dr Frank Atherton Wales Chief Medical Officer said " All appropriate measures to provide care for the individual & to reduce the risk of transmission to others are being taken".
Meleri, I read this story earlier, and a little while later read the one below...... fills you with confidence :-\
Cardiff surgery placed on lockdown after patient walks in with suspected coronavirus (he did not walk in they made him an appointment)
The surgery said it had been 'lost in translation' that the patient had recently returned from Iran, which has the fourth most confirmed cases of the virus in the world.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/cardiff-surgery-placed-lockdown-after-17871913 (https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/cardiff-surgery-placed-lockdown-after-17871913)
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It's a good job all pandemics eventually run out of steam and simply stop.
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That's an interesting link Steve. Surely the man in question must have suspected he could have Coronavirus, how selfish of him. As for the receptionist, words fail me, it takes seconds to ask the patient if they have been abroad recently & this question should be common practise in times like these.
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A superb explanation of just why soap is the very best thing to use (https://twitter.com/PalliThordarson/status/1236549305189597189)when washing hands to destroy the virus.
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A superb explanation of just why soap is the very best thing to use (https://twitter.com/PalliThordarson/status/1236549305189597189)when washing hands to destroy the virus.
Good to know............................ self-assembled nanoparticle's are the worst.
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This Coronavirus is creating a lot of panic and uncertainty in all aspects of everyday life and it will start having an effect of people having holidays, especially those going abroad
A friend of mine booked a holiday to Puglia in Southern Italy and paid the deposit ages ago and the final payment was due last Friday but as I haven't seen my friend since then I don't know whether they paid the final payment or cancelled the holiday instead.
It would have been a difficult decision to make and if it was me I don't know what I would have done in those circumstances
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I suspect going to Italy at the moment would be rather unwise.
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If anyone gets an email saying that tinned meat can give you coronavirus;
…...delete it!
It's probably just spam.
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I suspect going to Italy at the moment would be rather unwise.
You are spot on there Ian, it would be too risky. Perhaps going on holiday to Russia would be a better option after all they only have 23 reported cases of Coronavirus for the whole country &shake&
It seems that Putin, Trump and Boris have at least one thing in common
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Listening to the BBC's political programme today, I heard a statement that stood out, from Dr Margaret Harris, senior doctor with the World Health Organisation, who said in response to the question why some people are not taking protective measures, despite all that the government is saying....
Her reply, "people do not trust what politicians say, however if they here it from the science or medical community they listen"
I looked up their advice page, and found it made sense.
So with that in mind..... if you cannot see links search.... World Health Organisation instructions for coronavirus
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public Basic protective measures against the new coronavirus
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public (https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public)
The WHO main page, https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 (https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019)
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This maybe of interest
COVID19
I will post this as somebody asked.
As most of you know I live in China and we have been through the first wave (there will be others) of CoviD19. Here is just a little of what we are experiencing now, after the first wave.
Everything here is slowly going back to normal. Hand sanitizer, masks etc. are now back in the shops. Public parks are starting to re-open, but currently restaurants etc. are still only allowed to do take out and food delivery. There are now zero cases in our city of 7m people, and we have had no new cases in 15 days now. There are only two remaining cases in the province.
The policy of containment has worked very well. One of the first beneficial uses of big data has been the use of a mobile phone app and QR codes. When we leave the housing development we scan a QR code. Before we enter public spaces (parks, pharmacies, supermarkets, malls) we get a temperature check (if temp is high entry refused) and we scan a QR entry code. When we leave we scan a QR exit code. We then have a temp. check and scan an entry code to re enter the housing development. If someone later tests positive for the virus, the records will show where they have been, who they may have come in contact with, and the authorities then call people and actively follow up.
The biggest part has been the behavior of people. Most of the population has practiced social distancing. Not going to public places unless necessary and maintaining a 2m distance from others where you can. This in a culture where people always jostle and push.
Toilet paper. The roots of this one are in Hong Kong. Early on someone suggested that toilet paper manufacture in China would be hit. People in HK added toilet paper to the panic buy lists. Singapore did the same. There has been panic buying of TP in the UK as well, although I think most of the TP in Europe is manufactured in Sweden (believe it or not TP used to be Nokia’s main product).
Simple advice I can give. Practice social isolation. Don’t go out unless you need to, and combine errands when you must. Wear gloves as well as a mask when you go out. Avoid close contact with others. Don’t touch surfaces (like elevator buttons, ATM screens) with bare hands if you can avoid it. Avoid touching your face (including your eyes). Wash your hands when you get back.
If people come to your door, talk through the door.
These precautions are more of an 'bottom' ache than we are used to, but they have worked well in China.
Sorry to ramble on a bit. I do that. It's my age.
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Thanks for that excellent insight, SD. Please keep us up to date with anything else that transpires.
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From New Scientist today:
AS THE number of coronavirus cases escalates, a massive research and development effort is under way, with human trials planned.
What the thousands of people who already have the covid-19 virus would benefit from is a drug that can stop it replicating. To find what may do this, people are ransacking lists of existing drugs that could be repurposed with minimal further testing.
Leading the pack is remdesivir, an experimental antiviral drug now undergoing large trials in patients in China and the US, including 13 people who were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
It is hoped that the drug, which failed in trials against Ebola in 2014 but passed safety tests, can stop the covid-19 virus replicating by blocking a crucial enzyme. Its maker, US firm Gilead Sciences, is building manufacturing facilities ahead of trial results in April.
Trials are also planned for kaletra, a combination of two anti-HIV drugs that stops viral replication and has reportedly worked on covid-19 in China.
Chloroquine, an antimalarial drug that most malaria now resists, might also hold promise. Studies suggest that it stops the related SARS virus replicating and invading cells, and that it works against the covid-19 virus. Treatment guidelines in China now recommend two 500 milligram doses daily.
Another approach is to use proteins called monoclonal antibodies that target specific viruses for destruction by the immune system. Vir Biotechnology in the US has made monoclonal antibodies for the covid-19 virus for an experimental diagnostic test. It now plans, with Chinese firm WuXi Biologics, to test them as a treatment. US firm Regeneron is brewing similar antibodies.
A team at Imperial College London has used artificial intelligence to assess approved drugs for promising candidates, and identified a rheumatoid arthritis drug, baricitinib (The Lancet, doi.org/dph5). This blocks the pathway the covid-19 virus uses to invade cells, as well as interfering with interleukin-6, the signalling molecule that triggers the lethal runaway immune response that can kill in severe cases. An antibody called tocilizumab is already being used in China to block interleukin-6 in people with covid-19.
For people who don’t catch the virus during this outbreak – and future generations – a vaccine will be needed. French firm Sanofi is working on hybridising the covid-19 virus with a harmless baculovirus already approved for its flu vaccine, which it can make in mass quantities to test if it works as a covid-19 vaccine.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is backing several other drug candidates. It was launched in 2017 by the Gates Foundation and several governments to develop vaccines for new diseases. “We were set up to respond to exactly this situation,” says spokesperson Jodie Rogers.
CEPI plans to have at least one vaccine in human trials by May. If trials succeed, it plans to make “hundreds of millions of doses available” by early 2021.
This week, CEPI announced that it would back a vaccine developed by the University of Oxford that is made of Vaccinia virus, once used in smallpox vaccine, carrying an external spike protein from covid-19. The group will also support a vaccine from US firm Novavax made of “nanoparticles” of the spike protein plus an immune-stimulating chemical.
CEPI has already launched four other covid-19 projects. US firm Inovio had been working on a DNA vaccine for the related MERS virus, and says it had one for covid-19 just 3 hours after the gene sequence for the virus was published on 10 January. It plans clinical trials in April and to have a million doses by December, if the approach works.
DNA vaccines are rings of genetic material that enter our cells and make viral proteins that induce immunity. However, they have never been approved for humans for fear they might affect our own genes or induce damaging immune reactions.
Messenger RNA vaccines don’t pose the same problems. CEPI is backing one from CureVac in Germany and another from Moderna in the US, which recently made enough vaccine for human safety trials in the record time of 42 days.
Supporters say that DNA or RNA vaccines, unlike some conventional vaccines, can’t cause disease, are stable, cheap to mass-produce and effective in small doses – all boons in a pandemic emergency. By the time they are fully tested, however, covid-19 may no longer be an emergency. It may even be hard to find test subjects not already immune.
The coalition is also supporting more conventional vaccines, including a process to make viral proteins from the University of Queensland, Australia, and a viral protein vaccine from China’s Clover Biopharmaceuticals plus an immune-boosting additive from British firm GSK. A further 48 proposals are still being considered.
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Gives us hope, I wish them well.
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News appearing 11.55 am.........First case of Coronavirus confirmed in Anglesey
I think my out patient visit yesterday, confirmed my opinion, that more people, have to do better than stockpile toilet rolls, waiting for my appointment, I watched automatic doors being ignored, in favour of the push pull type, children allowed to wander, playing on seats, picking up and putting down leaflets and magazines, the parents apparently, not worried about possible contamination, (which makes me think, those with waiting rooms should remove unnecessary paraphernalia) not once did I see the use of hand sanitiser, inside or outside, also the latest news that people are still turning up at surgeries and other facilities, causing shutdowns.
I like this thinking 'Behave like you already have the virus'
A video interview with Prof Medley ref BBC interesting full interview part way down live update
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-51866403 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-51866403)
'Behave like you already have the virus'
An infectious disease expert says people shouldn't just try to avoid getting coronavirus - instead, they should act as though they already have the virus and want to avoid passing it on.
Professor Graham Medley, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), said this during an interview with BBC Newsnight last night when asked if there was a "simple message" he could give the public.
His response was: "Most people have a fear of acquiring the virus, but I think a good way of doing it is to imagine that you do have the virus, and change your behaviour so that you're not transmitting it.
"Don't think about changing your behaviour so you won't get it. Think about changing your behaviour so you don't give it to somebody else."
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Disney have just closed all their parks worldwide.
When this started, one or two folk were openly arguing it either wouldn't be that bad or it was all just a fuss about nothing. It's clearly not a fuss about nothing, and the odd thing was I'd been following the news since it broke in December and I had the uneasy feeling this wasn't going to be a storm in a teacup.
What makes this bout different is the infectious nature of the disease. None of the other nasties that have made their way out of China have been that infectious, and although the mortality rate isn't as bad as MERS or SARS the likelihood is that, very like the 1957 Asian 'Flu pandemic, most of us are going to catch it.
Currently, young children don't seem to get it as badly which, again, is a divergence from the '57 Asian 'Flu outbreak. "“This is unlike flu,” says Akiko Iwasaki at Yale University. With flu, young children and older people are usually the most severely affected, so why is the new coronavirus different? It's a bit of a mystery.
A straightforward explanation would be that children are resisting infection in the first place, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. One recent study even found children to be just as likely as adults to get infected.
In any case, children that do become infected are still less likely to get sick with covid-19 and die – a similar trend to that seen with SARS or MERS, two other severe diseases caused by coronaviruses. So, what is protecting children?
“No one has a good answer to that question yet,” says Iwasaki. But she and other experts suspect it may be down to the unique way children’s immune systems respond to these viruses.
A common complication of covid-19, SARS and MERS in adults is acute respiratory distress syndrome, where the immune response against the coronavirus becomes overzealous and causes life-threatening damage to the lungs.
The resulting leakage of fluid and immune cells into the lungs causes big problems, says Chris van Tulleken at University College London. Even if those immune responses are trying to help by attacking the virus, they can end up blocking oxygen uptake in the lungs, he says.
Because children’s immune systems are still developing, one suggestion is that they are shielded from this type of dangerous immune response – called a cytokine storm – when they get covid-19 or similar diseases. During the SARS outbreak, two studies found children produced relatively low levels of inflammation-driving cytokines, which may have been what protected their lungs from serious damage.
That doesn’t explain why children’s immune systems react differently to coronaviruses compared with flu. It might be due to differences in the type of cytokine response produced against each virus, says Iwasaki."
The one factor that will make this far different from the 1918 'flu pandemic, is that no emerging disease will be studied as much as this one, since it's shown that it attacks the wealthy as well as the poor. And it's not confined to a third world country, which focuses the minds of those in power.
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I like this thinking 'Behave like you already have the virus'
"Don't think about changing your behaviour so you won't get it. Think about changing your behaviour so you don't give it to somebody else."
Yes; that makes a lot of sense. Apparently, our Asda delivery chap tells us that the call for deliveries has gone through the roof. Older folk, who are following advice to stay home and not mix with large numbers still have to deal with parcel and food deliverers. It's possibly less embarrassing to tell the driver you don't want to give him anything, than to stand ten feet away shouting instructions. $angry$
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I believe the doors are locked ?
Meddygfa Craig Y Don Medical Practice
Clarence Road, Craig y Don, Llandudno, Conwy, LL30 1TA
01492 864540
URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT
Due to the current Coronavirus Pandemic, for patient safety from Monday the 16th March we are having to change the way we offer patient care.
IF YOU HAVE A TEMPERATURE, COUGH OR FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS DO NOT ATTEND THE SURGERY, EVEN IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ABROAD OR HAD CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WITH CORONAVIRUS.
We are now only dealing with urgent problems, and the overall aim is to reduce face to face contact to the absolute essential minimum. If you feel that you need advice from a Doctor please telephone the surgery – DO NOT simply turn up as you will be asked to leave and telephone.
Your care will be reviewed by a Clinician and dealt with appropriately. These arrangements are likely to apply for the next few weeks until we are notified that we can return to normal working arrangements. Please pass this information on to anyone you know.
If you already have an appointment booked in the please ring the surgery as it may need to be cancelled.
If you require a repeat prescription then please post it into the box outside, please either nominate a pharmacy for us to send it to or include a stamped self-addressed envelope
PLEASE DO NOT QUEUE AT THE DOOR AT 8AM if you need an appointment then please ring 01492 864540
We apologise for any inconvenience at this time and appreciate your understanding
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A PERSON has tested positive for Novel Coronavirus in Conwy. no details other than Conwy county
Public Health Wales confirmed on Saturday, March 14, that 22 new cases have tested positive for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 60.
This is the first person to have been tested positive for Covid-19 in the Conwy County area.
https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18305226.first-person-test-positive-covid-19-conwy-bringing-total-amount-cases-60-wales/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18305226.first-person-test-positive-covid-19-conwy-bringing-total-amount-cases-60-wales/)
An update on the CYD medical practice post above..........
GP surgeries across Conwy change services and appointments in response to coronavirus.
Those impacted include: Canolfan Goffa Ffestiniog in Blaenau Ffestiniog; Rysseldene in Colwyn Bay; Llys Meddyg in Conwy and Meddygfa Gyffin in Conwy
https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18305200.gp-surgeries-across-conwy-change-services-appointments-response-coronavirus/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18305200.gp-surgeries-across-conwy-change-services-appointments-response-coronavirus/)
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Thanks for posting the latest information as the situation is starting to get very serious. My GP is in Rhoslan Surgery and they share the same building as Russeldene so I would imagine that the same rules apply to Rhoslan but the problem with Rhoslan is if you phone for an appointment then most of the time they don't answer the phone
I wonder if the first person to be tested positive in Conwy County has anything to do with the sudden closure of the Llandudno Junction surgery?
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I think that closure was down to someone walking in, after returning from Italy, and thought he had the virus, however there was further
complications. “That person has been tested to see whether they have the virus, but Public Health Wales are refusing to tell me the result.”
full story .. https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2020-03-06/gp-criticises-public-health-wales-for-refusing-to-tell-him-whether-his-patient-had-coronavirus/ (https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2020-03-06/gp-criticises-public-health-wales-for-refusing-to-tell-him-whether-his-patient-had-coronavirus/)
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Public Health Wales has confirmed that there are 34 confirmed new cases of coronavirus in Wales - bringing the total number of positives cases to 94.
But the number of cases of Covid-19 in North Wales has stayed the same since yesterday.
As it stands, there are confirmed cases in Wrexham , Flintshire , Conwy , and Anglesey - one in each of the counties, a total of four in North Wales.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-34-new-confirmed-cases-17927136 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-34-new-confirmed-cases-17927136)
As a PS, I noticed on the news last night, that a Bodelwyddan Business Park company that makes hand sanitiser , their order book jumped from 100,000 units pa to 2,500,000 units.
and PPS and a fun one for kids, why you wash your hands with soap. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x81rJ17WO8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x81rJ17WO8)
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Yes...that's useful. Alcohol gel - not less than 70% strength - is fine for bacteria but soap is what does for viruses.
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... fine if the germs are made of pepper !!!!
... on a more serious note, how about today's announcement that all of you/us who are over 70 have to stay indoors ?
... how long for, I wonder - at least I should have the time to sort my garage out !!
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They're suggesting it will be about four months. If you live in the wilds, it'll be fine to go for long, bracing walks, as you're unlikely to meet folk and become infected. It's aimed mainly at those who live in urban areas and flats.
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author=DVT link=topic=4351.msg111963#msg111963 date=1584285563]
... fine if the germs are made of pepper !!!!
... on a more serious note, how about today's announcement that all of you/us who are over 70 have to stay indoors ?
... how long for, I wonder - at least I should have the time to sort my garage out !!
DVT I beat them to it................... Ian ...Long bracing walks.......... :o
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We were due to go on a cruise next month to celebrate a special birthday but overnight it was cancelled.
We had planned to do something similar 10 years ago but then it was an Icelandic ash cloud that ruined it.
I won’t bother making any plans for my next big one as I will more than happy just to get there.
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Could be third time Lucky ;)
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I wonder how it'll work with the "over 70" idea ... I stay indoors so as not to catch the virus, my wife can go out and bring it back !!!
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I wonder how it'll work with the "over 70" idea ... I stay indoors so as not to catch the virus, my wife can go out and bring it back !!!
That's what we are having to do, not the "bring it back part ! !" it is the lesser of two evils for us, but we have a decontamination routine, on her return, a bit OTT but necessary.
Update
All three of North Wales' Covid-19 test centres have closed.
The units - opened at Bryn y Neuadd Hospital in Llanfairfechan , Ysbyty Alltwen in Porthmadog and the Rossett Clinic on Chapel Lane in Wrexham - carried out its last tests on Friday (March 13).
The decision to close the testing centres was taken as part of a UK Government strategy as the nation moves into the "delay phase" in a bid to tackle the spread of coronavirus . ref DP
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we have a decontamination routine, on her return, a bit OTT but necessary.
Actually, I don't believe it is. Routine is good, since the brain works best when it's learnt something thoroughly and Covid's main property is exceptional infectivity. Most of it is via touch: lift buttons, trolley handles, doors and so on, and the best approach in those instances is to wear gloves. If you wear gloves it has a three-fold protection: no skin area to contaminate, you're unlikely to touch your face with gloves on and you can remove the gloves when back in the car, drive home, then enter the house with whatever routine you have in place.
We have an industrial size alcohol gel at the entry door, which allows us to do a 'pre-clean', prior to taking off outer garments and heading straight to the bathrooms for soap and water. The gel isn't that effective, but it's better than nothing. Did consider using the garage sink and washing thoroughly in soap and water before even entering the house.
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Breaking news out of Brisbane, Australia (where I live).
Brisbane researchers say they are within reach of finding a cure for COVID-19 but need donations to accelerate the research.
In lab testing, two drugs have stopped Coronavirus in its tracks and a clinical trial on humans is ready to begin.
Renowned RBWH Infectious Diseases Physician Professor David Paterson who is overseeing the research said the drugs are “effective” but they are yet to determine whether “one is better than another”.
He’s hoping these drugs are the panacea the world so desperately needs. “Potentially down the road, it’s even something a general practitioner could prescribe,” Paterson said.
Safe for use
Both medications are safe for use in Australia, one treats malaria, the other HIV and in test tube studies both effectively kill the virus.
The drugs have already been given to patients infected with COVID-19 abroad and on home soil with promising results.
When asked how close we are to a cure, Paterson said there is “potential” that this drug “could cure the infection”.
But without human trials, these drugs can’t be administered with any certainty.
“We are going to coordinate with hospitals in NSW and Victoria so that we can all work on a common protocol to get the answers as quickly as possible,” Paterson said.
Funding
If the trial is successful, within three months researchers should know whether these drugs are effective in treating COVID-19.
The trial can begin within weeks but researchers need $750,000 to fund it.
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Both these drugs already exist, too, which means getting them out to the general population won't be a major issue.
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Which is why I cannot understand the lack of government support. I mean, come on, $750,000 to provide an effective cure for Conovid19 should be a no brainer. It appears our PM ScoMo (Scot Morrison) has gone in to SloMo. I hope the opposition has enough foresight to push for this funding (Pant! Pant! - That's me not holding my breath).
I suspect that it will come down to Crowd Funding to get this study under way. Very sad!
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Latest from BBC news.......
People who think they may have contracted the coronavirus no longer need to call NHS 111 in Wales.
Public Health Wales (PHW) is advising those with a fever or a new persistent cough to self-isolate for seven days.
It said those people should not to attend a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital and only contact NHS 111 if they "cannot cope" with the symptoms at home or their condition worsens.
"Instead, anyone who has a high temperature or a new continuous cough should stay at home for seven days.
"They should only contact NHS 111 if they feel they cannot cope with their symptoms at home, their condition gets worse, or their symptoms do not get better after seven days." cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51899162 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51899162)
and strangely on Pioneer news....
9:59am
Snooker goes ahead in Llandudno
Despite elite sport fixtures and events being wiped out by the coronavirus outbreak, snooker's Coral Tour Championship event in Llandudno which starts tomorrow WILL go ahead.
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Oh, good! A nice indoor event, with everyone breathing, coughing and sneezing in an enclosed space.
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Which is why I cannot understand the lack of government support. I mean, come on, $750,000 to provide an effective cure for Conovid19 should be a no brainer. It appears our PM ScoMo (Scot Morrison) has gone in to SloMo. I hope the opposition has enough foresight to push for this funding (Pant! Pant! - That's me not holding my breath).
I suspect that it will come down to Crowd Funding to get this study under way. Very sad!
It might be in part because the same effort is being made world wide at the moment:
"Leading the pack is remdesivir, an experimental antiviral drug now undergoing large trials in patients in China and the US, including 13 people who were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
It is hoped that the drug, which failed in trials against Ebola in 2014 but passed safety tests, can stop the covid-19 virus replicating by blocking a crucial enzyme. Its maker, US firm Gilead Sciences, is building manufacturing facilities ahead of trial results in April.
Trials are also planned for kaletra, a combination of two anti-HIV drugs that stops viral replication and has reportedly worked on covid-19 in China.
Chloroquine, an antimalarial drug that most malaria now resists, might also hold promise. Studies suggest that it stops the related SARS virus replicating and invading cells, and that it works against the covid-19 virus. Treatment guidelines in China now recommend two 500 milligram doses daily.
Another approach is to use proteins called monoclonal antibodies that target specific viruses for destruction by the immune system. Vir Biotechnology in the US has made monoclonal antibodies for the covid-19 virus for an experimental diagnostic test. It now plans, with Chinese firm WuXi Biologics, to test them as a treatment. US firm Regeneron is brewing similar antibodies.
A team at Imperial College London has used artificial intelligence to assess approved drugs for promising candidates, and identified a rheumatoid arthritis drug, baricitinib (The Lancet, doi.org/dph5). This blocks the pathway the covid-19 virus uses to invade cells, as well as interfering with interleukin-6, the signalling molecule that triggers the lethal runaway immune response that can kill in severe cases. An antibody called tocilizumab is already being used in China to block interleukin-6 in people with covid-19.
For people who don’t catch the virus during this outbreak – and future generations – a vaccine will be needed. French firm Sanofi is working on hybridising the covid-19 virus with a harmless baculovirus already approved for its flu vaccine, which it can make in mass quantities to test if it works as a covid-19 vaccine.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is backing several other drug candidates. It was launched in 2017 by the Gates Foundation and several governments to develop vaccines for new diseases. “We were set up to respond to exactly this situation,” says spokesperson Jodie Rogers.
CEPI plans to have at least one vaccine in human trials by May. If trials succeed, it plans to make “hundreds of millions of doses available” by early 2021.
This week, CEPI announced that it would back a vaccine developed by the University of Oxford that is made of Vaccinia virus, once used in smallpox vaccine, carrying an external spike protein from covid-19. The group will also support a vaccine from US firm Novavax made of “nanoparticles” of the spike protein plus an immune-stimulating chemical.
CEPI has already launched four other covid-19 projects. US firm Inovio had been working on a DNA vaccine for the related MERS virus, and says it had one for covid-19 just 3 hours after the gene sequence for the virus was published on 10 January. It plans clinical trials in April and to have a million doses by December, if the approach works.
DNA vaccines are rings of genetic material that enter our cells and make viral proteins that induce immunity. However, they have never been approved for humans for fear they might affect our own genes or induce damaging immune reactions.
Messenger RNA vaccines don’t pose the same problems. CEPI is backing one from CureVac in Germany and another from Moderna in the US, which recently made enough vaccine for human safety trials in the record time of 42 days.
Supporters say that DNA or RNA vaccines, unlike some conventional vaccines, can’t cause disease, are stable, cheap to mass-produce and effective in small doses – all boons in a pandemic emergency. By the time they are fully tested, however, covid-19 may no longer be an emergency. It may even be hard to find test subjects not already immune.
The coalition is also supporting more conventional vaccines, including a process to make viral proteins from the University of Queensland, Australia, and a viral protein vaccine from China’s Clover Biopharmaceuticals plus an immune-boosting additive from British firm GSK. A further 48 proposals are still being considered."
So there's a lot going on.
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Still only one case in Conwy. Unfortunately the Wrexham patient has died.
Second phase of the government's response.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51768274 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51768274)
Coronavirus: US volunteers to test first vaccine
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51906604 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51906604)
Coronavirus: What do you need to do to self-isolate?
https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18308393.coronavirus-need-self-isolate/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18308393.coronavirus-need-self-isolate/)
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Breaking news out of Brisbane, Australia (where I live).
Brisbane researchers say they are within reach of finding a cure for COVID-19 but need donations to accelerate the research.
In lab testing, two drugs have stopped Coronavirus in its tracks and a clinical trial on humans is ready to begin.
Renowned RBWH Infectious Diseases Physician Professor David Paterson who is overseeing the research said the drugs are “effective” but they are yet to determine whether “one is better than another”.
He’s hoping these drugs are the panacea the world so desperately needs. “Potentially down the road, it’s even something a general practitioner could prescribe,” Paterson said.
Safe for use
Both medications are safe for use in Australia, one treats malaria, the other HIV and in test tube studies both effectively kill the virus.
The drugs have already been given to patients infected with COVID-19 abroad and on home soil with promising results.
When asked how close we are to a cure, Paterson said there is “potential” that this drug “could cure the infection”.
But without human trials, these drugs can’t be administered with any certainty.
“We are going to coordinate with hospitals in NSW and Victoria so that we can all work on a common protocol to get the answers as quickly as possible,” Paterson said.
Funding
If the trial is successful, within three months researchers should know whether these drugs are effective in treating COVID-19.
The trial can begin within weeks but researchers need $750,000 to fund it.
If the drugs are already available and they are safe to use ( for other reasons)I can't see where the $750,000 is needed to run a trial . With nothing else currently available why not just dose up on one of these and hope for the best?
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The legislation to compel us to follow Government instructions (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/129/contents/made) has just been published.
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If the drugs are already available and they are safe to use ( for other reasons)I can't see where the $750,000 is needed to run a trial . With nothing else currently available why not just dose up on one of these and hope for the best?
The study was to involve researchers from other states, so I assume the money is to cover their costs along with the cost of the drugs etc. But I agree that if I caught this virus I would be looking at taking one or both of these.
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TWELVE new positive cases confirmed for Novel Coronavirus as of Tuesday morning.
The total number of confirmed cases in Wales has now risen to 136 but there are no new cases in North Wales.
Dr Giri Shankar Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: “We can confirm that 12 new cases have tested positive for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 136.
“As we are currently only testing within hospitals, this is likely to underestimate the true number of cases.”
https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18311020.number-coronavirus-cases-wales-rise-12-bringing-total-136/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18311020.number-coronavirus-cases-wales-rise-12-bringing-total-136/)
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Coronavirus patients are being warned against taking Ibuprofen amid fears it can make symptoms worse.
The NHS has now issued new advice urging people suspected of having the deadly illness to take paracetamol.
Just yesterday, its official website named Ibuprofen as one of the "everyday" painkillers that could help fight off a fever and cough.
But now doctors warned that in can make symptoms of Covid-19 worse by dampening the immune system, slowing recovery, as well as aggravating pneumonia symptoms.
French Health Minister Olivier Véran prompted questions over the NHS advice when he said anti-inflammatories could "aggravate the infection."
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/nhs-issues-new-advice-taking-17938540 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/nhs-issues-new-advice-taking-17938540)
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Oh, yes; thanks for that, Steve. This is very important. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory, but inflammation is the normal immune response, so taking Ibuprofen can actually prolong the illness.
Pity NHS England didn't bother thinking that through before posting it as advice.
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Hi Ian letter from China
Things here are getting a little serious again. Because of the back flow of cases into China from overseas, everyone (Chinese and non Chinese) returning to our city from overseas is now being quarantined. This is being backdated to include people who entered in the last 14 days., and people are being visited at home and taken away to a hotel. I would assume this is also national.
This is proactivity in the real.
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Thanks for the update, SD; China seems to have responded very well, along with S Korea. Are you and yours okay?
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We are fine thanks Ian long early morning walks with the dogs on the hill helps fill the day.
Due surgery soon so hopefully get it done before hospital's go into emergency only
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I have been caught up in my bubble for a while now, so had not thought about this subject, but it does raise a lot of serious questions.
Second home owners urged to stay away from North Wales during coronavirus outbreak, fears of a population influx will overwhelm GP surgeries and local NHS services.
Mrs Saville Roberts said: "Surely now is the time for the Welsh Government to release a directive as a matter of urgency to those people planning on travelling to their holiday home or caravan advising them to remain at their principal residence?
"I am extremely concerned at reports of a substantial increase in the population of areas in Pen Llŷn since last weekend, with holiday homes which are usually empty at this time of year now being occupied."
"The population churn, whereby the population of Dwyfor may increase threefold poses a risk in Wales, which - with around five intensive care beds per 100,000 people – is under greater potential pressure than health services in England. cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/second-home-owners-urged-stay-17939545 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/second-home-owners-urged-stay-17939545)
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Covid19
I have last one of brood at university they have stopped all lectures face to face and now do all on line.
But have recommended students remain in hall's,this is costing £130.00 a week and unite and university joint landlord won't allow early termination.
We are hoping Boris statement tonight will help .The oh is on the case let's see what happens
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Amazon BANS sellers shipping non-essential items to its warehouses and will prioritize food, diapers, household cleaning products, and pet and medical supplies as it tries to handle HUGE surge in online orders amid coronavirus panic
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Chancellor Rishi Sunak says homeowners impacted financially by the coronavirus crisis will get a three month mortgage holiday.
He said the three month break in mortgage payments would be for those missing out on wages because they have had to go into quarantine or impacted another way by the deadly virus.
At a press conference this afternoon the Chancellor also set aside £330 billion of government guaranteed loans for struggling businesses – the equivalent of 15% of GDP. cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/mortgage-holiday-thousands-homeowners-impacted-17940575 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/mortgage-holiday-thousands-homeowners-impacted-17940575)
Mr Sunak announced:
A package of £330bn of loan guarantees to businesses
Interest-free business interruption loans will be increased to £5m
A 12-month business rates holiday for all shops, pubs, theatres, music venues and restaurants
A cash grant of up to £25,000 for those businesses with a rateable value of less than £51,000
A three-month mortgage holiday for those in difficulty because of coronavirus
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What about those renting, I wonder?
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On a lighter note, I read that Tom Hanks and his wife have been given the all clear, from the virus, which is just as well, considering the list below, there would not be much chance for the rest of us.
He survived 4 years on an island as a castaway
He spent a year in an airport without being able to leave
Caught AIDS in Philadelphia
He was in World War II and rescued Private Ryan;
He went to Vietnam and rescued Lieutenant Dan
Was on a boat kidnapped by Somali pirates
survived Apollo 13 trying to reach the Moon
Landed a Boeing on the Hudson ;)
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_))* _))* _))*
We really need a dose of humour at the moment, Steve. Well done :-)
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On a lighter note, I read that Tom Hanks and his wife have been given the all clear, from the virus, which is just as well, considering the list below, there would not be much chance for the rest of us.
An update on the "Brisbane Cure".
The targeted fund raising has been reached and almost double the target has been achieved. One rumour has been that a very large contribution was made by Tom Hanks, but this is pure speculation.
"A team of Australian researchers say they may have found a cure for the novel coronavirus and hope to have patients enrolled in a nationwide trial by the end of the month.
The researchers from the University of Queensland had previously been testing two existing drugs in a lab setting and had been trying to get a clinical trial off the ground, setting a target of $750,000.
Overnight it was announced the researchers reached that target and as a result the clinical trial will go ahead. Around 50 hospitals across the country have signed up to be a part of the clinical trial.
UQ has one of only three programs globally, and the only one in Australia, initiated by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), leveraging "rapid response" platforms in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
In just three weeks, the team of researchers had created their first vaccine candidate in the laboratory and will move immediately into further development before formal pre-clinical testing.
If the drug proves to be an effective cure for people infected with COVID-19, this would be a major step forward and would drastically speed up the process of making the cure available to people around the world - as opposed to developing a vaccine, which is an expensive and time-consuming process."
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Thanks for the news from Down Under, it's nice to hear some optimistic news nowadays. I hope that you are keeping well Hugh and taking all the necessary precautions to try and avoid this outbreak
I've relations in Brisbane but don't have any contact with them but hope that the Hughes family and everyone else there will be safe
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North Wales hospitals tough coronavirus restrictions brought in
The health board has announced major changes to visiting rules.
From 18 March all visits to patients will be restricted to just 15 minutes at all Betsi Cadwaladr hospitals.
The Health Board has said that one visitor per patient will be allowed and children under the age of 16 will no longer be able to visit the ward areas.
Visits to children’s wards will also be restricted to one parent or carer at a time. cont. https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/kids-visits-banned-north-wales-17943373 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/kids-visits-banned-north-wales-17943373)
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There are a number of scams circulation from the usual evildoers concerned with Covid. Here's a roundup:
"One we’ve seen is an email that claims to come from the World Health Organization. It’s short and sweet, asking that you click on a link to what it says is a PDF offering advice on how to stay safe during the outbreak.
Security firm Sophos has a detailed breakdown of what happens if you click on that link, but broadly it shows you a pop-up in front of what looks like the WHO’s actual website asking you to input your email address and password so that you can receive the non-existent PDF.
Action Fraud has warned that emails purporting to be from organisations including the US Centers for Disease Control and the WHO are being sent with the aim of tricking you into opening malicious attachments or giving away your passwords.
Another email we’ve seen is full of doom-laden warnings that ‘There is no vaccine for coronavirus’ and that ‘the US government, like the Chinese government, isn’t telling us the truth about how many are infected’.
That email is full of links. While we’ve only seen screenshots of this, it seems likely that these links will lead you to either phishing sites or, worse, sites that can infect your computer with malware.
We’ve also seen reports of particularly nasty scams where criminals are taking advantage of older people by knocking on their doors. One scam has the criminals offering to take their temperature – thus allowing them into the house, where residents can be robbed or worse.
Other potential scams include criminals claiming to sell you things like protective face masks and even hand sanitiser. The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau says that it has already identified 21 reports of fraud where the coronavirus was mentioned – costing the victims a total of more than £800,000."
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Thanks for the news from Down Under, it's nice to hear some optimistic news nowadays. I hope that you are keeping well Hugh and taking all the necessary precautions to try and avoid this outbreak
I've relations in Brisbane but don't have any contact with them but hope that the Hughes family and everyone else there will be safe
Our daughter is currently undergoing chemotherapy so we are directly involved having regular access to her and to her two very young and beautiful daughters. So we are trying to be super careful, not just of the Covid 19 virus, but to any virus. She is currently doing remarkably well but her health is a constant worry for us. We have been able to support her by dropping off/collecting her eldest daughter from school, and by taking advantage of a recent decision by several supermarkets to open at 7am but restricting shoppers to those with pension or invalid cards. This has allowed us to gain access to "panic buying" goods such as rice, frozen vegetables etc. Vitally important due to her daughters' food intolerances.
Cannot fathom the depth of the Panic Buying here. We have had people brawling in supermarkets over toilet paper, a stabbing of a supermarket employee, and the latest move - police presence in supermarket toilet roll, tissue, and hand towel aisles.
The majority of diagnosed cases in Australia are related to people traveling/returning to Australia who have been exposed to the virus overseas. The latest move by the government is to effectively ban all entry into Australia (except for citizens or those visiting relatives who are citizens). Our main air carrier Qantas and Jetstar has effectively stood down 20,000 staff due to the current government restrictions relating to visitors to Australia and the directive to citizens to avoid all overseas travel.
Situations like this should bring out the best in us, but the overwhelming evidence seems to be exactly the opposite. In Australia, even our go-to solace, the church has been effectively banned by an indoor limit of 100 persons. I liken this event to my parents experience of WWII where everyone was greatly affected and were all in the same boat. Hopefully and collectively, we will all get through to the end of the tunnel without suffering any losses, and with our lives intact.
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Very sorry to hear about your daughter, DownUnder, and I really hope things turn the corner.
I agree that we seem to be in a wartime situation, yet apparently lacking the compassion and decency often associated with WWII, certainly. Situations like this certainly tell us a lot about society.
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Slowly but surely, the news is getting better:
"In a study published on 9 March, researchers led by Alexandra Walls at the University of Washington in Seattle used electron microscopy to determine the atomic structure of the spike protein on the covid-19 virus (Cell, doi.org/dpvh). With this information, inhibitor drugs can now be designed to block it from attaching to a human cell."
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My best wishes to you Downunder and your family,............ I heard from my sister, who lives in France this morning, and it is easier to post the relevant bits below........
Yep, France has taken drastic measures in an attempt to curb the epidemic. Confinement, curfews and social distancing came into force Monday lunchtime. Schools, universities, restaurants, café bars, cinemas, theatres and parks have been closed until further notice. Sporting events, concerts cancelled and all non-essential commercial activity is strictly forbidden !
We've printed our "Mandatory Trip Certificates" a standardised form stating the reason for being outside (essential necessities), to be submitted to authorities if requested. A lockdown fine of €135 will be applied should the confinement regulations be broken... "Stay at home, it's as simple as that"
We had a call from Holland yesterday (My niece ) with an update : No workplace restrictions have been enforced yet, as for the boys, they are studying from home as their respective schools closed at the weekend, seemingly a few of the students / members of staff were tested positive, so, best play it safe !
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New drive-through test units have been set up across North Wales in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.
At this stage, the three centres will provide priority testing for identified NHS workers involved in the response to Covid-19, said health chiefs.
They are are located at Ysbyty Alltwen in Tremadog; Bryn y Neuadd Hospital in Llanfairfechan; and on the grounds of Wrexham Maelor Hospital.
The units in Llanfairfechan and Tremadog will begin testing on Friday, March 20, with the Wrexham unit beginning testing on Monday, March 23.
The aim is to reduce the risk of NHS staff infecting other patients, or having to take time off work to self-isolate if they develop symptoms, without confirmation of whether they have the virus or not.
The new units are not operating a walk-in service and will not provide testing to NHS staff without an appointment.
Health chiefs said there was no additional risk to people living in the immediate vicinity of these units.
They said a range of precautions and infection prevention measures have been considered and put in place, including strict clinical protocols and the use of personal protective equipment, to keep staff, patients and people living and working nearby safe.
Teresa Owen, executive director of public health at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: “The testing units will provide testing for NHS staff who have a crucial role to play in tackling the covid-19 outbreak.
“They are not offering a walk in service, and we ask the public not to visit the units, as they will not be tested, but may cause delays for NHS staff.
"I would like to provide reassurance that there is no additional risk to people living in the immediate vicinity of these units.
“We urge people to continue to follow the latest advice from Public Health Wales.
"People no longer need to contact NHS 111 if they think they may have contracted novel coronavirus (covid-19).
People with a fever or persistent cough should stay at home for seven days if they live alone, or 14 days if they live with others.
“Anyone who lives with someone displaying coronavirus symptoms should self-isolate and stay at home for 14 days. They should not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
“They should only contact NHS 111 if they feel they cannot cope with their symptoms at home, their condition gets worse, or their symptoms do not get better after seven days.”
.
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A 26-year-old man has become the first person to be arrested in the British Isles for failing to self-isolate after being detained in the Isle of Man.
Police confirmed an unnamed British man was arrested after failing to self-isolate after arriving in the Isle of Man last night.
The Isle of Man, which is a self-governing British Crown dependency, passed emergency legislation on Tuesday to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-26-arrested-refusing-self-17953244 (https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-26-arrested-refusing-self-17953244)
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I read in the Daily Mirror today that David Beckham is sharing the # I Stay Home For Hashtag and Beckham wrote # I stay home for VB and kids SIGN Becks urging social media users not to go out
That's really sound advice but I just hope that the Mirror won't now be bombarded by selfies and photos from this publicity seeking duo
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The government has just transferred 2000 troops to its specialised Corvid 19 task force amid fears the police won't be able to cope..
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Researchers at the University of Oxford in the UK are planning a safety trial for a vaccine against coronavirus in humans. Normally vaccines are tested in animals first, but the trial has been accelerated due to the speed of the coronavirus outbreak.
The first human trial of a vaccine to protect against the covid-19 coronavirus began in the US earlier this week. Other vaccines are in development in Germany and China. Development of an antibody test will also be important to confirm whether people have acquired immunity to the coronavirus.
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There has been an increase of 89 new cases in Wales over the past 24 hours bringing the total to 280. 7 of those confirmed cases are within the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area.
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This is vital information for anyone who has been laid off because of the outbreak:
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Under the new Coronavirus Job Retention scheme, government grants will cover 80% of the salary of PAYE employees who would otherwise have been laid off during this crisis. The scheme, open to any employer in the country, will cover the cost of wages backdated to 1 March 2020 and will be open before the end of April. It will continue for at least three months, and can include workers who were in employment on 28 February.
To claim under the scheme employers will need to:
designate affected employees as ‘furloughed workers’, and notify employees of this change. Changing the status of employees remains subject to existing employment law and, depending on the employment contract, may be subject to negotiation;
and
submit information to HMRC about the employees that have been furloughed and their earnings through a new online portal. HMRC will set out further details on the information required.
HMRC will reimburse 80% of furloughed workers wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month.
While HMRC is working urgently to set up a system for reimbursement, we understand existing systems are not set up to facilitate payments to employers. Business that need short-term cash flow support, may benefit from the VAT deferral announced below and may also be eligible to apply for a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan.
VAT payments
The next quarter of VAT payments will be deferred, meaning businesses will not need to make VAT payments until the end of June 2020. Businesses will then have until the end of the 2020-21 tax year to settle any liabilities that have accumulated during the deferral period.
The deferral applies automatically and businesses do not need to apply for it. VAT refunds and reclaims will be paid by the government as normal.
Income Tax payments
Income Tax payments due in July 2020 under the Self-Assessment system will be deferred to January 2021.
Income Tax Self-Assessment payments due on the 31 July 2020 will be deferred until the 31 January 2021. This is an automatic offer with no applications required. No penalties or interest for late payment will be charged in the deferral period.
Universal credit
Self-employed people can now access full universal credit at a rate equivalent to statutory sick pay.
HMRC Time to Pay
HMRC’s Time to Pay scheme can enable firms and individuals in temporary financial distress as a result of Covid-19 to delay payment of outstanding tax liabilities. HMRC’s dedicated Covid-19 helpline provides practical help and advice on 0800 0159 559.
Business Rates holidays and cash grants
No rates payable for the 2020-2021 tax year for any business in the retail, hospitality or leisure sectors.
In those sectors, if your rateable value is between £15K and £51k, you'll also receive a cash grant of up to £25,000 per property.
Any business which gets small business rates relief, including those in the retail, hospitality or leisure sectors, will receive a cash grant of £10,000 (increased from £3,000 announced in the 11 March Budget).
The rates holiday and cash grants will be administered by local authorities and should be delivered automatically, without businesses needing to claim.
Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme
These should be available from Monday 23 March and are delivered by lenders that partner with the British Business Bank, including all the major banks. The lender receives a guarantee of 80% of the loan amount from the government.
They are available for UK-based businesses with turnover of no more than £45 million and can provide for a facility up to £5 million. The borrower remains liable for 100% of the debt.
No interest will be charged for the first 12 months.
COVID-19 corporate financing facility
The Bank of England has set up a scheme to finance working capital by purchasing commercial paper from larger business ‘making a material contribution to the UK economy’. Businesses do not need to have previously issued commercial paper in order to participate. The scheme will operate for at least 12 months.
Mortgage and rent holiday
Mortgage borrowers can apply for a three- month payment holiday from their lender. Both residential and buy-to-let mortgages are eligible for the holiday. It is important to remember that borrowers still owe the amounts that they don't pay as a result of the payment holiday. Interest will continue to be charged on the amount they owe.
Tenants can apply for a three-month payment holiday from their landlord. No one can be evicted from their home or have their home repossessed over the next three months.
Insurance claims
Businesses that have cover for both pandemics and government-ordered closure should be covered. The government and insurance industry confirmed on 17 March 2020 that advice to avoid pubs, theatres, etc., is sufficient to make a claim as long as all other terms and conditions are met. Insurance policies differ significantly, so businesses should check the terms and conditions of their specific policy and contact their providers.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
If you're a director of a limited company with less than 250 employees, you can pay yourself two weeks of SSP if you need to self-isolate subject to meeting the minimum payroll requirement for SSP.
The government will refund £94 per week, maximum £188, to your company.
It will also refund SSP for staff of businesses with less than 250 employees for up to two weeks.
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Coronavirus in Wales: live updates on the outbreak
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-wales-51993900 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-wales-51993900)
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Coronavirus in Wales: live updates on the outbreak
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-wales-51993900 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-wales-51993900)
The latest report on the link,.............
9:53
Stay home, says Wales Office minister
A UK government minister has told caravan and second home owners to “stay at home“.
David TC Davies, the Conservative MP for Monmouth, says the advice is aimed at saving people’s lives.
Speaking on Sunday Supplement on Radio Wales, he said every health board is "set up to deal with their general population” and rural areas were unable to deal with the “spike” of people leaving towns and cities and heading for their holiday homes.
“The government advice is no unnecessary travel and this means stay at home," he said.
“We’re saying this to save people’s lives.”
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Two North Wales holiday parks, with more than 250 beds, have been handed over to the NHS to help with the coronavirus outbreak.
Tan Rallt Holiday Home Park and Spa in Abergele and Marine Holiday Park in Rhyl, are just a 10-minute drive away from Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, in Bodelwyddan.
North Wales-based Pario Leisure Group took the decision to hand them over after the parks were closed to guests following Government advice. https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/two-north-wales-holiday-parks-17961710 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/two-north-wales-holiday-parks-17961710)
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A sad subject, but one that needs covered.
A council has said it will webcast crematorium services, in a bid to keep numbers of mourners attending chapels down during the coronavirus outbreak.
Conwy council informed funeral directors of the move, which is designed to dissuade non-essential mourners from attending services at Colwyn Bay crematorium, Mochdre.
The offer comes on the back of advice, handed out by the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities (FBCA), about funerals services at crematoria and cemeteries.
Full details ref Pioneer https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18325547.webcasting-funeral-services-announced-conwy-council-coronavirus-pandemic/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18325547.webcasting-funeral-services-announced-conwy-council-coronavirus-pandemic/)
PS
Coronavirus now 'circulating in every part of Wales' as 71 new cases confirmed
It brings the total of confirmed cases to 347 in Wales - but true number 'is likely to be higher'
"71 new cases have tested positive for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 347, although the true number of cases is likely to be higher. Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is now circulating in every part of Wales.
"12 people in Wales who tested positive for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have now died.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-now-circulating-every-part-17961813 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-now-circulating-every-part-17961813)
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Remember your pets with this all this talk about Coronavirus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfNwcCS3Lm8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfNwcCS3Lm8)
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If the number of cases is now confirmed at 347 we can safely assume the true number is likely more than 3500.
The infectious stage of Corvid 19 precedes the symptomatic stage by around 7 days. So we can't assume anyone is virus-free. And what is more worrying, is that once the infected have recovered, they remain infectious for an indeterminate time.
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8 minutes ago
Boris Johnson has told people to take seriously the social distancing advice to stop the spread of coronavirus, saying it is "absolutely crucial".
The PM thanked people for "the sacrifice" they had made, but warned those going to parks and open spaces they must stay 2m away from others.
"If you don't do it responsibly... we will have to bring forward further measures," he said.
The number of people who have died with the virus in the UK has reached 281.
The NHS in England has identified 1.5 million of the most at-risk people who should now stay at home for 12 weeks.
The PM told those people to "shield" themselves, adding it "will do more than any other single measure that we are setting out to save life". Cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51998559 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51998559)
The full list of at risk people told to self isolate during coronavirus outbreak
The Government is urging the elderly and vulnerable to keep themselves away from others
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/full-list-risk-people-told-17962495 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/full-list-risk-people-told-17962495)
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Coronavirus: First Minister launches 'Looking Out for Each Other' campaign in Wales....Safe-help ref Pioneer
FIRST Minister Mark Drakeford has launched a new campaign about how to help people who are staying at home because of coronavirus.
The "Looking Out for Each Other" campaign - launched over the weekend - focuses on the small things members of the public can all do to help each other during the pandemic. https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18326497.coronavirus-first-minister-launches-looking-other-campaign-wales/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18326497.coronavirus-first-minister-launches-looking-other-campaign-wales/)
Good useful link.............. https://gov.wales/safe-help (https://gov.wales/safe-help)
THIS IS A MUST READ
Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19
Published 21 March 2020
Background and scope of guidance
This guidance is for people, including children, who are at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) because of an underlying health condition, and for their family, friends and carers. It is intended for use in situations where the extremely vulnerable person is living in their own home, with or without additional support. This includes the extremely clinically vulnerable people living in long-term care facilities, either for the elderly or persons with special needs.
Shielding is a measure to protect people who are clinically extremely vulnerable by minimising all interaction between those who are extremely vulnerable and others. We are strongly advising people with serious underlying health conditions (listed below) which put them at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) to rigorously follow shielding measures in order to keep themselves safe.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR0q8xQJf8pI3W2sWcoceUII5cTWU7IWP10LCAOwB3PR_T1bbP_J0G9RlKk#what-do-we-mean-by-extremely-vulnerable (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR0q8xQJf8pI3W2sWcoceUII5cTWU7IWP10LCAOwB3PR_T1bbP_J0G9RlKk#what-do-we-mean-by-extremely-vulnerable)
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Pharmacies have introduced new rules in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Only a limited number of customers are allowed into chemists at any one time and, in some places, markers have been put down on the ground outside to urge them to keep their distance from each other.
Some have also reduced opening hours (check before visiting) in a bid to limit the potential for people to spread the virus through being in close contact with each other. ref DP
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Just returned from local pharmacist to collect my monthly supplies, and to make arrangements for next month as I am on a rare insulin and wanted to ensure I had supplies before running out.
Arrived at 2.50 and found shutters down. Two guys standing close together outside who told me it opened at 3. So I stood well out of the way. Young girl appears, who knew the two guys, and they stood close chatting, she had seemingly just come back from somewhere abroad - I think I heard Dubai mentioed. By the time the place opened there were about 10 people, eight close together by the door, one other chap and myself standing in our own big space well back.
Door opens, first two guys go in, others tried but were stopped. One guy comes out, one woman goes in, this happened a couple limes as I am standing well back. Thinking I could be here a long time as people jumped the queue I spoke out loudly "I think you'll find I was here before you". All I got was glares.
Customer came out so I coughed loudly - I have had a tickly cough for months but did put this on a bit! I then felt like Moses parting the Red Sea as they stepped aside and let me in !!!!
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Good on you DVT $good$
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I popped down to Boots in Craig-y-Don and it was very civilised there with the four people waiting staying a distance from each other, however the signage on the door was so small that you had to get close to read it and many did so to check that they had been informed correctly before deciding to go away and come back later I presume. Trouble is the queue was not exactly a queue but just people being respectful of distance whilst standing outside a shop. If more people had stayed it might have been a different story and ended up a bunfight to get in next!
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Boots are making a pig's breakfast of this. As DVT has shown, although they limit the numbers inside to three, people are too stupid to stand in the correct places, clearly marked with tape but, most importantly, there's no control over the queue outside the shop.
Pharmacies are essentially walk-in petri dishes at the best of times. but with their new reduced and hours, it will create significant queues at the start of the day and a lack of control over the external queuing will mean more cross infection.
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Coronavirus LIVE updates as Government send texts to UK residents with lockdown rules. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52017451 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52017451)
How to protect yourself and others
Employment and financial support
School closures, education, and childcare
Businesses and other organisations
Healthcare workers and carers
Travel
How coronavirus is affecting public services
How you can help
Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the UK
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus (https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus)
Coronavirus: The new inventions inspired by a pandemic
A new ventilator, a virus-killing snood and a hands-free door pull are just some of the innovations coming out of Wales to tackle coronavirus.
Since the outbreak, doctors, scientists and designers have been working on ideas to stop the virus spreading.
The ventilator has already successfully treated a Covid-19 patient and has been backed by the Welsh Government.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52008745 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52008745)
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Ian,
I find your comment offensive as I have a friend working in Boots and they are trying their very best.
Feedback I received from them is the odd customer can be very rude to them and they are after all on the frontline.
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Firstly, I wasn't having a go at the staff, was I? I was talking about the organisation of the process–which is a management issue. Reducing the working hours but allowing people to line up outside the shop waiting for it to open is a good example of poorly thought-through strategies. What they (the management at head office, for the benefit of the overly touchy) should have done was thought ahead and designated an open space in which repeat prescriptions could be issued without fear of airborne contamination.
In Llandudno that could be done through the back door. All non-essential shops are now to be closed, so there will be plenty of open spaces.
I've already suggested this to one Boots: that those with repeat prescriptions could 'phone them once they were actually outside the shop, and the prescription could be passed out to them. But becuse it was a new idea, the management didn't know whether it would work.
And finally, I don't believe you're really in a position to be lecturing others on making offensive comments, do you?
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As I type, two people are playing tennis on the courts in Craig-y-Don. I think I should start a new awards thread and call it the Ostriches. An award for those who apparently have no idea about social distancing and have their heads firmly stuck in the sand.
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Well then Dave, I'll be the first to nominate someone although I don't know his name, I'll remember his face though
Our local shop has done everything possible to keep trading and keep the customers safe. Only two people are allowed in the shop at any one time and each person must heed the social distancing between the other customer.
Outside there are clearly marked spaces where the customers are to stand in the queue and inside the shop it is exactly the same with the emphasis on social distancing.
I was getting served when the second person came and stood about a foot behind me. I didn't say anything at the time as I didn't want to embarrass the nice staff that work there but it won't happen a second time
The idiots are not just on Snowdon they live amongst us
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Coronavirus LIVE updates as Government send texts to UK residents with lockdown rules. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52017451 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52017451)
How to protect yourself and others
Employment and financial support
School closures, education, and childcare
Businesses and other organisations
Healthcare workers and carers
Travel
How coronavirus is affecting public services
How you can help
Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the UK
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus (https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus)
Coronavirus: The new inventions inspired by a pandemic
A new ventilator, a virus-killing snood and a hands-free door pull are just some of the innovations coming out of Wales to tackle coronavirus.
Since the outbreak, doctors, scientists and designers have been working on ideas to stop the virus spreading.
The ventilator has already successfully treated a Covid-19 patient and has been backed by the Welsh Government.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52008745 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52008745)
More on the virus- killing snood...........
The coronavirus fighting 'germ trap' snood developed by Anglesey company
Developed at Menai Science Park in conjunction with Manchester Uni scientists Virustatic Shield offers hope in tackling deadly virus.
Breakthrough in ‘germ trap’ technology by an Anglesey company offers new hope in stopping the spread of viruses
Developed at Menai Science Park, Virustatic Shield is the response of leading scientists to the problem that face masks won’t stop the coronavirus.
It is a fresh weapon in the fight to control the pandemic—and now it is available to the general public cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-fighting-germ-trap-snood-17971068 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-fighting-germ-trap-snood-17971068)
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Government calls on 250,000 volunteers to support the NHS and the vulnerable - how to apply
The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, has said that 250,000 volunteers are being recruited by the government.
He also confirmed that more than 35,000 extra NHS staff have already joined up to help, including retired doctors and nurses, and final year medical students.
The volunteers will join the 11,7788 retired NHS staff, which includes 2,660 doctors, 6,147 nurses and more than 2,500 pharmacists.
Over 24,000 student medics and nurses will also be permitted to help in the battle against the virus.
What will the volunteers do?
Those who volunteer as an NHS Volunteer Responder to help with the cause can be called on for a variety of simple, but vital tasks.
These could include:
Delivering medicines from pharmacies
Driving patients to appointments
Bringing them home from hospital
Making regular phone calls to check on people isolating at home
How can I volunteer?
To volunteer as an NHS Responder you can simply sign up via the app that will be run by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS).
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18332509.government-calls-250-000-volunteers-support-nhs-vulnerable---apply/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18332509.government-calls-250-000-volunteers-support-nhs-vulnerable---apply/)
PS
"The UK's first coronavirus-related death was recorded on March 5. It took another 13 days for the number of deaths to pass 100 (on March 18), then three more days to pass 200 (on March 21). It has taken a further three days for the total to pass 400."
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Re above post .... $good$
Some 250,000 people have signed up in a single day to volunteer with the NHS after a recruitment drive to help the vulnerable amid the coronavirus crisis. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52029877 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52029877)
PS "Boots 'should re-visit' £5 prescription delivery charge
Health Minister Vaughan Gething told a press briefing that pharmacy Boots should revisit its decision to charge £5 for deliveries.
He said: "If Boots don't change their approach they could force people to leave their homes."
Mr Gething said he was happy to contact Boots today."
PPS
Charity offers phone calls to over 70s living alone
Age Cymru is offering a check-in-and-chat telephone service for the over 70s in Wales who live alone.
It said it hoped that the initiative will help provide some reassurances to older people, answer basic queries and link people to local services and support during the coronavirus outbreak.
Disability Wales
@DisabilityWales
Age Cymru has a check-in-and-chat telephone service for the over 70s in Wales who live alone. Register free of charge, to receive a regular telephone call from the charity in either English or Welsh. https://www.ageuk.org.uk/cymru/information-advice/age-cymru-advice/check-in-and-chat/ (https://www.ageuk.org.uk/cymru/information-advice/age-cymru-advice/check-in-and-chat/) …@AgeCymru
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From New Scientist today:
"SAY you have caught covid-19 and recovered – are you now immune for life, or could you catch it again? We just don’t know yet.
In February, reports emerged of a woman in Japan who had been given the all-clear after having covid-19 but then tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus a second time. There have also been reports of a man in Japan testing positive after being given the all-clear, and anecdotal cases of second positives have emerged from China, too.
This has raised fears that people may not develop immunity to the virus. This would mean that, until we have an effective vaccine, we could all experience repeated rounds of infection. "
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THERE have been 150 new positive cases of coronavirus in Wales, with five further deaths reported.
Dr Robin Howe, incident director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, confirmed the figures at noon on Wednesday
The new results bring the total number of confirmed cases in Wales to 628, although the true number of cases is likely to be higher
It was also confirmed that three of the new cases confirmed are within the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area.
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18333430.150-new-cases-coronavirus-five-deaths-wales/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18333430.150-new-cases-coronavirus-five-deaths-wales/)
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My wife has just told me that Prince Charles has got a mild form of Coronavirus, it can happen to anyone so it's important that we all try to stay as safe as we can and listen to the advice given to us
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Latest:
A quarter of the world's population is now living under some form of lockdown
Prince Charles - heir to the British throne - tests positive for virus with "mild symptoms", palace says
India's 1.3 billion people went into lockdown at midnight, with a "total ban" on leaving homes
Russia's Putin postpones vote on constitutional change allowing him to stay in power, due to virus
About 250,000 people volunteer in the UK to help the NHS cope with vulnerable people
The death toll in Spain has overtaken China, rising by 738 to 3,434
US lawmakers agree a near-$2 trillion stimulus package, details yet to be released
Global cases exceed 400,000 with deaths approaching 20,000 and more than 100,000 recovered
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Coronavirus could have 'larger impact' in Wales than rest of UK, warns health minister
Vaughan Gething said the population of Wales is typically older, sicker and poorer than in other areas.
This article also has a video ADVICE FROM YSBYTY GWYNEDD
A frontline North Wales doctor has pleaded with people to follow government guidelines in order to limit their chances of catching coronavirus.
Saleyha Ahsan, an A&E doctor at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor has highlighted the importance of taking social distancing seriously to help protect NHS staff and prevent the spread of Covid-19.
In a video shared by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board ( BCUHB ) today, Dr Ahsan, who also works as a humanitarian doctor in conflict zones, emphasises how “incredibly crucial” it is that everybody plays their part in the fight against the virus.
://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-could-larger-impact-wales-17976323
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Thousands of home tests for coronavirus are to be delivered to people self isolating “within days” - Public Health England (PHE) have said.
We've put together all the details on what you need to know about the 15-minute home testing kits for coronavirus - including who can access them.
How does the coronavirus home test work?
The test checks if a person has detectable antibodies in their blood, which would mean that they have been exposed to the virus.
The kit itself looks similar to a pregnancy test. To use it, you have to prick your finger to produce a drop of blood, which is analysed on the device. ref Pioneer cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18335830.uk-coronavirus-home-testing-kits-need-know---plus-available/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18335830.uk-coronavirus-home-testing-kits-need-know---plus-available/)
Update 10 26am
The government has ordered 10,000 ventilators from Dyson to help deal with the coronavirus crisis.
The firm, headed by British inventor Sir James Dyson, said it had designed a new type of ventilator in response to a call on behalf of the NHS.
The order is still subject to the devices passing stringent medical tests but that is expected to happen quickly.
Dyson has had hundreds of engineers working round the clock to design the ventilators from scratch. cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52043767 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52043767)
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A 21-year-old woman with no underlying conditions has died after contracting coronavirus, according to her family.
Chloe Middleton, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, died last week.
In a Facebook post, her aunt Emily Mistry said Ms Middleton "had passed away from Covid-19" and urged others to "do your bit" to stop the spread of the disease.
According to government figures, most patients who have died with coronavirus had pre-existing medical conditions.
There have been concerns that younger people were ignoring warnings over its spread, believing the contagion was only a danger to the elderly.
But in a series of Facebook posts, Ms Middleton's family urged the public to heed safety advice and take the virus "seriously".
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And another case, "A fit and healthy North Wales man died alone at home in self-isolation after developing coronavirus symptoms.
Tim Galley, who is understood to have had no underlying health conditions," maybe it is going to take news like this to get through to
some people.
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Does anyone know if there is a procedure to request getting repeat prescriptions delivered from pharmacy?
My wife's monthly supply will be due for collection next week and I am reluctant to let her go and collect.
I collected mine on Monday and did not like the way people were gathering, as I have mentioned in another post. In my case I am in two of the three at risk categories, she is close to being in one!
I don't want to phone them unless that is the correct procedure, as I am sure they are busy.
Thanks for any info.
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DVT I don't know if there is a correct procedure but if I was you I would phone the Chemist and ask them if they can deliver the prescription to your wife.
It may help them if in future you could both receive your prescriptions at the same time if that is possible
I'm sure that they are expecting more home deliveries in view of this pandemic but I would phone asap. Good luck
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AROUND 80 percent of people will contract Covid-19, Wales' chief medical officer has said.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread around the world, Dr Frank Atherton said 80 per cent of people will contract the virus 'at some point'.
He said: "What we've been doing, the strategy in the UK as a whole, has been to suppress that, to delay the onset of that so that the NHS can cope, so that we have time for the NHS to get ready.
"At some point, once the interventions that we've put in place here in Wales and in the UK are lifted, there is a risk that people will then start to become infected again.
"And so the way in which we release those measures will be very critical.
"What we're doing at the moment is watching other countries which have put these quite repressive measures in place, to see what happens when they lift, how quickly can we lift those measures?
"These are all unanswered questions but everybody is vulnerable because nobody has experienced this virus before - it's a new virus to humanity."
Dr Atherton warned it would be a "very challenging time for our NHS" and said staff were working in "unprecedented times".
He added: "It's going to be tight and it's going to be difficult and it is going to be hard for staff.
"There is no doubt about that but our staff are stepping up magnificently to that challenge and we are in the preparing mode and things are quiet in most of our hospitals at the moment." ref Pioneer
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Does anyone know if there is a procedure to request getting repeat prescriptions delivered from pharmacy?
My wife's monthly supply will be due for collection next week and I am reluctant to let her go and collect.
I collected mine on Monday and did not like the way people were gathering, as I have mentioned in another post. In my case I am in two of the three at risk categories, she is close to being in one!
I don't want to phone them unless that is the correct procedure, as I am sure they are busy.
Thanks for any info.
Hi DVT, I did PM you earlier, but the advice is useless now, when I phoned they could no longer offer the service, to many people in isolation I was advised to use the number below, belonging to Conwy Community support, who hold a directory of suitable volunteers, in your area, I got in touch with the recommended volunteer, and they will collect my prescription tomorrow, and offered future help.
Community support: 01492 575544 $good$
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Coronavirus: UK government unveils aid for self-employed
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52053914 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52053914)
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Thanks for the info Hugo and SteveH ... don't know where the PM went! Will note that number. Stay safe.
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Coronavirus: Fines for breaking stay-at-home law in Wales announced
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52056337?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/wales/north_west_wales&link_location=live-reporting-story (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52056337?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/wales/north_west_wales&link_location=live-reporting-story)
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About 8.00 pm last night we went on our front door step and could hear that the clapping in appreciation of all the NHS staff had already started and then more people came out and did the same thing and the sound of clapping could be heard all down the road
It was a really moving and also an upsetting moment to realise the work, effort and risk that the NHS staff are putting themselves under being on the front line of this pandemic.
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A quite emotional experience and sight here in Conwy too. Lots of of people out of their front doors and clapping for a few minutes.
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About 8.00 pm last night we went on our front door step and could hear that the clapping in appreciation of all the NHS staff had already started and then more people came out and did the same thing and the sound of clapping could be heard all down the road
It was a really moving and also an upsetting moment to realise the work, effort and risk that the NHS staff are putting themselves under being on the front line of this pandemic.
I was surprised when Mrs H said we were going out to applaud, I had not heard about it, and as we live in a very quiet area, was not expecting anything, WRONG....... I think every pan and wooden spoon, in Llandudno, was in use, tremendous response, and well deserved, and hopefully they will be remembered, when their next pay evaluation is due.
North Wales comes out in force to applaud NHS workers on the front line
Clapping could be heard for miles around as thousands took part in the mass gesture of appreciation last night
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-comes-out-force-17990521 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-comes-out-force-17990521)
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Mint makes visors for health staff ref BBC
The Royal Mint in Llantrisant is making protective visors in the fight against coronavirus.
Engineers created an approved medical design in just 48 hours.
The first visors are already in use in hospitals in south Wales.
It will begin mass manufacturing for the NHS next week.
Royal Mint operations director Leighton John said: “On Wednesday at 9am we knew nothing about medical visors.
"But we set our engineers the task of developing essential medical equipment which could be easily made on site.
"Within seven hours they’d created a medical visor, and within 48 hours it was approved for mass manufacture.
"We’ll shortly post the specifications on our website to enable other firms to make them too.
“We are now developing the production line, and urgently calling for help to source 1.0mm PET clear plastic which is in low supply across the UK.”
PS
The six mild coronavirus symptoms that really shouldn't be ignored
Everyone now knows to look out for a continuous dry cough and a fever but there are some other tell-tale signs
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/six-mild-coronavirus-symptoms-really-17993119 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/six-mild-coronavirus-symptoms-really-17993119)
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One thing that's been puzzling many is that those who are in contact with many patients seem to die more frequently than those who are only infected by one. That's led to social media suggesting that the more infectious individuals you encounter, the worse your own illness will be. But it may not be that simple.
Emerging research indicates the relationship between infection and covid-19 severity may be more complex – and differ from that of other respiratory illnesses.
The average number of viral particles needed to establish an infection is known as the infectious dose. We don’t know what this is for covid-19 yet, but given how rapidly the disease is spreading, it is likely to be relatively low – in the region of a few hundred or thousand particles, says Willem van Schaik at the University of Birmingham, UK.
Viral load, on the other hand, relates to the number of viral particles being carried by an infected individual and shed into their environment. “The viral load is a measure of how bright the fire is burning in an individual, whereas the infectious dose is the spark that gets that fire going,” says Edward Parker at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
If you have a high viral load, you are more likely to infect other people, because you may be shedding more virus particles. However, in the case of covid-19, it doesn’t necessarily follow that a higher viral load will lead to more severe symptoms.
For instance, health workers investigating the covid-19 outbreak in the Lombardy region of Italy looked at more than 5,000 infected people and found no difference in viral load between those with symptoms and those without. They reached this conclusion after tracing people who had been in contact with someone known to be infected with the coronavirus and testing them to see if they were also infected.
Similarly, when doctors at the Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital in China took repeated throat swabs from 94 covid-19 patients, starting on the day they became ill and finishing when they cleared the virus, they found no obvious difference in viral load between milder cases and those who developed more severe symptoms.
Although it is difficult to draw firm conclusions at this stage, such studies “may impact our assumptions about whether a high number of viral particles predisposes to a more serious disease”, says van Schaik.
However, a study of patients hospitalised with covid-19 in Nanchang, China, found a strong association between disease severity and the amount of virus present in the nose. “Those with more severe disease had a higher level of virus replication, although we have no evidence to relay the initial exposure dose to disease outcome,” says Leo Poon at Hong Kong University, who was involved in the study. “That rumour is still an open question to me.”
It is early days, but if the infectious dose doesn’t correlate with the severity of disease symptoms, this would mark covid-19 out as different from influenza, MERS and SARS.
For influenza, a higher infectious dose has been associated with worse symptoms. It has been tested by exposing volunteers to escalating doses of influenza virus in a controlled setting and carefully monitoring them over several weeks. This hasn’t been done with covid-19, and is unlikely to happen, given its severity.
Animals infected with higher doses of the SARS and MERS coronaviruses also experienced worse outcomes, says van Schaik. “I think we just have to conclude that while this virus is related to SARS, there are also important differences that are currently poorly understood,” he says.
Even if the infectious dose isn’t related to disease severity, it still pays to try and minimise our exposure to the virus because this will reduce our chances of falling ill in the first place. “We want to be taking every precaution we can to prevent ourselves getting infected, which will also reduce our ability to pass the virus on to others,” says Parker. “Any measures we can take to avoid infection are worth taking.”
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The UK Government holds its daily press conference...
17:09
NHS boss speaking
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, is now speaking.
He has said that hospital services have been reconfigured, so 33,000 beds have been reconfigured to provide support for coronavirus patients in England.
Three hospitals to be built - at the Excel Centre in London, the NEC in Birmingham and in Manchester.
More could follow, he said.
A total of 18,000 doctors and nurses have returned to the front line. It is not clear whether this figure is just for England.
Mr Stevens said the best way to show support was to follow the advice of the government. ref DP
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Latest World Wide news
Latest coronavirus updates as of 5.30PM on 27 March
US overtakes China with highest number of cases
The US now has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases of any country with 86,000 positive tests, overtaking China. Worldwide confirmed cases passed half a million yesterday.
China will ban entry of non-nationals including those with valid Chinese visas and residence permits from tomorrow in an effort to limit the import of new coronavirus cases.
In Italy, there are fears that the south could become the country’s next hotspot. The most recent numbers from the northern region of Lombardy indicate that the epidemic there may be slowing down.
Other coronavirus developments
The G20 has pledged to inject over $5 trillion into the global economy.
The UK department of health is reported to have previously rejected high-level medical advice about providing healthcare workers with certain protective equipment during a flu pandemic, because of the cost of stockpiling it.
The UK’s privacy watchdog approved the use of data from people’s mobile phones to track and monitor behaviour to fight the spread of coronavirus. There is legislation that can make it illegal not to keep your mobile charged.
The world’s top condom producer has expressed concerns about a potential global shortage after a lockdown in Malaysia, where the company’s factories are based. Malaysia is South East Asia’s worst affected country.
UK prime minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for the coronavirus and is now self-isolating. He says he will continue to lead the government’s response remotely. The health secretary, Matt Hancock, has also tested positive for the virus, while Chris Witty, the chief medical adviser, also says he has experienced symptoms and is now self-isolating at home.
Coronavirus cases
The worldwide death toll has passed 25,000. The number of confirmed cases is more than 560,000, according to the map and dashboard from Johns Hopkins University, though the true number of cases will be much higher.
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What is surprising about Covid is how little we still understand about it. But we're learning. Everything that follows is backed up by detailed research.
How long does the virus last on various surfaces?
Because of detailed testing in Edinburgh, Johns Hopkins in the US and Bejing Universities we know that the virus remains potent for:
72 Hours on Steel, Ceramic and Plastic
24 Hours on Cardboard
4 hours on Copper
Several hours on Hands
1-2 hours in the air where there's air conditioning running
8-9 hours in still air, like a library.
Research in 2015 revealed that medical students touched their faces on average around 23 times per hour.
Masks don't work, but Manchester Uni and a company in Anglesey have developed the Snood; a mask with anti-viral properties.
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I've read about the virustatic snoods that have been developed by Manchester University and a firm from Menai Bridge but don't know if they are available to buy online.
Jason Mountford was pictured wearing one when he went into Tesco's but it didn't say where he got his from
Has anyone got any information on this?
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Still looking...
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I've read about the virustatic snoods that have been developed by Manchester University and a firm from Menai Bridge but don't know if they are available to buy online.
Jason Mountford was pictured wearing one when he went into Tesco's but it didn't say where he got his from
Has anyone got any information on this?
Try this Hugo, https://www.virustaticshield.com/ (https://www.virustaticshield.com/)
£20 each
Description
Virustatic Shield is a brand-new protective product for the whole family*. Created by scientists and approved by biochemists, it helps stop the spread of airborne viruses. Suitable for all ages. Virustatic Shield protects against pathogens like coronavirus. The lightweight, reusable shield moulds to your face. It can be worn for hours at a time.
Virustatic Shield results from collaboration between world-leading scientists and Manchester University. The unique antiviral coating and fabric remain effective for up to three hand washes. It offers unrivalled protection. The shield is easy to fit and adjust so that it comfortably covers your ears, nose and mouth.
Wearing this shield, while following official hygiene guidelines minimises the risk of spreading infection.
It helps protect you and your family against coronavirus and other airborne viruses.
*Please note your Virustatic Shield can be easily sized to fit tight around your nose, ears and mouth. Accessories include male, female and children’s hair accessories e.g. clips, ties, bobbles, section clips, grips, butterfly clips or fitted under the back of a cap. Ensure that the fabric is not pierced once fitted.
*For wholesale or bulk orders please email enquiries@virustaticshield.com.
*All orders will be despatched within 5 – 7 days of ordering.
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There was an article in the Daily Mirror yesterday that I didn't read because the photos were so repulsive. The filthy and disgusting conditions in Asia's wildlife market are a "ticking time bomb" for new deadly pandemics, experts say
Previous killer diseases SARS and Bird Flu were traced to similar sites and fears are that ongoing wet market sales will spawn new deadly diseases
It's time that these countries sorted themselves out because it's not only affecting their countries but every other country in the world
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I purchased 2 of the snoods on Tuesday they are £20 each plus £4.20 delivery. I haven't received them yet but did have an e-mail telling me they would be delivered a bit later than normal, due to the demand. I did have problems finding the site so Googled Menai Science Park, then clicked on Tenant Companies, Virustatic Shield is on the 9th row down & all the info is on there for ordering.
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I purchased 2 of the snoods on Tuesday they are £20 each plus £4.20 delivery. I haven't received them yet but did have an e-mail telling me they would be delivered a bit later than normal, due to the demand. I did have problems finding the site so Googled Menai Science Park, then clicked on Tenant Companies, Virustatic Shield is on the 9th row down & all the info is on there for ordering.
Snap, we have ordered a couple, I found the link after Hugo's request for info. details above, https://www.virustaticshield.com/ (https://www.virustaticshield.com/) But I don't think we will be using ours for some time, but definitely need them later.
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It's time that these countries sorted themselves out because it's not only affecting their countries but every other country in the world
China banned all wildlife markets permanently shortly after the outbreak. The fear is that it will simply drive the trade underground. Corruption in Communist countries is vast. And we should remember it doesn't solve the problem; Ebola outbreaks have never originated in wildlife markets in Asia yet are far more deadly that Covid, as was AIDS. Many are starting to believe the real problem is our insatiable desire to plunder our own planetary resources.
By pushing further and further into previously unexplored areas, we're forcing wildlife and their associated pathogens to move towards us.
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From the BBC:
Why Social Distancing is so important.
On Friday the UK experienced its biggest increase in deaths so far. Confirmed cases in the UK are doubling every three or four days. Deaths are growing faster, doubling every two or three days.
This isn't all cases, just the confirmed ones. That's because testing is mainly only carried out on those ill enough to be hospitalised, not those with mild symptoms, and so the true number of cases is higher.
Experts in the field would expect those wider cases to also follow a similar pattern: doubling every few days. That's because viruses multiply and so do the numbers of people infected by them. They keep multiplying at a constant rate until they run out of people to infect or measures to slow the spread take effect.
In reality, doubling speeds often fluctuate until an epidemic reaches a big enough number, say 100 cases. Since that point, confirmed cases in the UK have doubled every 3.3 days.
Thankfully, there haven't been enough deaths in the UK yet for us to draw a settled trend from 100, so our trend line starts from 10.
At the moment, deaths are growing faster than confirmed cases, doubling every 2.5 days. As of 27 March, the UK has seen 759 deaths. If the speed of doubling continued, we would expect to see another 750 deaths in the following three days and 1,500 in the 2.5 days after that. But is that speed faster or slower in the UK than in other countries?
But experts in viruses and epidemics have cautioned against assuming that countries will follow the same trajectory, even if there are similarities in early figures from each country.
There are some things that will be the same the world over like how long the virus takes to become infectious in someone's body. But how an outbreak develops after that depends on what measures countries take and when they act, and China brought in restrictions sooner than many other countries.
Scientists expect that each infected person will infect about 2.5 other people on average. As each of them infect another 2.5 and so on, a month multiplying at that pace leads to more than 400 new infections.
Halving that infection rate means that after a month, we'd expect to see just 15 new infections - a 95% reduction. That's because a small difference in the infection rate builds and builds to make a big difference in the number of people becoming infected. That's why social distancing is so important.
[smg id=4129]
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I purchased 2 of the snoods on Tuesday they are £20 each plus £4.20 delivery. I haven't received them yet but did have an e-mail telling me they would be delivered a bit later than normal, due to the demand. I did have problems finding the site so Googled Menai Science Park, then clicked on Tenant Companies, Virustatic Shield is on the 9th row down & all the info is on there for ordering.
Thanks Meleri for providing that step by step guide for buying those snoods, without the guide I don't think that I would have found it.
Thanks Steve as well for providing the link and your e-mail it's nice that forum members can be so helpful and I have now ordered two snoods ( his & hers ) $good$
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Coronavirus: Meet the ‘shielded’ enduring 12 weeks of isolation.
While people in the UK are being told to stay at home to slow the spread of coronavirus, a significant minority must go even further, avoiding any close contact - even with loved ones - for 12 weeks. They are the so-called shielded.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52066673 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52066673)
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I found by chance this video, and thought I would check it out, it lasts for 34 minutes, and I didn't notice the time pass, very informative and interesting to hear an Asian point of view on the virus, and how they are dealing with it, in many important ways they are leaving us behind, party from their experiences with past epidemics, they were better prepared for testing, and completely disagree with the WHO. on the use of face masks, they think it is one reason they are keeping the numbers down.
If you do not watch the video.......... consider using face masks immediately.
One comment on the video............" The best discussion on the coronavirus outbreak yet, truthful, dispassionate and crystal clear! It should be compulsory viewing for all governments! Thank you!"
Professor Kim Woo-joo from Korea University Guro Hospital on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAk7aX5hksU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAk7aX5hksU)
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I hope some of you have had a chance to watch the above video, as I said an interesting view of the covid situation, and well worth watching...............By chance this mornings DP story of a Caernarfon woman living in South Korea
A North Wales woman living in South Korea has described how the country coped with coronavirus as life there begins to return to normal.
South Korea was one of the first places to record the Covid-19 virus after China, but the government there have been praised for how they tackled it.
Heather Kim, who is originally from Caernarfon, moved to the city of Seoul a year ago and works as an English teacher, while her husband runs a coffee shop. cont. https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-woman-south-korea-17993759 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-woman-south-korea-17993759)
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"Downing Street’s anti-fake news unit is dealing with up to 10 cases of misinformation about coronavirus a day as it emerged some articles are getting more views than all of those posted by the NHS put together.
Oliver Dowden, the culture and digital secretary, said the government’s new rapid response unit was looking at removing “falsehoods and rumours” about the illness that could cost lives and was trying to clamp down on phishing scams.
An article on the website WND.com that claims a US doctor cured hundreds of patients of coronavirus, despite the fact the information in the piece contradicts official guidance, received more than 160,000 Facebook engagements by UK users in a 24-hour period."
WND.com is a far-right site that actively supports Trump. The wiki entry reads: "WorldNetDaily (WND) is an American news and opinion website and online news aggregator which has been described as "fringe" and far right[6] as well as politically conservative.[7] The website is known for promoting falsehoods and conspiracy theories.[15] "|
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As the US plunges downhill into a crisis of its President's making, in many ways, this news is chilling:
"Officials in Illinois have revealed that a baby that tested positive for Covid-19 has died, the first known death of an infant in the US with coronavirus.
In news that will reverberate across the nation, and even likely beyond, governor Jay Pritzker revealed that among 13 more deaths reported in the state, were a government employee and a young child."
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Daily report from New Scientist:
The worldwide death toll has passed 35,000. The number of confirmed cases is more than 740,000, according to the map and dashboard from Johns Hopkins University (https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6), though the true number of cases will be much higher.
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If any of us displayed symptoms of the coronavirus, we would have to go into quarantine so why does. Prince Charles only have to go into self-isolation? 😆
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52088684 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52088684)
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As of this morning the WHO notifications reveal the UK has 22,465 cases confirmed in hospitals and 1412 deaths.
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VENUE Cymru will become the first location of a temporary hospital in North Wales.
The theatre, conference centre and arena in Llandudno will provide an additional 350 beds to support Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s response to COVID-19.
Venue Cymru will provide hospital beds for patients with respiratory complaints as a result of the symptoms of COVID-19.
The temporary hospital will work alongside the existing capacity available at Llandudno Hospital.
Mark Wilkinson, executive director of planning and performance, said: “The development of temporary hospitals is an important step in our efforts to respond to the challenge COVID-19 presents.
“We’re grateful for the support we’re receiving from all of our partners across North Wales in identifying and assessing potential locations for similar sites.
“Conwy Council have provided fantastic support in reaching this stage, and over the coming days we will continue to finalise details on how we will transform Venue Cymru into a temporary working hospital.”
Cllr Sam Rowlands, Leader of Conwy County Borough Council, said: “We’re eager to do all we can to support our partners at this challenging time, and Venue Cymru was deemed a suitable choice because it offers sufficient space and infrastructure.
“Some of our services have temporarily closed and many of our staff have been redeployed to focus on our priority services, which we want to keep delivering for as long as possible.
"Repurposing buildings such as Venue Cymru is a key way we can help support the response effort in North Wales.”
Elsewhere, an additional 80 beds are in development at Glan Clwyd Hospital, using void space left as part of the hospital’s recent redevelopment, which would be ready to use at the end of April.
Details of further temporary hospital locations will be shared in the coming days. REF Pioneer
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Now the disease has taken a 13 year-old boy's life (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52114476). And it hasn't yet peaked.
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The Hunt for Patient Zero in Covid—19 has suggested that the original source of the outbreak was not the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, China, in December, and now researchers are trying to identify the real source of the infection.
In fact, documents have suggested the earliest case of covid-19 may have been a 55-year-old person from Hubei province who seems to have contracted the virus on 17 November.
The first cases to be flagged, in December, were reported by Wuhan doctors using a surveillance protocol designed to pick up pneumonias with unknown causes. The system was set up after the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak, to detect new viruses.
Following this, New Scientist understands that early efforts by Chinese authorities to identify covid-19 cases focused only on people with viral pneumonia who had traceable links or contact with the Huanan market.
This focus on pneumonia may mean that many milder early cases were missed. By December, infections had probably already spread outside Wuhan. A study of six children who contracted the covid-19 virus identified a girl who developed symptoms on 2 January (NEJM, doi.org/ggpxpr). She and her family live in Yangxin, more than 150 kilometres from Wuhan. None of them had travelled outside the county for a month before she became ill, and the researchers weren’t able to identify how she became infected.
One explanation for this could be that the virus has jumped into humans from animals several times. Bats are thought to be the reservoir of the covid-19 virus but a more probable scenario is that other animals may have acted as intermediaries, amplifying the virus and enabling it to infect multiple humans in a method of trial and error.
Identifying the source of the outbreak is crucial, given that three coronaviruses – the SARS, MERS and covid-19 viruses – have all emerged since 2002. “In evolutionary terms, that’s in microseconds,” says Richard Kock at the Royal Veterinary College in London. “The risk of these things happening has enormously accelerated. We have to get a grip on that.”
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Agreed, especially the last comment... “The risk of these things happening has enormously accelerated. We have to get a grip on that.”
I think Asia was/is better prepared for testing and dealing with this type of situation, the West is now paying the cost for it's lack of foresight, hopeful in future we will make changes and be ready.
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When everything has died down and the fear of this pandemic has gone the UK Government must learn from its past mistakes. We need a fully staffed and resourced NHS as well as a fully staffed Police Force
As for Asia then it needs to get to grips on this and similar things that have been started in that continent
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People in Wales can now get video appointments with their GPs
Every GP practice in Wales can now access a new system allowing patients to have online appointments
As well as helping people to keep to the stay-at-home rules, the new system will allow doctors and nurses who are self-isolating, but willing and able to work, to continue doing so.
Wales' health minister Vaughan Gething said: "Innovations such as this enables government to help frontline staff keep people safe and healthy during these unprecedented times. It also means another layer of protection for NHS staff.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/people-wales-can-now-video-18026506 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/people-wales-can-now-video-18026506)
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For anyone who has purchased the Virustatic Shield Snood I received mine today. They were sent from Parc Caer Seion which is situated on the Morfa just outside Conwy. Had a bit of a shock when I saw them as they looked very small, but had a Large label on the packaging. Quite difficult to get on but I would advise you give them a good tug to make them bigger before attempting to pull over your head.
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For anyone who has purchased the Virustatic Shield Snood I received mine today. They were sent from Parc Caer Seion which is situated on the Morfa just outside Conwy. Had a bit of a shock when I saw them as they looked very small, but had a Large label on the packaging. Quite difficult to get on but I would advise you give them a good tug to make them bigger before attempting to pull over your head.
Thanks for the tip. I will open one to start, and see what it is like, bit disappointing though, if it restricts the ability to breath properly.
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No it doesn't restrict the ability to breath once on Steve & is very comfortable, just a bit of a struggle to get over the head. I wondered if they had sent me a small or medium in the large packaging by mistake to begin with, but with a good tug beforehand it helps. Don't forget to wear glasses, as the virus can snick in that way too. Please let us know how you get on with them.
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No it doesn't restrict the ability to breath once on Steve & is very comfortable, just a bit of a struggle to get over the head. I wondered if they had sent me a small or medium in the large packaging by mistake to begin with, but with a good tug beforehand it helps. Don't forget to wear glasses, as the virus can snick in that way too. Please let us know how you get on with them.
Thank you M., Ours will not get an airing for some time, but I wanted something better than a mask when the time came, as for the glasses, I understand what you are saying, I personally would have every available bit of kit going, I think it is ludicrous and criminal that those working in close quarters with the public are not being supplied with the appropriate equipment, determined by the severity of their situation.
I read this earlier........
Should more of us wear face masks to help slow the spread of coronavirus?.........My opinion THAT'S EASY IF IN DOUBT ...........
This question is to be assessed by a panel of advisers to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The group will weigh up research on whether the virus can be projected further than previously thought; a study in the US suggests coughs can reach 6m and sneezes up to 8m.
The panel's chair, Prof David Heymann, told BBC News that the new research may lead to a shift in advice about masks.
The former director at the WHO explained: "The WHO is opening up its discussion again looking at the new evidence to see whether or not there should be a change in the way it's recommending masks should be used."
cont. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52126735 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52126735)
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For anyone who has purchased the Virustatic Shield Snood I received mine today. They were sent from Parc Caer Seion which is situated on the Morfa just outside Conwy. Had a bit of a shock when I saw them as they looked very small, but had a Large label on the packaging. Quite difficult to get on but I would advise you give them a good tug to make them bigger before attempting to pull over your head.
Thanks for the tip. I will open one to start, and see what it is like, bit disappointing though, if it restricts the ability to breath properly.
My two snoods came today and they are a very tight fit even though they were the adult size. Mrs H tried hers on and it was difficult to pull over the head and very tight and uncomfortable across the nose.
I didn't even try mine on as I've just had operations for skin cancer on my head and ear so there was no way I'd try it on after Mrs H's experience.
I do have an idea on how to adapt the snood to fit me but in the meantime if I need one then I'll use the fleece snood I bought for my dog after he had an operation on his neck. It cost £3.00 plus so it was money well spend
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Hugo, I found the same thing, but going by Meleri's advice it does get easier, I also checked the web site again, and found the FAQ page.
"Virustatic Shield is manufactured to the highest standards from natural fibre materials to allow the coating to impregnate the fibres. Prolonged wear without washing may result in the fabric becoming loose. Tightening with a clip will support repeated wear and hand .
washing will help restore its original shape and fit.
"You can wear the shield for up to 50 hours before having to wash it. You do not have to wash the shield after each wear but you should wash more frequently if the fabric becomes dirty."
We recommend a maximum of three hand washes in warm water without detergent. Our recommendation is conservative and is based on testing and an analysis of the available science. Washing will restore its original shape and fit after prolonged use. You can wear the shield for up to 50 hours before having to wash it.
https://www.virustaticshield.com/faqs/ (https://www.virustaticshield.com/faqs/)
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I had to go out for the first time in 14 days for Mr M's medication this morning & wore the snood. I have been giving it a good stretch daily & it has loosened off, so is now comfortable & didn't slip at all. The only problem I found was when wearing glasses they steam up when you go indoors, perhaps once the weather gets warmer there won't be that problem.
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Thanks very much Meleri for explaining about the snood, I'll try and stretch it and see what happens.
I've got other types of masks for the garden and I have the same problem as you do, my protective goggles mist up and I can't see anything.
I've been working under my hedge this week pulling Ivy and other stuff out and I have to take the glasses off to see where things are and then put them back on for protection, it makes things a lot harder to do
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Please be careful Hugo, Mr M had a very bad torn rotator cuff injury from pulling grasses from under the hedge a few months back. I found him sitting in the garden holding his arm & moaning, turning greyer by the minute, so I called an ambulance thinking he was having another heart attack.
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Thanks very much for your concern Meleri. I do take as much precaution as I can but accidents can happen. I wear a hat, gloves, goggles, sweatshirt and fleece but my problem is fitting underneath the hedge!
I just hate Ivy and I've had 3 or 4 bags of the stuff in the last week or so
I hope that Mr M is recovering well after his injury, it must have been a very worrying time for both of you
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7,000 extra hospital beds to deal with coronavirus crisis
Critical care capacity has more than doubled across Wales and 1,000 new ventilators are on order.
The plans have been bolstered by a massive response from recently retired NHS staff ready to return to work – 1,300 healthcare professionals have already responded and 1,200 registered GP locums are preparing to enter the NHS Wales workforce. They will be supported by thousands of trainees.
Full article https://www.southwalesguardian.co.uk/news/18358961.7-000-extra-hospital-beds-deal-coronavirus-crisis/?ref=rss (https://www.southwalesguardian.co.uk/news/18358961.7-000-extra-hospital-beds-deal-coronavirus-crisis/?ref=rss)
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Is it worth wearing a mask (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51205344)?
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Is it worth wearing a mask (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51205344)?
I had Just finished reading the story, and thinking it over, my opinion is/was ? to wear a mask, that's why we bought a couple of the Virustatic shields, with the (96% protection against pathogens, and germ trap technology.) but the article mentions, problems when removing masks as they could be retaining the bacteria, the other thinking is it helps contain the spread from those infected, particularly those who are unaware they are contagious, anyway, I admit to wanting to wear a mask as a security blanket, I will have to have an open mind, when the time comes to venture out.
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I think these new virustatic masks actually destroy the virus envelope, rendering it inert. So they're probably a good investment.
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Tourist phones Gwynedd Chippy during lockdown ----- Here's what happens next
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/tourist-phones-gwynedd-chippy-during-18045920 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/tourist-phones-gwynedd-chippy-during-18045920)
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Not short videos, but important to anybody on the front line. ref BBC
Doctor gives PPE demonstrations on YouTube
An intensive care consultant at Wrexham Maelor Hospital is raising awareness of how personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used correctly by medics.
Dr David Counsell from Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr, Conwy who worked in Sierra Leone during the 2015 ebola outbreak, has published three YouTube tutorials on using PPE properly.
He says: "I've been watching all the stuff on PPE on TV, especially about staff dying from Covid-19, and there's an important message that I don't think has been getting out: staff training on the proper use of PPE has been universally very poor, especially in the removal of basic equipment."
In the three videos he demonstrates the different types of PPE such as gloves, visors and face masks, as well as safe ways to remove the kit without increasing the risk of infection to staff.
Search you tube Effective use of PPE for Covid 19 pandemic Dr. David Counsell
Part one............... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiB7ZbFUFaY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiB7ZbFUFaY)
Part two................ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAEbLhpqpm8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAEbLhpqpm8)
Part three............. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP-GVyZ2xUI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP-GVyZ2xUI)
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Coronavirus status checker
You can help the NHS understand more about coronavirus.
A coronavirus status checker has been launched to find out more about how and where Covid-19 is affecting people.
Tell the NHS about your current experience of coronavirus
This survey will help the NHS understand more about how and where coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting people currently.
By answering some quick questions, you can help the NHS plan its response to coronavirus.
Simply answer the questions online at https://www.nhs.uk/coronavirus-status-checker (https://www.nhs.uk/coronavirus-status-checker)
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More on the Coronavirus status checker questionnaire above, this is a simple procedure, the only personal information needed is your postcode
Heat map of North Wales coronavirus symptom hotspots - and who flouts lockdown
Information is being collected about people's behaviour during the pandemic to help fight the spread of the virus.
As of April 6, more than 12% of users in North Wales report that they have come down with symptoms of the virus.
Conwy tops the table with 14% claiming to be ill with symptoms, followed by 13% in Denbighshire and Gwynedd, 11% in Flintshire and 10% in Wrexham.
The UK has entered its third week of lockdown with all non-essential travel banned - but police are still coming across holidaymakers and locals who are breaking the rules and ultimately putting lives at risk.
People in Conwy and Denbighshire had the highest proportion of respondents who said theyh were still going out.
full story https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/heat-map-north-wales-coronavirus-18053319 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/heat-map-north-wales-coronavirus-18053319)
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Plea for public to stop calling 999 for Covid-19 tests and check-ups
8th April 2020
THE Welsh Ambulance Service is appealing to the public not to call 999 for a Coronavirus test.
Some patients have been demanding that paramedics perform an on-the-spot test to rule out the virus, according to feedback from crews.
Ambulance crews do not, and never have, carried tests for Coronavirus.
The Trust also reports that people have been calling 999 under an emergency pretext but on arrival crews are being asked to give a ‘check-up.’
In a video appeal shared on social media, Lee Brooks, the Trust’s Director of Operations, said: “Our people are working incredibly hard to provide you with the best possible care in these exceptionally challenging circumstances.
“Our crews cannot perform swabbing or testing for Coronavirus, so please don’t call us for this reason.
“Please also don’t call us for a ‘check-up’ if you have symptoms of Coronavirus.
“Our emergency ambulance service exists to help people whose lives are in immediate danger, and not to give precautionary check-ups.
“If you are self-isolating at home then you do not need to be tested, and you do not need to call 111 to tell us you’re self-isolating.
“You should only call 111 if your symptoms worsen considerably or you cannot manage your symptoms at home.”
“We do understand that you’re concerned and frightened, but using us unnecessarily is taking our precious resources away from patients who really need our help.”
The official advice from Public Health Wales says that testing for coronavirus is not needed if you’re staying at home.
Only those in hospital are being routinely tested for Coronavirus. cont https://www.ambulance.wales.nhs.uk/Default.aspx?gcid=1634&lan=en (https://www.ambulance.wales.nhs.uk/Default.aspx?gcid=1634&lan=en)
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In the front garden yesterday, I noticed three runners, well spaced, but I surmised that their constant speed and spacing meant that number 2 and 3 were actually running into the air space of the one in front, (unfortunately a bit later I noticed a couple of speedy cyclist's engaging in what appears to be the normal habit of spitting, bad enough at the best of times......) after a bit of searching, I found this article. ...........
Belgian-Dutch Study: Why in times of COVID-19 you can not walk/run/bike close to each other.
What is a safe distance when running, biking and walking during COVID-19 times? It is further than the typical 1–2 meter as prescribed
in different countries!
In a lot of countries walking, biking and jogging are welcome activities in these times of COVID-19. However, it is important to note that
you need to avoid each other's slipstream when doing these activities. This comes out of the result of a study by the KU Leuven
(Belgium) and TU Eindhoven (Netherlands). (1)(2)(3)
The typical social distancing rule which many countries apply between 1–2 meters seems effective when you are standing still inside or
even outside with low wind. But when you go for a walk, run or bike ride you better be more careful. When someone during a run
breathes, sneezes or coughs, those particles stay behind in the air. The person running behind you in the so-called slip-stream goes
through this cloud of droplets.
Full article .. https://medium.com/@jurgenthoelen/belgian-dutch-study-why-in-times-of-covid-19-you-can-not-walk-run-bike-close-to-each-other-a5df19c77d08
"Anyone can publish on Medium per our Policies, but we don’t fact-check every story."
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There has been talk of banning jogging in the UK or at least restricting it to certain times for the reasons expressed in the link. On a narrow path the joggers pass very close to you and they never stop to allow a walker to go past, they always assume that they have the right of way and the link explains clearly how infections from the joggers can spread
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A bit basic, but might help.........
Coronavirus or hayfever? How to tell the difference
As the UK braces for the worst wave of pollen in 70 years, here is everything you need to know.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/how-tell-coronavirus-hayfever-symptoms-18070635 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/how-tell-coronavirus-hayfever-symptoms-18070635)
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Is it worth wearing a mask (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51205344)?
This guy certainly doesn't think so
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'I thought because I was young it wouldn't affect me'
A Paisley man who is recovering from coronavirus has called on young people not to underestimate the impact the virus can have.
Calum Wishart said when news of the pandemic first broke his "naive arrogance" led him to believe he would be OK because he is only 25-years-old.
But within days of the lockdown Mr Wishart started displaying symptoms of the virus and was hospitalised.
He described it as "the most horrendous experience".
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he said: "I had the completely wrong attitude.
"I would not say I was hugging strangers or anything like that, I think I just underestimated the real impact of it.
"I had the perspective that because I was young it would not affect me, that it would be like a kind of flu."
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-52254674 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-52254674)
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I'm not sure if anyone has posted this yet but apologies if they have. The North Wales Resilience Forum have posted an item titled ' Planning for difficult times ahead'
They are arranging for a facility to be set up in Mochdre. This facility may be needed if the region's hospitals & funeral directors are unable to cope with the rise of Coronavirus related deaths & will be located on the Commerce Park site in Mochdre. The facility will act as a respectful & dignified holding point before funerals can take place.
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It's not the time to have a pop at the Government as we need to work together to get this pandemic under control. There are two things however that I cannot understand and they are:-
The Government alleges that there is a problem with the distribution of equipment yet three quarters of a million people have volunteered to try and help the NHS. In addition there are thousands of drivers from coach firms and haulage businesses that could provide this service
The second thing that I couldn't understand was that farmers were saying that their fruit and vegetables would have to rot as there was no one to pick them!
It's strange really as millions of people are off work at the moment and surely on open farm land the social distancing would not be a problem. At times like this we all need to work together and even the do gooders couldn't defend them if the Government conscripted all the long term healthy physically and mentally unemployed to help out by working in this crisis
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I read the piece below a few days ago.......
Record numbers of people in the UK are looking for farming jobs, according to figures released by job search engines.
Totaljobs says it has seen 50,000 searches for farming jobs in the past week alone.
“who have been temporarily displaced due to Covid-19 are now looking for roles in other sectors”.
The UK faces a shortage of fruit and vegetable pickers because of travel restrictions on overseas workers.
Totaljobs said it had seen an 83% increase in applications for agricultural roles in the past month.
It added that searches for terms such as “fruit picker” or “farm worker” had surged by 338% and 107% respectively.
Full story https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52215606 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52215606)
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It's not the time to have a pop at the Government as we need to work together to get this pandemic under control. There are two things however that I cannot understand and they are:-
The Government alleges that there is a problem with the distribution of equipment yet three quarters of a million people have volunteered to try and help the NHS. In addition there are thousands of drivers from coach firms and haulage businesses that could provide this service
I must admit to thinking that it was more the shortage of PPE as against transport, but everything is difficult these days,
The BBC story below, raises some questions I have had for awhile, "who should wear it?" apart from the obvious, there are many others I think who should be considered, for instance, there have been 9 London bus driver deaths, how many other jobs need protected ?
Has the NHS got enough PPE?
Personal protective equipment (PPE) - masks, gloves and other clothing to stop the spread of coronavirus - saves lives.
NHS staff treating patients in hospitals and in the community need it to be able to do their jobs safely.
The government says there is enough of this "precious resource" to go around.
But the British Medical Association (BMA) union for doctors say supplies are dangerously low in some parts of the country and staff are at risk.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52254745 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52254745)
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These people are putting their lives on the line, so the least we can do to help them is to strictly observe the guidelines we are given
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52263285?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/wales/north_west_wales&link_location=live-reporting-story (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52263285?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/wales/north_west_wales&link_location=live-reporting-story)
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It's not the time to have a pop at the Government as we need to work together to get this pandemic under control. There are two things however that I cannot understand and they are:-
The Government alleges that there is a problem with the distribution of equipment yet three quarters of a million people have volunteered to try and help the NHS. In addition there are thousands of drivers from coach firms and haulage businesses that could provide this service
I must admit to thinking that it was more the shortage of PPE as against transport, but everything is difficult these days,
The BBC story below, raises some questions I have had for awhile, "who should wear it?" apart from the obvious, there are many others I think who should be considered, for instance, there have been 9 London bus driver deaths, how many other jobs need protected ?
Has the NHS got enough PPE?
Personal protective equipment (PPE) - masks, gloves and other clothing to stop the spread of coronavirus - saves lives.
NHS staff treating patients in hospitals and in the community need it to be able to do their jobs safely.
The government says there is enough of this "precious resource" to go around.
But the British Medical Association (BMA) union for doctors say supplies are dangerously low in some parts of the country and staff are at risk.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52254745 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52254745)
The subject of PPE and testing equipment in Wales is getting, out of hand, the WG is showing dangerous incompetence.
Plaid Cymru has called on the Welsh Government to obtain personal protective equipment (PPE) internationally.
It comes as the Northern Ireland Executive has ordered PPE from a Chinese supplier.
The Welsh Government is working with the UK government on PPE supply.
But Adam Price, Plaid Cymru's leader, believes the Welsh Government should "take a belt and braces" approach and procure its own supply too.
The Welsh Government says it is "making every effort to source PPE" for the coronavirus response which includes "engaging with suppliers domestically and internationally".
Mr Price says he has been given authorisation by First Minister Mark Drakeford to "explore international co-operation".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52260820 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52260820)
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The UK is really beginning to look stupid............
14:18 ref BBC
Leanne Wood 'in self-isolation' after falling sick
The former leader of Plaid Cymru, Lennne Wood, has called for figures on how many people have recovered from coronavirus after she and her husband Ian both fell ill.
In a Facebook post the AM said her husband had isolated himself from the rest of the family two weeks ago, before Ms Wood became sick herself a few days later.
Ms Wood described symptoms ranging from nausea, diarhorrea and exhaustion. "For most of Friday I couldn’t lift my head up from the pillow and opening my eyes was very painful."
Their symptoms have passed, but the AM said she doesn't know if they had Covid-19. "It looks like it’ll be some time before tests are available to be able to know, which is a shame because if we have had it and are now immune, we could potentially be useful," she wrote.
Most other countries apart from the UK show a figure for those who had the virus and recovered from it, Ms Wood added.
"The UK’s figures don’t show that number. It’s because no one seems to be counting and that’s down to a lack of adequate testing and tracking of cases.
Wouldn’t it be uplifting for us all to know how many people are recovering?"
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Cardiff Test Centre shut on Bank Holiday Monday? Unbelievable, where's the urgency?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52272919?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/wales/north_west_wales&link_location=live-reporting-story (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52272919?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/wales/north_west_wales&link_location=live-reporting-story)
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I am spending a lot of time getting sidetracked on the internet, but coming across some interesting points of view, especially some
Korean interviews, I posted one recently "Leading COVID-19 Expert From South Korea" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAk7aX5hksU&t=1s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAk7aX5hksU&t=1s)
which I found interesting, but received no comment,? here are another two, discussing upcoming subjects which are going to affect the UK soon.
What Koreans Think of Wearing Masks During COVID-19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZpKKI4MxDA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZpKKI4MxDA)
'Vaccines won't work': US virologist breaks down COVID-19, how to curb spread https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVBc7-Te_yA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVBc7-Te_yA)
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That last link, the quote from which was 'Vaccines won't work', is slightly misleading in that's not quite what he's saying. The virologist was actually saying that vaccines do work, but they don't cure the already infected, they take time to work (about two months is average before a vaccine becomes effective) and it depends on the individuals concerned already having a viable immune system.
But it's worth watching, albeit with those caveats in mind.
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The Welsh Government is only testing 14% of the 5,000 a day it had hoped to test by mid-April.
Wales is currently able to test 1,300 samples a day, well below the original target.
The most recent analysis, for Easter Monday, showed just 678 tests were carried out.
Testing lets people confirm if they have the disease and provides information about the virus' spread.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52284979 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52284979)
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For anyone who has purchased the Virustatic Shield Snood I received mine today. They were sent from Parc Caer Seion which is situated on the Morfa just outside Conwy. Had a bit of a shock when I saw them as they looked very small, but had a Large label on the packaging. Quite difficult to get on but I would advise you give them a good tug to make them bigger before attempting to pull over your head.
What I did was put the snood around a large earthenware pot and left it there for about 3 days and then tried it on and it fitted well. I've not warn it outside yet but it's there for protection when I feel I need it
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Workers at Airbus UKBroughton will help produce thousands of ventilators to save critically ill patients in the battle against coronavirus.
An order for 15,000 more ventilators has been confirmed by the Government after the first newly adapted design backed by a high-tech manufacturing consortium received regulatory approval.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorised the Penlon's Prima ES02 model for use in hospitals, with hundreds of units expected to be built over the next week.
It has worked with the VentilatorChallengeUK (VCUK) consortium, which includes Formula One racing teams Mercedes, McLaren and Williams, and Ford, Siemens, Rolls-Royce, Airbus and BAE Systems.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/airbus-broughton-help-make-thousands-18101281 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/airbus-broughton-help-make-thousands-18101281)
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Scary videos................ two different stories...
Operation Corona Masks: Factories Making Fake Masks Busted In Delhi www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8SAYIGZA3g (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8SAYIGZA3g#)
Inside China’s Biggest Mask Factory............ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc074FxOBA4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc074FxOBA4)
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This is a short video of the US President George W Bush, well worth watching but listen carefully to the words... the year is 2005
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spcj6KUr4aA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spcj6KUr4aA)
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That's quite a find. And what a contrast with the current clown.
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And he was referred to as the dumb president. He knew what he was talking about!!
If George W Bush was called that, what do we call Trump or our lot in the UK?
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This is a short video of the US President George W Bush, well worth watching but listen carefully to the words... the year is 2005
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spcj6KUr4aA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spcj6KUr4aA)
If only.............
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Driving to take a walk is lawful during England lockdown, police told
This article appeared in the Guardian a few days away and seems to make a nonsense of the rules we have been following in Wales and this is an extract from it
Driving to the countryside and walking – where more time is spent doing the latter than the former – is among a list of reasonable excuses for Britons leaving their home during the coronavirus lockdown, according to advice issued to police.
So technically I could drive to Snowdon from my house in 45 minutes and If I was to walk up it, it would take about 5 hours return so I would be within the law according to the rules. Is this correct or am I misreading the article?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/16/driving-for-exercise-allowed-under-lockdown-rules-police-advised-coronavirus (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/16/driving-for-exercise-allowed-under-lockdown-rules-police-advised-coronavirus)
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Hugo, ........The DP did a piece earlier today.................
New police rules on when you can leave home are slammed
"These new guidelines ... are hugely unhelpful in the efforts we are making in rural Britain to stop people travelling to our communities and spreading this virus."
The National Rural Crime Network (NRCN) – which represents more than 30 police and crime commissioners who oversee countryside areas – has called for an “urgent review” of the latest advice issued to officers by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing (CoP) which used examples compiled by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/new-police-rules-you-can-18111125 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/new-police-rules-you-can-18111125)
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Thanks Steve, as usual the guidelines are as clear as mud but at least I can tell Mrs H that going to get paint and a brush for painting the house is not essential ;D
I've no intention of pushing my luck and driving out for walks as it's not fair to Mrs H, the NHS or anyone else for that matter and everyone should do the same and if they do the sooner this pandemic will go away
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Well there's no point in driving to Snowdon as it's shut! That last announcement by the National Police Chiefs Council about driving to beauty spots was absolutely stupid. Makes you think that maybe all those senior officers depicted as fools in the likes of Morse, Frost et al might have had an element of truth after all.
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and while we are on the point of the police....what's out Police Commissioner who's paid a fortune to promote his idea of legalising cannabis and not much else doing right now? Hasn't he got anything to say about how NWP are reacting to the current crisis?
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Covid-19 blood transfusions trials to be held in the UK ref DP
The UK is preparing to collect the blood of Covid-19 survivors to see if convalescent plasma transfusions could improve recovery times and chances of survival.
A spokesperson for NHS Blood said: “NHS Blood and Transplant is preparing to collect Covid-19 convalescent plasma from people who have recovered from this illness. We envisage that this will be initially used in trials as a possible treatment for Covid-19.
“If fully approved, the trials will investigate whether convalescent plasma transfusions could improve a Covid-19 patient’s speed of recovery and chances of survival.
“We are working closely with the government and all relevant bodies to move through the approvals process as quickly as possible,”
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Yesterday I read about all the deaths that have happened to the NHS staff and other people on the front line and it was quite upsetting and emotional reading it. More so after listening to the video I posted of the US President George W Bush telling the world in 2005 to prepare for such a pandemic like the one we are having now. His wise advise was ignored and that is obvious in the UK right now.
Then before going to bed last night I read another article about an idiotic moron in Mold. Words cannot describe how I felt and he must be one of the minority of benefit scum.
The reason I came to that conclusion is that no self respecting employer would employ someone like that
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/shocking-fk-nhs-sign-car-18113921 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/shocking-fk-nhs-sign-car-18113921)
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...unless he's self employed or unless the self respecting employer doesn't know about this. Seems a shame the woman who took the pic didn't include the numberplate.
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Would any self respecting customer use a self employed person with that attitude Ian, I know I wouldn't. I was also wondering about the car and the number plate and that should have been plastered all over that facebook page and let the car owner feel the wrath of the NHS supporters
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I agree.
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I caught a bit of the news last night, a UK firm, waiting to hear from the government re a large scrubs order, said it would probably end up in the US ?
PPE makers in UK frustrated by Westminster red tape.
Manufacturers of protective equipment opt to bypass official channels and sell direct
Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles. Copying articles to share with others is a breach of FT.com T&Cs and Copyright Policy. Email licensing@ft.com to buy additional rights. Subscribers may share up to 10 or 20 articles per month using the gift article service. More information can be found at https://www.ft.com/tour. (https://www.ft.com/tour.)
https://www.ft.com/content/7b1b43ec-f73a-4f6e-8311-350da70f2538 (https://www.ft.com/content/7b1b43ec-f73a-4f6e-8311-350da70f2538)
Dozens of frustrated UK companies that responded to the government’s request to switch production towards personal protective equipment have abandoned efforts to deal with Westminster and are selling kit directly to British healthcare institutions and overseas.
From cosmetics bottle makers to waste bag manufacturers, businesses have repurposed factories and bought new equipment to help the National Health Service battle coronavirus. But, despite health chiefs and care homes across the country reporting huge PPE shortages, many in the industry said they felt ignored by central government and described the procurement process as shambolic.
Their actions come as Downing Street became further embroiled in a spat with Brussels about why the UK did not take part in an EU-wide PPE procurement scheme.
On Tuesday, health secretary Matt Hancock said the government was working with 159 potential British manufacturers to increase PPE production. But during Wednesday’s prime minister’s questions, Labour leader Keir Starmer brandished a list of 36 companies that he said had offered PPE to the government and been ignored.
cont https://www.ft.com/content/7b1b43ec-f73a-4f6e-8311-350da70f2538 (https://www.ft.com/content/7b1b43ec-f73a-4f6e-8311-350da70f2538)
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It's becoming increasingly obvious that the government is making a shambles of the whole thing.
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Coronavirus testing of all Welsh key workers to start next week as path out of lockdown mapped out
First Minister lays out government's Covid-19 exit strategy and the seven questions that must be answered before restrictions are eased
he framework has seven key questions to help determine when the time is right to relax some of the stay-at home regulations.
They are:
Would easing a restriction have a negative effect on containing the virus?
Does a particular measure pose a low risk of further infection?
How can it be monitored and enforced?
Can it be reversed quickly if it creates unintended consequences?
Does it have a positive economic benefit?
Does it have a positive impact on people’s wellbeing?
Does it have a positive impact on equality?
The Chief Medical Officer for Wales’ office has also developed a Wales-wide programme of surveillance, case identification, and contract tracing.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/pathway-lead-wales-out-coronavirus-18142299 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/pathway-lead-wales-out-coronavirus-18142299)
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Minute's silence for key workerstomorrow.
The nation is expected to fall silent in tribute to key workers who have died in the coronavirus pandemic.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who battled the illness himself, including a spell in intensive care, will be among those observing the minute's silence on Tuesday at 11am.
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Covid-19 test centre opening this week at coach park in North Wales town
UK facilities management company Mitie says the centre in Llandudno will shortly be operational
The Llandudno site will be at the coach park on Builder Street. They said it would open later this week but didn't have an exact date.
Mitie, headquartered in London, is supporting each site by providing critical clinical waste management and security services, such as traffic management and lane support.
The firm says it will help ensure that the centres meet their testing targets which are essential for identifying people with Covid-19 and therefore limiting the spread of the infection.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/covid-19-test-centre-opening-18156668 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/covid-19-test-centre-opening-18156668)
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From New Scientist:
"Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic began, has discharged the outbreak’s last covid-19 patient. The whole of China reported fewer than 12 new coronavirus cases on Saturday. Social distancing restrictions are still in place, but are being gradually reduced, with almost 50,000 high school students returning to class in Beijing today.
Since the outbreak began, China has reported more than 83,000 cases and more than 4,600 deaths, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University. "
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From New Scientist:
"Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic began, has discharged the outbreak’s last covid-19 patient. The whole of China reported fewer than 12 new coronavirus cases on Saturday. Social distancing restrictions are still in place, but are being gradually reduced, with almost 50,000 high school students returning to class in Beijing today.
Since the outbreak began, China has reported more than 83,000 cases and more than 4,600 deaths, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University. "
&shake& I am not convinced, I do not trust China's figures, and dread to think what the truth is.
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From New Scientist:
"Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic began, has discharged the outbreak’s last covid-19 patient. The whole of China reported fewer than 12 new coronavirus cases on Saturday. Social distancing restrictions are still in place, but are being gradually reduced, with almost 50,000 high school students returning to class in Beijing today.
Since the outbreak began, China has reported more than 83,000 cases and more than 4,600 deaths, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University. "
&shake& I am not convinced, I do not trust China's figures, and dread to think what the truth is.
Funny thing is that when reporters or those on social media report anything that goes against the Party line they seem to go missing ?{}?
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From New Scientist:
"Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic began, has discharged the outbreak’s last covid-19 patient. The whole of China reported fewer than 12 new coronavirus cases on Saturday. Social distancing restrictions are still in place, but are being gradually reduced, with almost 50,000 high school students returning to class in Beijing today.
Since the outbreak began, China has reported more than 83,000 cases and more than 4,600 deaths, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University. "
&shake& I am not convinced, I do not trust China's figures, and dread to think what the truth is.
Funny thing is that when reporters or those on social media report anything that goes against the Party line they seem to go missing ?{}?
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From an epidemiological standpoint, we would expect China's cases to start decreasing faster than elsewhere. And in the past, it's worth remembering that major pandemics have simply fizzled out. Otherwise the black death would still be sweeping the globe.
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Minute's silence for key workerstomorrow.
The nation is expected to fall silent in tribute to key workers who have died in the coronavirus pandemic.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who battled the illness himself, including a spell in intensive care, will be among those observing the minute's silence on Tuesday at 11am.
‘Sombre, grateful’ nation to hold silent tribute to key workers who have died at 11am this morning.
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North Wales Coronavirus Testing Centre will be opening a drive through centre on Wednesday 29th April at Builder Street Coach Park. They will start with testing critical workers.
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North Wales Coronavirus Testing Centre will be opening a drive through centre on Wednesday 29th April at Builder Street Coach Park. They will start with testing critical workers.
Some more details.......
A drive-through coronavirus testing centre in North Wales is ready to open, it has been announced.
Vaughan Gething, the Welsh Government's minister for health and social services, confirmed during today's Welsh Government briefing that the site in Llandudno will open on Wednesday, April 29.
The testing centre, located on the Builder Street coach park, will begin by testing critical workers.
Only critical workers displaying symptoms of the virus will be referred for testing, said Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which includes NHS staff, police, fire and ambulance services, and care home workers.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/opening-date-north-wales-drive-18163283 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/opening-date-north-wales-drive-18163283)
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The Royal Mail will no longer be delivering mail on Saturdays until further notice
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/royal-mail-not-delivering-letters-18165371 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/royal-mail-not-delivering-letters-18165371)
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"Why UK has been worse affected than Germany
Coronavirus national testing co-ordinator Professor John Newton said the UK has been worse affected by the virus than Germany because of “the way it arrived in England”.
Speaking on LBC, Prof Newton compared Berlin with London, saying London is “so connected to the rest of the world”.
“This is a very unpredictable virus... it arrives slightly differently,” he said.
“The coronavirus really took hold in England because of the way it arrived. In Germany the virus has spread differently.” "
The above is from today's DP, I have been sitting on a piece about travelers arriving in the UK, being allowed to enter without checks, advice on isolation etc. I hesitated, because of the source, but reading it with an open mind, still raises questions..........sorry Ian
No tests, no checks... and no sense: Hundreds of passengers arrive at Heathrow from virus hotspots – and they're not even stopped for Covid-19 screening
Even the blue face mask covering the Iranian-British businessman’s face couldn’t conceal his consternation as he emerged into the arrivals hall at Heathrow Airport.
Before boarding his Iran Air flight from Tehran, Farzad Parhizkar’s temperature – and those of the other 80 or so passengers – was checked by a laser-beam thermometer, he told me.
They had also been obliged to fill in a form giving such details as their name and address, destination, reason for travel, and whether they had any symptoms of coronavirus.
‘Then, when I arrive here in London, there is nothing at all,’ he said, his eyebrows raising above the mask.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8238583/Hundreds-arrive-Heathrow-virus-hotspots-theyre-not-stopped-Covid-19-screening.html?ito=social-facebook&fbclid=IwAR2kGwdw7YfEzUimND0oDXRNg2SHFNINIbwsJPAvNjepXH12YOTnLT5CpfE (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8238583/Hundreds-arrive-Heathrow-virus-hotspots-theyre-not-stopped-Covid-19-screening.html?ito=social-facebook&fbclid=IwAR2kGwdw7YfEzUimND0oDXRNg2SHFNINIbwsJPAvNjepXH12YOTnLT5CpfE)
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The DFM has become much improved under its new editor, and their factual reporting isn't at all bad, now.
If true, it's both worrying and yet unsurprising. I suppose BAA might argue they knew the passengers were checked at the departure in Iran. Mind you, I do think we could have closed our borders to everyone except for essential supplies some time ago.
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The DFM has become much improved under its new editor, and their factual reporting isn't at all bad, now.
If true, it's both worrying and yet unsurprising. I suppose BAA might argue they knew the passengers were checked at the departure in Iran. Mind you, I do think we could have closed our borders to everyone except for essential supplies some time ago.
I searched "are uk borders still open" ... There is some copyright issues with sharing some of my findings re the above, so link only
https://www.ft.com/content/91dea18f-ad0e-4dcb-98c3-de836b1ba79b (https://www.ft.com/content/91dea18f-ad0e-4dcb-98c3-de836b1ba79b)
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I'm pleased to read that you haven't given up on your favourite newspaper the DFM ;D
The Government has made a number of mistakes with this pandemic and has the unenviable record of being the country with the highest death rate in Europe. We could have followed the German or New Zealand way of dealing with this outbreak but years of austerity and poor planning and preparation have taken there toll
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It's not the highest, Hugo:
Italy: 27,359 deaths
Spain: 23,822 deaths
France: 23,660 deaths
UK: 21,678 deaths
But we're getting there...
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The new testing centre's are causing a lot of confusion............
The 4 step checklist which decides who gets to use North Wales coronavirus testing centres
Only front line staff who meet eligibility criteria will be tested for Covid-19 during the 'priority stage'
The criteria which decides the key workers who are eligible for coronavirus testing has today been revealed.
Only NHS workers, police, fire and ambulance service staff who display symptoms are currently able to self-swab for Covid-19 at North Wales' designated drive-thru sites at Ysbyty Alltwen, Parc Menai Bangor, Glan Clwyd Hospital, Wrexham Maelor Hospital and Builder’s Street Llandudno.
The recent testing criteria for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board staff and key workers from partner organisations is a localised version of the guidance from Public Health Wales.
Only staff who meet the criteria are eligible for testing in the priority stage.
Full article plus list of who can be tested............ from today's Daily post
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/4-step-checklist-decides-who-18171675 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/4-step-checklist-decides-who-18171675)
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Update on above
The coronavirus self-swab guide and how easy it is to do
People with coronavirus symptoms are using drive-thru test centres to carry out self swabs to see whether or not they have the illness.
National guidance has been given out to patients who carry out the tests from their cars.
One who went to a test centre this morning told North Wales Live he'd been dreading doing the test himself but admitted he found it "surprisingly easy."
The man said he was eligible for testing because he and his wife had both had bad coughs and his wife has also developed a rash on her feet.
Cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-self-swab-guide-how-18175814 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-self-swab-guide-how-18175814)
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I think this is an important subject, that will have to be taken seriously, I was referred to a physiotherapy rehab breathing programme, in 2018, it took over 12 months before I got a place, these people, do an excellent job, but are stretched to extremes, bearing in mind this was before Covid19.
NHS faces 'massive' challenge helping patients recover
Providing ongoing support to patients recovering from Covid-19 will be a "massive" challenge for the NHS, say specialists.
Occupational therapy and physiotherapy organisations told BBC Wales a national strategy for rehab would be required.
They claim provision is "patchy" and without help people's lives will be harmed.
The Welsh Government said it had announced an extra £10m to help people recovering from coronavirus.
Making sure effective support is in place will be key, according to Dai Davies, from the Royal College of Occupational Therapists in Wales.
He said coronavirus patients were experiencing extreme weakness and fatigue, breathlessness, neurological problems such as poor concentration as well as anxiety, depression and loss of confidence in their bodies.
As well as helping hospital patients he predicted staff would be attending to many of the 80,000 vulnerable people "shielding" at home in Wales.
"We really need the services to be there to meet the needs of those people
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52475139 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52475139)
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WITH Wales past the peak of the coronavirus and almost six weeks into lockdown, it is clear that testing will play a crucial role in any exit from current restrictions.
So here are some of the key questions regarding testing in Wales answered.
Who is being tested?
People admitted to hospital with certain symptoms – evidence of pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome or flu-like illness and one of the following symptoms: a persistent cough hoarseness, nasal discharge or congestion, shortness of breath, sore throat, wheezing, sneezing – should be tested.
NHS staff with symptoms should also be tested, to enable them to return to work if they test negative.
An updated policy, which extends testing to all critical workers was published on 18 April. Critical workers fall into the following categories:
• health and social care workers
• public safety (emergency workers) and national security workers
• local and national government workers
• education and childcare workers
• food and other necessary goods
• transport
• utilities, communication and financial services workers
• key public service workers
For the wider categories of critical workers, beyond frontline NHS and care staff, testing is being made available if the public and critical services we all rely come under pressure from high levels of staff sickness or absence.
https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18426750.coronavirus-testing-wales-everything-need-know/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18426750.coronavirus-testing-wales-everything-need-know/)
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The plot thickens in regard to Patient Zero. That was probably a man in China who may have contracted it in early November. But we now know France's first case was at least as early as 27.12.19 (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/04/french-hospital-discovers-covid-19-case-december-retested), and they've now started re-testing samples taken from Pneumonia patients before that.
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RE my post of the ...........
« on: April 29, 2020, 10:59:42 AM
We received this piece from a friend of a friend, please take it at face value...........
1 May at 09:30
I am so angry and pained this morning... arrived into Heathrow yesterday and heartbroken to see absolutely ZERO checks being done to arriving passengers who have travelled right around the globe. No masks or Protection on airport workers/emigration, no questions asked on health, no information given on Covid-19, no temperatures taken and absolutely no social distancing measurements enforced. Not even a presence of virus protection anywhere - you would think nothing was happening. People everywhere. No self quarantine advised or enforced quarantine to non uk citizens, no matter what nationality and where they have been travelling.
We had flown into Melbourne from probably one of the safest islands to be right now, kept on the aircraft and given a 20 minute brief on covid by the Australian health authority. All passengers who were not onward travelling out of Oz would be escorted to a government facility and quarantined for 14 days. We were then escorted off the plane family by family, one by one taken away, temperatures taken and questioned about our health, given masks, hand sanitised, explanation of the virus again, signed a health declaration then escorted into a quarantined departure area, told to social distance from every other family and to sit for 8 hours to wait for our connecting flight with only a vending machine.
Driving home from Heathrow to Manchester, not one police stop to check what we were doing out and traffic everywhere with numerous people sharing vehicles. People out walking in groups, children playing outside with no supervision... the list continues.
I’ve turned on the TV this morning and yet again there is so much news on key workers, nhs, nurses, doctors, carers working their butts off and risking their own health - I am so saddened and angry and feel that the UK government is massively failing in protecting the Uk people. Our fellow Europeans have been locked in their homes, living solitary for weeks on end and airport boarders around the world are closed and we are here “welcoming” everyone in with absolutely no checks and no questions asked. So sad. So sorry. Heart broken.
This from the 15.49 update......... today's Daily Post
Less than 300 people quarantined as 18.1 million travellers entered UK
Fewer than 300 passengers out of millions coming into the UK from coronavirus hotspots were put into quarantine in the three months before lockdown.
Data provided to Labour MP Stephen Doughty and first published by the Guardian showed that 273 passengers travelling from China and Japan were taken to government isolation centres between January 1 and March 23.
These included travellers on three evacuation flights from Wuhan in China, the source of the outbreak, and one from Japan carrying cruise ship passengers.
Total passenger figures for the same period show that, during those three months, just under 18.1 million people entered the UK from all destinations on scheduled flights or by land or sea.
Mr Doughty submitted a parliamentary written question to find out how many people arriving at the UK border from Spain, China, Italy, USA, Iran, Turkey and France were taken to government-supported Covid-19 quarantine centres in each week from January 1 to March 23.
The breakdown was:
- 83 passengers who arrived on an evacuation flight from Wuhan on January 31;
- 11 passengers on a French-led evacuation flight, again from Wuhan, on February 2;
- 147 people on a final evacuation flight from Wuhan on February 9;
- 32 passengers who had been on board the Diamond Princess Cruise ship and were flown to the UK from Tokyo.
The figures were released amid questions over the Government’s decision not to screen or quarantine more passengers coming from abroad.
A Government spokesman said: “Our approach to tackling coronavirus is, and has always been, driven by the latest scientific and medical advice, and procedures at the border have been strictly following the latest Government guidance throughout.
“The scientific advice showed that placing restrictions at the border would not have had a significant impact on the spread of the virus in the UK.
“Passenger numbers arriving in the UK are currently down by 99% but we continue to keep this under review.”
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-live-updates-global-covid-18199681 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-live-updates-global-covid-18199681)
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What shielding against the coronavirus actually involves
The number of people in Wales advised to 'shield' against Covid-19 now stands as 121,000.
The Welsh Government announced on Tuesday, May 5 that a further 21,000 people in Wales are being urged to shield themselves, bringing the total to 121,000.
And with this in mind, now might be a good time to get some clarity on the issue and look at what 'shielding' actually means and to whom it may apply.
What is shielding? https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/what-shielding-against-coronavirus-actually-18203185 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/what-shielding-against-coronavirus-actually-18203185)
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Read in conjunction with the above May 05, 2020, 04:26:18 PM »
UK airlines say they have been told the government will bring in a 14-day quarantine for anyone arriving in the UK from any country apart from the Republic of Ireland in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The new restriction is expected to take effect at the end of this month.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52594023 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52594023)
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No rush, then...
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Passengers arriving from France will be exempt from forthcoming UK coronavirus quarantine measures.
Boris Johnson said on Sunday the rules would be imposed on people coming into the UK, to prevent Covid-19 being brought in from overseas.
As yet, no start or end date for the measures has been announced.
The government has already indicated that people arriving from the Republic of Ireland will not be made to go into quarantine.
However, the measures will apply to UK holidaymakers returning from other destinations.
Travel industry analysts said that meant a one-week or two-week holiday abroad would be followed by another two weeks in self-isolation.
The World Travel and Tourism Council expressed concern about the new measures, saying they would damage confidence among would-be travellers. cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52610594 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52610594)
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The coronavirus symptoms you now need to look out for after update from top doctors
The UK's chief medical officers have updated the list of symptoms.
People who experience a loss of taste and smell are now being told to self-isolate under new guidance from the UK's chief medical officers.
Anosmia -as it is known - has been added to the list of coronavirus symptoms along with a continuous cough or fever.
A statement on the government website from all four of the UK's chief medical officers states: "From today, all individuals should self-isolate if they develop a new continuous cough or fever or anosmia.
"Anosmia is the loss of or a change in your normal sense of smell. It can also affect your sense of taste as the two are closely linked.
"We have been closely monitoring the emerging data and evidence on Covid-19 and, after thorough consideration, we are now confident enough to recommend this new measure.
"The individual’s households should also self-isolate for 14 days as per the current guidelines and the individual should stay at home for seven days, or longer if they still have symptoms other than cough or loss of sense of smell."
Changes for the symptomatic individual and their household:
Individuals will need to self-isolate immediately if they develop a new continuous cough or fever or, as of today, a loss or changed sense of normal smell or taste (anosmia)
All members of their household must also self-isolate according to current guidelines, unless the symptomatic individual receives a negative test result. ref DP
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EVERYONE in Wales with symptoms of coronavirus will be able to request a test as a new online booking service becomes available.
From today, Monday May 18, Wales is joining a new UK-wide system for ordering home testing kits, in line with the Welsh Government’s Test Trace Protect strategy.
The four UK Chief Medical Officers confirmed the loss or change in smell or taste (anosmia) has been added to the list of symptoms of coronavirus.
This means from May 18, people will need to self-isolate if they have a loss or changed sense of normal smell or taste. They will also be able to request a test using the new system.
All members of their household must also self-isolate for 14 days, unless the person with symptoms has a negative test result.
Anyone experiencing the other coronavirus symptoms – a high temperature and continuous cough – will also be able to apply for a home testing kit using the new UK online portal. For further information and a link to the booking website, visit https://gov.wales/apply-coronavirus-test (https://gov.wales/apply-coronavirus-test)
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18457842.everyone-wales-symptoms-can-book-coronavirus-test/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18457842.everyone-wales-symptoms-can-book-coronavirus-test/)
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I have been watching some videos by Doctor John Campbell, which I found interesting and informative, please judge for yourself.
I would like to think this is just not wishful thinking............
Good News, Reinfection Unlikely............... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uATMbGK__Tg&t=7s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uATMbGK__Tg&t=7s)
Quote from the the Wall Street Journal Updated May 19, 2020 6:40 am ET......... SEOUL—South Korean health officials found that a group of patients who tested positive a second time for the coronavirus hadn’t passed the disease on to others, lending credence to the possibility the suspected relapses were a testing fluke rather than the re-emergence of an active infection.
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I wondered about that; with almost every virus I can think of once you've had the illness and survived, you're normally immune.
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Dr John Campbell again discussing .... Scientific evidence for mask wearing.......... again please judge for yourself.
"The study, conducted by a team of scientists in Hong Kong, found the rate of non-contact transmission through respiratory droplets or airborne particles dropped by as much as 75 percent when masks were used.
“The findings implied to the world and the public is that the effectiveness of mask-wearing against the coronavirus pandemic is huge,” said Dr. Yuen Kwok-yung, a leading microbiologist from Hong Kong University who helped discover the SARS virus back in 2003."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhQw7vLNsDA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhQw7vLNsDA)
A Fox news report on the same experiment
The study, described as a first of its kind, placed hamsters in two cages, with one of the groups infected with COVID-19 and the other being healthy. They placed the animals in three different scenarios to analyze the effectiveness of the face coverings.
In one scenario the mask barriers were placed only on cages with the infected subjects, another saw the masks covering the healthy subjects, and the third saw with no mask barriers at all. For all of the scenarios, a fan was placed between the cages to allow for the transmission of respiratory droplets.
They found that when the mask was placed over the infected cage the infection rate dropped to just over 15 percent.
That infection rate went up to 33 percent when the mask barrier was only used to cover the healthy hamsters’ cage.
With no mask barriers at all, roughly two-thirds of the healthy hamsters were infected with the virus within a week, the study found.
Researchers added that the hamsters who were infected even with the mask barrier had less of the virus in their bodies when compared to those infected without the masks.
Full article https://www.foxnews.com/health/wearing-face-mask-reduce-coronavirus-transmission-75-percent-study-shows (https://www.foxnews.com/health/wearing-face-mask-reduce-coronavirus-transmission-75-percent-study-shows)
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From NS:
"More than 200 schools which had reopened in South Korea on Wednesday were forced to close again today due to a new outbreak of coronavirus. The country reported 79 new cases on Thursday, the highest number in two months.
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A few big names being called into question in these difficult times, names we should be able to trust....The World Health Organisation now the Lancet..........
The Guardian article ..........The Lancet is one of the oldest and most respected medical journals in the world. Recently, they published an article on Covid patients receiving hydroxychloroquine with a dire conclusion: the drug increases heartbeat irregularities and decreases hospital survival rates. This result was treated as authoritative, and major drug trials were immediately halted – because why treat anyone with an unsafe drug?
Now, that Lancet study has been retracted, withdrawn from the literature entirely, at the request of three of its authors who “can no longer vouch for the veracity of the primary data sources”. Given the seriousness of the topic and the consequences of the paper, this is one of the most consequential retractions in modern history.
It is natural to ask how this is possible. How did a paper of such consequence get discarded like a used tissue by some of its authors only days after publication? If the authors don’t trust it now, how did it get published in the first place?
The answer is quite simple. It happened because peer review, the formal process of reviewing scientific work before it is accepted for publication, is not designed to detect anomalous data. It makes no difference if the anomalies are due to inaccuracies, miscalculations, or outright fraud. This is not what peer review is for. While it is the internationally recognised badge of “settled science”, its value is far more complicated.
Full article https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/05/lancet-had-to-do-one-of-the-biggest-retractions-in-modern-history-how-could-this-happen#maincontent (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/05/lancet-had-to-do-one-of-the-biggest-retractions-in-modern-history-how-could-this-happen#maincontent)
The Lancet article ......After publication of our Lancet Article,1 several concerns were raised with respect to the veracity of the data and analyses conducted by Surgisphere Corporation and its founder and our co-author, Sapan Desai, in our publication. We launched an independent third-party peer review of Surgisphere with the consent of Sapan Desai to evaluate the origination of the database elements, to confirm the completeness of the database, and to replicate the analyses presented in the paper.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31324-6/fulltext (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31324-6/fulltext)
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People in Wales recommended to wear three-layer face coverings in certain circumstances
“Further scientific evidence is needed on the benefits to the wider public of wearing face coverings, but observational findings so far suggest that homemade or purchased three-layer face-coverings might reduce transmission from one person to another if made, worn, handled and disposed of properly.
“Therefore, on balance, we are recommending to the people of Wales that three-layer face-coverings should be used in situations where social distancing measures can be more difficult to achieve, for example, on public transport. We are not recommending their use outdoors.
“The wearing of face coverings will not be mandatory, but we will encourage people to do this for the benefit of themselves and others.”
Full story https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18505472.people-wales-recommended-wear-three-layer-face-coverings-certain-circumstances/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18505472.people-wales-recommended-wear-three-layer-face-coverings-certain-circumstances/)
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I recommend reading this article in full, very informative on the subject of Vit D and the reduction of inflammation in the chest, if taken sensibly.
Last comment in the article......
"evidence that low vitamin D levels can hamper the immune system. Vitamin D helps reduce inflammation and can stimulate the release of antimicrobial proteins that kill viruses and bacteria. "
A few months ago I decided to start taking Vit D, so did a lot of people, I waited over 5 weeks for delivery, so seems popular ?
New York Times article......
Exploring the Links Between Coronavirus and Vitamin D
Sales of vitamin D to promote immune health have soared, but studies of vitamin D and Covid-19 have yielded mixed results.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/10/well/live/coronavirus-vitamin-d-immunity.html (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/10/well/live/coronavirus-vitamin-d-immunity.html)
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“I think when you’re sitting in Europe, you feel like you just had the epidemic and everyone’s coming out of it. It feels like it’s over with. But it’s actually just at the start in every country in some ways,” says Azra Ghani at Imperial College London of covid-19’s spread.
Her view is backed up by World Health Organization statistics, which show that the world experienced its highest daily jump in new confirmed coronavirus cases on 7 June, a record that has since been broken three more times. “Although the situation in Europe is improving, globally it is worsening,” said WHO general secretary Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press conference on 8 June.
The virus’s spread continues as the world rapidly approaches the grim threshold of half a million confirmed deaths, with 433,000 reported as of 15 June. The milestone of 8 million confirmed cases will probably be passed in the next 24 hours.
The geographical burden of covid-19 is shifting. While the US is still worst affected, with more than 2 million cases and more than 100,000 deaths, it is now followed by Brazil, Russia and India, followed mostly by European countries. Peru has the eighth most cases, and the WHO has called South America the new epicentre of the epidemic. The Middle East’s share of global new cases has climbed too in the past fortnight. Cases in Africa are still relatively low, but are speeding up: reaching 100,000 took 98 days, but 200,000 just 18 days.
Worldwide, the average number of daily new confirmed cases in June has settled at a higher level than in May. However, David Heymann at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine says deaths, rather than cases, are the gold standard for measuring transmission, despite reflecting events around two to four weeks ago. Unlike cases, global daily deaths are relatively static, averaging 4295 in June so far, versus 4619 in May."
From New Scientist
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Ian, I watched this video on Friday, the first 5 mins. showing conditions in India and Brazil, and a few others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmo_1Tcdp30 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmo_1Tcdp30)
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Very worrying.
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Coronavirus: How does the UK's death toll compare with other countries?
The UK currently has the third highest number of recorded coronavirus deaths in the world. Only the United States and Brazil have had more, and both countries have far bigger populations.
But while the UK has been hit hard, how does it really rank alongside other countries?
Just comparing Covid-19 deaths doesn't give the full picture as countries have different ways of recording deaths. Scientists and ministers say it's better to look at total deaths, even the ones that aren't caused by coronavirus.
So what can we learn about the UK's toll if we look at it this way?
'Coronavirus deaths' can miss many of the victims
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-53078368 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-53078368)
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We're slowly seeing good news merging. People with type A blood have a 45% higher chance of catching a serious form of Covid than average, and folk with type O have a 35% lower chance.
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Coronavirus experts on latest 'R number' estimate - and why it could become less reliable
The way the transmission of coronavirus is measured in Wales may soon have to change if case numbers continue to drop.
Experts from the Technical Advisory Cell, which advises the Welsh Government on the coronavirus outbreak, said that if positive cases continued to fall, the R number would become less reliable.
The number is used as a measure of how infectious the disease is, and gives an estimate of how many people an individual carrying the virus is likely to go on to infect.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-experts-latest-r-number-18469081 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-experts-latest-r-number-18469081)
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A North Wales consultant leading trials looking for existing drugs to fight Covid-19 says seeing people rushing to shops as lockdown is relaxed “terrifies” him.
Dr Chris Subbe is consultant in acute respiratory and intensive care at Ysbyty Gwynedd, a senior clinical lecturer at Bangor University and has numerous research paper credits to his name.
He spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service about his team’s work trialling dexamethasone and his fears about what he called “the most deadly infection we have seen in Europe in my professional lifetime”.
He said he was concerned to see people rushing to reopened stores and gathering in groups.
https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18537821.north-wales-doctor-says-seeing-people-rush-shops-lockdown-relaxes-terrifies/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18537821.north-wales-doctor-says-seeing-people-rush-shops-lockdown-relaxes-terrifies/)
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Two more stories in conjunction with the previous earlier article...
The UK government has had sufficient time and warning to be prepared for THE second wave, no excuses.
Coronavirus: UK must prepare for second virus wave - health leaders.
Health leaders are calling for an urgent review to determine whether the UK is properly prepared for the "real risk" of a second wave of coronavirus.
In an open letter published in the British Medical Journal, ministers were warned that urgent action would be needed to prevent further loss of life.
The presidents of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons, Nursing, Physicians, and GPs all signed the letter.
Following the announcement, health leaders called for a "rapid and forward-looking assessment" of how prepared the UK would be for a new outbreak.
"While the future shape of the pandemic in the UK is hard to predict, the available evidence indicates that local flare-ups are increasingly likely and a second wave a real risk," they wrote.
"Many elements of the infrastructure needed to contain the virus are beginning to be put in place, but substantial challenges remain."
The authors of the letter, also signed by the chair of the British Medical Association, urged ministers to set up a cross-party group with a "constructive, non-partisan, four nations approach", tasked with developing recommendations.
"The review should not be about looking back or attributing blame," they said, and instead should focus on "areas of weakness where action is needed urgently to prevent further loss of life and restore the economy as fully and as quickly as possible".
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53159918 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53159918)
Coronavirus: Community oxygen tests 'key to second wave'.
Oxygen levels in suspected coronavirus cases should be monitored in the community to help hospitals cope with a second wave of cases, according to Wales' leading respiratory doctor.
Dr Simon Barry said early on in the pandemic it became clear reduced oxygen levels in the blood suggested a patient had Covid-19.
But flu and pneumonia will be more common in a future winter peak.
This means more community monitoring would be needed, he said.
Dr Barry is leading the implementation of Welsh guidelines to treat the virus, and said work was under way to conduct specific tests before coronavirus patients were admitted to hospital in future.
Most people with coronavirus only have mild symptoms, and sometimes none at all.
But doctors report low blood oxygen saturation levels among those who are admitted to hospital with coronavirus.
Healthy adults usually have saturation levels of between 94% and 99%, whereas those with Covid-19 can fall below 90% and require oxygen therapy and, in some cases, ventilation in intensive care.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53136289 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53136289)
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This is scary, and will have to be monitored, for example travelers transiting from hot spots via the corridors.
Ministers are due to finalise details of a series of "travel corridors" so people arriving into the UK on certain routes will not need to quarantine.
Most of Western Europe is due to be on an initial list of exempt countries.
The countries expected to be exempt include France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Belgium, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Turkey and Finland.
Portugal will probably not be included after a rise in the number of new cases in and around Lisbon.
Sweden is also unlikely to be on the list because the infection rate there is higher than in the UK.
A travel corridor would mean that two people travelling in both directions between two countries would not have to self-isolate after they travel.
The initial list of destinations exempt from the quarantine is expected to take effect early next month. Work is also on-going to see if a travel corridor is possible with Australia.
Full article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53177282 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53177282)
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This is scary, and will have to be monitored, for example travelers transiting from hot spots via the corridors.
Ministers are due to finalise details of a series of "travel corridors" so people arriving into the UK on certain routes will not need to quarantine.
Most of Western Europe is due to be on an initial list of exempt countries.
The countries expected to be exempt include France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Belgium, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Turkey and Finland.
I hope our Ministers will reappraise that list in light of the reinfection in Gütersloh, such a shame as I have 3 years of happy memories of my stay there back in the 70's
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NEW symptoms of the coronavirus have been added to the list of what to look out for if you suspect having the virus.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) have officially added three new symptoms alongside existing ones.
These new symptoms to look out for include:
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhoea
The CDCP say people with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.
The three new signs also join the existing symptoms of the disease – including a high fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, a new loss of taste or smell and a sore throat.
The news comes after the UK’s death toll from COVID-19 sadly surpassed 43,500 with new infections being confirmed daily, adding to the UK confirmed total of 310,000.
In Wales, as of June 27, there have been a total of 15,577 confirmed cases of the virus reported by local health boards.
Sadly, five new deaths were confirmed in Wales as being linked to the virus which brings the death toll up to 1,502 people at present.
REF Pioneer
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This is worrying, I thought our testing system was slow, but there is a possibility it is the people who are scared to get tested, this is important, for the success of lifting restrictions, there are to many cases of people thinking this is over, crowded beaches and gatherings etc. today another factory is reporting cases(Nine workers at the Mini car factory in Oxford have tested positive for coronavirus.) the easing of restrictions is not a licence to return to normal, I think I am more worried now, as it seems a lot people just do not care, and as further food for thought, another headline today........The UK's first full local lockdown has been announced in Leicester, with stricter measures imposed in the city.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-53229371 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-53229371)
Staff who have yet to be tested for coronavirus after an outbreak linked to a food processing factory have been urged to "act immediately".
Anglesey council's plea comes after 210 cases have been confirmed among workers at the 2 Sisters plant, in Llangefni.
Meanwhile, Public Health Wales (PWH) said about 300 workers "have not yet presented for testing" at a Wrexham food factory which has had 166 cases.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53210387 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53210387)
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Yep; it's not over, by a long way.
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This is worrying, I thought our testing system was slow, but there is a possibility it is the people who are scared to get tested, this is important, for the success of lifting restrictions, there are to many cases of people thinking this is over, crowded beaches and gatherings etc. today another factory is reporting cases(Nine workers at the Mini car factory in Oxford have tested positive for coronavirus.) the easing of restrictions is not a licence to return to normal, I think I am more worried now, as it seems a lot people just do not care, and as further food for thought, another headline today........The UK's first full local lockdown has been announced in Leicester, with stricter measures imposed in the city.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-53229371 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-53229371)
Staff who have yet to be tested for coronavirus after an outbreak linked to a food processing factory have been urged to "act immediately".
Anglesey council's plea comes after 210 cases have been confirmed among workers at the 2 Sisters plant, in Llangefni.
Meanwhile, Public Health Wales (PWH) said about 300 workers "have not yet presented for testing" at a Wrexham food factory which has had 166 cases.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53210387 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53210387)
I have to amend from the above post.... "there is a possibility it is the people who are scared to get tested"...... I have found out that there are a lot of migrant workers, doing this type of work, and are proving difficult to locate, it makes better sense than people being scared of the test, but how many other overseas workers, who generally live together in cramped conditions, (making it easier to spread the virus), are afraid to come forward and be tested ?
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Reading this story, made me think of the above post, this could be one of the reasons for the "difficult to locate" statement sadly.
"Police fear slaves have been forced into food and farming jobs during lockdown
Officers think slaves in public-facing industries have been moved after shops shut
We believe that it’s possible that slaves could have been moved from public-facing roles, such as car washes and nail bars, to more hidden sectors such as agriculture and food processing."
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/police-fear-slaves-been-forced-18520547 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/police-fear-slaves-been-forced-18520547)
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2 Sisters to reopen Anglesey abattoir hit by Covid outbreak - with 30 extra safety measures in place
The company has told staff everyone now had 'shared responsibility' to keep each other and communities safe
A mass testing programme was carried out by Army run mobile testing units and Public Health Wales confirmed more than 200 workers at the 560 staff plant tested positive for coronavirus.
The firm said 30 additional measures had been introduced - including full ‘opposite’ and ‘side-by-side’ screening, teams managed in 'bubbles', and CCTV surveillance of all potential high traffic areas.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2-sisters-reopen-anglesey-abattoir-18532386 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2-sisters-reopen-anglesey-abattoir-18532386)
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They can take all the precautions possible in the workplace but makes not a jot of difference if the employees behave differently outside of work. I am told, and it's not fact that I can say is 100% true but sounds very likely, the problem with the 2 Sisters plant is that a large proportion of the workforce are Eastern European migrant workers who car share to work and live in cheek to jowl conditions in rental accommodation to save money to return home.
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9:15am
This morning's headlines...
Everyone should wear a face covering in public, says Royal Society president
Everyone should wear a face covering in public to reduce the risk of a second wave of Covid-19 infections, the president of the Royal Society has urged.
Professor Venki Ramakrishnan said people should wear a mask when they leave home – particularly in enclosed indoor spaces – but acknowledged that the public remain “sceptical” about the benefits.
Not wearing them outside the home should be considered as “anti-social” as drink-driving, or failing to wear a seat belt, he said.
It comes as two new reports on face coverings were published by the scientific body, including one which found the UK was slower to take up wearing them compared with other countries.
https://royalsociety.org/news/2020/07/president-of-the-royal-society-urges-everyone-to-wear-a-face-covering/
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The biggest problem with wearing masks is that while they're not compulsory many people will feel sill wearing one. The UK government needs to make wearing of them mandatory.
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The news continues to improve. From New Scientist this morning:
"Initial fears that the virus would fail to raise immune memory – the lengthy, sometimes lifelong, protection that we get from exposure to many viruses including measles – look exaggerated. It is still early days, but signs from patients point to a strong and long-lasting immune response.
That is welcome news for two reasons. It makes a vaccine more likely, and means that people who have recovered from the virus almost certainly can’t get it again, at least in the short term.'
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I have been agreeable to wearing a mask for sometime. I bought supplies of re-usable ones but as yet haven't worn one as I haven't deemed it a risk for the number of times I have been away from the house and indoors at a public place i.e. shopping. I have been strict at self discipline for social distancing too.
Maybe it's time to start a change of habit as we are about to get an influx of people from outside our usual apparent almost corvid free zone.
Tom Hanks summed it up well in an interview
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53318653 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53318653)
I have been advocating it should be mandatory from the outset, it's not just about self protection but protecting others from yourself too.
Latest testing results apparently show 80% of those tested show no symptoms, which again backs up my thoughts of where are all the local corvid sufferers.
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This story appeared on the BBC Wales news today about prisoners possibly rioting because of the lockdown. My immediate thoughts were with the understaffed prison officers and the thousands of innocent people in the UK who are still shielding because of this virus.
The old saying "if you can't do the time, don't do the crime" seems to be relevant in this case
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53323771 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53323771)
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There is a small poll in this article "Should face coverings be made mandatory in public in Wales?" surprisingly it is showing 59% for, 41% against, out of 104 who have voted.
Wearing a face mask is not a "magic bullet" in preventing the spread of coronavirus, the First Minister of Wales has said.
Mark Drakeford said the Welsh Government would keep the guidance on the wearing of face masks in public under review.
cont/poll https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18571259.face-masks-not-magic-bullet-preventing-spread-coronavirus-says-first-minister-mark-drakeford/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18571259.face-masks-not-magic-bullet-preventing-spread-coronavirus-says-first-minister-mark-drakeford/)
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This story appeared on the BBC Wales news today about prisoners possibly rioting because of the lockdown.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53323771 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53323771)
I find the idea bemusing to say the least!!
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There is a small poll in this article "Should face coverings be made mandatory in public in Wales?" surprisingly it is showing 59% for, 41% against, out of 104 who have voted.
Wearing a face mask is not a "magic bullet" in preventing the spread of coronavirus, the First Minister of Wales has said.
Mark Drakeford said the Welsh Government would keep the guidance on the wearing of face masks in public under review.
cont/poll https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18571259.face-masks-not-magic-bullet-preventing-spread-coronavirus-says-first-minister-mark-drakeford/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18571259.face-masks-not-magic-bullet-preventing-spread-coronavirus-says-first-minister-mark-drakeford/)
104 is hardly a representative poll but I'm sure that it might get bigger support from the Welsh people or those from any other part of the UK than we might imagine. It would cost peanuts to implement so why not do it for all public enclosed spaces or where social distancing is not possible, ie crowds outside. I don't see why it's necessary on public transport but nowhere else.
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Agreed. Should be mandatory in all enclosed spaces
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Demand for flu vaccine soars as countries plan for second Covid-19 wave
Manufacturers warn they will struggle to meet demand as governments seek to ease pressure on health services.
Fears of a second wave of coronavirus have sparked a global scramble for influenza shots from countries that hope to vaccinate great swathes of the population to reduce pressure on their health services.
Health officials in the UK are considering whether to offer flu shots to everyone as part of planning for a resurgence of coronavirus in the autumn, but with other countries hitting on the same strategy, demand for flu vaccines has soared.
Mass immunisation would aim to slash the number of people hospitalised with the flu this winter, giving the NHS a better chance of coping with any surge in Covid-19 patients that follows the easing of lockdown restrictions. The flu vaccine does not protect against coronavirus infection.
Cont https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jun/14/countries-scramble-for-flu-vaccines-to-ease-pressure-of-second-coronavirus-19-wave (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jun/14/countries-scramble-for-flu-vaccines-to-ease-pressure-of-second-coronavirus-19-wave)
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What can different statistics tell us about coronavirus in Wales so far?
We seem to be bombarded with different measures, but what do they mean and how does Wales compare with other parts of the UK?
Here, we try to answer some of the questions and explain what the different measures are and also give some of the most recent figures.
full article 1 hour ago ref BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52380643?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/wales/north_west_wales&link_location=live-reporting-story (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52380643?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/wales/north_west_wales&link_location=live-reporting-story)
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The cost of establishing and maintaining temporary hospitals within North Wales, to cope with an anticipated rise in the number of Covid-19 positive patients, has been revealed.
A circular sent out by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board chief Mark Polin revealed £60m has been earmarked for the region’s three Rainbow Hospitals in Bangor, Llandudno and Deeside, including £23.6m to build, equip and set up.
More details and information from the circular sent out by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board chief Mark Polin...........
https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/18580105.huge-cost-north-wales-temporary-coronavirus-hospitals-revealed/?ref=rss (https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/18580105.huge-cost-north-wales-temporary-coronavirus-hospitals-revealed/?ref=rss)
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Wales’ new coronavirus testing strategy has been published today by Health Minister Vaughan Gething.
Over the past three months, the Welsh Government and Public Health Wales (PHW) have worked together to build a national testing infrastructure.
Welsh Government chiefs said that meant anyone who displays coronavirus symptoms can get a test "quickly and easily".
Today’s new strategy builds on the latest scientific evidence, the Welsh Government said and focuses on four priority areas:
Contact tracing - to prevent the spread of the disease among the wider population
Delivering NHS services - to support the safety of staff and patients
Protecting vulnerable groups - to safeguard groups at greater risk of Covid-19
Developing future delivery - to use surveillance and new technologies to improve our understanding of the virus.
Full story https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-governments-new-covid-19-18600299 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-governments-new-covid-19-18600299)
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A headline on a page in today's Daily Mirror caught my attention so I decided to read the article
IT'S SO LITTLE TO ASK
JUST WEAR A MASK
It started by telling about an American called Richard Rose aged 37, a prolific social media user who on the 27th April posted a defiant message which said " Let me make this clear I'm not buying a f****** mask. I've made it this far by not buying into this damn hype"
At the start of July he posted that he had been very ill and had tested positive for Covid 19 but on 3rd July 2020 his death was posted on social media.
In Japan where everybody wears a mask there have been fewer than 1000 deaths, this despite having a population twice that of the UK. They also have a more elderly population than any other country and have never been in full lockdown
What is wrong with our politicians? They should follow the examples of other countries who have coped better than us and not be so stubborn in doing so.
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A couple of "face mask" stories this morning, one debunking some social media fake news, that wearing a mask reduces your oxygen levels, and the other basically saying we have to police ourselves re masks, the government will not make the decision themselves.
The reason why forcing people to wear face masks is far more difficult than it sounds
Health minister Vaughan Gething has said it will be up to staff and public to 'police' wearing coverings on trains and buses
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/reason-forcing-people-wear-face-18601113 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/reason-forcing-people-wear-face-18601113)
Face masks help prevent the spread of Covid-19, but some people claim not to be able to breathe while wearing one
“So ignore all the utterly mad social media scaremongering. Masks don’t affect your oxygen levels.
"They do however reduce the risk of you unknowingly infecting someone around you though.
"So on balance, the good they might do outweighs the sweaty faces they might cause.”
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/face-masks-public-doctor-debunks-18603035 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/face-masks-public-doctor-debunks-18603035)
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Health chief says coronavirus second wave in North Wales 'almost certain' - and this is why
Dr Chris Stockport made the claim at a meeting of regional health leaders.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/health-chief-says-coronavirus-second-18653837 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/health-chief-says-coronavirus-second-18653837)
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The UK government has signed a fourth coronavirus vaccine deal, securing up to 60 million doses of an experimental treatment being developed by drug giants GSK and Sanofi.
The government has already signed up for 100 million doses of the Oxford University vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca.
It has also secured another 90 million doses of two other promising vaccines.
However, it is still uncertain which, if any, of the vaccines may work.
Governments around the world have pledged billions of dollars for a Covid-19 vaccine and a number of pharmaceutical firms are in a race to develop and test potential drugs.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53577637 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53577637)
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PATIENTS and visitors are being encouraged to wear face masks when visiting all hospitals in North Wales.
From tomorrow (Monday, 3 August), all visitors and patients going into hospitals across North Wales are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings or masks.
Face coverings are different to face masks in that they can be homemade, made of cloth, and be reusable. If a patient or visitor does not have a face covering when they come into the hospital, a facemask will be available and offered by a member of staff on arrival.
(Mrs H and some friends are making face masks for Ysbyty Gwynedd after they made an appeal)
“We have taken the decision to actively encourage the wearing of face coverings, or face masks, for all staff and patients in the public or communal areas of our hospitals.
“Evidence has shown that people infected with COVID-19 can have very mild or no respiratory symptoms and can transmit the virus to others without being aware, so it is important that we take steps to reduce the risk of transmission.
“We want the safest possible environment for our patients and visitors and we will be taking extra steps to ensure social distancing and encouraging the use of hand sanitisers on entering and leaving the hospital.”
Hospital visiting is still strictly limited to control the spread of COVID-19. For more information visit: https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/health-advice/covid-19-patient-advice/hospital-visiting-suspended/ ref Pioneer
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I wonder if it is the Wrexham Hospitals that have been affected mostly by the Coronavirus and that is why they are encouraging people to wear face masks
In the Glan Clwyd Hospital they insist on you wearing a mask and if you don't have one with you then they provide one for you and only the patient is allowed in there. The partners etc have to remain outside the hospital building.
In addition I am not certain if the hospital has any patients with the virus so on that point that hospital is doing well. I've no idea about Ysbyty Gwynedd but the Wrexham area and the hospital there does not have the best track record
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Symptom-less cases 'have same amount of virus' ref BBC
A South Korean study has found people who have Covid-19 but do not show any symptoms have as much of the virus in their nose and throat as those who are obviously unwell. While it is thought a significant number of coronavirus cases are asymptomatic, the researchers were unable to say how much these people pass the virus on. One expert suggested those without symptoms represented a lower risk to other people's health because they were not coughing droplets everywhere.
Interesting information in this BBC link.........
Coronavirus: A user's guide to wearing a face mask
There is now almost no excuse for not wearing a face mask while out shopping in the UK - covering your face is as essential as remembering your cash or bank card.
The rules differ a little around the UK. But wherever you live, it's going to be hard to avoid covering up your mouth and nose. And that raises a host of dilemmas.
How do I put it on correctly?................ Deciding on the right one................How to stop it fogging up my glasses.....and more QA's
Well worth checking this link out .............. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53395513 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53395513)
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Latest Wales R number as levels plunge below many areas of England
The Welsh Government is using a list indicators which spot spikes and pinpoint if parts of Wales need to go back into lockdown..
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/latest-wales-r-number-levels-18738216 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/latest-wales-r-number-levels-18738216)
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An interesting insight into one of our local GP practices...........
WHAT is life like as a GP during the current virus pandemic?
With video and telephone consultations, being armed with personal protective equipment and strict hygiene measures - a lot has changed since the start of the year.
Dr Paul Emmett, a GP from Craig y Don Medical Practice in Llandudno, and member of theBritish Medical Association’s (BMA) GP Committee, has shared with the Pioneer a typical working day from August 2020.
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18684058.day-life-llandudno-gp-covid-19/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18684058.day-life-llandudno-gp-covid-19/)
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There is still confusion over the wearing of masks, I think we should be using them, but looking around, very few masks on view, some say not compulsory, others say they do not work, I found this interesting link which I think is worth sharing for those who do not think wearing a mask is helpful...............
"I am an infectious disease doctor and a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. As governments and workplaces began to recommend or mandate mask-wearing, my colleagues and I noticed an interesting trend. In places where most people wore masks, those who did get infected seemed dramatically less likely to get severely ill compared to places with less mask-wearing.
It seems people get less sick if they wear a mask.
When you wear a mask – even a cloth mask – you typically are exposed to a lower dose of the coronavirus than if you didn’t. Both recent experiments in animal models using coronavirus and nearly a hundred years of viral research show that lower viral doses usually means less severe disease.
No mask is perfect, and wearing one might not prevent you from getting infected. But it might be the difference between a case of Covid-19 that sends you to the hospital and a case so mild you don’t even realize you’re infected."
EXPOSURE DOSE DETERMINES THE SEVERITY OF THE DISEASE
cont https://www.inverse.com/mind-body/masks-breathing-in-less-coronavirus-means-you-get-less-sick (https://www.inverse.com/mind-body/masks-breathing-in-less-coronavirus-means-you-get-less-sick)
For those who cannot see the link search inverse.com masks
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Leading Welsh doctor fears Covid-19 in young people could hit 'tipping point' and cause second wave
Dr David Hepburn fears the virus will spread to older people
David Hepburn, a consultant in the intensive care unit at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, said he was concerned that recent low levels of hospital admissions would not continue if the virus spreads back into older groups, he said: "What we can see nationally is that increased cases haven’t yet translated into hospital admissions
"I think the 'second wave' will start with widespread infection in the under-40s.
"We’ll reach a tipping point at some stage where it jumps back into the older population and we see another rise in deaths and hospital/critical care admissions.
"The behaviour in the under-40s and over-40s has been quite different in terms of lockdown.
In recent days, Public Health Wales has repeatedly blamed lack of social distancing among young people for mini clusters of coronavirus
Cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/leading-welsh-doctor-fears-covid-18883757 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/leading-welsh-doctor-fears-covid-18883757)
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Wales could face a "worst case scenario" second national lockdown, if coronavirus infection rates continue to rise.
That was the stark warning from Welsh Government health minister Vaughan Gething at a weekly briefing on the Covid-19 outbreak.
Lockdown restrictions have eased as infection rates dropped across the country over summer.
Mr Gething said: "We have seen a marked rise in the number of positive cases since the end of August - the majority of these are in people under the age of 40.
"This is being driven by people bringing the virus back with them from holiday abroad, people socialising more, but not following social distancing advice.
"We have seen an increase in house parties and indoor gatherings, over the summer. The virus being transmitted within households.
"If cases continue to rise unchecked in this way, we will eventually see a return to the situation we saw in April - high numbers of people being admitted to hospital and intensive care for treatment.
"And sadly we will see a rise in the number of people dying from coronavirus again."
Mr Gething said coronavirus appears to be likely a "milder illness" for most people aged under 40, Covid-19 still remained a "highly infectious" virus, where there was still no vaccine.
A wake up call to the whole country, to realise how serious the position is. ref DP
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Here's a good idea............
Face masks to be made compulsory in shops and indoor spaces in Wales.
Face masks will become compulsory in shops and indoor spaces in Wales from Monday, the First Minister has said.
Mark Drakeford said the country has reached a threshold where 20 people in 100,000 are suffering from coronavirus.
But if the rate falls and Covid-19 is "effectively suppressed", the Welsh Government will revisit the issue, he said.
Wales will make indoor meetings of more than six people illegal from Monday, though children under the age of 12 will not count towards that total.
"Today, for the first time, we will go to a point where 20 people in 100,000 in Wales are suffering from coronavirus.
"That's the threshold we use for people to have to quarantine coming back into the UK and, having reached that threshold, today we will be making the use of face coverings mandatory in shops and enclosed public spaces in Wales.
"But if the figure falls in the future and the virus is effectively suppressed below that 20 threshold, then once again we will be able to revisit that advice."
Full story ref Pioneer https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18713641.face-masks-made-compulsory-shops-indoor-spaces-wales/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18713641.face-masks-made-compulsory-shops-indoor-spaces-wales/)
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Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board have issued a statement this afternoon 11thSep outlining the current situation at hospitals in North Wales in connection to coronavirus.
Interim Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: “We have seen no new outbreak cases in the last 35 days among inpatients at Wrexham Maelor Hospital. As of this morning there are currently nine recovering COVID-19 cases at the hospital.”
“We have seen an increase in cases at Glan Clwyd Hospital over the last week. We are currently managing 14 confirmed COVID-19 cases there, as well as a small number at Colwyn Bay and Llandudno Hospitals.”
“A programme of staff and patient testing is underway. Universal screening is in place for all patients admitted to hospital. All patients who have tested positive are being appropriately isolated, in line with Public Health Wales’ policy on infection prevention and control measures.”
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It is strange in situations like this, that they can still travel outside the affected area.
Coronavirus LIVE: Updates as Merseyside, parts of Cheshire and Lancashire to go into local lockdown
The UK government has confirmed the restrictions are being brought in.
New local lockdown restrictions have been confirmed for parts of North West England.
The measure for Merseyside, Warrington and Halton in Cheshire and Lancashire (excluding Blackpool and Greater Manchester), will come into forced on Tuesday, September 22.
The government decisions have been made in close collaboration with local council leaders.
13:31
Can people from lockdown regions travel elsewhere?
Residents in Merseyside, Warrington, Halton and Lancashire (excluding Blackpool and Greater Manchester) will have to follow new restrictions from Tuesday.
While the Government has advised avoiding public transport or any sporting venues with spectators.
The Liverpool Echo reported that the new restrictions do not prohibit travel.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-live-updates-merseyside-parts-18956824 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-live-updates-merseyside-parts-18956824)
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Coronavirus outbreak at North Wales hospitals sees control team set-up to halt spread of virus
23 patients at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Colwyn Bay and Llandudno hospitals have been infected with Covid-19
Since August 31, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) have recorded 23 patients with Covid-19.
This includes Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Colwyn Bay and Llandudno hospitals.
Health board is urging people to only visit hospital when “absolutely necessary” and are reminding people that all visitors and staff must wear a face mask.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/23-covid-cases-recorded-hospitals-18973940 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/23-covid-cases-recorded-hospitals-18973940)
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WALES’ Health Minister is urging the public to help ‘Protect the NHS’ and keep services clear for those who need them most.
Across Wales, health boards and the Welsh Ambulance Service are seeing a return of pre-lockdown behaviour and demand for services.
In anticipation of what will be a uniquely challenging winter with the added effects of COVID-19, people are being asked to help protect vital services for those in most need by accessing alternative services rather than their Emergency Department when their complaint is neither life-threatening nor serious.
Welsh health boards are reporting that around 20 to 30 per cent of patients who present at Emergency Departments could be better treated elsewhere or in a different way.
As part of the Protect the NHS drive, people are being advised to order prescriptions seven days before they’re due; use their local NHS pharmacy and GP service for minor illnesses or injuries, visit the 111 / NHS Direct Wales website or phone them for free health advice through online symptom checkers for minor ailments.
People should still attend hospitals when asked to do so to continue or review their treatment.
Hospitals have taken a range of appropriate measures to keep people safe, including treating people with COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19 in separate areas to those who do not have the virus to prevent the risk of it spreading.
People are also reminded that if they have COVID symptoms not go to their pharmacy, GP or local Emergency Department, but instead book a test through 119 and call 111 if symptoms persist or they can no longer cope at home.
Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: “It is imperative our Emergency Departments and emergency ambulances are kept for those who are in a life-threatening or serious condition.
"Even more so now our EDs have reduced space to ensure social distancing, not just for patients but for staff also.
“If someone has a health complaint that is worrying them and won’t go away, they can contact their pharmacy, opticians, contact the 111 website or phone service, local surgery or health centre to be assessed.
"Please save our Emergency Departments for those with serious complaints such as severe bleeding and burns, strokes or loss of consciousness.
“During the pandemic the people of Wales were exceptional at protecting these vital services by accessing 111 or NHS Direct Wales and we need to move back to this way of thinking.
“To say coronavirus has not gone away is an understatement. We all need to remember that our NHS staff and services are still under huge pressure. "That’s why it is even more important this year than ever that we can all do our bit by helping us to help you to access the right service, at the right time, to protect the NHS.”
Chief Executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service Jason Killens said: “With winter fast approaching and an apparent second wave of COVID-19 underway, it’s more important than ever that people make sensible decisions when accessing the NHS.
"As an ambulance service, we’ve seen a rapid return to pre-lockdown demand levels over the last couple of weeks, so we need the public to do their bit to reduce pressure on the emergency services.
"Our ambulance service exists to help people who are seriously ill or injured or whose life is in imminent danger.
“We need to reserve our precious resources for them, which one day might be you, your child, your parent, your spouse or your friend.
"If it’s not urgent or life-threatening, there are many, many alternatives to 999 that you can access.
"By doing this, you’re protecting yourselves, others and the NHS.”
Welsh residents are also urged to continue to keep Wales safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19 by:
• Always keeping a distance
Washing hands regularly
• Working from home wherever possible
• Following local restrictions
• Following the rules about meeting people
• Staying at home if you or anyone in your extended household has symptoms
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A covid related point to ponder, I am not sure I understand what is being said in this statement from Robin Millar MP any thoughts ?
"Vaughan Gething said: “Unfortunately, we have seen a rise in coronavirus cases in four north Wales local authority areas – in Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham and Conwy."
Robin Millar.... I agree. Local data shows a rise in Conwy.
However, "infections" (or positive tests) are not the same as "cases" (which in clinical terms means someone who tests positive AND displays symptoms). And "cases" are not the same as "hospitalizations" which are much more serious.
This is a really, really important point.
We now know that a lot more people have been INFECTED by the virus (about 7% of the total UK population since February, or less than one in ten). It affects some much, much more than others. Many will shield to take extra precautions."
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A covid related point to ponder, I am not sure I understand what is being said in this statement from Robin Millar MP any thoughts ?
Our Politicians really ought to leave statements and predictions about Covid-19 to the Health Care professionals who after all are best qualified to advise us on what's going on. Or on the other hand we could always ask Donald Trump to let us know, after all he really understands what's what. :P
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_))* _))* _))* _))*
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PEOPLE seeking treatment at Minor Injuries Units in Holywell, Llandudno and Denbigh are now being asked to telephone the unit before attending.
By calling ahead, staff at the MIUs can prevent unnecessary indoor waits, direct some patients to the fastest source of care, and prepare for patients who need treatment.
Units will continue to treat people in need of urgent treatment who are unable to call in advance.
Llandudno General Hospital
Hospital Road
Llandudno
LL30 1LB
Tel: 03000 850013
Disabled Access: Yes
Website: http://bcuhb.nhs.wales/health-services/health-services1/hospitals-and-health-centres/llandudno-general-hospital/ (http://bcuhb.nhs.wales/health-services/health-services1/hospitals-and-health-centres/llandudno-general-hospital/)
Summary
MIU is now operating on an appointment only basis. Patients need to contact 03000 850 013 prior to attending to get an appointment. Typically appointments will not be provided after 7.00pm.
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A member of staff at a Covid-19 drive-through testing centre has tested positive for the virus.
Staff at the Builder Street centre in Llandudno, Conwy county, have been told to self-isolate and the site was closed for "deep cleaning" on Tuesday.
A reserve team was deployed and the site reopened as normal, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.
The number of staff who have been told to self-isolate has not yet been confirmed.
The DHSC said: "A member of staff reported having symptoms and has since tested positive.
"The positive test has been reported in the appropriate way." ref BBC
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Excellent little film by Noah Lindquist on You Tube.... "Wear a mask" clappinghappy clappinghappy clappinghappy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltjBT_TuUVA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltjBT_TuUVA)
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Interesting detailed article with contact information.............
The new advice given to people who were previously shielding as coronavirus cases soar in Wales
Wales' Chief Medical Officer Dr Frank Atherton is sending letters to everyone on the shielding patients list (SPL)
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/shielding-advice-wales-vulnerable-coronavirus-19147816 (https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/shielding-advice-wales-vulnerable-coronavirus-19147816)
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November 02, 2020
A new testing station will open tomorrow (3 November) in Colwyn Bay to make it easier for people in the area to get an appointment for a COVID-19 test closer to home.
This service for individuals who believe they have COVID-19 symptoms, and you should only attend if you have one or more of the following symptoms:
- a high temperature
- a new, continuous cough
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
The drive-through facility has been set up at Eirias Park and will be in operation for the next two to three weeks. The site is accessed via the entrance to Eirias Events Centre, off Abergele Road, Opposite Colwyn Bay fire station.
This is not a walk-in service and people will need to make an appointment to have a test.
Details about how to apply for a test can be found on the Welsh Government website here. https://gov.wales/apply-coronavirus-covid-19-test
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has worked in partnership with Conwy County Council, Public Health Wales and the UK Government Department of Health and Social Care to set this testing station up.
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I caught the end of a BBC programme last night, very hard hitting and emotional, I have found the link (below) those who think it is OK to break the rules need to watch this.
Critical: Inside Intensive Care https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000j7wf (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000j7wf)
When the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport found itself at the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, staff at the Intensive Care Unit began to film their own lives, in and out of work. The result is a powerful new documentary showing life in critical care as the virus threatens to overwhelm the NHS.
The Intensive Care teams are on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus, and we see the emotional impact their work has on them – as well as the gratitude they feel for the public support. The film shows the staff working tirelessly to triple the unit’s bed capacity, the struggles coping with PPE and the toll the epidemic takes on family life.
This unique documentary, filmed entirely by NHS staff, presents an extraordinary personal insight into hospital life during the most serious public health crisis in living memory.
Produced by the BAFTA Cymru-award-winning team behind Critical: Inside Intensive Care, the 60-minute documentary for BBC One Wales follows the lives of medical staff during the four weeks from the time the lockdown came into force, until the number of cases begins to level off in late April.
Filmed on mobile phones and small cameras, the film captures life at the sharp end of the fight against the virus, as the dedicated medical staff struggle to contain the outbreak. The Aneurin Bevan Health Board that covers Newport and the Gwent Valleys emerged as one of the UK’s coronavirus hotspots, with more cases than anywhere outside London, per head of population.
Wales has fewer intensive care beds than anywhere else in Britain. This, alongside an aging population, long-standing social problems and close proximity to the urban populations of England, meant that the Gwent outbreak was one of the most serious in Britain.
Intensive Care Consultant Dr David Hepburn recovered from coronavirus to return to work on the unit. He says in the film: ‘There’s a huge variation in the demographic, but traditionally this has been an area of high social deprivation and particular health problems, and Newport is known for seeing more extreme pathology than in some of the more metropolitan areas like Cardiff, so not a desperately healthy population. But at the minute, we are at the epicentre of this outbreak, outside the big metropolitan areas of London and Birmingham.’
‘Per head of population, we are seeing more people in Newport who are desperately unwell than most areas and certainly than anywhere else in Wales.’
Emotional video diaries show doctors and nurses leaving their families to come into work to find the unit full of patients on ventilators. It shows the challenges of communicating with colleagues in full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and the heartbreak of having to tell relatives over the phone that their loved ones have died, as the hospital is closed to visitors.
It shows the extraordinary outpouring of public support for NHS staff, with gifts of food and drink sent to the unit and the reaction of staff the Thursday night Clap for Carers. We see how the staff work together to keep morale high under incredibly traumatic circumstances.
Intensive Care Consultant Dr Laura McClelland speaks of her hope for the future: ‘From a personal perspective, as much as the lockdown has been difficult, it’s been quite a period of reflection and prioritisation.
‘I believe that the inclination of mankind to recognize the value of the family and the community and time spent just being and appreciating what they have, their health, the health service, is something we can bring forward into the future.’
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Covid vaccine: First 'milestone' vaccine offers 90% protection
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54873105 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54873105)
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Covid vaccine: First 'milestone' vaccine offers 90% protection
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54873105 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54873105)
That is the best news we have had for a long time. I take it that the Organisers of the protest rally on the Llandudno Promenade and those daft enough to support it will not have the audacity to ask for a vaccine when it comes here to Wales.
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It's looking promising, although there are still hurdles for it to surmount, more testing and perhaps not least the difficulty of storing the stuff, which needs a freezer at -70C, four times colder than a household freezer. And they're expensive.
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I suspect the challenge of turning the vaccine into powder form for ease of storage will be for more straightforward than developing the actual vaccine in the first place
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Might not be needed.
"There may be no need to keep the Pfizer vaccine and other similar coronavirus vaccines at -70°C, potentially making it much easier to distribute them across the world. Two other teams using the same mRNA technology for their vaccines have found they remain stable for at least three months in a normal fridge.
The Pfizer vaccine candidate generated great excitement around the world this week when the company announced that it appears to be more than 90 per cent effective based on early results. But concerns were raised about the fact that the vaccine needs to be stored at between -70°C and -80°C. This is far colder than standard freezers can manage and would greatly complicate storage and distribution.
Now Anna Blakney at Imperial College London has told New Scientist that the vaccine candidate being developed by her team is stable for months at 4°C, the same temperature as a standard fridge. Another vaccine candidate developed by CureVac in Tübingen, Germany, remains stable for at least three months when stored at a standard refrigerator temperature, the company announced on 12 November.
The same should be true for the Pfizer vaccine, says Blakney. “I guarantee that they are doing the exact same studies.”"
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It's looking promising, although there are still hurdles for it to surmount, more testing and perhaps not least the difficulty of storing the stuff, which needs a freezer at -70C, four times colder than a household freezer. And they're expensive.
Frozen food giant Iceland could help store Covid-19 vaccines
The company has huge capacity for refrigerated storage and is in talks with UK Government
The UK has ordered five million doses of the Moderna vaccine by spring - and 40 million of the Pfizer jab, creating concerns over storage capacity.
North Wales Live can reveal frozen food retailer Iceland Foods, based in Deeside, is in talks with UK Government about how it can help in the vaccine storage effort.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/frozen-food-giant-iceland-could-19316390 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/frozen-food-giant-iceland-could-19316390)
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>?>??
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People calling GP surgeries requesting the Covid-19 vaccine told by health board 'don’t call them, we’ll call you'
Betsi Cadwaladr health board has said “don’t call them, we’ll call you” to people swamping GP surgeries with requests for the new Covid-19 vaccine.
The publicity generated by the launch of the vaccine has brought a surge in people contacting their GPs trying to get a shot of it, which is jamming up switchboards with expectant patients.
However health bosses have moved quickly to remind people the immunisation campaign is not being coordinated by family doctors and the health board will contact those due the jab when the time is right.
Betsi Cadwaladr assistant eastern area medical director Dr Jim McGuigan said a plan is already in place to contact each vaccination group in turn.
He said: “The plan is that there’s already an appointment centre set up and everyone will be sent an appointment.
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18934335.people-calling-gp-surgeries-requesting-covid-19-vaccine-told-health-board-dont-call-call-you/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18934335.people-calling-gp-surgeries-requesting-covid-19-vaccine-told-health-board-dont-call-call-you/)
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This vaccine is far from easy to deliver. From New Scientist today:
"The vaccines arrive in 195 vials containing five doses each and must be diluted in saline before being drawn up into five syringes for five patients.
The molecule consists of mRNA, which is unstable and breaks down naturally in a short time. This is cased in a lipid layer so that it can enter the muscle cells. The lipid shell is also fragile, and the vaccine can only be moved a handful of times before the molecules break down. Usually, any medication that needs to be split into separate doses will be processed in a pharmacy, but this vaccine is so unstable that if it is drawn up in the pharmacy then by the time it reaches the patient it may be ruined, so all this needs to happen near to the patient, bringing a pharmacy procedure into the clinical area.
The drawing up process is laborious. First the vaccine must be “woken up” with 10 very gentle and slow inversions of the vial, and this must be repeated after adding the saline to mix thoroughly but very gently. The made up syringes are placed in a clean tray with all the care of laying a newborn baby in a crib. This process takes about 10 minutes in experienced hands (and seemed to take about 30 minutes in mine). The injection must be given within three hours of drawing it up or be wasted as it will have degraded."
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Up to 19 North Wales vaccination centre sites confirmed for New Year mass jab roll-out
The health board is preparing for the biggest immunisation programme in the region's history
The region's Rainbow Hospitals will be in Bangor, Llandudno and Deeside called into action for the largest mass vaccination programme in the region's history.
They will be supported by a network of local vaccination centres in: Anglesey; Caernarfon; seven more in rural Gwynedd; Denbigh; one site in rural Conwy; three sites in Rhyl and the surrounding areas and two in the Wrexham area.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-vaccination-centre-sites-19468384 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-vaccination-centre-sites-19468384)
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Well, better late than never.
"The whole of Wales will be placed under lockdown from midnight with festive plans cancelled for all but Christmas Day.
First Minister Mark Drakeford told people to "stay-at-home" after urgent talks with ministers over a new strain of coronavirus.During the level four lockdown period people will not be allowed to mix with anyone they do not live with, with only single person households allowed to form an exclusive support bubble with one other household."
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Soldiers called up to drive North Wales ambulances to support paramedics in Covid-19 battle
Military offer helping hand to health front line for the second time this year as coronavirus cases rise once more
More than 90 soldiers will be driving ambulances from tomorrow (Wednesday)
“The extreme pressure on our ambulance service in the last couple of weeks has been well documented, and it’s why we’ve taken the decision to re-enlist the military, who did a superb job of assisting us earlier in the year.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/soldiers-called-up-drive-north-19505204 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/soldiers-called-up-drive-north-19505204)
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Having read recently about the new research into Hesperidin, I am posting the links I found for those interested.........
Is hesperidin essential for prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19 Infection?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7274964/ (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7274964/)
In vitro bioaccessibility of carotenoids, flavonoids, and vitamin C from differently processed oranges and orange juices [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck]
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25539394/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25539394/)
In my opinion, it would appear that drinking orange juice, made with the complete orange would be beneficial.
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Figures show how many people in North Wales have been vaccinated against COVID-19
As of the week ending December 20, a total of 22,595 people in Wales had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and were recorded in the COVID-19 Welsh Immunisation System.
The data, presented by health board of residence, shows that 2,544 residents living within the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) area have been given their first dose of the vaccine and account for a grand total of 22,027 vaccines given across all of Wales.
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18974411.figures-show-many-people-north-wales-vaccinated-covid-19/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18974411.figures-show-many-people-north-wales-vaccinated-covid-19/)
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Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine approved for use - what it means for Wales
The Welsh Government said the second vaccine will be rolled out next week
""However it will take time to reach everyone as this is not an instant fix. We won’t receive all the doses at once and we have to be realistic about the scale and pace of delivery when we are vaccinating the entire adult population.
“We will not see the impact of the vaccine for some months and the pressure on the NHS will continue during this winter. It is essential that we all continue to play our part and do the right thing to protect each other.
“Nobody will be left behind by our NHS. To help the NHS to help you please wait to be invited for your vaccination.”
The UK Government has procured vaccines on behalf of the four nations and around 100m of these are of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, with Wales receiving its allocation based on population over the next weeks and months.
Two doses will be needed, with an interval of between four and 12 weeks between doses.
Unlike the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine is stored at normal vaccine fridge temperatures.
This means it will have few storage and transportation issues, making it much easier to use in community settings.
Testing the vaccine
Data published in The Lancet medical journal in early December showed the vaccine was 62% effective in preventing Covid-19 among a group of 4,440 people given two standard doses of the vaccine when compared with 4,455 people given a placebo drug.
Of 1,367 people given a half first dose of the vaccine followed by a full second dose, there was 90% protection against Covid-19 when compared with a control group of 1,374 people.
The overall Lancet data, which was peer-reviewed, set out full results from clinical trials of more than 20,000 people.
full story https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine-approved-use-19537356 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine-approved-use-19537356)
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Interesting explanatory (good news ) video on the vaccine situation ................
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pj4_aK-j8I (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pj4_aK-j8I)
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More than a third of patients in hospital are being treated for Covid-19, new figures from NHS Wales show.
The number of people with Covid in critical care or on ventilation are the highest it has seen in the pandemic.
The 2,610 Covid patients in hospital across the country on Wednesday - up 252 (11%) on the previous week - is a new record.
The number of recovering patients - those still too ill to be discharged - are also at their highest levels.
cont / statistics https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-55497290 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-55497290)
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Anglesey experiences 'alarming' rise in coronavirus rate as people urged to follow rules ref DP
The council has warned the island is heading for its worst positivity rate yet
With leaders warning the situation has changed "for the worse".
The island's local authority has warned dozens of positive cases have been recorded in the past five days, with a "much greater level" of community transmission.
The seven-day coronavirus rate in Anglesey today stands at 181.3 per 100,000 people, which is higher than the rates in Gwynedd and Conwy.
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Moderna link https://www.modernatx.com/modernas-work-potential-vaccine-against-covid-19 (https://www.modernatx.com/modernas-work-potential-vaccine-against-covid-19)
A third Covid vaccine has been approved for use in the UK.
It is made by US company Moderna and works in a similar way to the Pfizer one that is already being offered on the NHS.
The UK has ordered an extra 10 million doses of this vaccine, taking the total order to 17 million, but supplies are not expected to arrive until spring.
Around 1.5 million people in the UK have had at least one dose of Covid vaccine so far.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55586410 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55586410)
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Even with the vaccines, still a long way to go.
All you need to know about Wales' vaccine 'milestones' as government outlines roll-out plan
Three milestones have been set out in the strategy unveiled today.
The three milestones set out in the plan are:
By mid-February – all care home residents and staff; frontline health and social care staff; everyone over 70 and everyone who is clinically extremely vulnerable will have been offered vaccination.
By the Spring – vaccination will have been offered to all the other phase one priority groups. This is everyone over 50 and everyone who is at-risk because they have an underlying health condition.
By the autumn – vaccination will have been offered to all other eligible adults in Wales, in line with any guidance issued by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
full story https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/you-need-know-wales-vaccine-19602204 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/you-need-know-wales-vaccine-19602204)
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Anyone know what the interpretation of "by the Spring" could mean?
Officially Spring begins on the 20tht of March and ends of the 21st of June.
Will this be the first shot or include the second too?
As stated, much depends on supply of the vaccine but it's encouraging that there are signs that they are getting their act together.
Fingers crossed and meantime stay safe!
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Welsh A&E nurse tests positive for coronavirus after second dose of Pfizer vaccine cancelled
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-ae-nurse-tests-positive-19608895 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-ae-nurse-tests-positive-19608895)
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North Wales now tops vaccine rankings - but jabs will take almost to the end of the year
First Minister Mark Drakeford revealed the first pharmacy to deliver vaccines will start operating in North Wales this week
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-now-tops-vaccine-19613441 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-now-tops-vaccine-19613441)
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This post was linked to us, I thought it worth posting as an insight into VC's vaccination centre .
I've just come back in this evening from a visit to the Venue Cymru Ysbyty Enfys/Vaccination Centre in Llandudno.
I was visiting with the new Chief Executive of Betsi Cadwaladr and the members of the Conwy and Denbighshire team responsible for community care, and the centre operation.
📊 The team at Venue Cymru delivered over 850 vaccinations today between 8am and 8pm. In fact this centre, here in our town, has delivered more vaccine doses than the whole of France!
🕑 Typical queueing time for those attending was no more than a few minutes. The early delays came in part from people coming up to two hours early for their appointment.
💉 We followed the vaccine from the fridge where it was stored, to the cubicles where it was administered.
↩️ Things were really well organised - traffic lights, one way systems, careful recording and more.
🔃 We heard how the system worked - both the "push" and the "pull" factors (for those who know how systems work!)
The RAF were there supporting with logistics, planning and on the front door. Volunteers in blue shirts moved around helping, directing, carrying, clearly an integral part of the effort. And theatre and council staff in hi-viz vests, were there to greet, to guide and to get those little essential tasks done that keep everything running.
Overall, in the nearly three hours I was there, speaking to staff and volunteers, medics and administrators, it was clear that these local operations are orderly, smooth and professional.
What I saw and heard was real pride in what everyone was doing. A real concern for those they were helping and an eagerness to deliver more. As one person said to me "We know these people. They are our friends and family. It's our own community we're helping."
(In fact, one of the team showing me round had been at school with my sister - and works today, with a school friend of mine. Small world!)
Meeting with the team afterwards the talk was of plans to ramp up capacity and double the delivery in coming weeks. The plan in place now will hit the UK wide targets (here in Aberconwy and across North Wales) of reaching Priority Groups 1-4 by mid February.
There is no shortage of supplies - "our" allocation is held centrally in Wales. At the moment the Pfizer vaccine is being delivered and as that throughput ("run rate") increases, the AZ vaccine will be released and come on stream. They are certainly eager to deliver more here.
There is also space to expand current operations. The discussions were about opening more cubicles and the practicalities of longer opening times. People are being trained as fast as possible to achieve all this - but they will need recruiting and effective allocation.
As one of the team said "When this started we were learning and catching up - now we are ahead and asking for more."
I thanked all those I met for what they were doing - this pandemic has taken its own special toll on the lives of those who have helped us the most. Although they have targets and are working hard, they are not cogs in a machine. They are flesh and blood and get tired, feel emotion - pride and frustration - like we all do.
And I felt privileged and proud of what I saw happening here.
It's a huge effort. Thank you all.
We'll get through this. from Robin Millar MP FB page
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Restrictions on day-to-day life are set to remain "well into the calendar year" despite the rollout of the vaccine.
Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford said he was concerned that some people thought that after being vaccinated, further precautions would not be needed.
But during a press conference on Friday, he said measures such as social distancing would remain for some time to come.
"I think there are some challenging conversations that we will end up having to have over the months ahead about what exactly having a vaccine means in terms of what freedoms it restores to you.
"I sometimes fear that the understandable enthusiasm that there is about vaccination, and the way that it's talked about in newspapers for example, may lead some people to think that so long as you've had a vaccine you don't need to take any precautions in the future."
He said: "That won't be the case.
"People who are vaccinated will still have to play their part in sustaining the other measures that we will all have to take while this virus is still at large in our communities.
"We're going to be living with the other restrictions, the social distancing, the being careful, the washing of hands, that's going to with us well into this calendar year, alongside the vaccine."
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-restrictions-set-remain-well-19633375 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-restrictions-set-remain-well-19633375)
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North Wales GPs have been told to delay coronavirus jab appointments due a delay in vaccine supply.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has told surgeries in the region that they should avoid booking in appointments during the early part of next week.
It is because delivery of one of four batches of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, being used for the rollout in GP surgeries in Wales, has been delayed.
The health board said: "We were notified of a delay in releasing a batch of vaccines which would have disrupted supply nationally in the middle of next week.
"To help minimise disruption and anxiety, we informed GP practices of this supply issue at the earliest opportunity, and suggested they may wish to delay appointments early next week.
"We expect that this issue will be resolved in the coming days, and we expect a further allocation of vaccines will arrive over the coming week.
"We are now in the process of working with our partners in primary care to minimise any disruption and continue the rollout of vaccinations across North Wales."
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-gps-told-delay-19638698 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-gps-told-delay-19638698)
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New figures reveal how many covid patients ended up back in hospital after recovering from virus
The study is yet to be peer-reviewed, but the initial data has made for some alarming reading
Conducted by Leicester University and the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the study found that of the 47,780 people discharged from hospital during the first wave, 29.4 per cent returned to hospital within 140 days.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/new-figures-reveal-how-many-19646120 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/new-figures-reveal-how-many-19646120)
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From New Scientist, today:
THE rise and spread of new variants of the coronavirus are seen as ushering in a dangerous new phase of the covid-19 pandemic. But from the virus’s perspective, nothing has changed. It is just doing what comes naturally to viruses: evolving.
It is now well-established that SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus with a large and unusually stable RNA genome, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t change at all. Unlike most other RNA viruses, which are among the most mutation-prone biological entities in the world, SARS-CoV-2’s genome changes very slowly. This is largely because it has a proofreading function that is efficient at eliminating errors during replication, a major source of the genetic variation that we call evolution.
“There’s not masses of evolution occurring, this is a very slow-evolving virus,” says David Robertson at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research in the UK.
A project called Nextstrain, based at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, compiles all published viral genome sequences and plots them on a family tree. This shows the original virus, called Wuhan-Hu-1, diverging steadily as it spread around the world.
The virus’s average mutation rate remains low and steady at about two mutations per lineage per month, but over time this has given rise to thousands of different lineages. For example, there are more than 4000 different versions of the spike protein that the virus uses to break into host cells and which is the target of most vaccines.
Intriguingly, most of the mutations seem to be induced by the human immune system rather than by RNA replication errors. One arm of our innate immune system is a generalised antiviral weapon that introduces random errors into viral genomes in a bid to neutralise them. It doesn’t always succeed.
Most of the surviving mutations are of no medical significance. Up until now, the virus has been circulating unhindered in a large host population with little immunity, and hence has encountered minimal resistance, or selection pressure as evolutionary biologists call it. The evolution that has occurred is therefore mostly just random genetic drift rather than being the virus adapting.
But not entirely. In May 2020, a new variant with a mutation called 614G started circulating. It seems to be slightly more transmissible than the original virus because of an alteration to its spike protein. About 90 per cent of the viruses now circulating worldwide carry this mutation.
More recently, three other mutants, known as the UK, South African and Brazilian variants, have also started spreading rapidly. All are also thought to have mutations that make them more transmissible, and some might be able to outsmart parts of the immune system, although they don’t seem to be more deadly.
The sudden appearance of these three new variants doesn’t suggest that the virus has upped its mutation rate, says Sudhir Kumar at Temple University in Pennsylvania. They are an inevitable product of time and lots of transmission events between people. Under such circumstances, new variants are bound to arise by chance. Highly transmissible ones have a biological advantage and so will outcompete their more sluggish rivals.
More variants are inevitable. “As the virus mutates, this story will keep repeating itself,” says Sharon Peacock, head of the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium. The big worry is the emergence of “escape mutations” that enable the virus to dodge the immune system or render vaccines or drugs useless.
Such an escape becomes even more likely as we begin to exert selection pressure on the virus in the form of vaccines, natural immunity and drugs. Mutants that can evade these interventions could slip through the net and start circulating wildly, potentially pushing us back towards square one in our efforts to beat the pandemic.
“We are now rolling out vaccination to high-risk groups and this is going to provide a very strong selection pressure,” says Emma Thomson at the University of Glasgow. “We may well see a rapid rise in mutations as a result.”
We will also have to keep an eye out for viruses that can evade natural immunity, she says. Virologists have already discovered variants that are able to partially evade antibodies.
These are a wake-up call. Even though the UK variant, known as B.1.1.7, doesn’t seem to have an escape mutation, the fact that its spike protein is 17 mutations away from the original is “a little bit terrifying”, says Robertson.
“It is a concern that a large number of spike mutations are found in the same strain,” says Kumar.
One potential danger that we can probably stop worrying about is recombination, which occurs when two related coronaviruses mash their genomes together to create a hybrid.
Two studies scouring thousands of viral genomes have found no evidence that this has occurred.
But escape mutation is a real and present danger. A recent case study highlights what could happen once we put the virus under heavy selection pressure. In May 2020, an immunocompromised patient was admitted to a UK hospital with covid-19. He died of the disease in August. Over the 101-day course of his illness, a team led by Ravindra Gupta at the University of Cambridge repeatedly sampled and sequenced viruses from the patient’s respiratory tract.
The patient was given infusions of an antiviral therapy called convalescent plasma – an antibody-rich blood extract from another person infected with the virus.
Days later, Gupta’s team saw a dramatic rise in a mutant version of the coronavirus and later confirmed that it had partially escaped the therapeutic effects of the plasma. This mutant virus eventually killed the patient.
We mustn’t draw too many conclusions from this single case, says Gupta. The patient was also being treated for cancer and couldn’t mount an effective immune response of his own. But the study shows how quickly and viciously the virus can mutate and escape under selection pressure.
The answer to these threats is surveillance, to flag up and isolate escape mutants before they spiral out of control. The UK’s world-class surveillance system relies on a combination of monitoring and sequencing. Red flags are raised if something unusual happens clinically or epidemiologically, and then geneticists search for mutant viruses that could be responsible.
The new UK variant, for example, was spotted because lockdown restrictions were reducing viral spread everywhere but Kent. Surveillance would also be triggered if vaccinated people or those who had recovered started falling ill, says Kumar.
About 10,000 genomes a week are sequenced in the UK and there are plans to up that to 20,000 by March. The country also has a new body called the G2P-UK National Virology Consortium to keep track of new mutations and warn about potentially dangerous ones.
“Even though this virus is evolving slowly, we do really have to take surveillance very, very seriously,” says Robertson.
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Interesting and scary.
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Sorting through my Bookmark list, I found a link to the Lancet medical journal, and found a new section .......... "The Lancet has created a Coronavirus Resource Centre." with interesting up to date information .......... This resource brings together content from across the Lancet journals as it is published. All of our COVID-19 content is free to access.
https://www.thelancet.com/coronavirus (https://www.thelancet.com/coronavirus)
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Critical care beds at North Wales hospitals now almost 180% normal capacity
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board's primary and community service director Dr Chris Stockport broke the news this afternoon
Critical care beds across Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan and Wrexham 's Maelor hospital have also reached 90% of the board's "surge capacity" - the amount of extra beds laid on to help meet high demand - leaving 10% currently available.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/critical-care-beds-north-wales-19673302 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/critical-care-beds-north-wales-19673302)
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The new mutation of the virus is now confirmed as being significantly deadlier. "Four independent teams have now analysed much the same data using various methods and ways of controlling for confounding factors. All concluded that people infected with B.1.1.7 have a higher risk of dying, with two teams finding a 30 per cent increase, one a 60 per increase and one a 90 per cent increase.
“Any way that you do it, you get an estimate that is very similar,” says John Edmunds, also at the LSHTM. While these estimates may not seem that similar, in theory a coronavirus variant could be 500 or even 5000 per cent deadlier.
A more transmissible virus is worse than a deadlier virus, he says. “Unfortunately, it appears this [variant] might be both.”"
Now we hear that all the major vaccine producers are experiencing 'production difficulties'. Seems like the end to all this may be retreating away from us.
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Posted by: Ian
« on: Today at 12:09:23 PM »
Now we hear that all the major vaccine producers are experiencing 'production difficulties'
BBC reports..........
Coronavirus: Vaccine supply fears grow amid EU export threat https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-55805903 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-55805903)
Covid-19: Vaccine minister 'confident' of supplies amid production delays https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55808266 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55808266)
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A bomb disposal robot has been deployed at a Wrexham factory that’s at the centre of the UK’s Covid-19 vaccination programme.
North Wales Police has confirmed it is dealing with an “ongoing incident” at the Wockhardt plant on Wrexham Industrial Estate.
Surrounding roads have been sealed off and a cordon set up so that Bomb Squad officers can assess the situation.
The Wockhardt factory is considered a sensitive site given its importance to the UK’s vaccination effort.
As a "fill and finish" site, it bottles vials of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine ready for distribution across the country.
Last November, the factory was visited by Prime Minister Boris Johnson who said the lab could provide “salvation for humanity”.
This lunchtime, Wockhardt UK issued a statement on Twitter about the incident.
The company confirmed it received a suspicious package at its Wrexham plant this morning.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/everything-know-suspicious-package-incident-19711248 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/everything-know-suspicious-package-incident-19711248)
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More on the above
A man has been arrested after a "suspicious package" was sent to a vaccine factory in Wrexham.
Police have arrested a 53-year-old man from Chatham in Kent after the package sparked a major alert at Wockhardt UK's Covid-19 vaccine factory on Wrexham Industrial Estate on Wednesday.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/man-arrested-connection-suspicious-package-19719921 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/man-arrested-connection-suspicious-package-19719921)
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One covid jab every five seconds - but still some vaccination concerns in one part of North Wales
The latest data shows a rapid pick-up in the pace - but one 100-year-old lady in Conwy is still waiting for her first dose
Across Wales the figures are:
Powys Teaching Health Board: 14,349 doses – one in 9.2 people.
Hywel Dda University Health Board: 32,360 doses – one in 12 people.
Swansea Bay University Health Board: 36,150 doses – one in 10.8 people.
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board: 38,196 doses – one in 11.7 people.
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board: 49,126 doses – one in 12.1 people.
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board: 42,166 doses – one in 11.9 people.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board: 62,344 first doses – one in 11.2 people
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/one-covid-jab-every-five-19722259 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/one-covid-jab-every-five-19722259)
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Covid: Worst week for coronavirus deaths in north Wales
Covid-19 was involved in 41.5% of all deaths in Wales in the latest week - the highest proportion in the pandemic.
It was also by far the worst week for deaths in north Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.
Three quarters of the region's 102 deaths were in Wrexham and Flintshire, Covid-19 hotspots in recent weeks.
The figures show there were 447 deaths involving Covid-19 across Wales for the week ending 22 January.
This is 20 fewer than last week, which was the highest recorded during any week of the pandemic.
It was still the third highest total registered during the pandemic but the first time the weekly total has fallen since 4 December.
The total number of deaths occurring involving Covid-19 in Wales has now risen to 6,473 people.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-55902439 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-55902439)
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Covid-19 vaccine reserve list preventing waste due to no-shows at Llandudno's Rainbow Hospital called 'a well-oiled machine'
A county councillor has called a reserve list, preventing vaccination doses from being wasted, “a well-oiled machine” after being given a short-notice appointment.
Conwy county councillor Ronnie Hughes said he and his wife, who live in Llandudno, had been contacted at 6pm because people had not shown up for their vaccination at the town’s Venue Cymru Rainbow Hospital.
He was called at 6pm on Monday evening and by 7pm a large queue had subsided and the couple were vaccinated.
He said: “We jumped at the chance and I cannot fault the operation they have going on there.
“The staff are fantastic. Yes, you have to wait, but not long and there is plenty of seating. In and out in half an hour.
“This is a mammoth operation and to see it being done so expertly on my doorstep makes me proud. I cannot praise everyone involved highly enough.”
“I was very, very impressed in the way everyone was treating everybody else – including those who were waiting. I can’t put it into words.”
A reserve list covering vaccination “no-shows” has helped the country’s largest health board keep wasted doses to around just 300 in total since immunisation began.
Cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19064859.covid-19-vaccine-reserve-list-preventing-waste-due-no-shows-llandudnos-rainbow-hospital-called-a-well-oiled-machine/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19064859.covid-19-vaccine-reserve-list-preventing-waste-due-no-shows-llandudnos-rainbow-hospital-called-a-well-oiled-machine/)
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I caught a glimpse on the news last night of a woman returning from South Africa, to the UK, without having to isolate, did anyone get the full story ?
Experts trace Anglesey's South African Covid variant case - but are still investigating one in Conwy
Public Health Wales said an international link has now been made for the case on the island
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/experts-trace-angleseys-south-african-19773654 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/experts-trace-angleseys-south-african-19773654)
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I will certainly be following hygiene measures, as I think a lot of sensible people will.
Covid hygiene measures, such as wearing masks and social distancing, are likely to remain in place for “foreseeable years to come”, Welsh behaviour experts have warned.
An analysis by the Welsh Government’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) concluded “personal protective behaviours” must be reinforced even when the pandemic is over, as infection is likely to persist within the population.
Such behaviours also include hand washing, respiratory hygiene and household ventilation.
TAG’s experts say there will be a need to “recalibrate” everyday behaviours, citing the now-standard use of face coverings seen in Asian countries.
In a report to ministers, they said: “It took around 200 years to eradicate smallpox with vaccination, and whilst medical science has greater power to address Covid-19, there will be a likely continued need to establish more effective hygiene behavioural norms for the foreseeable years to come.”
TAG also warned of likely “complacency” by people once they’ve been vaccinated, leading to fewer people wearing face coverings and not distancing, and more mixing of households.
In turn this could prompt “over-confidence” in non-vaccinated people, especially if they believe all vulnerable individuals are “safe” once jabbed.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wearing-face-masks-years-come-19751663 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wearing-face-masks-years-come-19751663)
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South Africa has suspended its rollout of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine to healthcare staff, following results from a study which suggested that it was not effective against mild illness caused by the South African variant of Covid-19.
The country had received its first one million doses of the vaccine at the end of January, with plans to roll it out to frontline health workers from the middle of February.
These plans have now been suspended as preliminary research suggested that the vaccine offers only minimal protection against mild to moderate disease from the variant.
A study of around 2,000 people has shown the jab only offers minimal protection against mild disease of the South Africa variant and, due to the young age of participants, could not conclude whether the jab worked against severe disease.
So what does this mean for the UK’s vaccine rollout and hopes of coming out of lockdown?
Mr Argar said booster jabs were already being developed to tackle variants, telling Sky News: “What we would all expect is every year we have our flu jabs, it would not be unreasonable to suggest something similar here.”
The minister said the virus “will always try to outwit us”, adding: “We’ve just got to make sure we get ahead of the game and we outwit it.
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19073765.south-africa-variant---need-third-jab-affect-lockdown-plans/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19073765.south-africa-variant---need-third-jab-affect-lockdown-plans/)
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People aged 70 or over urged to call vaccination helpline if they have not been contacted for first jab
Telephone the vaccination helpline on 03000 840004 to arrange the appointment.
The call centre is open between 8am and 8pm and the health board has advised that the best time to call is in the late afternoon or evening when it is less busy than other times.
Those aged under 70 should continue to wait to be contacted by the NHS for their vaccination appointment.
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19075273.people-aged-70-urged-call-vaccination-helpline-not-contacted-first-jab/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19075273.people-aged-70-urged-call-vaccination-helpline-not-contacted-first-jab/)
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Interesting and sobering article.
Coronavirus can mutate in every single person it infects, research into Kent strain indicates
Experts think that a single person had the virus for so long that it was able to develop 'special features'
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-can-mutate-every-single-19821983 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-can-mutate-every-single-19821983)
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At this point it's probably worth remembering that every year most of us will catch a Coronavirus of some description, as we call them 'a cold'. It's also probable that colds would have been as deadly to us when they first appeared as Covid-19 is now.
However, one thing we've learnt is that when a pandemic occurs, vaccines can appear in under 12 months. And there's a raft of new ones in the works to deal with possible variants:
Courtesy of New Scientist
Vaxart
THE race to develop vaccines against covid-19 got off to a flyer, but with dangerous new virus variants, stark inequalities in access to vaccines and few vaccination options for children, the world still needs all hands on deck. Last week, a virtual meeting run by the New York Academy of Sciences called The Quest for a COVID-19 Vaccine showcased the most promising new candidates.
Codagenix: A nasal spray
So far, all approved covid-19 vaccines have been injectable. Another option is a nasal spray, says Robert Coleman, CEO of biotech company Codagenix, in Farmingdale, New York.
Codagenix’s technology uses a live, but weakened, version of the coronavirus that causes covid-19 to provoke an immune response. This approach makes the company the black sheep of the vaccine community, admits Coleman. “They are the most efficacious form of vaccine, they are single dose, they provide broad and robust immunity, but most people consider them to have safety risks.”
The reason? Conventionally, such vaccines are produced by a trial-and-error process in which the virus is grown in animal cells until it acquires enough mutations to make it harmless to humans.
Viruses in such vaccines can occasionally revert back to the dangerous type and start circulating among people, setting off new waves of disease.
However, Codagenix synthesises its coronavirus genome from scratch, and introduces genetic changes that weaken the virus. The enfeebled virus can replicate sluggishly and stimulate the immune response, but doesn’t cause disease. The team believes that the genome is so heavily modified – it has 283 mutations compared with the original virus – that there is no risk of it reverting back to being dangerous. “We call it death by a thousand cuts,” says Coleman.
The vaccine is administered in a single dose dripped into the nose. It is currently in phase I trials (see “Trial phases explained“). The vaccine will also be tested on children, says Coleman.
Valneva: A whole, inactivated virus
A vaccine developed by Valneva in Saint-Herblain, France, leans on past successes by containing inactivated, whole virus, which cannot replicate but still induces an immune response.
Conventionally, such viruses are inactivated using chemicals or ultraviolet radiation. The inactivated virus is then purified, concentrated and mixed with a substance called an adjuvant, which boosts the response of the immune system. It is a venerable technology and commonly used in many flu vaccines.
They are exceptionally safe, says Thomas Lingelbach, Valneva’s CEO, so the vaccine could be given to vulnerable populations such as those at risk of an allergic reaction from other types of vaccine.
The two-shot vaccine is in phase I/II trials, with plans for testing in children.
Inovio: DNA, not RNA
Two of the first crop of covid-19 vaccines – made by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna – use messenger RNA (mRNA), which is injected into muscle cells. The cells then translate the RNA’s genetic code and make viral proteins that stimulate an immune response.
Both vaccines provide around 95 per cent protection against severe covid-19. But the technique has downsides, not least that the mRNA has to be kept blisteringly cold during distribution and has a short shelf life once unboxed.
That is where DNA can outperform mRNA, says J. Joseph Kim, CEO at Inovio Pharmaceuticals, in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania.
Inovio has synthesised a DNA version of the coronavirus’s spike protein gene – which is made of RNA in the actual virus – and inserted it into circles of DNA called plasmids. These are blasted into the skin using a reusable “gun”. The DNA is taken up by skin cells and transcribed into mRNA, which is then translated into “massive quantities” of spike protein, says Kim, eliciting a strong immune response.
DNA vaccines don’t require frozen storage, and have a one-year shelf life at room temperature and up to five years in a refrigerator. Inovio’s vaccine only contains DNA and water, so is also less likely than some other vaccines to provoke an allergic reaction. Inovio’s two-dose vaccine is in phase II trials.
CureVac: Natural RNA
Another twist on mRNA vaccines is being developed by CureVac in Tübingen, Germany. Both of the existing RNA vaccines for covid-19 use mRNA that has been chemically modified so that it can evade the defences of the innate immune system, which degrades foreign mRNA on the (usually correct) assumption that it is from a virus. Modification is carried out by adding synthetic nucleotides, the building blocks of RNA, that aren’t found in nature.
However, these modifications dampen innate immunity. This is the first phase of the immune response and is vital to drive adaptive immunity: antibodies that learn to recognise the virus and the white blood cells called T-cells that destroy it.
CureVac uses mRNA built from naturally occurring nucleotides, stabilised in a different way. This induces a strong innate immune response as well as an adaptive one, says Stefan Mueller at CureVac.
The company is also developing a portable mRNA printer, in collaboration with Tesla, to rapidly manufacture mRNA. These printers could be taken to where the vaccine is needed and used to produce vaccines on demand.
CureVac’s vaccine is in phase III trials. The UK says it will buy 50 million doses if it is approved.
Vaxart: A vaccine pill
The campaign to vaccinate everyone is a race against time, especially as more dangerous variants of the virus emerge. According to Sean Tucker, chief scientific officer of biotech company Vaxart in San Francisco, one rate-limiting step is getting people to a vaccination centre and injecting them. His solution is to eliminate the needles.
Vaxart is at the early stages of developing a covid-19 vaccine in pill form that could be distributed by post. “The vaccine comes to you,” says Tucker.
Vaxart’s pill contains a weakened human adenovirus called Ad5 loaded with genes from the coronavirus – both the spike protein and the nucleocapsid protein, which forms the virus’s shell – plus an adjuvant. The tablets are designed to break down in the small intestine, stimulating an immune response.
CanSino Biologics: A child-friendly jab?
CanSino Biologics, in Shanghai, is developing a vaccine similar to the Oxford/AstraZeneca one.
CEO Xuefeng Yu told the conference that the vaccine is in phase III trials. The vaccine has already been administered to more than 150,000 Chinese military personnel with no reported ill effects, although there is no efficacy data because there are so few cases in China, says Yu.
As part of a phase II trial in Tiazhou, Jiangsu province, 30 children aged between 6 and 12 were given two shots. Yu says the firm is now analysing safety and immunology data.
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Ian, definitely a more positive note, easy to forget that every major pharmaceutical company will be working in a covid vaccine.
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I agree with this system, and intend to use it.
"Double masking" can increse your protection from coronavirus by 90%, according to new research from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). ref Pioneer
The study says: “Based on experiments that measured the filtration efficiencies of various cloth masks and a medical procedure mask, (clear plastic) it was estimated that the better fit achieved by combining these two mask types, specifically a cloth mask over a medical procedure mask, could reduce a wearer’s exposure by >90 per cent.”
The US’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, has recommended the practise of double masking in the past, however this is the first CDC backed research to also advise doubling up on masks.
Double masking ‘blocks 92.5% of cough particles’
The study also found that an unknotted medical procedure mask alone blocked only 42 per cent of particles from a simulated cough, and a cloth mask alone blocked 44.3 per cent.
However, the combination of the cloth mask and the medical procedure mask (clear shield) blocked 92.5 per cent of cough particles.
Speaking in a briefing from the White House Covid-19 Response Team, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said: “In the study, wearing any type of mask performed significantly better than not wearing a mask.
“And well fitting masks provided the greatest performance at both blocking emitted aerosols and exposure of aerosols to the receiver. In the breathing experiment, having both the source and receiver wear masks modified to fit better reduced the receiver’s exposure by more than 95 per cent compared to no mask at all.”
The study says: “Universal masking is a highly effective means to slow the spread of Sars-CoV-2 when combined with other protective measures, such as physical distancing, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces, and good hand hygiene.”
Double masking shouldn’t be applied to all masks however - for example, you should not double mask using two disposable masks.
The CDC says: “Disposable masks are not designed to fit tightly and wearing more than one will not improve the fit.”
Modifying masks to fit better
As well as looking into the use of double masking, the CDC also conducted research into ways to make masks fit better, and the effect that these changes has on providing extra protection.
The CDC found that “knotting the ear loops of a medical procedure mask and then tucking in and flattening the extra material close to the face” substantially “improved source control and reduced wearer exposure”.
“These experiments highlight the importance of a good fit to maximise mask performance,” the CDC states.
The study found that in lab tests with dummies, exposure to potentially infectious aerosols decreased “by about 95 per cent” when both dummies wore tightly fitted masks.
CDC guidance on choosing a mask
You should choose a mask with a nose wire, as this prevents air from leaking out the top of the mask
You should make sure that the mask fits snugly over your nose, mouth and chin
You should add layers of material to the mask, either by using a cloth mask with multiple layers of fabric, or by wearing a disposable mask under a cloth mask
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This BBC article might help those who work in private care and those who use cloth masks
University study finds Covid survives three days on fabric
The study by De Montfort University in Leicester tested a model coronavirus on polyester, polycotton and 100% cotton.
The results suggested polyester posed the highest risk.
Microbiologist Dr Katie Laird, who led the study, said the materials, commonly used in healthcare uniforms, posed a transmission risk.
The results showed polyester posed the highest transmission risk, with the virus still present after three days and with the ability to transfer to other surfaces...On 100% cotton, the virus lasted for 24 hours, while on polycotton, the virus only survived for six hours.
"If nurses and healthcare workers take their uniforms home, they could be leaving traces of the virus on other surfaces."
The study also looked at the most reliable wash method for removing the virus from 100% cotton fabric.
Only when detergent was used and the temperature increased to above 67°C was the virus was completely eliminated.
The study found there was no risk of cross-contamination when clean items were washed with those that had traces of the virus on.
PHE's guidance said where it was not possible for uniforms to be industrially laundered, staff should wash them at home but Dr Laird advised against this.
She said: "This research has reinforced my recommendation that all healthcare uniforms should be washed on site at hospitals or at an industrial laundry.
Full article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-56171006 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-56171006)
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Four key risk factors accounting for two-thirds of coronavirus hospital admissions have been revealed by a new study.
The majority of Covid-19 hospital cases are attributable to at least one of these four pre-existing conditions: obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart failure.
The findings are based on research conducted on the total 906,849 coronavirus hospital cases that had occurred in the US by November 18 last year.
They found that 30 per cent were attributable to obesity, 26 per cent to high blood pressure, 21 per cent to diabetes and 12 per cent to heart failure.
Lead study author Meghan O'Hearn, a doctoral candidate at the Friedman School, said: "Medical providers should educate patients who may be at risk for severe Covid-19 and consider promoting preventive lifestyle measures, such as improved dietary quality and physical activity, to improve overall cardiometabolic health.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/four-main-risk-factors-associated-19918056 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/four-main-risk-factors-associated-19918056)
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A bit late for most of us who have had the vaccine, but there are a few reports that for the first 8 days after inoculation, you are twice as likely to become infected, also it is over 21 days before you have a reasonable percentage of protection.
Abstract
A distinctive feature of the roll out of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 virus in the UK was the decision to delay the timing of the second injection till 12 weeks after the first. The logic behind this is to protect more people sooner and so reduce the total number of severe infections, hospitalisations, and deaths. This decision caused criticism from some quarters due in part to a belief that a single injection may not give adequate immunity. A recent paper based on Israel’s experience of vaccination suggested that a single dose may not provide adequate protection. Here we extract the primary data from the Israeli paper and then estimate the incidence per day for each day after the first injection and also estimate vaccine effectiveness for each day from day 13 to day 24. We used a pooled estimate of the daily incidence rate during days 1 to 12 as the counterfactual estimate of incidence without disease and estimated confidence intervals using Monte Carlo modelling. After initial injection case numbers increased to day 8 before declining to low levels by day 21. Estimated vaccine effectiveness was pretty much 0 at day 14 but then rose to about 90% at day 21 before levelling off. The cause of the initial surge in infection risk is unknown but may be related to people being less cautious about maintaining protective behaviours as soon as they have the injection. What our analysis shows is that a single dose of vaccine is highly protective, although it can take up to 21 days to achieve this. The early results coming from Israel support the UK policy of extending the gap between doses by showing that a single dose can give a high level of protection.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.01.21250957v1 (https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.01.21250957v1)
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Covid-19: Don't think pandemic is over, Whitty warns
Unlocking too quickly would lead to a substantial surge in Covid infections, the UK's chief medical adviser says.
Prof Chris Whitty told MPs that would be dangerous and risk lives among the many vulnerable people not yet protected by the vaccine.
"A lot of people may think this is all over. It is very easy to forget how quickly things can turn bad," he said.
His comments come amid pressure from backbench Tories to ease lockdown more quickly, given the drop in infections.
The Covid Recovery Group, which includes over 70 MPs, has pushed the prime minister to relax more steps, more quickly.
Appearing before the Science and Technology Select Committee, Prof Whitty said: "Under all the scenarios, if we unlock very suddenly, all the modelling suggests we would get a substantial surge while a lot of people are not protected."
In his evidence to MPs, Prof Whitty set out why, despite the impressive vaccination rollout programme, there are still many people vulnerable to the virus.
It takes about three weeks to build up immunity following the first dose of the vaccine.
So only the first four priority groups - the over-70s, health and care staff and the extremely clinical vulnerable - will have developed significant protection at the moment.
Most Covid deaths have been in these groups. But nearly half of hospital admissions have been seen in the under-70s.
And most transmission was driven by younger people, who had more social contacts, Prof Whitty said.
So the UK's policy of focusing on older age groups means it will be some time before the vaccine rollout will have a significant impact on the virus's spread.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56334902 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56334902)
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Nearly 3,500 more people could die with Covid-19 in Wales by the end of June, under a 'new reasonable worst case' scenario.
But the "most likely scenario" is around 806 fatalities, according to recent modelling by Swansea University.
However, thousands more are set to contract the virus in the coming months, even with the vaccine rollout, as restrictions are eased, the models suggest.
The modelling was presented in a Welsh Government Technical Advisory Group (TAG) report, dated February 12 2021, to help advise the response to the pandemic in Wales, which was published today.
Hundreds of scenarios were generated, taking into account a wide range of factors including, how many children were in school, how fast restrictions were eased, the vaccine effectiveness and the numbers of people sticking to the rules.
It comes amid concerns of a third Covid-19 wave across the UK and its impact, if restrictions are lifted too quickly.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/thousands-more-could-die-covid-20074179 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/thousands-more-could-die-covid-20074179)
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THE health board has been able to administrate more than 300,000 vaccinations, thanks to an increase in supplies.
As of March 14, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) had delivered 317,393 total vaccinations.
Gill Harris, deputy chief executive, said: "Last week the vaccination programme ramped up significantly as GP surgery staff across the region helped us take advantage of a significant increase in vaccine supply. We simply could not deliver such a large and complex vaccination programme without their expertise.
"This week we have received a slightly reduced supply, but we remain on course to meet the Welsh Government’s target of offering vaccination to Priority Groups One to Nine by April 19, and to the rest of the eligible population by the end of July, subject to vaccine supplies."
Key information (as from March 14)
317,393 total vaccinations have been administered in North Wales
First dose vaccines – 259,918
Second dose vaccines – 57,475
Percentage of people in Priority Group Five who have received a first dose: (ages 65 to 69): 89 per cent
Percentage of people in Priority Group 6 who have received a first dose (ages 16 to 64 in an at risk group): 58 per cent
Vaccination supply for the week ahead (week commencing March 15).
BCUHB will receive 54,240 vaccines (18,720 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 35,520 doses of AstraZeneca).
The Pfizer vaccine will again be used primarily for second doses.
This week BCUHB will continue to provide vaccination to the following groups, with invitations made by letter, text message and phone call:
People aged 65-69 years (Priority Group Five)
People aged 16-64 years in an at risk group (Priority Group Six)
People aged 60-64 years (Priority Group Seven)
Second doses within 12 weeks to those who have received their first vaccination
People in Priority Groups Six to Nine will have received their invitation for their first vaccination by April 5. Invitations will be sent by the following dates:
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19166247.bcuhb-delivers-300-000-covid-19-vaccinations-north-wales/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19166247.bcuhb-delivers-300-000-covid-19-vaccinations-north-wales/)
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12:41
The First Minister will give a coronavirus update at a Welsh Government briefing today.
The First Minister says that a third wave is inevitable.
"The question is not whether it will happen to us, but how it will happen to us," he said.
Its effect will depend on the success of the restrictions and the compliance of the population in following them,
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An interesting in depth article from WALESonline ................
Wales' biggest mistake in the coronavirus pandemic and the thousands who died
Why did so many more people die in the second wave of coronavirus in Wales when we knew what we faced?
We knew what we faced. As unpopular as they are, we also knew that decisive lockdown measures were the only way to stop it. And yet it happened right in front of our eyes. Cases rocketed, policies to stop that rise failed, and hospitalisations and deaths followed. By January, the NHS was in desperate crisis and 100 people were dying every two days in Wales.
The Public Health Wales data tell the story. In the six months from March 1 to August 31 there were 18,158 positive cases and 1,594 Covid deaths within 28 days of a positive test. In the second wave, between September 1 and February 28 there were 185,959 cases and 3,783 deaths.
Increased testing in the second wave might muddy the picture when it comes to tests but only one thing explains the deaths: the virus being allowed to circulate in our communities. Nor is this a case of coronavirus deaths in the first wave being missed from the statistics. The ONS figures which record all deaths with Covid-19 on the death certificate tell the same story: 2,301 deaths with the virus between March and August, 4,345 deaths with coronavirus between September and February.
Here are just some of the arguably catastrophic decisions that were made as the summer turned into autumn and led into the bleakest of winters..................https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/wales-biggest-mistake-coronavirus-pandemic-20220816?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589 (https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/wales-biggest-mistake-coronavirus-pandemic-20220816?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589)
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I know I am being pessimistic, but we will have to return to normal life very carefully., bearing in mind some of the mistakes made, as mentioned in the above article.
After just listening to the Good Morning Britain presenters telling us all to get ready for meeting our friends around a BBQ, and it won't be long before we can book our holidays abroad, and suggested Gibraltar as an example, as they have all been vaccinated ?, all very upbeat about getting back to normality, I felt it was slightly irresponsible reporting..............
On the other hand the BBC's article "Masks and social distancing could last years" brings us back down again......People may need to wear face coverings and socially distance for several years until we return to normality, a leading epidemiologist has predicted.
Mary Ramsay, the head of immunisation at Public Health England, said basic measures could be in place until other countries successfully roll out jabs.....
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56475807 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56475807)
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After just listening to the Good Morning Britain presenters telling us all to get ready for meeting our friends around a BBQ, and it won't be long before we can book our holidays abroad, and suggested Gibraltar as an example, as they have all been vaccinated ?, all very upbeat about getting back to normality, I felt it was slightly irresponsible reporting..............
I agree.
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The EU's attitude to vaccines, is seriously annoying, first they don't want it, now they want it all, and this after being late in ordering the vaccines in the first place, now desperately trying to please the European people, who are seeing other countries high vaccination rates.
A couple of informative BBC articles ...
What’s the problem with the EU vaccine rollout? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52380823 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52380823)
Between the EU trying to hold back supplies and India's problems, this article is reassuring.
Where is the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine made? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/56483766 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/56483766)
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54% of UK public will miss some aspects of Covid lockdown rules – study
The research found many people say they will miss spending time with family, quieter roads and staying in
The research, part of a wider study with BBC News also found that 32 per cent of 2,442 adults aged 16 and over said the past year has been similar to or better than average for them personally.
And 19 per cent said the last year has been better than they expected it to be when the first lockdown was introduced, while 21 per cent said their finances have improved.
cont https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/uk-coronavirus-restrictions-lockdown-rules-study-b925875.html (https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/uk-coronavirus-restrictions-lockdown-rules-study-b925875.html)
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Update on yesterdays stories above........
EU plans tougher controls on vaccine exports
The European Commission has proposed tougher controls on Covid vaccine exports after it accused UK-Swedish firm AstraZeneca of failing to honour its contract to supply EU countries.
The plans, to go before EU leaders on Thursday, stop short of a ban but could enflame tensions with the UK.
Any shipment would be assessed on the destination country's rate of vaccinations and vaccine exports.
Meanwhile, millions of AZ doses have reportedly been found in Italy.
La Stampa website says some 29 million vaccine doses due to be shipped to the UK were being stored at the Catalent plant in Anagni near Rome but were discovered by Italian inspectors as part of an investigation by the European Commission.
Italian military police did not deny the raid took place, but when asked by the BBC about the report, the foreign ministry in Rome and the Italian prime minister's office refused to comment. The plant has a contract with AstraZeneca to "fill and finish" its vaccines and is set to do the same for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, also approved for use in the EU.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56509521 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56509521)
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Wockhardt UK: Inside the factory making the AstraZeneca vaccine
While Europe faces a shortage of vaccines and governments argue about who gets what, one company in north Wales is producing jabs solely for the UK population.
Almost all of the UK's AstraZeneca supply comes through here; it's where the vaccine's filled into sterile vials, inspected dozens of times, and sent out for distribution.
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson called it a "saviour of humanity" and it's fair to say the staff inside are feeling immense pressure - and pride - from their role in the vaccination programme.
BBC Breakfast was given world-first access to the production line.
4 minute video https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-56450968 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-56450968)
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Over-70s, health and social care workers, and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable could begin to get booster shots against new coronavirus variants as early as September, the vaccine minister has said.
Nadhim Zahawi said the first booster jabs would be given to those in the top four priority groups; those over 70, NHS workers and care home staff, and the clinically extremely vulnerable.
In an interview with the Telegraph, Zahawi also revealed that ministers were expecting up to eight different vaccines to be available in the UK by the autumn, including one jab which has the potential to protect from three different strains of coronavirus with a single dose.
A number of the hoped-for vaccines will reportedly be manufactured in the UK, a move that could relax pressure on supplies as tensions escalate with the European Union, which faces a shortage of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Asked when the public could expect booster shots to begin, Zahawi said the most likely date would be September.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/27/covid-booster-shots-could-go-to-at-risk-groups-in-september-uk-vaccines-minister (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/27/covid-booster-shots-could-go-to-at-risk-groups-in-september-uk-vaccines-minister)
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"It's appalling the way AstraZeneca has been treated. I wouldn't blame them if they were thoroughly fed up and decided to bow out of the covid vaccine business."
That was the view from one of the biggest institutional investors in the UK.
It's not a view the pharmaceutical giant and its talismanic boss Pascal Soriot would have expected to hear, having developed a safe, effective vaccine at breakneck speed, signing contracts to deliver nearly two billion doses and doing it all without making a profit.
Mr Soriot could be forgiven perhaps for thinking he would be getting a medal.
Instead he is getting brickbats from EU politicians like Belgian MEP Philippe Lamberts, who has accused the company of dishonesty and arrogance, in the way he alleges, it has "over-promised and under-delivered".
Some are suggesting that the whole endeavour has been more trouble than it is worth.
AstraZeneca has foregone over $20bn (£14.5bn) in revenue, while becoming a household name in the EU and the US for all the wrong reasons.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56570364 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56570364)
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I did not realise the numbers were so high.
Long Covid: snapshot poll finds more than 1m people with symptoms in UK
ONS estimates 1.1m people in community had ongoing symptoms in four weeks to 6 March
Long Covid, or post-Covid syndrome, describes a range of symptoms that persist for more than four weeks after a first suspected infection with the virus, and which are not explained by other causes. Symptoms vary but include fatigue, muscle pain and difficulty concentrating.
The ONS estimates that 697,000 of those with long Covid first had the virus, or a suspected infection, at least 12 weeks earlier, with a further 70,000 having a first infection at least one year earlier.
cont https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/apr/01/long-covid-snapshot-poll-finds-million-people-symptoms-uk (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/apr/01/long-covid-snapshot-poll-finds-million-people-symptoms-uk)
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Covid-19 vaccine invites for over-40s being sent in 'significant numbers' in North Wales
It comes as most people aged 50 and over should have already had an invite for their jab
Later in the article..........
"We are determined to not leave anybody behind, so if you are in Priority Groups 1-5 (aged 65 or over or are clinically extremely vulnerable) and have not yet been able to take up an appointment, please call our COVID-19 Vaccination Contact Centre on 03000 840004.
"The lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm and Saturday to Sunday, 9am to 1pm.
“If you’re in Priority Groups 6-9 (aged 50-64 or aged 16-70 and in an at risk group), and you’ve not been able to take up an appointment, we’ll contact you to offer you another appointment in the coming weeks.
"Please be patient and don’t contact your GP or our COVID-19 Vaccination Contact Centre unless you need to cancel or amend an existing appointment.”
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/covid-19-vaccine-invites-over-20334091 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/covid-19-vaccine-invites-over-20334091)
full story
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As some will know, I am a great believer in Vitamin D supplements, and have taken them daily for some time, and suggested to others their use, today Ireland's government is saying "every adult in Ireland should take vitamin D supplements", below are various links for those interested, and I hope some of the quotes below, might pique an interest to those who arre unsure.
Article from the Irish Times
Every adult in Ireland should start taking vitamin D supplements due to alarming levels of deficiency in the State, a new Oireachtas report says.
Low levels of vitamin D have also been linked to worse health outcomes in relation to Covid-19, and this is why the issue needs to be addressed urgently, according to the report.
Elderly people, those who are overweight and people who belong to an ethnic minority are more at risk of deficiency, and targeted measures are needed to combat this, the report warns.
The Oireachtas Health Committee’s report, published today, outlines a number of public health measures that need to be taken to raise vitamin D levels among the general population.
The report recommends that every adult in Ireland should start taking vitamin D supplements.
cont https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/every-adult-in-ireland-should-take-vitamin-d-supplements-report-recommends-1.4531214 (https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/every-adult-in-ireland-should-take-vitamin-d-supplements-report-recommends-1.4531214)
Article from the Irish Medical Journal
Optimisation of Vitamin D Status for Enhanced
Immuno-protection Against Covid-19
Conclusions and Recommendations
Vitamin D deficiency is common and may contribute to increased risk of respiratory infection including Covid-19. We
recommend that all older adults, hospital inpatients, nursing home residents and other vulnerable groups (e.g. those
with diabetes mellitus or compromised immune function, those with darker skin, vegetarians and vegans, those who
are overweight or obese, smokers and healthcare workers) be urgently supplemented with 20-50µg/d of vitamin D to
enhance their resistance to Covid-19, and that this advice be quickly extended to the general adult population.
cont https://www.imj.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Optimisation-of-Vitamin-D-Status-for-Enhanced-Immuno-protection-Against-Covid-19.pdf (https://www.imj.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Optimisation-of-Vitamin-D-Status-for-Enhanced-Immuno-protection-Against-Covid-19.pdf)
Full report from
Joint Committee on Health
Report on addressing Vitamin D deficiency
as a public health measure in Ireland
April 2021
1.3 The link between Vitamin D deficiency and Covid-19
9. More relevant in the context of Covid-19, Vitamin D is known to assist the immune
system in fighting harmful bacteria and viruses, and to reduce the risk of Acute
Respiratory Infection (ARI). The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the important role
Vitamin D can play in the fight against SARS-CoV-2. Severe Covid-19 disease
produces severe respiratory symptoms such as bilateral pneumonia associated with a
high morbidity and mortality, especially in patients of an advanced age
OFFICIAL REPORT https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/committee/dail/33/joint_committee_on_health/reports/2021/2021-04-07_report-on-addressing-vitamin-d-deficiency-as-a-public-health-measure-in-ireland_en.pdf (https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/committee/dail/33/joint_committee_on_health/reports/2021/2021-04-07_report-on-addressing-vitamin-d-deficiency-as-a-public-health-measure-in-ireland_en.pdf)
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STAFF at Bangor’s Ysbyty Gwynedd are taking part in a national trial to discover whether healthcare workers who have previously contracted Covid 19 are protected from the infection.
The trial named Siren (Sarscov 2 Immunity and Reinfection Evaluation) is being led by Public Health England and is taking place in around 130 different sites across the UK. The study is supported by the Research Team at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board through Health and Care Research Wales.
Initial reports from the study say antibodies from past Covid 19 infection provide 83 per cent protection against reinfection for at least five months.
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19237313.healthcare-staff-ysbyty-gwynedd-take-part-national-trial-understand-covid-immunity/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19237313.healthcare-staff-ysbyty-gwynedd-take-part-national-trial-understand-covid-immunity/)
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The four reasons we still need to be 'very cautious' as lockdown restrictions ease
More rules are scheduled to be relaxed in the coming weeks
1. The underlying dynamic over coronavirus transmission hasn't changed. Evidence across the world shows that, as soon as you increase social contact, the rates of transmission increase. Therefore the UK is likely to see increased rates as lockdown restrictions are relaxed.
2. While there has been huge progress in vaccinating people, there's still "a long way to go", with most of the people aged under 50 still to be vaccinated and the extra 5% of people in the most vulnerable groups who haven't had the vaccine yet.
3. The virus mutates, creating new variants, and it's still not fully understood exactly how much protection the vaccines give against variants.
4. It is still not fully understood exactly how the virus works. It tends to be worse in winter, which is why there have been warnings of further waves of the virus. It is hoped they will be much smaller than January with less impact on patients due to the vaccination campaign, but it's said to be "a question of when and how serious, not if".
"We therefore need to be careful about assuming we're on a one-way, inexorable and inevitable path to 'going back to normal' because it'll be a bumpy switchback road to a 'new normal'.
"We'll need to continue to wear masks, have regular vaccinations and prepare for further surges.
"The two key immediate priorities are therefore for the NHS to complete this initial vaccination campaign as quickly as possible and for all of us to play our part by sticking to the rules."
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/four-reasons-still-need-very-20391137 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/four-reasons-still-need-very-20391137)
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The UK is likely to see a "summer surge" in Covid cases as lockdown is relaxed, a government scientist says.
Prof Adam Finn, of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, says modelling points to a rise in cases, as many adults are not immunised.
He said the UK was still "vulnerable" and the dates for easing restrictions may need adjusting.
The PM has said there is nothing in the data to suggest the next step in easing lockdown cannot go ahead as planned.
But Boris Johnson said that most scientists were "firmly of the view" that there would be a third wave of the virus at some point this year.
On Tuesday, for the first time since September UK government figures showed fewer than 2,000 Covid patients in hospital.
More than 10 million people in the UK have had two doses of the vaccine. It means more than 19% of UK adults are fully vaccinated.
Prof Finn, from the University of Bristol, told BBC Breakfast the prime minister was right that the UK will see a further wave of Covid-19 cases....
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56830398 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56830398)
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A very good explanation of the differences and comparisons of the various vaccines available today, also why you might think that one is better than another.
Why you can't compare Covid-19 vaccines https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3odScka55A (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3odScka55A)
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The extremely good news is that human trials are about to get underway on the world's first Universal Coronavirus vaccine. This is excellent news, because the appearance of Covid-19 follows on the heels of MERS and SARS, both deadly (far more so than Covid) but currently far less infectious. If another Coronavirus variant with the infectivity of MERS and SARS but the transmissibility of Covid were to appear, we could expect at least 100 million deaths.
Creating a Universal vaccine means locating a commonality that all the viruses share, like a kill-switch. Calls to create one began in 2014, when Abul Islam and Refat Sharmin at the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh discovered an epitope within an enzyme that was universal across all known human coronaviruses, and suggested it as a target for a universal vaccine. It was published in BMC Bioinformatics, but wasn’t followed up. Why? Because neither SARS nor MERS was hitting the wealthy first-world countries.
However, the only thing of which we can be utterly sure is that another pandemic will arrive - sooner or later.
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Five factors that will decide scale of third Covid-19 wave in Wales this summer
Experts advising the Welsh Government are recommending that indoor activities are moved outdoors this summer
Recent modelling by Swansea University suggest a third wave of coronavirus is “highly likely” in Wales this summer.
Most scenarios indicate a rise in case numbers, hospital admissions and deaths in late July or early August once Covid curbs have been eased.
Swansea’s scientists don’t expect the summer wave to reach the same intensity as previous waves, said Wales’ Technical Advisory Cell (TAC) in its latest report for the Welsh Government.
To reduce the impact of the third wave, TAC's experts are recommending that, where possible, indoor activities are moved outdoors during the summer.
This particularly applies to activities that include “exercise, singing, loud speaking etc”. Another is "laughing".
TAC said the exact timing and scale of the summer wave remains uncertain and will depend on a number of factors.
These include:
The evolution of Covid variants that are more resistant to vaccines
A breakdown in social distancing behaviour
Drop-offs in vaccine supply
The degree of vaccine hesitancy among the young
A fifth factor - still the subject of research - may include the effectiveness of vaccines in reducing Covid transmission, said TAC
In its report, TAC said: “Personal protective behaviours such as face coverings and hand hygiene will remain important in settings where it is not possible to socially distance at a minimum of two metres, particularly for extended durations.”
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/five-factors-decide-scale-third-20469861 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/five-factors-decide-scale-third-20469861)
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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 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56879203)
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"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 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/knightlys-fun-park-defends-social-20503458)
Quiz ...spot the masks ?
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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!"
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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.
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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!
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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/ (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.
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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/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19291705.decommission-llandudnos-ysbyty-enfys-start/)
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Re above .... a FB post ..... "What would India give for this"
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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/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19296321.latest-vaccine-update-bcuhb-three-quarters-adults-north-wales-received-least-one-dose/)
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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."
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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 (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 (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 (https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/india-variant-covid-lockdown-roadmap-uk-b934877.html)
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This story if true, makes a mockery of the quarantine rules, and can only add to the present dangerous situation . &shake&
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
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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 (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/coronavirus-cases-news-live-vaccines-b1850527.html)
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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 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57174733)
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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 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/early-action-indian-covid-variant-20651296)
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Indian variant concerns
"Public should be worried about the resurgence of coronavirus in general," says Dr Frank Atherton, though "figures are low."
As such, people should continue to adhere to the guidance and remain cautious in their day-to-day lives, he added.
Ms Morgan said that the Welsh Government is "very aware" of the Indian variant and, like Dr Atherton, urged people to proceed with caution as restrictions are eased.
more news https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/live-new-welsh-health-minister-20663633 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/live-new-welsh-health-minister-20663633)
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The eight new symptoms people in North Wales can now get coronavirus tests for
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has expanded the list of reasons why people can get tested
They include:
Muscle ache or pain
Excessive tiredness
Persistent headache
Runny nose or blocked nose
Persistent sneezing
Sore throat and/or hoarseness
Shortness of breath or wheezing
Any new or change in symptoms following a previous negative test
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/eight-new-symptoms-people-north-20689536 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/eight-new-symptoms-people-north-20689536)
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A single-dose Covid vaccine made by Janssen has been approved for use in the UK by the medicines regulator.
The vaccine, which was 85% effective in stopping severe illness from Covid-19 in trials, has met expected safety standards.
Twenty million doses have been ordered for the UK, and will arrive later this year.
It will be the fourth vaccine to be used in the UK to protect against Covid-19.
More than 38 million people have now received a first dose of a vaccine in the UK - nearly three-quarters of the adult population.
The vaccine is likely to be used to give care home residents a booster jab ahead of winter because it can be easily stored and transported at fridge temperatures.
The UK's vaccine committee - the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) - will produce advice on exactly who should receive the Belgian-made vaccine in due course.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57283837 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57283837)
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Seems as though the Indian variant has some nasty surprises. From Scientific American: (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-deadly-black-fungus-is-ravaging-covid-patients-in-india/)
“Some of the earliest indications of a wave of illness that is now swamping India, an epidemic within the pandemic: infections with a rare group of fungi called mucormycetes. The infection they cause, mucormycosis—“black fungus,” colloquially—can infest the sinuses and bones of the face and invade the brain or cause patients to lose an eye. When it goes untreated—and treatment is prolonged and difficult—mucormycosis can kill up to half of those who contract it.
There have been almost 12,000 cases of the infection in India in recent months, with most of them occurring in the western states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. “There was no fungus in the first wave” of COVID, says S. P. Kalantri, a professor of medicine at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences and medical superintendent of its hospital. “The black fungus has painted the country red in the second wave.”
The epidemic of mucormycosis is yet another of the unpleasant surprises produced by the COVID pandemic—following MIS-C, a severe inflammatory syndrome that seems to mostly affect children, and “long COVID,” a complex of symptoms that continue to afflict patients months after initial infection. Mucormycosis is one of an array of ferocious fungal diseases that have attacked COVID patients, including a lethal yeast called Candida auris and a spate of infections with Aspergillus fungi that have earned the acronym CAPA (for COVID-associated pulmonary aspergillosis).”
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Posted by: Ian
« on: Yesterday at 08:03:48 PM »Insert Quote
Seems as though the Indian variant has some nasty surprises. From Scientific American:
“Some of the earliest indications of a wave of illness that is now swamping India, an epidemic within the pandemic: infections with a rare group of fungi called mucormycetes. The infection they cause, mucormycosis—“black fungus,” colloquially—can infest the sinuses and bones of the face and invade the brain or cause patients to lose an eye. When it goes untreated—and treatment is prolonged and difficult—mucormycosis can kill up to half of those who contract it.
After reading this report a few weeks ago, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-57154564 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-57154564) I suspected something would happen,
this however, seems very nasty, we can only hope they get the help, they need, from their own government, as well as outside assistance.
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Covid-19: 'Very few' Covid hospital patients had two jabs, NHS boss says
The head of NHS Providers has said "very, very few" Covid patients in hospital in England have received two coronavirus jabs - showing the vaccines provide "very high" levels of protection.
Chris Hopson said patients now tended to be younger - meaning there was a lower need for critical care.
But he said it was "incredibly striking" how busy hospitals were, as they deal with non-Covid backlogs.
Trusts were going "full pelt", he said.
Meanwhile, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi has confirmed that the government is considering making coronavirus vaccines compulsory for NHS staff.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57294438 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57294438)
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There are signs the UK is in the early stages of a third wave of coronavirus infections, a scientist advising the government has said.
Prof Ravi Gupta, from the University of Cambridge, said although new cases were "relatively low" the Indian variant had fuelled "exponential growth".
He said ending Covid restrictions in England on 21 June should be postponed.
Environment Secretary George Eustice said the government could not rule out a delay to the planned lockdown easing.
But business leaders have warned of the harmful impact of any change to the proposed dates.
On Monday, the UK reported more than 3,000 new Covid infections for a sixth day in a row.
Prior to this, the UK had not surpassed that number since 12 April.
No deaths within 28 days of a positive test were reported in England, Wales or Northern Ireland - but one death was reported in Scotland.
Prof Gupta told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the UK was already in a third wave of infections and at least three quarters of cases were the variant identified in India.
He said: "Of course the numbers of cases are relatively low at the moment - all waves start with low numbers of cases that grumble in the background and then become explosive, so the key here is that what we are seeing here is the signs of an early wave."
However, he said the number of people who had been vaccinated in the UK meant this wave would probably take longer to emerge than previous ones.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57304515 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57304515)
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Yep; still a way to go before it's over, I suspect.
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This article is cause for concern, we have to hope the Vietnam Government can stop this early.
Covid: Vietnam detects new UK-Indian variant, health officials say
Vietnam has detected a Covid variant that appears to be a combination of the Indian and UK variants and can spread quickly by air, officials say.
Vietnam's Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long described the latest mutation on Saturday as "very dangerous".
Viruses mutate all the time and most variants are inconsequential, but some can make a virus more contagious.
Since Covid-19 was first identified in January 2020, thousands of mutations have been detected.
"Vietnam has uncovered a new Covid-19 variant combining characteristics of the two existing variants first found in India and the UK," Mr Nguyen told a government meeting, according to Reuters news agency.
Mr Nguyen said the new hybrid variant was more transmissible than previously known versions, especially in the air. He said it was discovered after running tests on newly-detected patients, online newspaper VnExpress reported.
He added that the genetic code of the virus would be made available soon.
The variant of Covid-19 first identified in India last October - called B.1.617.2 - is more transmissible than the UK/Kent variant - also known as B.1.1.7 - according to experts.
Research suggests that vaccines, such as the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs, are highly effective against the Indian variant after two doses, but protection from one dose appears to be reduced.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-57296803 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-57296803)
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Coronavirus doctor's diary: Will we need a third dose of vaccine?
A clinical trial began this week to find out whether a third dose of vaccine will provide people with better protection against the Covid-19 virus, and to gather evidence on how different vaccines work together. Dr John Wright of Bradford Royal Infirmary explains how the trial will work, and speaks to some of the volunteers.
As the unstoppable NHS Vaccine Express hurtles onwards past the 40 million passenger mark, the destination - full adult coverage - can be glimpsed on the horizon. But already we are preparing for the next phase of our journey, by investigating how best to keep people protected in a world where Covid is ever present.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57362906 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57362906)
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Scores of cases of the Delta variant of coronavirus have been recorded in a week - with health bosses warning that Wales looks to be seeing community transmission of the strain.
Public Health Wales today confirmed that a total of 81 new cases of the coronavirus variant have been recorded since June 3 - bringing the total to 178.
And they warned that several cases discovered were not linked to previously reported clusters, raising the prospect that community transmission is now taking place.
In a statement, the body described the increase in cases as "significant", and urged people to stick to social distancing rules and to take up the offer of a vaccine.
They warned that Wales "may slowly be beginning to experience localised community transmission of the variant, with increasing evidence of cases with no travel history".
The majority of the Delta cases in Wales have been focused around a cluster of cases in North Wales and a cluster of cases in South Wales but experts are also starting to see "unlinked" cases in these areas and elsewhere in Wales.
The biggest cluster in North Wales has been in the Llandudno, Llandudno Junction and Penrhyn Bay areas, although cases have also been recorded in Porthmadog.
The most recent evidence suggests that the Delta variant is more transmissible than the previously dominant Alpha (or Kent) variant.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/health-bosses-warn-wales-now-20767526?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/health-bosses-warn-wales-now-20767526?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589)
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Is there a limit to how much worse variants can get?
It is clear we are now dealing with a virus that spreads far more easily - probably more than twice as easily - as the version that emerged in Wuhan at the end of 2019.
The Alpha variant, first identified in Kent, UK, performed a large jump in its ability to transmit. Now Delta, seen first in India, leapt further still.
So are we doomed to a never-ending parade of new and improved variants that get harder and harder to contain? Or is there a limit to how much worse coronavirus can become?
It's worth remembering the journey this virus is on. It has made the jump from infecting a completely different species - its closest relatives are in bats - to us. It's like you, starting a new job: you're competent, but not the finished article. The first variant was good enough to start a devastating pandemic, but now it's learning on the job.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57431420 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57431420)
When can we stop wearing face masks or face coverings?
Some people may opt to wear them, even if they are not compulsory. $good$
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he hoped they would become the norm on public transport as a matter of "personal responsibility".
full article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51205344 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51205344)
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This seems a tad worrying:
Mark Woolhouse at the University of Edinburgh said the delay “would be justified”. In a statement, Woolhouse said: “The arrival of the delta variant has changed the assessment of the risks of re-opening: it is more transmissible, causes more severe disease and the vaccines are less effective against it."
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SECOND doses of the vaccine have been brought forward due to the increasing threat of the delta variant.
The Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board confirmed that appointments for the second dose interval for the Pfizer vaccine will be brought forward to eight weeks rather than the original 12
Gill Harris, Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery said on June 15 that 85 per cent of eligible adults are vaccinated with a first dose, and 55 per cent have received both doses. This includes at least 80 per cent take up among all groups above the age of 40.
She added: "We’ve come so far, so quickly, but the speed at which we can all return to normal life could depend on how swiftly we vaccinate the remainder of people in these younger age groups.
"This has become especially important in light of the emergence and continued spread of the delta variant of coronavirus, which is thought to be 60 per cent more transmissible than the previously dominant alpha variant."
The delta variant is spreading much more quickly among'st people who have not been vaccinated and now accounts for over 90 per cent of new positive coronavirus cases in North Wales.
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/health/19375636.betsi-cadwaladr-coronavirus-vaccine-update-appointments-brought-forward/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/health/19375636.betsi-cadwaladr-coronavirus-vaccine-update-appointments-brought-forward/)
PS
Covid vaccinations are to become mandatory for English care home staff under plans to be announced by ministers, as they consider extending the move to all NHS staff.
The controversial measure sets up a likely battle with staff in both services and could lead to the government being sued under European human rights law or equalities legislation for breaching the freedom of people who work in caring roles to decide what they put into their bodies.
The Guardian understands that ministers will confirm they are pushing ahead with compulsory vaccination for most of the 1.5 million people working in social care in England, despite employer and staff organisations in the sector warning that it could backfire if workers quit rather than get immunised. Under the plans those working with adults will have 16 weeks to get vaccinated or face losing their jobs.
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My wife and I applied for the Covid-19 self-testing kit and they both arrived the following day which was really good. Today we needed to take the test so we got out the package to do our first test and the first thing we noticed was a note on the end of the box saying "made in China"
That's pretty ironic considering that they gave us the virus in the first place. I still think that the WHO should have listed China as the Alpha variant and not Kent
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A new study has shown that people can catch Covid-19 more than once.
Having previously been infected with Covid-19 may not offer long-term protection against the disease, especially when it comes to the new variants, scientists have warned.
New government-funded research suggests that the immune response following natural infection can vary between individuals, six months after catching coronavirus.
The researchers said their findings, which are yet to be peer-reviewed, reinforce the need for everyone to get vaccinated for maximum protection against Covid-19, as vaccines generate higher immune response than natural infection.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/new-study-shows-people-can-20839677 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/new-study-shows-people-can-20839677)
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BETSI Cadwaladr Health Board (BCUHB) says it's more important than ever that people get Covid vaccinated amid a spike in cases of the Delta variant in North Wales.
The health board says the Delta variant, which originated in India, now accounts for 90 per cent of new North Wales cases and is 60 per cent more transmissible than previous variants.
Gill Harris, deputy chief executive and executive director of nursing and midwifery at BCUHB, said: "Vaccinations have become especially important in light of the emergence and continued spread of the delta variant of coronavirus, which is thought to be 60 per cent more transmissible than the previously dominant alpha variant, and now accounts for over 90 per cent of new positive coronavirus cases in North Wales.
"Those in younger age groups who feel no personal risk from Covid are reminded that vaccination is the best way to ensure that restrictions are eased and we can all return to normal life. It's now easier than ever for people to book their first and second dose vaccine appointments at a convenient date, time and location through the online booking service on our website.
“Having both doses of the Covid vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones. Owing to the threat posed by the delta variant, we’ve brought forward the second dose interval for the Pfizer vaccine to eight weeks."
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Welsh Government says Wales is now at the start of the third wave of coronavirus
Nearly 600 cases of the Delta variant have been recorded in Wales so far
Five Covid test collection points set up in community hit by outbreak of Delta variant
Public health officials today confirmed community transmission is occurring all across the country and Conwy has seen 198 cases of Covid in the 21 days to June 20
Responding to the growing issue, which Deputy chief medical officer for Wales Dr Chris Jones called "approaching the third peak" of the pandemic, Conwy county council has moved to get as many people tested as possible. It has now established collection points for lateral flow testing kits in five leisure centres.
They are:
Llandudno Swimming Centre - Mon to Thurs 6am-9pm; Fri 6am-8pm; Sat and Sun 8am-4pm
Llandudno Junction Leisure Centre - Mon to Fri 6am-9pm; Sat and Sun 8am-1pm
James Alexander Barr Tennis Centre - Mon to Fri 9am-9pm; Sat and Sun 9am to 12pm
Abergele Leisure Centre - Mon to Fri 6.30am-8.30pm; Sat & Sun 8.30am-1.30pm
Hwb yr Hen Ysgol Llanrwst (for LFD collection between 9am-5pm)
Cllr Charlie McCoubrey, leader of Conwy county council said: "Testing those without symptoms is an important tool in the fight against Covid-19.
"Each positive case identified can help prevent many more infections. These new collection points at locations across the county, will make it easier for everyone to access this rapid testing, free of charge."
full article https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/five-covid-test-collection-points-20867927 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/five-covid-test-collection-points-20867927)
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A new variant of coronavirus has been detected in the UK.
The strain - dubbed Delta+ - was first found circulating in three states in India and has been labelled a variant of concern by health authorities there.
Delta+ has now been detected in the UK with over 100 cases of the strain confirmed by Public Health England.
At the time of writing, the strain has been labelled as a variant under investigation by health bosses over the border.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/delta-new-more-infectuous-coronavirus-20881460 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/delta-new-more-infectuous-coronavirus-20881460)
India has classified a new variant of the coronavirus first identified in Europe as a "variant of concern", but it's too early to tell whether it poses a significant threat.
India's health ministry says studies showed that the so-called Delta plus variant - also known as AY.1 - spreads more easily, binds more easily to lung cells and is potentially resistant to monoclonal antibody therapy, a potent intravenous infusion of antibodies to neutralise the virus.
The variant is related to the Delta, an existing variant of concern, which was first identified in India last year and is thought to have driven the deadly second wave of infections this summer in India.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-57564560 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-57564560)
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North Wales is on brink of 'return to normal life' - but needs almost 20,000 people to get it there
The aim is to get at least 75% of each category inoculated, with take-up of at least 80 per cent in all age groups above the age of 40
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health board wants an extra 10,173 people aged between 30 and 39 and an additional 8,609 aged 18-29 to come forward and be vaccinated.
In its latest update the board said almost half a million North Wales residents have had a first dose of one of the Covid-19 jabs, and 338,018 have been fully vaccinated.
The aim is to get at least 75% of each category inoculated, with take-up of at least 80 per cent in all age groups above the age of 40. However in the 30-39 age group on 62% have received a jab and 71% of those aged 18-29 have been vaccinated.
The health board said: "We want take up to be as high as possible, but are aiming for at least 75 per cent in each eligible age group, in order to achieve a level of community protection which will help us eventually return to normal life.
"In the coming week we will be writing to approximately 80,000 people who have not received a first dose. This will include those who have previously told us that they do not wish to be vaccinated.
"We hope that some of these people have changed their mind, because of the new threat posed by the Delta variant."
The latest data shows a single jab reduces the chances of catching the virus and needing hospital treatment buy around 75% and by around 90% after both doses of the vaccination
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-brink-return-normal-20885940?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-brink-return-normal-20885940?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589)
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A mix-and-match approach to Covid vaccines - using different brands of jab for first and second doses - gives good protection against the pandemic virus, a UK study has found.
The Com-Cov trial looked at the efficacy of either two doses of Pfizer, two of AstraZeneca, or one of them followed by the other.
All combinations worked well, priming the immune system.
This knowledge could offer flexibility for vaccine rollout, say experts.
The trial results also hint that people who have already received two doses of AstraZeneca vaccine could have a stronger immune response if they were given a different jab as a booster if recommended in the autumn.
The UK's deputy chief medical officer, Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, said there was no reason to change the current successful same dose vaccine schedules in the UK, however, given vaccines were in good supply and saving lives.
But he says it might be something to look at in the future: "Mixing doses could provide us with even greater flexibility for a booster programme, while also supporting countries who have further to go with their vaccine rollouts, and who may be experiencing supply difficulties."
Some countries are already using mixed doses. Spain and Germany are offering the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines as a second dose to younger people who have already received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, following concerns about rare but serious blood clots, rather than about efficacy.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57636356 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57636356)
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Booster jabs for those most vulnerable to coronavirus are poised to take place this autumn, the Welsh Government has confirmed.
Health minister Eluned Morgan has confirmed ministers have been given interim advice which recommends an autumn booster campaign begins in September 2021.
The advice, from the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation, states the booster jabs should be considered in order to maximise protection for the most vulnerable ahead of winter
Early evidence also supports giving people the coronavirus booster and winter flu jab at the same time, however Baroness Morgan said this advice is not yet firm.
She has also outlined how the priorities for the third jab will work.
The following people should be offered a third dose booster vaccine and the annual influenza vaccine, as soon as possible from September 2021:
adults aged 16 years and over who are immunosuppressed
those living in residential care homes for older adults
all adults aged 70 years or over
adults aged 16 years and over who are considered clinically extremely vulnerable
frontline health and social care workers
And the following people should be offered a third dose booster vaccine as soon as possible after Stage 1, with equal emphasis on deployment of the influenza vaccine where eligible:
all adults aged 50 years and over
adults aged 16 – 49 years who are in an influenza or Covid-19 at-risk group
adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals
As most younger adults will only receive their second vaccine dose in late summer, the benefits of booster vaccination in this group will be considered at a later time by the JVCI, she said.
She added that vaccines designed specifically against variants of concern will not be available in time for this re vaccination phase in the autumn and will be considered by JCVI over the coming months.
The JVCI will consider further evidence over the coming months before final advice is provided. ref DP
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A woman whose life has been completely altered by Long Covid, is calling for more support.
Paige Christoper contracted coronavirus towards the end of 2020, but her symptoms weren’t severe and after 10 days in isolation, she headed back to work
But in January of this year, she began to feel unwell again. She began suffering from palpitations and breathlessness but wasn’t sure why.
Six months later the 25-year-old is still struggling, with the long term effects of the virus and has been left so week that she can’t drive and even has to have her mum help her to wash her hair.
Doctors have told her that she is suffering from Long Covid, and she now wants more to be done to help sufferers.
"I had Covid back in November, but I didn't even know I had it because I wasn't very unwell. I had a headache for a couple of days and it was only because I took a test that I realised I was positive,"
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/woman-long-covid-went-climbing-20939091?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/woman-long-covid-went-climbing-20939091?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589)
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Most of the UK's supplies of the AZ vaccine come from plants in north Wales and Staffordshire.
But five million doses were shipped from India as part of the UK's 100-million-dose AZ order.
The batches were produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII) - but the Department for Health says they were not called Covishield.
An amendment was made to the agreement between AstraZeneca and the MHRA (the UK regulator) listing three SII batch numbers and stating they were being "assessed and are treated as Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca".
The batch numbers are 4120Z001, 4120Z002 and 4120Z003.
If you received the AZ vaccine, it's possible,
A quick way of checking which batch you have had is to look at the paper card you were given after vaccination.
The person who jabbed you should have written the batch numbers in boxes on the back.
You will also see batch numbers listed on NHS Covid Pass letters which show you are fully vaccinated, and which you will need when travelling abroad to some countries.
Full story https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-57665765?at_custom3=bbc_wales_news&at_campaign=64&at_custom2=facebook_page&at_custom4=FFCD73EA-DCD2-11EB-9656-C58896E8478F&at_medium=custom7&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&fbclid=IwAR0gCu41lgJIezsVaqDEhcDtYrsUz_1XgKXJq023TGPelLCQ2O9IkA5y2l8 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-57665765?at_custom3=bbc_wales_news&at_campaign=64&at_custom2=facebook_page&at_custom4=FFCD73EA-DCD2-11EB-9656-C58896E8478F&at_medium=custom7&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&fbclid=IwAR0gCu41lgJIezsVaqDEhcDtYrsUz_1XgKXJq023TGPelLCQ2O9IkA5y2l8)
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Some time (possibly later this week) we'll cross the 4m dead boundary. 2% of those who catch Covid 19 die, which amounts to 1 in 50 of us. That's pretty serious. The good news is that world-wide, three and a quarter billion people have had vaccinations. We still have a way to go, yet, and the relaxing of all the rules may well prove a step too far.
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ABOUT nine in 10 eligible adults in North Wales have had a first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine while two-thirds have had the full protection of both doses.
Despite this success, at 69 per cent, first dose take up of the vaccine among people aged 30-39 is lower than it needs to be.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) is using a range of communications channels to urge those who have not yet come forward to get themselves protected, and have made it easier than ever for them to receive their first and second jab at a convenient date, time and location.
Gill Harris, executive director of Nursing and Midwifery, said: "If you turned down the vaccine when it was first offered but have since changed your mind, please book an appointment using our online booking service, or attend one of our drop in or mobile clinics (more on these below).
"We’ll be very pleased to see you and will take the time to discuss any concerns you have, before you decide whether to go ahead with vaccination."
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19425503.latest-covid-19-vaccine-update-bcuhb-nine-10-adults-north-wales-eligible-jab-first-dose/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19425503.latest-covid-19-vaccine-update-bcuhb-nine-10-adults-north-wales-eligible-jab-first-dose/)
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Doctor's warning after fit and healthy ‘vaccine sceptic’ fights for life with Covid
The 34-year-old dad told doctors if he could go back and get jabbed he would
A senior doctor has issued a stark warning to anyone who is not planning on taking the vaccine after a fit and healthy dad was left fighting for his life.
Matthew Keenan was a self-confessed ‘vaccine sceptic’ until he caught the virus, according to Leanne Cheyne, the doctor caring for him.
With Matthews permission, doctor Cheyne, the respiratory consultant shared a photo of the 34-year-old football coach receiving oxygen in his hospital bed on Twitter - along with a warning.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/doctors-warning-after-fit-healthy-21038451 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/doctors-warning-after-fit-healthy-21038451)
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A lethal triple mix of COVID-19, influenza, and the respiratory virus Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), could push an already depleted NHS to breaking point this winter unless we act now, says a new report released today [Thursday 15 July].
The report* from the Academy of Medical Sciences brought together 29 leading experts alongside 57 members of the public** at the request of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser to forecast the greatest risks to health this winter. They include:
A potential surge in respiratory viruses could cause widespread ill health and put pressure on the NHS. New modelling carried out for the report suggests this winter influenza and RSV hospital admissions and deaths could be two times that of a ‘normal’ year and could coincide with an increase of COVID-19 infections, and their associated long-term consequences.
Dealing with the current third wave of COVID-19, as well as multiple subsequent outbreaks, between summer 2021 and spring 2022, meaning the NHS cannot catch up with the backlog of routine care.
The NHS is already under pressure, and so is likely to be less able to cope with extra winter health challenges. Before the pandemic, winter bed occupancy in the NHS regularly exceeded 95%. This year the NHS will also be operating with a reduced number of beds because of infection control measures. The report also highlights that the NHS is reporting a shortage of nearly 84,000 staff, and a shortage of 2,500 GPs. Staff fatigue and burnout will also be a challenge.
Full report https://acmedsci.ac.uk/more/news/winter-viruses-and-covid-19-could-push-nhs-to-breaking-point-warns-new-report
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Several double vaccinated patients seriously ill in Welsh hospitals with Covid-19
One hospital has three people in intensive care with coronavirus who have had both doses of a vaccine
The fact that some patients are becoming seriously ill despite having a full dose of a coronavirus vaccine will clearly be a cause for concern, but it will also act as a reminder for people to continue to adhere to current restrictions which remain in place across Wales, especially as different variants potentially emerge.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/several-double-vaccinated-patients-seriously-21063311 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/several-double-vaccinated-patients-seriously-21063311)
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Israel's Health Ministry reported Thursday that the Pfizer vaccine's efficacy in preventing delta variant infections has dropped to 39 percent, while the vaccination was still 91 percent effective in preventing serious illness among those fully inoculated.
The latest figures are based on cases logged from June 20 to July 17, a period when the delta variant of COVID-19 spread throughout Israel.
The report has also reflected the decreasing potency of the vaccination, showing a mere 16 percent effectiveness against transmission among those vaccinated in January, compared to 44 percent of those vaccinated in February, 67 percent of those who received their shots in March, and 75 percent for those vaccinated in April.
The vaccine’s effectiveness at preventing severe cases for those vaccinated in January remains 86 percent, according to the figures, only slightly lower than those vaccinated in the following months.
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Israel's Health Ministry reported Thursday that the Pfizer vaccine's efficacy in preventing delta variant infections has dropped to 39 percent, while the vaccination was still 91 percent effective in preventing serious illness among those fully inoculated.
The latest figures are based on cases logged from June 20 to July 17, a period when the delta variant of COVID-19 spread throughout Israel.
The report has also reflected the decreasing potency of the vaccination, showing a mere 16 percent effectiveness against transmission among those vaccinated in January, compared to 44 percent of those vaccinated in February, 67 percent of those who received their shots in March, and 75 percent for those vaccinated in April.
The vaccine’s effectiveness at preventing severe cases for those vaccinated in January remains 86 percent, according to the figures, only slightly lower than those vaccinated in the following months.
An update on the above post.....
A theory has been put forward as to why Israels efficacy figures are poor, unlike the UK, they spaced their vaccines 3 weeks apart, and it would appear the UK's method of 12 weeks apart has been more successful, also mentioned was that, the USA used the same timing as Israel, which could have quite serious implications .
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Are we in the danger zone for creating new variants that could weaken the ability of vaccines to shield us from Covid? And does it matter?
Scientists have warned that the UK has created the perfect conditions by relaxing restrictions - which could see cases reaching 100,000 a day this summer - while large numbers of people don't have protection from both doses of the vaccine.
So far, the problematic variants have been those that spread significantly faster. The Delta variant, which was first identified in India, may spread twice as fast as the original form of the virus that emerged in China.
But speed isn't the only useful trait a coronavirus can acquire.
As more of us become immune, through vaccination and catching Covid, the more beneficial it is for the virus to evolve ways of dodging that immunity - known as immune escape.
"We are probably at the evolutionary high point, at the worst combination for an escape to happen in the UK," said Prof Aris Katzourakis, who studies viral evolution at the University of Oxford.
"The UK is in a prone position, whether it will happen we don't know, but it's more likely to happen here, now, than ever before."
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57941574 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57941574)
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Covid: Have we passed the peak and can we relax?
The number of confirmed daily cases has fallen for six days in a row - now standing at 24,950.
It's little over a week since there were warnings we could reach 100,000 or even 200,000 cases a day. And unlike the previous two waves of Covid, it is happening without a national lockdown. Instead, we're opening up.
The turnaround is as surprising as it is welcome.
So is it really happening? Has the third wave of Covid turned the corner in the UK? And does it mean we can think about life getting back to normal?
"And while restrictions are being eased, "residual caution" means many of us are still living well within the limits of the rules."
"Being reassured is one thing, but being reassured and then less cautious would be unwise."
We have not yet seen the impact of relaxing restrictions last Monday (19 July), which included reopening nightclubs in England.
This is due to the long delay between people catching the virus, and then getting symptoms and testing positive.
The end of this week is the earliest scientists expect to see the impact, but it could take longer as people may not have taken advantage of the relaxed rules until the weekend after 19 July.
Then there is the worry that people's behaviour shifts - as in the opposite of a self-fulfilling prophecy. The better we think things are going to be, the more we behave in ways that spread the virus and makes things worse.
Interesting and balanced article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57971990 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57971990)
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Doctor's warning after fit and healthy ‘vaccine sceptic’ fights for life with Covid
The 34-year-old dad told doctors if he could go back and get jabbed he would
A senior doctor has issued a stark warning to anyone who is not planning on taking the vaccine after a fit and healthy dad was left fighting for his life.
Matthew Keenan was a self-confessed ‘vaccine sceptic’ until he caught the virus, according to Leanne Cheyne, the doctor caring for him.
With Matthews permission, doctor Cheyne, the respiratory consultant shared a photo of the 34-year-old football coach receiving oxygen in his hospital bed on Twitter - along with a warning.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/doctors-warning-after-fit-healthy-21038451 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/doctors-warning-after-fit-healthy-21038451)
Vaccine sceptic dad who wanted to 'turn back time' and have jab has sadly died of Covid
Matthew Keenan, 34, urged others to 'grab a jab' before being placed in a coma in a bid to save his life
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/vaccine-sceptic-dad-who-wanted-21158177 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/vaccine-sceptic-dad-who-wanted-21158177)
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Sad state of affairs, when many millions of people are dying to get the vaccine,........
US President Joe Biden has called for states to offer $100 (£71) to the newly vaccinated in an effort to address flagging jab rates amid virus surges.
The president also issued a strict new vaccine requirement for US federal workers, the nation's largest workforce with some two million people.
The order requires employees to show proof of vaccination or be subjected to mandatory testing and masking.
Just under half of the US is fully vaccinated, according to official data.
Speaking from the White House on Thursday, Mr Biden said that the new measures are a result of the highly contagious Delta variant's spread, made worse by a "pandemic of the unvaccinated".
"People are dying and will die who don't have to die," the president said.
Mr Biden added that the monetary incentive may seem unfair to already vaccinated Americans, but "we all benefit if we can get more people vaccinated".
States would use money from the $1.9tn American Rescue Plan legislation to fund the incentives.
Mr Biden said that the federal government will be "fully reimbursing" small or medium-sized businesses that provide workers paid time off to get vaccinated.
While government workers who refuse to get vaccinated will not be fired, this move by the White House aims to set an example for other employers nationwide.
But public health experts warn that weekly testing is not an effective way of stopping outbreaks.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58020090 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58020090)
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July 30, 2021
Leaked CDC document, new report warn of delta’s contagiousness
Those data were made public in a leaked internal CDC document and a new report published Friday in MMWR, which warned of the delta variant’s contagiousness, including among people fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The leaked document, which was obtained by the Washington Post and New York Times, says the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 is “as transmissible as chicken pox” and notes in a slide labeled “Next steps for CDC” that the agency must “acknowledge that the war has changed.”
The CDC confirmed to Healio that the document was authentic.
“High viral loads suggest an increased risk of transmission and raised concern that, unlike with other variants, vaccinated people infected with delta can transmit the virus,” Walensky reiterated in a new statement issued Friday. “This finding is concerning and was a pivotal discovery leading to CDC’s updated mask recommendation. The masking recommendation was updated to ensure the vaccinated public would not unknowingly transmit virus to others, including their unvaccinated or immunocompromised loved ones.”
full article https://www.healio.com/news/infectious-disease/20210730/leaked-cdc-document-new-report-warn-of-deltas-contagiousness (https://www.healio.com/news/infectious-disease/20210730/leaked-cdc-document-new-report-warn-of-deltas-contagiousness)
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Allowing for research costs etc, this still seams morally wrong....................
Pfizer, Moderna Raise Prices Of Covid-19 Coronavirus Vaccines
What’s the best way to get more people vaccinated against Covid-19 to try to end the pandemic? Gee, how about raising the price of the vaccines?
Both Pfizer and Moderna have upped the prices of their Covid-19 coronavirus mRNA vaccines in their latest supply contracts to the European Union (EU). According to Reuters, each Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine dose will now be 19.50 euros, a 25% increase from the 15.50 euros previous price. That’s going from about $18.40 to $23.15 in U.S. dollars. That’s not an insignificant price hike. Imagine going into the store to find out that the price of your favorite “Harry Styles goes hunting” doll, your gluten-free water, or your bacon-covered hot dog has gone up by 25%.
Similarly, each dose of the Moderna vaccine will now be $25.50, which is around 21.50 in Euros and about a 13% increase from the prior 19 Euro price from the first procurement deal. Not exactly a Groupon for vaccines.
Now apparently, this is still lower than the previously agreed upon $28.50. However, orders for the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine orders have since been significantly larger than originally anticipated. This is in large part because some of the European public have become more skeptical about the Astra-Zeneca and Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccines as options, after very, very rare but serious blood clotting concerns emerged. In fact, Denmark stopped the use Johnson & Johnson's and AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccines in April and May, as Nikolaj Skydsgaard reported for Reuters. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2021/08/01/pfizer-and-moderna-raise-prices-of-covid-19-coronavirus-vaccines-for-european-union/?sh=584dc9e361e6 (https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2021/08/01/pfizer-and-moderna-raise-prices-of-covid-19-coronavirus-vaccines-for-european-union/?sh=584dc9e361e6)
ref BMJ "The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is much cheaper, although neither the UK nor the US can match the EU’s $2.15 deal: they are expecting to pay about $3 and $4, respectively, per dose."
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Covid: Full list of North Wales pharmacies where you can pick up free lateral flow tests
You can collect seven rapid test kits from any of these pharmacies if you don’t have symptoms
Conwy:
Rowlands Pharmacy 12 Castle Street Conwy LL32 8AY
Rowlands Pharmacy 24 High Street Conwy LL32 8DE
Colwyn Bay:
Boots 32-34 Station Road Colwyn Bay LL29 8BU
Cohens Chemists West End Medical Centre Conway Road Colwyn Bay LL29 7LS
Cohens Chemist 54-56 Conway Road Conwy Road Colwyn Bay LL29 7LD
Morrisons Pharmacy Seaview Road Bay View Shopping Centre Colwyn Bay LL29 8DG
Deganwy:
Rowlands Pharmacy 113 Station Road Deganwy LL31 9EJ
Llandudno:
Asda Pharmacy Asda Superstore Conway Road Llandudno LL30 1PJ
Boots Unit 9 Victoria Centre Mostyn Street Llandudno LL30 2NG
Boots Unit 3 Parc Llandudno Conway Road Llandudno LL30 1PX
Boots 2 Llandudno Road Penrhyn Bay Llandudno LL30 3HA
Boots 17 Queens Road Craig Y Don Llandudno LL30 1AZ
Craig Y Don Pharmacy Craig Y Don Medical Practice Clarence Road Llandudno LL30 1TA
Lloyds Pharmacy Ltd Ground Floor Premises Mostyn Broadway Llandudno LL30 1YL
Superdrug Pharmacy Inside Savers Mostyn Street Llandudno LL30 2SB
Boots 160 Conwy Road Llandudno Junction LL31 9DU
Rhos on Sea:
Boots 20 Rhos Road Rhos on Sea LL28 4PP
Rowlands Pharmacy 7 Rhos Road Rhos on Sea LL28 4PP
Full list here https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/covid-full-list-north-wales-21213964 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/covid-full-list-north-wales-21213964)
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Social media influencers like footballer Marcus Rashford could have a vital role to play in persuading the public to wear face masks, according to a Bangor University academic.
Influencers and celebrities may also help dictate which type of mask people should be wearing, said Prof Nathan Abrams.
Factors, such as climate change and littering, will become more important in determining the choices people make with face coverings, he said.
Prof Abrams said much of the public debate during the pandemic has been driven by influencers like Rashford, the Manchester United star who campaigned for free school meals.
He said: “They have had more effect on public debate than politicians.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/marcus-rashford-influencers-can-persuade-21242598 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/marcus-rashford-influencers-can-persuade-21242598)
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Welsh pupils to be offered flu jabs to head off 'perfect storm' in hospitals this winter
This autumn's vaccination programme will be the biggest ever seen in Wales
Wales will see its biggest ever flu vaccination programme this autumn with jabs being offered to everyone aged over 50 – plus all secondary school children.
By including pupils in years 7-11, it means flu vaccine will be available to well over 1.5m people in Wales this winter.
The roll-out will exceed last winter’s programme when more than one million flu vaccinations were dispensed, the largest number to date.
Where appropriate, flu vaccines will be administered alongside Covid booster jabs.
Dr Frank Atherton, chief medical officer for Wales, said the approach is designed to protect both the public and the NHS.
In his annual flu letter, he flagged up the potential for “co-circulation” of flu and Covid-19 this winter, as well as other respiratory infections.
By reducing influenza illness and deaths, it will cut hospitalisations at a time when the NHS and social care may again be tackling winter outbreaks of Covid-19, he said.
“We are concerned about a perfect storm of both flu and Covid-19 this winter, and are doing everything to prepare as best as we can,” said Dr Atherton.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-pupils-offered-flu-jabs-21241560?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-pupils-offered-flu-jabs-21241560?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4)
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Coronavirus experts have warned lockdown could return due to new Covid variants saying the UK could end up in “the same situation we were in a year ago."
Scientists have said any future Covid-19 variants could bypass the immunity built up by people getting double-jabbed as the vaccine rollout continues to grow.
Experts are calling on the government to publish any plans for response should new variants of the virus start to overcome the protection offered by the vaccines.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) have previously said the arrival of a new variant evading the vaccines is a “realistic possibility”, reports The Guardian.
Sage member Prof Graham Medley said: "A new variant that was able to overcome immunity significantly would be essentially a new virus.
“The advantage would be that we know we can generate vaccines against this virus – and relatively quickly. The disadvantage is that we would be back to the same situation we were in a year ago."
Dr Marc Baguelin, a member of the government’s SPI-M modelling group, said: "We would most likely be able to update the current vaccines to include the emerging strain.
“But doing so would take months and means that we might need to reimpose restrictions if there were a significant public health risk."
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19515515.new-covid-variant-see-uk-return-lockdown-despite-vaccine-rollout/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19515515.new-covid-variant-see-uk-return-lockdown-despite-vaccine-rollout/)
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In depth report........Potential Covid-19 autumn wave could see 1,000 hospital admissions per day
THERE is still potential for a “large” wave of Covid-19 in the autumn which could see 1,000 people admitted to hospital each day, an expert has warned.
Professor Neil Ferguson, infectious disease modeller and epidemiologist from Imperial College London, said current case rates are “sobering” heading into September when mixing will increase as schools return.
However, he added it is “unlikely” that any surge in hospital admissions will lead to levels of deaths seen earlier this year thanks to the vaccination programme.
He said a surge in cases will not be stopped through lockdowns, but instead population immunity.
His comments came after rules were eased so fully-vaccinated adults will no longer have to isolate if they come into contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.
He added: “What we can be confident in is vaccination is protecting people against the most severe disease – so it’s very unlikely we’ll see levels of deaths, for instance, comparable with what we saw this January.
“The real question is more important, frankly, than the numbers of cases… is what does that do to NHS demand and admissions to hospitals? And in the worst-case scenarios we could be getting, probably not up to January levels, but still at levels of well over 1,000 admissions per day potentially.
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19517789.potential-covid-19-autumn-wave-see-1-000-hospital-admissions-per-day/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19517789.potential-covid-19-autumn-wave-see-1-000-hospital-admissions-per-day/)
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AHEAD of the festival season across the UK, Public Health Wales is reminding people of the risk of Coronavirus transmission at mass gatherings, festivals and other large events.
Festivals, sports events and other mass gatherings are restarting across the UK following restrictions being eased, but Public Health Wales is keen to reiterate that Covid has not gone away, and that it is important that attendees take precautions to avoid the transmission of the virus.
Dr Eleri Davies, an Incident Director at Public Health Wales, said: “As restrictions ease across the UK, and festivals and other mass gatherings start again, we’re aware that many people will want to attend and enjoy them after many months being unable to do so.
“As expected following the move to Alert Level 0, case rates in Wales have risen and are currently over 200 cases per 100,000.
“While the vaccination programme has reduced the levels of hospitalisation and fatalities, the virus is still circulating in our communities.
“There are several measures that people can take in order to reduce the possibility of transmitting the virus.
“Firstly, please take up your offer of a vaccination when you receive it, as this is the best way of preventing serious illness, hospitalisation and death.
“In addition, if you have symptoms of Covid then please get a PCR test (by calling 119 or going to https://gov.wales/get-tested-coronavirus-covid-19), and self-isolate until you get the results. You should not attend a festival or other mass gathering event if you have symptoms.
“You should also consider carefully if it is sensible to attend these events if a close contact has tested positive for Covid, and ensure that you get a PCR test on days two and eight.
“When you’re at the event, hand hygiene, face coverings and social distancing are still effective measures to prevent transmission of the virus.”
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Impact of Delta on viral burden and vaccine effectiveness against new SARS-CoV-2 infections in the UK
Key findings from the study:
Obtaining two vaccine doses remains the most effective way to ensure protection against the COVID-19 Delta variant of concern dominant in the UK today.
With Delta, Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines still offer good protection against new infections, but effectiveness is reduced compared with Alpha.
Two doses of either vaccine still provided at least the same level of protection as having had COVID-19 before through natural infection; people who had been vaccinated after already being infected with COVID-19 had even more protection than vaccinated individuals who had not had COVID-19 before.
However, Delta infections after two vaccine doses had similar peak levels of virus to those in unvaccinated people; with the Alpha variant, peak virus levels in those infected post-vaccination were much lower.
Other findings:
A single dose of the Moderna vaccine has similar or greater effectiveness against the Delta variant as single doses of the other vaccines.
Two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech have greater initial effectiveness against new COVID-19 infections, but this declines faster compared with two doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca. Results suggest that after four to five months effectiveness of these two vaccines would be similar – however, long-term effects need to be studied.
The time between doses does not affect effectiveness in preventing new infections, but younger people have even more protection from vaccination than older people.
Symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 positivity in the general population in the UK
Within the COVID-19 Infection Survey, recruiting representative households across the UK general population, SARS-CoV-2-associated symptoms varied by viral variant, vaccination status and demographics. However, differences are modest and do not currently warrant large-scale changes to targeted testing approaches
https://www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/covid-19/covid-19-infection-survey/results/new-studies (https://www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/covid-19/covid-19-infection-survey/results/new-studies)
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Covid: What’s the best way to top up our immunity?
There are marked differences in your immune system after a natural infection with coronavirus and after vaccination.
Which is better?
Even asking the question bordered on heresy a year ago, when catching Covid for the first time could be deadly, especially for the elderly or people already in poor health.
Now, we're no longer starting with zero immunity as the overwhelming majority of people have either been vaccinated or have already caught the virus.
It is now a serious question that has implications for whether children should ever be vaccinated. And whether we use the virus or booster shots to top up immunity in adults. Both have become contentious issues.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58270098 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58270098)
Covid: Antibody tests offered to public for first time
Antibody tests are to be widely offered to the UK public for the first time in a new programme that aims to find out more about how much natural protection people have after getting coronavirus.
The government scheme will offer tests to thousands of adults each day.
Anyone over 18 will be able to opt in when having a PCR test from Tuesday - of those who test positive, up to 8,000 will be sent two home antibody tests.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it would be quick and easy to take part.
The first of the finger-prick tests would have to be done as soon as possible after the positive result, so the body would not have time to generate a detectable antibody response to the infection.
The second would be taken 28 days later and measure antibodies generated in response to the infection.
The UK Health Security Agency is to run the programme and will work alongside NHS test and trace services in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to use results to monitor levels of antibodies in positive cases.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58293249 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58293249)
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Cases in care homes increased by 74% (324) according to BBC lunch time news, not a good sign.
Bearing in mind the above.....
Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccine protection wanes after six months, study suggests
Protection could fall to below 50% for some of the most vulnerable by winter
Protection provided by coronavirus vaccines starts to wane within six months, new research has suggested.
A reasonable worst-case scenario could see protection fall to below 50% for the elderly and healthcare workers by winter, an expert has said.
The Pfizer jab was 88% effective at preventing Covid-19 infection a month after the second dose.
READ MORE: 'Banks are not going to like this, but have to take the medicine'
But after five to six months the protection decreased to 74%, suggesting protection fell 14 percentage points in four months, latest analysis from the Zoe Covid study indicates.
With the AstraZeneca vaccine, there was a protection against infection of 77% one month after the second dose.
After four to five months protection decreased to 67%, suggesting protection fell by 10 percentage points over three months.
The study drew on more than 1.2 million test results and participants.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/pfizer-astrazeneca-vaccine-protection-wanes-21394589 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/pfizer-astrazeneca-vaccine-protection-wanes-21394589)
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Health minister reveals biggest concern is rising coronavirus cases in over 60s
Eluned Morgan said they were monitoring the situation ahead of the 'more difficult winter period'
"youngsters mixing was the main driver of the increase in coronavirus rates, but the small rise in rates among over 60s was giving her "more concern than anything".
She also said people now need to use common sense to determine if they should be going to places where cases are notably high.
"I think people need to now take a certain amount of responsibility themselves, they know what the dangers are. And so, how you mix and where you mix is something that individuals need to make a call on themselves,"
We are seeing a slight increase in hospital admissions, and in deaths but again, they're in line with our expectations. We are keeping an eye on things, we will continue to keep an eye on things in relation to the data, but the increases are mostly coming as a result of young people mixing. But we are seeing slight increases, and that's something that concerns me more than anything, in the older 60s so we will continue to monitor things as we enter obviously the more difficult winter period.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/health-minister-reveals-biggest-concern-21404138 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/health-minister-reveals-biggest-concern-21404138)
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Intensive care doctor warns hospital beds filling up with unvaccinated Covid patients
She said there was a 'steady stream' requiring critical care
An intensive care doctor has warned that higher coronavirus rates are translating into more patients needing hospital care.
A consultant, warned that the majority of those who needed ICU treatment had not been double vaccinated.
Latest Public Health Wales figures, released on Sunday, showed there were 2,357 new cases in the 24 hours to Friday and three deaths.
It is just short of the 2,383 recorded earlier this year, but the number of deaths is down compared to 40.
All eyes are on Scotland where record highs of cases have been reported in the past week.
National Clinical Director Professor Jason Leitch says it’s having an impact on patient care in some areas seeing high infection rates.
Around two thirds of cases are in the under-40 group. About 30% of Covid-related hospital admissions in the last month were also from the same age bracket.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/intensive-care-doctor-warns-hospital-21439616 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/intensive-care-doctor-warns-hospital-21439616)
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Delta variant has wrecked hopes of herd immunity, warn scientists
There is no way of stopping Covid spreading through the entire population, experts tell MPs as they call for end of mass testing
Reaching herd immunity is “not a possibility” with the current Delta variant, the head of the Oxford Vaccine Group has said.
Giving evidence to MPs on Tuesday, Prof Sir Andrew Pollard said the fact that vaccines did not stop the spread of Covid meant reaching the threshold for overall immunity in the population was “mythical”.
“The problem with this virus is [it is] not measles. If 95% of people were vaccinated against measles, the virus cannot transmit in the population,” he told the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on coronavirus.
“The Delta variant will still infect people who have been vaccinated. And that does mean that anyone who’s still unvaccinated at some point will meet the virus … and we don’t have anything that will [completely] stop that transmission.”
Although the existing vaccines are very effective at preventing serious Covid illness and death, they do not stop a fully vaccinated person from being infected by the virus that causes Covid-19.
The concept of herd or population immunity relies on a large majority of a population gaining immunity – either through vaccination or previous infection – which, in turn, provides indirect protection from an infectious disease for the unvaccinated and those who have never been previously infected.
cont https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/10/delta-variant-renders-herd-immunity-from-covid-mythical (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/10/delta-variant-renders-herd-immunity-from-covid-mythical)
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Pockets of vaccine refusals are digging in across North Wales as health chiefs attempt to extend the region’s jabbing programme. refDP
Everyone in the region has now been offered the jab – but Gill Harris, executive director of nursing and midwifery, said resistance and apathy is hardening.
On Tuesday, August 31, for example, 93% of people contacted refused to take up the offer of a jab.
“Our call centre staff made contact with 1,513 people to offer appointments and only 111 accepted them,” said Ms Harris.
“While we know there will be people who in these remaining pockets of the population, we will continue to encourage them to do so as we prepare to move on to the next phase of the programme.”
While Covid hospital admissions are down almost 90% compared to the second wave, infection rates are rising sharply in parts of North Wales and there is concern about the potential impact of the Bank Holiday crowds.
Proportionately, more younger people being admitted to hospital than in previous waves, coinciding with lower levels of vaccine uptake.
“We would like to repeat our appeal for everyone who is eligible to come forward and get vaccinated,” added Ms Harris.
The North Wales health board is still waiting for official advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on the scope of its Covid booster programme.
However the health board has drawn up a provisional plan, with the over 70s, health workers and clinically vulnerable adults due to be in the first phase.
They will be followed by over 50s and at-risk groups.
The health board has warned it will not be standard practice to deliver Covid booster jabs and Flu vaccinations at the same time.
Despite the vast complexity of the jabbing roll-out, Betsi’s vaccine wastage levels have been extraordinarily low, said Ms Harris.
“Of the one million or so doses administered by our staff, just 545 (0.05%) have been wasted because of human error,” she said.
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This is an important message, which I think a lot of people need to heed.
Professor Tim Spector, lead scientist on the ZOE COVID Study app, comments on the latest data:
“The UK has enjoyed a restriction-free summer unlike most of Europe and even though a large majority of UK adults are now
vaccinated, the rise in cases, as well as hospitalisations and deaths is one of the highest in europe. This is evidence that without some restrictions COVID will continue to spread. Fully vaccinated people are getting COVID, but not only are they often unable to
spot the signs of infection due to the government’s outdated list of symptoms, we’ve seen evidence that the protection provided by
vaccines is wearing off. To help stop the spread, it’s still important for more of us to act responsibly by wearing masks in public,
particularly in crowded places, washing our hands regularly, and trying to distance ourselves from others where possible.
The sharp increase in cases in Scotland following their return to school in August is a real concern, especially as children in England and Wales are now heading back. It’s likely that England and Wales will follow suit, helped by superspreader festival events, making it ever more likely that the summer wave will continue into the autumn. The question is - how high do numbers of cases and hospitalisations have to get before we recognise that COVID-19 remains a real threat?”
full report https://covid.joinzoe.com/post/covid-still-rising-after-restriction-free-summer
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Covid: What Israel tells us about the way out of the pandemic
A third vaccination?
Israel is responding to the dip in protection against infection by rolling out a booster programme, offering a third jab first to over-60s and more recently to the over-40s.
The boosters for older people began to be offered just over a month ago, and they appear to be now taking effect, with hospital admissions levelling off in that group.
"This is leading to a halt in the Delta wave," Prof Segal said.
Early data suggests a tenfold increase in protection from infection and severe disease after the third jab, compared with after two.
Dr Anat Ekka Zohar, who is leading the booster programme study, said three doses were "highly protective, against both infection and severe illness".
She added: "The triple dose is the solution to curbing the current infection outbreak."
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58432776 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58432776)
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A total of 53 cases of the Mu Covid variant that displays some indications of vaccine resistance have been detected in the UK – but experts have stressed it may not pose a major threat.
Public Health England (PHE) figures released today confirmed additional cases of the strain, which was first recorded in Colombia in January and is classed as a “variant under investigation” by UK health authorities.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the new variant “has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape” similar to the South Africa-originating Beta variant, though it stressed any impact on vaccine resistance “needs to be confirmed by further studies”.
cont https://inews.co.uk/news/mu-covid-variant-of-interest-uk-cases-detected-vaccines-who-1186886
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Will I get a booster jab?
About 400,000 to 500,000 people in the UK will be eligible for a third dose of vaccine, following the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) announcement.
This includes those with blood cancer, advanced HIV and recent organ or stem-cell transplants - who make up less than less than 1% of the population.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said people would be contacted "as soon as possible, to discuss their needs and arrange an appointment for a third dose".
He said the separate booster programme prioritising those most at risk from Covid-19 was still planned to begin in September.
The JCVI - the scientific body advising the government on vaccines - previously said over-70s and the clinically extremely vulnerable should be included if a booster programme went ahead, as well as frontline health and social care workers.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55045639 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55045639)
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Thousands of adults in North Wales remain unvaccinated against the coronavirus.
New data revealed nearly 68000 adults and teenagers over the age of 16 in North Wales have not had their first coronavirus vaccine jab.
It comes as an expected 33.000 children age 12 to 15 years old across the region will soon be given the green light, and offered the vaccine.
The British Society for Immunology says UK governments must redouble their efforts to reach adults who are still not jabbed to encourage them to get protected against the virus.
Public Health Wales (PHW) data shows 511,785 people aged 16 and over across North Wales have received their first dose of the vaccine as of September 5.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/health/number-unvaccinated-adults-teens-north-21533693?IYA-reg=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/health/number-unvaccinated-adults-teens-north-21533693?IYA-reg=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4)
A hundred people could be admitted to hospital every day with coronavirus as the third wave peaks, says the First Minister.
During Friday's Welsh Government press conference, Mark Drakeford said there was a very tough period for the NHS as the virus continues to spread exponentially in Wales.
Wales Online reported how the number of cases, hospitalisations and deaths in Wales are growing rapidly at the moment but modelling suggests the third wave of the pandemic may soon peak.
In his speech, Mr Drakeford said: "If the virus continues to spread at its current rate, we can expect to see around 3,200 cases confirmed every day as this wave peaks towards the end of the month.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/peak-third-wales-covid-wave-21539333#comments-wrapper (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/peak-third-wales-covid-wave-21539333#comments-wrapper)
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I started using Vitamin D3 and Zinc supplements, about a year ago, to aid my immune system, there was a lot of information about D3, but not so much on Zinc, however yesterday, Dr John Campbell produced a video showing various research results.
from one of the studies..........
"The study data clearly show that a significant number of COVID-19 patients were zinc deficient. These zinc deficient patients developed more complications, and the deficiency was associated with a prolonged hospital stay and increased mortality."
please note all the links are under the heading "SHOW MORE" below the title information ....
video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yISH-sCvHXU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yISH-sCvHXU)
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Fully vaccinated people are much less likely to die with Covid-19 than those who aren't, or have had only one dose, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.
Out of more than 51,000 Covid deaths in England between January and July 2021, only 256 occurred after two doses.
They were mostly people at very high risk from illness from Covid-19.
The figures show the high degree of protection from the vaccines against illness and death, the ONS said.
Some deaths after vaccination were always expected because vaccines are not 100% effective - but this analysis shows they are rare.
But overall numbers were very small - they accounted for only 0.5% of all deaths from Covid-19 over the first six months of the year.
A "breakthrough death" is defined as one involving Covid-19 that occurred in someone who had received both vaccine doses, and had a first positive coronavirus test at least 14 days after the second jab.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58545548 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58545548)
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Covid booster jabs will begin to be offered across the UK from next week.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he had accepted advice from the JCVI that around 30m people should be offered a third dose - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have followed suit.
The booster should be given at least six months after a second dose - with the Pfizer jab recommended.
Those eligible include over-50s, younger adults with health conditions and frontline health and care workers.
The recommendation from the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) comes amid concern about waning immunity.
There are some signs protection offered by the vaccine may start dropping off several months after the second dose - with the most vulnerable groups most at risk of this.
Those eligible for a booster jab include:
Those living in residential care homes for older adults
All adults aged 50 years or over
Frontline health and social care workers
All those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19
Adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58550833 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58550833)
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Pressure on the NHS is the main factor that would lead to tighter Covid restrictions in England, the health secretary has said.
Sajid Javid told the BBC there was not a "single trigger" for the government moving to its "Plan B" measures.
But he said how the NHS was coping was the number one issue to watch.
Government scientists have warned that there could be a large jump in Covid hospital admissions if restrictions are not tightened soon.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said its modelling suggested hospitalisations could reach 2,000 to 7,000 per day next month.
Currently there is an average of just over 750 Covid admissions per day in England.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58566235 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58566235)
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A couple of links for those interested in further Covid news and stats.
First page ....
SPI-M-O: Consensus Statement on COVID-19
08/9/21September 2021
Summary
1. The UK is currently experiencing high prevalence and likely entering a period of growth as
a result of changes in behaviour. It is also a time of significant uncertainty given the scope
for increased transmission after the end of the school holidays, the possibility for further
evidence to emerge on the duration of immunity against COVID-19, and several policy
areas likely to become clearer.
2. SPI-M-O groups have reflected on their modelling of Step 4 of the Roadmap, and despite
unexpected falls in cases in mid-July 2021, these scenarios can still be used to consider
the future autumn and winter trajectory. This will likely be a mixture of previous scenarios
but with delay in timing of peaks later in the year, with possibly broader, longer peaks than
those originally estimated.
3. Until uncertainties resolve and changes in transmission are fully reflected in data – likely
in three to four weeks’ time - SPI-M-O’s medium-term scenarios can be used to consider
the next couple of months. These suggest there is the potential for another large wave of
hospitalisations.
4. While the relationship between cases and hospitalisations has changed due to
vaccination, increasing cases remain the earliest warning sign that hospital admissions
are likely to rise. It also remains the case that the earlier that interventions are brought in
to curb growth, the lower prevalence is kept, reducing the direct COVID-19 burden and
reducing the risk of needing more stringent measures to quickly reduce transmission.
5. There is a clear consensus that continued high levels of homeworking has played a very
important role in preventing sustained epidemic growth in recent months. It is highly likely
that a significant decrease in homeworking in the next few months would result in a rapid
increase in hospital admissions.
6. If enacted early enough, a relatively light set of measures could be sufficient to curb
sustained growth. During a period of sustained epidemic growth, however, the more
stringent the measures introduced, the shorter the duration needed for the measures to
be in place to reduce to a given prevalence
cont report https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1017129/S1376_SPI-M-O_Consensus_Statement.pdf
Informative slides https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1017676/2021-09-14_COVID-19_Press_Conference_Slides__for_publication_.pdf
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More than 100 patients with or recovering from coronavirus are being treated in four North Wales hospitals as guidelines for visitors are tightened up.
Gill Harris, Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: “We are continuing to manage COVID-19 outbreaks at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Glan Clwyd Hospital, Colwyn Bay Hospital and Llandudno Hospital.
“As of this morning, we are caring for 23 patients in the West area who are currently COVID-19 positive and 22 patients who are recovering who have had COVID-19.
Ysbyty Glan Clywd
“A small number of these patients are confirmed hospital acquired infection and linked to the outbreak.
“The ward affected by the outbreak at Ysbyty Eryri has now reopened to admissions and we are confident the situation is improving at Ysbyty Gwynedd."
She said: “In the Central area we have 59 patients who are currently COVID-19 positive and 12 patients who are recovering who have had COVID-19.
“A small number of these patients are confirmed hospital acquired infection and linked to the outbreak."
She said: “Due to the high community COVID-19 transmission rate we ask that when the public visit us for an appointment or treatment they wear one of our fluid resistant surgical masks which are available at entrances into our healthcare settings and use the available hand sanitiser as often as possible.
“Tighter visiting restrictions remain in place at the affected hospitals, this decision does not impact visiting guidelines for our maternity, paediatrics and neonatal services or wards at Ysbyty Gwynedd and Glan Clwyd Hospital.
“Exceptional visiting requests such as visiting a relative who are at end of life must be made directly with the ward and will require an individual risk assessment to be completed both in advance of and on arrival of an agreed visit so that we can keep patients, staff and visitors safe.”
* For any concerns please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service by ringing 03000 851234 Monday to Friday between 9am – 5pm or emailing BCU.PALS@wales.nhs.uk
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I wish the government would listen to these people, and make masks compulsory, also, those of us who do wear masks, need to be aware of the emphasis, mentioned below of the importance of a well fitted mask.
Results of a new study September 16, 2021 led by the University of Maryland School of Public Health show that people infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 exhale infectious virus in their breath – and those infected with the Alpha variant (the dominant strain circulating at the time this study was conducted) put 43 to 100 times more virus into the air than people infected with the original strains of the virus. The researchers also found that loose-fitting cloth and surgical masks reduced the amount of virus that gets into the air around infected people by about half. The study was published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
“Our latest study provides further evidence of the importance of airborne transmission,” said Dr. Don Milton, professor of environmental health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health (UMD SPH). “We know that the Delta variant circulating now is even more contagious than the Alpha variant. Our research indicates that the variants just keep getting better at travelling through the air, so we must provide better ventilation and wear tight-fitting masks, in addition to vaccination, to help stop spread of the virus.”
The amount of virus in the air coming from Alpha variant infections was much more—18-times more—than could be explained by the increased amounts of virus in nasal swabs and saliva.
cont https://sph.umd.edu/news/covid-19-virus-evolving-get-better-becoming-airborne-new-study-shows
Clinical Infectious Diseases
SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology implicates airborne transmission; aerosol infectiousness and impacts of masks and variants on aerosol shedding are not well understood.
Conclusion
SARS-CoV-2 is evolving toward more efficient aerosol generation and loose-fitting masks provide significant but only modest source control. Therefore, until vaccination rates are very high, continued layered controls and tight-fitting masks and respirators will be necessary.
full report / PDF https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciab797/6370149
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From New Scientist:
The number of recorded US covid-19 deaths is now level with the estimated toll of the 1918-19 flu pandemic.
More than 675,000 people in the US have died from covid-19, putting the epidemic on a par with the pandemic influenza of 1918-19. Globally, the 1918-19 flu is thought to have killed 50 million people. So far, there have been more than 4.6 million deaths from covid-19 worldwide, although owing to under-reporting the true total was estimated by The Economist to be nearer 10m world wide.
The comparison between the impacts of covid-19 and the 1918-19 flu in the US reveals how deadly the virus still is in a country where just under 64 per cent of the population has received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and where an average of more than 1900 people are dying of covid-19 a day.
However, it isn’t possible to make accurate parallels between the two pandemics, both worldwide and specifically in the US, as the flu’s death toll is based on less precise records and poorer scientific understanding.
According to modelling by the University of Washington, a further 100,000 covid-19 deaths may occur in the US by the end of the year, raising the total death count to 776,000.
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Students attending universities in Wales for freshers' week are being urged to get a Covid-19 vaccine and be "sensible".
They hope for a more settled academic term after last year's disruption.
But there are fears students will spread the virus during freshers' week.
Wales' Education Minister Jeremy Miles said the measures were "really important" as the pandemic continued, as he visited a pop-up jabs centre at the University of South Wales.
Local authorities, health boards and universities across Wales said they had been working together to welcome students back as safely as possible.
Bangor University has introduced measures to keep students safe in its Academi nightclub, which includes having to show either proof of vaccination or a negative lateral flow test.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58667590 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58667590)
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ALL ELIGIBLE people in Wales are being urged to have their free flu and Covid-19 booster vaccines when the NHS in Wales begins its biggest ever national winter vaccinations programme.
As the global pandemic continues, the impact of Covid-19 on the nation has been significant, but flu (also known as influenza) can be serious too. The chances of becoming seriously ill with Covid-19 or flu are greatly reduced by vaccination, as are the risks of spreading these viruses.
Vaccination is particularly important for those who are older, pregnant, or have a health condition and are more vulnerable to complications as a result of the infections. It is also very important that frontline healthcare workers and those who work in care homes or providing care in peoples own homes get their vaccines to help reduce spread.
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19610387.eligible-people-wales-urged-take-free-flu-covid-19-booster-vaccines/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19610387.eligible-people-wales-urged-take-free-flu-covid-19-booster-vaccines/)
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People who have fallen ill with flu can suffer long-term symptoms in a similar way to long Covid, a study suggests.
The Oxford University research analysed health records of people diagnosed with flu and Covid, mainly in the US.
The two groups - both with just over 100,000 patients - included people seeking healthcare for symptoms three to six months after infection.
These included problems such as anxiety, abnormal breathing, fatigue and headaches.
There were signs that Covid patients were more likely to have long-term symptoms - 42% had at least one symptom recorded compared with 30% in the flu group.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58726775 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58726775)
Vitamin A nasal drops might be able to treat the loss or altered sense of smell in some people who have had Covid, UK researchers say.
The University of East Anglia is conducting a 12-week trial.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58705938 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58705938)
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Sixteen and 17-year-olds are far more likely to take up the offer of a Covid vaccine in more affluent parts of Wales than they are in more deprived areas.
Public Health Wales (PHW) figures showed 61% had been given a first dose of a jab in the most deprived areas of Wales - compared with 78.3% in the least deprived areas.
Vaccine offers were made to all 16 and 17-year-olds six weeks ago.
Up to Tuesday night, 71.2% had received a first dose.
It is the first time a breakdown of teenage uptake has been available in terms of gender, economic background and ethnic group.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58748325?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA&IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58748325?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA&IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4)
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A new anti viral drug is on its way ?
Merck and Ridgeback’s Investigational Oral Antiviral Molnupiravir Reduced the Risk of Hospitalization or Death by Approximately 50 Percent Compared to Placebo for Patients with Mild or Moderate COVID-19 in Positive Interim Analysis of Phase 3 Study
At the Interim Analysis, 7.3 Percent of Patients Who Received Molnupiravir Were Hospitalized Through Day 29, Compared With 14.1 Percent of Placebo-Treated Patients Who were Hospitalized or Died
Merck Plans to Seek Emergency Use Authorization in the U.S. as Soon as Possible and to Submit Applications to Regulatory Agencies Worldwide
If Authorized, Molnupiravir Could be the First Oral Antiviral Medicine for COVID-19
direct link https://www.merck.com/news/merck-and-ridgebacks-investigational-oral-antiviral-molnupiravir-reduced-the-risk-of-hospitalization-or-death-by-approximately-50-percent-compared-to-placebo-for-patients-with-mild-or-moderat/ (https://www.merck.com/news/merck-and-ridgebacks-investigational-oral-antiviral-molnupiravir-reduced-the-risk-of-hospitalization-or-death-by-approximately-50-percent-compared-to-placebo-for-patients-with-mild-or-moderat/)
Alternatively a 15 minute video explanation by Dr J. Campbell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVW2QqHUJUw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVW2QqHUJUw)
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Covid-19: Deaths rise to 88 in latest week in Wales
There were 88 deaths registered involving Covid in Wales, according to the latest weekly figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This is 22 more than the previous week and the highest weekly total since early March.
The last three weeks have shown a rise in numbers and it takes the total number of deaths involving Covid in the pandemic in Wales to 8,280.
Deaths from all causes were above normal levels for a tenth week.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58803392 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58803392)
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PRIMARY care services are facing 'unprecedented demand' and so GP surgeries will not be taking part in the booster programme.
The Covid vaccination programme is continuing as the Betsi Cadwaladr health board has begun offering the vaccine to healthy 12-15 year-olds whilst also stepping up efforts to offer booster jabs to the vulnerable.
However, due to unprecedented demand, the majority of GP surgeries will not be taking part in the booster programme which means people may need to travel 'slightly further' to receive their jab.
"Primary care services are currently facing unprecedented demand, as well as the challenge of administering flu jabs to people across the region.
"Although we are using a smaller number of vaccination locations, we are well placed to roll the booster vaccine out at speed.
"Please don’t contact your GP surgery to enquire about your booster jab, unless you have been invited to do so. You will be contacted by the health board by letter and text message when it is your turn."
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19631214.gp-surgeries-not-taking-part-booster-vaccine-programme-due-unprecedented-demand/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19631214.gp-surgeries-not-taking-part-booster-vaccine-programme-due-unprecedented-demand/)
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COVID OR A COLD ? NHS guidance says the condition can be managed from home if mild, but as Covid-19 continues to circulate in the UK, it’s important to rule out Coronavirus as the cause of the symptoms, due to many symptoms being the same.
Thousands of people are reportedly suffering from the "worst lurgy they've ever had" as a particularly hard-to-shift illness spreads across the country.
With nights getting colder and days becoming shorter, many people just can't seem to shake the illness, which shows with symptoms similar to that of a heavy cold.
There are concerns that there could be a greater increase in cold and flu cases this year, due to the fact that many people are socialising freely for the first time since March, 2020.
Cold and flu symptoms can include:
a sore throat
headaches
a raised temperature
aching body
a cough
sneezing
a blocked or runny nose
loss of taste and smell
NHS guidance says the condition can be managed from home if mild, but as Covid-19 continues to circulate in the UK, it’s important to rule out Coronavirus as the cause of the symptoms, due to many symptoms being the same.
ZOE, the world’s largest ongoing study into Covid-19, said: “A negative result from a lateral flow test is not reliable enough to be sure you’re definitely not infected, so if your symptoms persist it’s best to get a PCR test to be sure.”
NHS guidance says that symptoms of a cold or lurgy should be treated with:
rest and sleep
keep warm
drink plenty of water (fruit juice or squash mixed with water is okay) to avoid dehydration
gargle salt water to soothe a sore throat (not suitable for children)
However, you should see a GP if:
your symptoms do not improve after 3 weeks
your symptoms get suddenly worse
your temperature is very high or you feel hot and shivery
you’re concerned about your child’s symptoms
you’re feeling short of breath or develop chest pain
you have a long-term medical condition – for example, diabetes, or a heart, lung or kidney condition
you have a weakened immune system – for example, because you’re having chemotherapy
The guidance also states that you can avoid catching a cold by washing your hands regularly with warm water and soap, wearing masks, not sharing towels or other household items with someone who has a cold/Covid, staying fit and healthy, and avoiding touching your face.
-
Members of the public had to take a lateral flow test before they could attend a town council meeting in person for the first time since lockdown but councillors and staff didn't have to.
The trial at Abergele Town Council took place night but one councillor admitted the rules are confusing and "very unclear".
Councillors across the UK have attended meetings throughout the coronavirus pandemic virtually, via online apps such as Zoom.
But hybrid meetings are now being rolled out at which some councillors call in remotely and others physically attend town halls.
After taking advice from independent safety advisers, Abergele Town Council insisted that any member of the public or press who attended last night's executive meeting had to provide a negative test or photographic proof of it.
“We need to be safe. But there is an unfair balance, isn’t there? The councillors don’t have to take a test, but nobody knows where I’ve been that day, but if you’re a member of the public, you’ve got to take a test. What’s the difference because, before we went into the council meeting that night, we were the general public, weren’t we?
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/public-take-lateral-flow-test-21828312?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/public-take-lateral-flow-test-21828312?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4)
-
A new anti viral drug is on its way ?
Merck and Ridgeback’s Investigational Oral Antiviral Molnupiravir Reduced the Risk of Hospitalization or Death by Approximately 50 Percent Compared to Placebo for Patients with Mild or Moderate COVID-19 in Positive Interim Analysis of Phase 3 Study
At the Interim Analysis, 7.3 Percent of Patients Who Received Molnupiravir Were Hospitalized Through Day 29, Compared With 14.1 Percent of Placebo-Treated Patients Who were Hospitalized or Died
Merck Plans to Seek Emergency Use Authorization in the U.S. as Soon as Possible and to Submit Applications to Regulatory Agencies Worldwide
If Authorized, Molnupiravir Could be the First Oral Antiviral Medicine for COVID-19
direct link https://www.merck.com/news/merck-and-ridgebacks-investigational-oral-antiviral-molnupiravir-reduced-the-risk-of-hospitalization-or-death-by-approximately-50-percent-compared-to-placebo-for-patients-with-mild-or-moderat/ (https://www.merck.com/news/merck-and-ridgebacks-investigational-oral-antiviral-molnupiravir-reduced-the-risk-of-hospitalization-or-death-by-approximately-50-percent-compared-to-placebo-for-patients-with-mild-or-moderat/)
Alternatively a 15 minute video explanation by Dr J. Campbell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVW2QqHUJUw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVW2QqHUJUw)
Less than a week after Merck and Ridgeback released extraordinary data on the effectiveness of experimental COVID-19 drug molnupiravir, the rush is on to lock up supplies.
On Wednesday, Singapore, Australia and South Korea unveiled deals with Merck to secure the drug. The company is said to be in talks with several other countries including Germany, Malaysia and Thailand.
The brisk business comes amid complaints that Merck is overcharging for the treatment. In the company’s supply agreement with the United States, Merck charged 40 times what it costs to produce the drug, The Independent reports.
The report cites an analysis by Harvard School of Public Health and King’s College Hospital in London, which found that it takes about $17.74 to produce a five-day course of molnupiravir. Earlier this year, Merck agreed to supply 1.7 million courses to the U.S. government at $700 each.
The company didn't respond immediately to a request for comment.
cont https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/amid-controversy-over-its-price-rush-to-secure-merck-and-ridgeback-s-covid-19-drug (https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/amid-controversy-over-its-price-rush-to-secure-merck-and-ridgeback-s-covid-19-drug)
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This winter is set to be "one of the hardest we have ever faced" due to the dual challenge of the pandemic and other respiratory viruses, NHS Wales chief executive Andrew Goodall has warned.
The warning comes along with the publication of the NHS Wales Health and Social Care Winter Plan, which will allocate an extra £42m funding for social care, some of which will be used to help ease the pressure on hospital beds, the Welsh Government has said.
The social care investment, which comes on top of £248m already announced for the NHS Covid recovery fund, will be used to improve hospital patient discharges, expand community services and reduce hospital re-admissions among the frail and vulnerable in an effort to ease pressures on bed capacity.
The Welsh Government says this will help ensure emergency care is able to cope and minimise disruption to planned care.
Ahead of the winter pressures, Andrew Goodall said services needed to remain ready to respond to rapidly changing circumstances, as well as minimising time spent in hospital for those receiving care and supporting people to return home to continue their recovery.
Seven key priorities in the Winter Plan include:
protecting people from Covid-19 through the vaccination programme,
keeping people well during higher levels of influenza and seasonal respiratory viruses,
maintaining the resilience of health and social care services,
responding to the mental health impact of the pandemic,
ensuring vulnerable groups have access to the treatment they require,
supporting the health and wellbeing of staff who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic
working with health and social care organisations to manage pressures across the system.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/seven-ways-wales-brace-itself-21918741?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/seven-ways-wales-brace-itself-21918741?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4)
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Winter is on its way, and the sunlight is disappearing, bringing up the question of Vitamin D supplements, I personally am a great believer in them, and started last year after listening to Dr John Campbell's You Tube Video "Vitamin D dose" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bga_qG30JyY&t=609s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bga_qG30JyY&t=609s)
If you are not sure, you may find this interesting, Dr John Campbell and Professor Tim Spector, discuss the pro's and con's
Does vitamin D protect against COVID-19?
"Vitamin D is vital for health and plays many roles in the immune system.
It helps to damp down unwanted inflammation and overactive immune responses, and it enhances the function of immune cells that fight off pathogens like viruses and bacteria. And low levels of vitamin D have been associated with an increased risk of infection and respiratory diseases. "
cont https://covid.joinzoe.com/post/does-vitamin-d-protect-against-covid-19 (https://covid.joinzoe.com/post/does-vitamin-d-protect-against-covid-19)
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Experts have found a use for an existing treatment, Fluvoxamine an antidepressant that reduces hospitalisations and deaths, ideal for use in poorer countries, and a 10 day course costs $10 and reduces the chances of intensive care treatment and death by up to 32%.
The Lancet Global Health
Effect of early treatment with fluvoxamine on risk of emergency care and hospitalisation among patients with COVID-19: the TOGETHER randomised, platform clinical trial
Interpretation
Treatment with fluvoxamine (100 mg twice daily for 10 days) among high-risk outpatients with early diagnosed COVID-19 reduced the need for hospitalisation defined as retention in a COVID-19 emergency setting or transfer to a tertiary hospital.
cont https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(21)00448-4/fulltext (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(21)00448-4/fulltext)
I liked this comment from YTube
"There were studies and clinical observations about this some months ago. Go figure a cleaver MD noticed that an entire ward of Psyc patients didn't contract covid but the Dr's and nurses did. They figured out the common denominator was the meds they were on. Antidepressants."
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Two BBC articles.........
Covid: Why are UK cases so high?
Health leaders have called for Covid restrictions to be re-introduced ahead of winter, as cases rise.
Thanks to the vaccine, getting infected is now much less likely to land you in hospital. But soaring cases - which are outstripping some European nations - are still proving a cause for concern.
The more virus there is about, the more chances there are for it to break through the defences of vaccines, reach vulnerable people and put pressure on health services.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58954793 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58954793)
Should the government do more to protect the NHS?
Doctors and health service leaders are warning the NHS is on the edge of a crisis, staff are burnt-out and Covid cases are rising sharply - but, in England, the government says there is no reason to change tack.
So far, ministers have refused to budge from their Plan A to deal with Covid this winter - which is to offer booster jabs and get more young people, including 12-15 year olds, vaccinated.
But there is growing pressure to move to its stricter Plan B - which would put England on a similar path to Scotland and Wales, where face coverings are still compulsory on public transport and in shops. People could also be advised to work from home and Covid passports introduced for entry to large events.
These are seen by some as relatively small changes to most people's lives and a very long way from the strict restrictions of earlier in the pandemic. And for some on the frontline, taking those actions now could make a huge difference in the long run.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58981586 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58981586)
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Covid: WHO warns Europe once again at epicentre of pandemic
Europe is once again "at the epicentre" of the Covid pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned, as cases soar across the continent.
At a press conference WHO Europe head Hans Kluge said the continent could see half a million more deaths by February.
He blamed insufficient vaccine take-up for the rise.
"We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of Covid-19 to preventing them from happening in the first place," he said.
The rate of vaccination has slowed across the continent in recent months. While some 80% of people in Spain are double jabbed, in Germany it is as low as 66% - and far lower in some Eastern European countries. Only 32% of Russians were fully vaccinated by October 2021.
Mr Kluge also blamed a relaxation of public health measures for rising infections in the WHO's European region, which covers 53 countries including parts of Central Asia. So far the WHO has recorded 1.4 million deaths across the region.
The WHO's technical lead on Covid-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, said over the past four weeks cases across Europe had soared over 55%, despite an "ample supply of vaccines and tools", and colleague Dr Mike Ryan said Europe's experience was a "warning shot for the world".
It came as Germany recorded more than 37,000 daily Covid cases on Friday, a record high for the second day running. The incidence rate per 100,000 people is now higher than it was in April, at 169,9, but well below the level in the UK. &shake&
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59160525 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59160525)
A member of the group of scientists advising the government on coronavirus has stepped down from the role.
Sir Jeremy Farrar has been part of the independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) since the start of the pandemic.
He said he had left at the end of October so he could focus on his work as director of medical charity the Wellcome Trust.
But in a statement, he warned the crisis was "a long way from over".
Sir Jeremy also said Sage scientists had often had to work "under huge pressure" to provide "vital evidence, and independent, expert, transparent advice".
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59143366 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59143366)
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Three BBC covid reports, all raising concerns for this coming winter, and the problems it will bring...........
Will complacency damage Covid booster rollout?
Booster vaccines are seen as the single most important way to control Covid as we head into the winter months. Critics though say the rollout of third jabs has been too slow, and a faster response could have saved hundreds of vulnerable lives already.
With life slowly returning to normal in the UK, and most restrictions lifted, here are some statistics that might seem surprising.
Over the last month, 4,409 people over 50 were admitted to English hospitals after testing positive for Covid - despite having two doses of a vaccine. And 2,148 men and women in that age group lost their lives.
The best way to protect the elderly and vulnerable this winter is, say government scientists, a booster programme. The third vaccine dose will eventually be offered to 30 million people over 50, medical staff, and younger adults with some health conditions.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59122646 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59122646)
Covid: Get booster jabs so we can enjoy Christmas
So far almost 10 million people in the UK have had a top-up jab, which Mr Javid said was a "phenomenal achievement".
But about 30% of over-80s and 40% of over-50s are yet to do so, according to government figures.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59191506 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59191506)
Covid: Hard months to come in pandemic for UK, says Van-Tam
Prof Jonathan Van-Tam told the BBC it was a concern that Covid levels were "running this hot, this early in the autumn season".
He said too many people believed the pandemic was now over.
Christmas and the winter months are "potentially going to be problematic", Prof Van-Tam warned.
The UK recorded 33,865 Covid cases on Tuesday and 293 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.
In a question and answer session with BBC Breakfast and BBC Radio 5 Live, Prof Van-Tam said that while cases appeared to have stabilised, they were very high, and above most of Europe.
He also said deaths were rising and there were signs infections were starting to "penetrate" older age groups.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59147248 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59147248)
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Covid: Can UK avoid a Europe-style return to lockdown?
Covid infection rates have started rising sharply in parts of Western Europe, prompting the introduction of fresh restrictions and lockdowns.
It has triggered fears the UK could follow suit. But there are plenty of reasons to believe Britain will escape the worst of what is being seen on the continent. In fact, the UK may well be in the strongest position of all to weather Covid this winter.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59378849 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59378849)
Germany hit by full force of Covid
Germany is in the grip of a "dramatic" fourth Covid wave, Chancellor Angela Merkel has said on the eve of a crisis meeting with regional leaders.
Daily infections hit a new German record of 52,826 on Wednesday as European governments responded to a surge on much of the continent.
Belgium announced a series of measures in an attempt to avoid a lockdown.
"All the alarm signals are red," said Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, as he told people to limit personal contact.
"Europe's map is quickly going red, and we are the same."
Children in Belgium will have to wear masks from the age of 10, rather than the current age of 12. Working from home will become compulsory from Saturday for four days a week. Passes known as Covid Safe Tickets will be required in theatres, cinemas and museums.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59320515 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59320515)
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A further 700,000 people could die of Covid by March in Europe and parts of Asia, the World Health Organization has warned.
The death toll already exceeds 1.5 million in the 53 countries of what the WHO terms as its Europe region.
The WHO warned of "high or extreme stress" in intensive care units in 49 of the nations by March 2022.
Europe is facing a surge in cases, prompting Austria to return to lockdown and others to consider fresh measures.
A number of countries - including France, Germany and Greece - could also soon make booster jabs a requirement for their citizens to be considered fully vaccinated.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59397182 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59397182)
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Covid: New heavily mutated variant B.1.1.529 in South Africa raises concern
We're back in familiar territory - growing concern about a new variant of coronavirus.
The latest is the most heavily mutated version discovered so far - and it has such a long list of mutations that it was described by one scientist as "horrific", while another told me it was the worst variant they'd seen.
It is early days and the confirmed cases are still mostly concentrated in one province in South Africa, but there are hints it may have spread further.
Immediately there are questions around how quickly the new variant spreads, its ability to bypass some of the protection given by vaccines and what should be done about it.
There is a lot of speculation, but there are very few clear answers.
So, what do we know?
The variant is called B.1.1.529 and is likely to be given a Greek code-name (like the Alpha and Delta variants) by the World Health Organization on Friday.
It is also incredibly heavily mutated. Prof Tulio de Oliveira, the director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation in South Africa, said there was an "unusual constellation of mutations" and that it was "very different" to other variants that have circulated.
"This variant did surprise us, it has a big jump on evolution [and] many more mutations that we expected," he said.
In a media briefing Prof de Oliveira said there were 50 mutations overall and more than 30 on the spike protein, which is the target of most vaccines and the key the virus uses to unlock the doorway into our body's cells.
The concern is this virus is now radically different to the original that emerged in Wuhan, China. That means vaccines, which were designed using the original strain, may not be as effective.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59418127 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59418127)
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Update on above ..
Some comments from the video below..............
The UK is going to ban flights from South Africa, next week, however until this happens, approx. 700 passengers per day are arriving, without the need to test or quarantine, those experts, in the know suspect this new virus is extremely transmittable, and they require time to investigate, and are suggesting to halt all travel, that is apart from the World Health Organisation, you remember them, the same ones who said not to halt travel from China.
"If this was a terrorist threat, we would be raising the threat level from amber to red"
Dr J Campbell's You tube video "The O variant" with information on the new threat .......................
cont https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxlYyZ08cEg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxlYyZ08cEg)
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Bearing in mind the above............Two flights from South Africa, which landed in Amsterdam, were held on the tarmac until the passengers were tested, they found 61 cases of Covid, of which 13 were the Omicron variant.
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It is only a matter of time before the Covid Omicron variant is seen in Wales, the chief medical officer has said.
Dr Frank Atherton confirmed there were no cases in Wales, but said it was a case of when, not if, the variant would be identified.
His remarks came as First Minister Mark Drakeford said everyone arriving in the UK should isolate for eight days.
The Welsh government is expected to discuss whether more strict measures are necessary over the next few days.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59454824 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59454824)
A further 700,000 people could die of Covid by March in Europe and parts of Asia, the World Health Organization has warned.
The death toll already exceeds 1.5 million in the 53 countries of what the WHO terms as its Europe region.
The WHO warned of "high or extreme stress" in intensive care units in 49 of the nations by March 2022.
comment ...........
"All of us have the opportunity and responsibility to help avert unnecessary tragedy and loss of life, and limit further disruption to society and businesses over this winter season,"
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59397182 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59397182)
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What tests are used to detect Omicron?
Swabs from PCR tests, which are sent to a lab for analysis, detect whether people are infected with coronavirus or not.
Depending on which lab the swabs are sent to, some can also help identify particular variants, such as Delta or Omicron.
Between a third and a half of UK labs - but not all - have the required technology to do this.
PCR tests are the ones you can order from the government website if you have symptoms, or order from a private company if you need one for travel purposes. There are many different makes.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59460252 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59460252)
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From New Scientist just now:
"To get an idea of how good omicron is at evading existing immunity, researchers will need to test how well antibodies taken from people who have been vaccinated or previously infected work against omicron in the lab. These neutralisation tests can be done in a matter of days, but they require live samples of omicron, which are hard to come by for now.
At best, however, neutralisation tests will only give us an idea of how much more likely people are to get symptomatic infections. What we really want to know is if omicron is more transmissible and more likely to cause severe disease.
“Current information is insufficient to determine if this variant is going to spread significantly causing hospitalisations and to what extent it may evade the immunity received with vaccines,” says a spokesperson for the European Medicines Agency. “EMA considers it therefore premature at the moment to foresee the need for an adapted vaccine.”
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The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines being used in the UK as boosters give the best overall boost response, according to a UK trial of seven different jabs.
The trial is the first study of how well Covid booster jabs work and justifies the UK's early decision to use these two vaccines for boosters.
All the vaccines tested raised immunity against Covid to some degree.
Researchers said there were promising signs the boosters would still protect against illness and death from Omicron.
To make vaccine supplies go further, even a half dose of Pfizer could be used to boost populations, they added.
The trial results are thought to have prompted the UK to order an extra 114 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to be rolled out over the next two years.
Boosters can cut the risk of infection by more than 93%. All adults aged over 18 in the UK are being offered a booster jab - usually either Pfizer or Moderna - while scientists find out more about the Omicron variant.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59489988 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59489988)
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Dr John Campbell discusses the latest report from The South African Medical Research Council, he says "Latest SA data, looking good"
Very interesting and although it is still early, the report is on a more positive note than previous news from SA.
Dr Campbell's Video......... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Paq17X6ucQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Paq17X6ucQ)
or if you prefer reading the report ........... https://www.samrc.ac.za/news/tshwane-district-omicron-variant-patient-profile-early-features (https://www.samrc.ac.za/news/tshwane-district-omicron-variant-patient-profile-early-features)
Section of the report.......
A snapshot of 42 patients in the ward on 2 December 2021 reveals that 29 (70%) are not oxygen dependent. These patients are saturating well on room air and do not present with any respiratory symptoms. These are the patients that we would call ‘incidental COVID admissions’, having had another medical or surgical reason for admission. Thirteen (13) patients are dependent on supplemental oxygen of which nine (21%) have a diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia based on a combination of symptoms, clinical signs, CXR and inflammatory markers. All are being prescribed steroids as the mainstay of therapy. The remaining 4 patients are on oxygen for other medical reasons (2 previously on home oxygen, 1 in heart failure and 1 with a confirmed diagnosis of Pneumocystis Pneumonia).
This is a picture that has not been seen in previous waves. In the beginning of all three previous waves and throughout the course of these waves, there has always only been a sprinkling of patients on room air in the COVID ward and these patients have usually been in the recovery phase waiting for the resolution of a co-morbidity prior to discharge. The COVID ward was recognizable by the majority of patients being on some form of oxygen supplementation with the incessant sound of high flow nasal oxygen machines, or beeping ventilator alarms.
There are only 4 patients in high care and one in the ICU. The numbers of patients in high care on double oxygen, High Flow Nasal Oxygen or non-invasive ventilation (NIV) were noticeably higher in previous waves. This is anecdotal but confirmed by numerous clinicians who have previously worked in the COVID wards in the hospital complex.
Of 38 adults in the COVID wards on 2 December 2021, 6 were vaccinated, 24 were unvaccinated and 8 had unknown vaccination status. Of 9 patients with COVID pneumonia 8 are unvaccinated, 1 is a child. Only a single patient on oxygen was fully vaccinated but the reason for the oxygen was Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
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Wales could see "hundreds if not thousands more" cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant over Christmas and new year, the health minister has said.
Eluned Morgan said it couldn't happen at a "worse time" for the NHS after Wales' first case was found on Friday.
Meanwhile, a decision to extend Covid passes to pubs and restaurants could made later this week.
The Welsh government is expanding its vaccination programme.
It has previously said that there was no substantial evidence the variant, which has been linked to overseas travel, would lead to a more severe illness.
"Undoubtedly, we're going to see, I would think, hundreds if not thousands more [Omicron cases] in the next few weeks so we've got to brace ourselves and it's been really good to have the time to prepare for that,"
She said the focus was on "really boosting our vaccination programme, and making sure that we can try and offer now that booster programme to far more people in order to give them the best possible chance to get through the Omicron virus if they contract it".
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59534056 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59534056)
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Here we go again !
The Welsh Government is expanding it's vaccination programme is it?
What does that mean?
I'm sure everyone knows what they are meant to be doing without the expense of sending a leaflet to every home at great cost no doubt.
What I'd like to know is why I was supposed to get my booster jab at 6 months after dose No 2 and yet it was 8 month before I was called. Someone take their eye off the ball while planning TV ads and mail outs instead?
The press is making a big deal about South African numbers being on the rise ...doubling in 24 hours, BUT they are tiny compared to the daily numbers we are suffering.
It was good idea to try and stop importing the Omnicron strain until we knew it's potency but it's too late now , it's already here big time.
So, in my opinion we have to get on with life. Stop publishing meaningless figures and start looking at the finer detail.
How many are hospitalised
How many have died
What percentage of both are vaccinated.
We never had a daily figure for people with flu, nor what had been the outcome either. No one cared despite thousands dying every winter.
Having recently returned from a foreign trip to the Canaries I can assure you that they are taking the virus more seriously than most of the public in the UK, particularly England.
Surely it's not a big deal to ask people to wear masks in shops?
It's not a big deal to sanitise your hands when you go inside in case you touch anything you are not taking away and it's not a big deal to restrict some activities and places to those who have been vaccinated only.
Isn't it called the majority vote. It's what a democracy is all about so one assumes that if 80% are vaccinated they will all be in favour.
If the government is so keen on getting people to get vaccinated bring in some incentives like no jab no pub, no jab no club, no jab no travel.
If they could restrict our mobility to a 5 mile radius when lockdown began, it's not much to ask is it?
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We did have weekly figures for all the things you mention, Dave; it's simply that most people weren't aware of them. On the first page of the Stats topic I posted this link (https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6) to the Johns Hopkins page on stats. They make for pretty grim reading, especially when you consider the true stats are almost certainly many, many times worse.
Our own death toll is nearing 150,000 but the US is fast approaching the million mark. But I agree we need more detail.
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Covid: How vaccines changed the course of the pandemic
Exactly a year ago the first approved Covid vaccine was given outside of a trial.
Since then nearly 120 million jabs have been given in the UK, and more than eight billion across the world. Those vaccinations have changed the course of the pandemic.
The UK had one of the fastest rollouts of Covid vaccines globally. (But fell behind later)
The approval of the Pfizer jab was quickly followed by the green light for the vaccine produced by AstraZeneca.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59569026 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59569026)
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have urged anyone hesitating to get a Covid vaccine - and said they had received their own booster jabs.
"We can only urge you to look at the evidence in our intensive care wards," said a statement from the royal couple.
"People who are unvaccinated are at least 10 times more likely to be hospitalised or die than those who have had two vaccine doses."
Their comments were on the anniversary of the first Covid vaccination.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59571036 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59571036)
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The latest science on Omicron's threat
Understand those and you understand the threat and the challenge posed by Omicron.
Scientists around the world are now making the first stabs at answering those questions and giving us hints of what's in store.
Immunity is critical, Omicron has not rewound the clock to the start of the pandemic, but uncertainty clouds everything and definitive answers could be weeks away.
Here are two big questions: .............................
How quickly is it spreading? Will I catch it and will I get ill?
full BBC report https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59580290 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59580290)
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Covid: Welsh Government gives strong advice this Christmas
Last updated: 1 hr ago
First Minister Mark Drakeford
"People flow before they go. This means taking a lateral flow test before going out – whether that’s to a Christmas party; Christmas shopping; visiting friends or family; going to any crowded or busy place or before travelling.
If the test is positive, don’t go out. Arrange for a PCR test and self-isolate.
People to wear face coverings in pubs and restaurants, when they aren’t eating or drinking. Everyone must wear face coverings in most other indoor public places, in accordance with the law, including in cinemas and theatres.
8:20am
More on vaccines
Mr Drakeford said: “Every single vaccination is a small victory against the virus – so please make getting your vaccine or booster a priority.
“This will be the best Christmas present you can give yourself and your family this year.
“None of us wanted to hear about the news of this new variant. After almost two years of the pandemic, we had all hoped that we could put coronavirus behind us this Christmas.
“But, we have faced challenges many times during this pandemic. And we have learned from each one. We are not back at square one.
“Please do everything you can to protect yourself and your loved ones. Please follow all the advice and all the measures which have kept us safe over the last couple of years. And let’s stay safe and well this Christmas.”
cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19775438.covid-welsh-government-gives-strong-advice-christmas/ (https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19775438.covid-welsh-government-gives-strong-advice-christmas/)
And if you do not think the above advice is neccesary, read on..................
OSLO, Dec 3 (Reuters) - At least 13 people in Oslo have been infected with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus following a corporate Christmas party described as a "super spreader event", and their numbers could rise to over 60 cases, authorities said on Friday.
The outbreak took place at a Christmas party on Nov. 26 organised by renewable energy company Scatec
"This party has been a super spreader event," Preben Aavitsland, a senior physician at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, told Reuters by email.
"Our working hypothesis is that at least half of the 120 participants were infected with the Omicron variant during the party. This makes this, for now, the largest Omicron outbreak outside South Africa."
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I meant to check out the first few minutes of this video, which is over one hour long, but ended up engrossed till the end, I thoroughly recommend viewing this excellent explanation of all aspects of Covid, past, present and future.
A You Tube video entitled ......."Leading Vaccine Expert Explains Impact Of Omicron Variant On COVID Vaccine | Stay Curious" A film from Asian Boss
Talk given by
Dr. Jerome Hahn Kim, https://covid19commission.org/jerome-kim (https://covid19commission.org/jerome-kim) Director General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). He was educated at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa where he studied Biology and History, the Yale School of Medicine, and completed his training at Duke University Medical Center.
Direct link to video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJHINoHFzbY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJHINoHFzbY)
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14 December 2021
Cambridge coronavirus vaccine enters clinical trial
Needle-free vaccine targets COVID-19 variants and future coronaviruses
Safety trials are underway for a Cambridge-led vaccine that could be used as a booster targeting COVID-19 virus variants and relatives that threaten future coronavirus pandemics. The first volunteer is expected to receive the vaccine today at the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility.
Developed by Professor Jonathan Heeney at the University of Cambridge and spin-out company DIOSynVax, this is a next generation coronavirus vaccine administered through a needle-free ‘injection’ – a blast of air that delivers it into the skin. This offers a possible future alternative to people who fear needle-based jabs. If successful, it could be scaled up and manufactured as a powder to boost global vaccination efforts, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Professor Heeney said: “The response of the scientific and medical communities to the development and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines has been incredible, but as new variants emerge and immunity begins to wane we need newer technologies. It’s vital that we continue to develop new generation vaccine candidates ready to help keep us safe from the next virus threats.
“Our vaccine is innovative, both in terms of the way it primes the immune system to respond with a broader protective response to coronaviruses, and how it is delivered. Crucially, it is the first step towards a universal coronavirus vaccine we are developing, protecting us not just from COVID-19 variants but from future coronaviruses.”
cont https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/DIOSCoVax_safetytrial (https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/DIOSCoVax_safetytrial)
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A vaccine expert has revealed how soon after getting your Covid booster jab that it actually becomes effective.
Millions of people across the UK are set to get their booster vaccine in the coming weeks, in a bid to help guard against the spread of the new Omicron variant.
Anyone over the age of 18 is now being offered the jab - but how soon after you’ve had it will you actually be protected?
Vaccines expert Professor Adam Finn said that protection from the booster comes relatively quick since your body already recognises the vaccine, as reported by the MEN.
The University of Bristol scientist predicted that booster shots take effect around one week after the jab, but maximum levels of protection will be seen after two weeks.
Prof Finn, who is also a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told BBC Breakfast: “It does come through very fast because you’ve got immunological memory, you’ve seen the antigen before from your previous doses, so the level of protection goes up pretty quick."
He added: “We generally look for the level of protection around two weeks because that’s probably when you get to pretty much maximum levels, but already at a week your antibody levels will be much higher than they were before you had the booster. So it does get going pretty quick.”
Prof Finn said that a wave of Omicron infections was just taking off across the country.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/vaccine-expert-how-long-takes-22479421 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/vaccine-expert-how-long-takes-22479421)
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Interesting article..........from LKS Faculty of Medicine at The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed)
HKUMed finds Omicron SARS-CoV-2 can infect faster and better than Delta in human bronchus but with less severe infection in lung
"This method uses lung tissue removed for treatment of the lung, which is normally discarded, for investigating virus diseases of the respiratory tract. Dr Chan and his team successfully isolated the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant and used this experimental model to compare infection with the original SARS-CoV-2 from 2020, the Delta variant and the recent Omicron variant. They found that the novel Omicron variant replicates faster than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and Delta variant in the human bronchus. At 24 hours after infection, the Omicron variant replicated around 70 times higher than the Delta variant and the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. In contrast, the Omicron variant replicated less efficiently (more than 10 times lower) in the human lung tissue than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus, which may suggest lower severity of disease.
‘It is important to note that the severity of disease in humans is not determined only by virus replication but also by the host immune response to the infection, which may lead to dysregulation of the innate immune system, i.e. “cytokine storm”,’ said Dr Chan. ‘It is also noted that, by infecting many more people, a very infectious virus may cause more severe disease and death even though the virus itself may be less pathogenic. Therefore, taken together with our recent studies showing that the Omicron variant can partially escape immunity from vaccines and past infection, the overall threat from Omicron variant is likely to be very significant.’
cont https://www.med.hku.hk/en/news/press/20211215-omicron-sars-cov-2-infection (https://www.med.hku.hk/en/news/press/20211215-omicron-sars-cov-2-infection)
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Covid: How to look after yourself at home ref BBC
So you've caught Covid. What now?
Obviously, stay away from other people to avoid giving it to them.
In terms of your own wellbeing, here's what experts recommend.
Tell family and friends
Don't suffer in silence. Let people know that you have Covid. They might be able to help with dropping off some food to your door and give you a call to check how you are doing.
The NHS also has volunteers to help people who are self-isolating at home with things like shopping and collecting medicines.
Rest up
Even with newer variants of the virus like Omicron and Delta, many people will have mild or no symptoms and will be able to safely ride out the infection at home.
The main symptoms, says the NHS, are still:
a new, continuous cough
a fever/high temperature
loss of or change to smell or taste
But researchers who have been gathering feedback from hundreds of thousands of people about their experiences with Covid suggests the top five symptoms are similar to a cold:
runny nose
headache
fatigue (either mild or severe)
sneezing
sore throat
If you feel grotty, there are things you can do that may help.
Get lots of rest, drink plenty of water and take paracetamol or ibuprofen to help you feel more comfortable.
For a cough, try lying on your side or sitting upright rather than on your back.
Sitting up, rather than lying down, is also good if you are a bit breathless.
You could also try:
breathing slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth, with your lips together like you're gently blowing out a candle
relaxing your shoulders, so you're not hunched, and leaning forward slightly with your hands on your knees
turning down the heating a bit and letting in some fresh air
turning down the heating a bit and letting in some fresh air
Know when to get help
If you want some extra advice, you could try calling or contacting a pharmacy online. The NHS website also has lots of information about Covid.
Some people with Covid will need medical care, which might include staying in hospital.
The NHS is also offering some high risk patients a pill they can take at home to help cut the risk of their infection becoming more serious.
Get advice from NHS 111 or your GP if:
you're feeling gradually more unwell or more breathless
you have difficulty breathing when you stand up or move around
you feel very weak, achy or tired
you're shaking or shivering
you've lost your appetite
you're unable to care for yourself - for example, tasks like washing and dressing or making food are too difficult
you still feel unwell after four weeks - this may be long Covid
Go to A&E immediately or call 999 if:
you're so breathless that you're unable to say short sentences when resting
your breathing has got suddenly worse
you cough up blood
you feel cold and sweaty, with pale or blotchy skin
you have a rash that looks like small bruises or bleeding under the skin and does not fade when you roll a glass over it
you collapse or faint
you feel agitated, confused or very drowsy
you've stopped peeing or are peeing much less than usual
If you are worried about a baby or child, do not delay getting help. If they seem very unwell, are getting worse, or you think there's something seriously wrong, call 999.
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From New Scientist, today:
"People infected with the omicron variant appear to be 15 to 20 per cent less likely to attend hospital compared with those infected with delta, according to a study of data from England by researchers at Imperial College London. Omicron cases are also 40 to 45 per cent less likely to be hospitalised for a night or more, the researchers found.
The team analysed 56,000 cases of omicron infection and 269,000 delta cases between 1 and 14 December. The researchers found a moderate decrease in hospitalisation risk for those infected with the omicron variant.
However this reduced risk is offset by the diminished efficacy of coronavirus vaccines against omicron, and the variant’s high transmissibility, said Neil Ferguson at Imperial College London, who worked on the study. “Given the high transmissibility of the omicron virus, there remains the potential for health services to face increasing demand if omicron cases continue to grow at the rate that has been seen in recent weeks,” he said in a statement.
“The study suggests there is no reduction in the severity of omicron compared to delta for the doubly vaccinated, indicating that it is not milder,” James Naismith at the University of Oxford told the Science Media Centre.
The study suggests that two doses of coronavirus vaccine is not enough to combat omicron alone, tweeted Deepti Gurdasani at Queen Mary University of London. “Small reductions in protection against severe disease can translate to large differences at population level,” she says. “Multi-layered mitigations and limiting socialisation over Christmas is still vitally important.”"
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You may be able to hear first sign of Omicron before any other symptoms
Common symptoms include muscle aches, fatigue, a scratchy throat and night sweats but there may be one sign before all of these
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/you-able-hear-first-sign-22580478 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/you-able-hear-first-sign-22580478)
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Faint lines on lateral flow Covid tests - what they mean and what to do if you get one
A&E doctor Nathan Hudson-Peacock has issued an explanation to help clear up any confusion
You do a lateral flow test (LFT, aka rapid antigen test), and it shows a very faint line next to the T. What does this mean?
⚠️ Note: regardless of the LFT result, if you are symptomatic, you should isolate and book a PCR.
Essentially, if *any* line appears before the end of the interpretation window (check leaflet, often this is 30 minutes), then this is a *positive* test and you must isolate and book a PCR. The picture above is my positive LFT from this morning, and I have confirmed COVID.
However, if a line appears *after* the interpretation window then this does NOT count as a positive test. NHS guidance is that you do not need to isolate and you do not need to book a PCR, unless of course you have symptoms
The next question is: does a faint line after the interpretation window mean anything? Note the following is my own views only.
If the faint line appears after the window, the most likely cause is either that there has been some contamination (e.g. food or drink, or some other weak contaminant), or there are just very low levels of the virus. If it is the latter, and obviously assuming you are asymptomatic at this point, then you are unlikely to be a transmission risk.
Therefore, although NHS advice is not to isolate (bad for mental health and work etc) and not to book a PCR (makes it harder for people to get one), I suggest a sensible approach is to be extra careful with precautions (social distancing, hand washing and mask wearing), and to continue testing with LFTs as per NHS guidance *** in particular doing another LFT before mixing with people indoors***. Of course, if you develop symptoms, you must isolate.
Reminder, the NHS guidance is:
• Close contacts of COVID should do daily LFTs for 7 days if both asymptomatic and fully vaccinated, or asymptomatic and 18 or under
• If not a close contact, then you should do a LFT before mixing with people indoors and before visiting someone who is at higher risk of getting seriously ill from COVID.
Lastly, please remember, if you have symptoms, you should isolate and book a PCR, even with a negative LFT.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/faint-lines-lateral-flow-covid-22592737 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/faint-lines-lateral-flow-covid-22592737)
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Three articles in this post................
Frontline vaccinators have urged people to come forward for their booster jabs after a post-Christmas lull in the numbers coming forward.
A team in Llandudno invited North Wales Live along on December 28 to help them issue a plea for people to come forward and get their booster jab.
It comes after news that Dr Chris Jones, the deputy chief medical officer for Wales, said that thousands of new Covid infections are being confirmed daily, the majority of which will be caused by the new Omicron variant.
Vaccination project lead for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board's [BCUHB] central area, Jo Dolan, told North Wales Live that staff working over the Christmas week at Sector House Llandudno to ensure people keep up their vaccine strength have largely been met with empty venues.
"We have capacity to vaccinate 2,000 people a day here - same for our OpTIC centre.
"We have scaled up all our vaccination centres throughout Betsi and we are urging anyone with appointments in January to come forward early if possible."
How long after having coronavirus you need to wait before getting a booster vaccine
"So in order not to blend both effects, if you have tested positive you need to wait four weeks (28 days) from the day of your positive test to have a booster.
This gap is important, as it will help to separate any side effects of the vaccine from effects of the original illness."
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/how-long-after-having-coronavirus-22593918?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/how-long-after-having-coronavirus-22593918?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4)
"To date we’ve administered more than 360,000 booster jabs, providing important additional protection to 72 per cent of the eligible population.
"Despite this hugely encouraging take up, there are still around 100,000 mostly younger people who have yet to come forward."
Dr Lyons outlined the four very important reasons people should come forward for their Covid jab as soon as they possibly can:
1. To help avoid the need for further restrictions:
Getting your first, second and booster jab and following the latest public health advice is the best way to avoid a return to further restrictions on our everyday lives – protecting the local economy, your freedoms, education and jobs.
2. To protect yourself:
Research shows that getting vaccinated significantly reduces your risk of catching or spreading Covid-19 and becoming seriously ill with the virus.
The Covid-19 vaccine will also protect you from the debilitating long-term effects of "long Covid" - which can last for months.
3. To protect loved ones, friends and those most vulnerable to infection:
Please don't be complacent at news that Omicron is a milder form of the virus.
Because it is far more transmissible than the Alpha or Delta variants, it will find those who are unvaccinated or have suppressed immune systems - with potentially serious consequences.
4. To protect the NHS:
Even a small rise in Covid-19 admissions, coupled with the high rates of Omicron-related staff sickness being forecasted, could seriously impact on the ability to provide planned and emergency care in the coming weeks.
"Today's Covid briefing: 500 hospital staff off sick in one Welsh health board
Omicron now accounts for 80% of coronavirus cases in some parts of the country
A senior Welsh nurse says staffing is "the main problem" currently faced by the NHS as Omicron continues to spread. At one Welsh health board, Betsi Cadwaladr, more than 500 staff have tested positive for coronavirus in the last seven days alone."
cont https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/todays-covid-briefing-500-hospital-22601315?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4 (https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/todays-covid-briefing-500-hospital-22601315?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4)
Please play your part in slowing the spread by getting your Covid-19 vaccine.
They add: "Our vaccination centres have understandably been quieter since Christmas Eve, but we are expecting numbers to pick up again from today onwards.”
You can now walk in to any Covid-19 vaccination centres to get your first, second or booster vaccine, but booking online will help avoid a lengthy queue.
To do that, use BCUHB's COVID-19 Online Booking Service for details of walk in clinics.https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/covid-19/covid-19-vaccinations/covid-19-vaccination-drop-in-clinics/ (https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/covid-19/covid-19-vaccinations/covid-19-vaccination-drop-in-clinics/)
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All health boards in Wales have confirmed today (31 December) that they have offered a booster vaccination appointment to all eligible adults.
Offers have been made to anyone eligible through a range of methods including letters, texts, online booking and walk-in options.
More than 1.5 million boosters have been given to date, with 81 per cent of over 50s receiving the booster dose.
Around 80 per cent of people aged 12 and above are currently eligible for the booster. Of those, 71 per cent of people have already had their booster. Health boards will be contacting everyone who couldn’t make their appointments this month and asking them to reschedule in January.
If it has been three months since your second dose and you do not believe you have received a letter, call or text about a booster appointment, please contact your local health board. They will also have details on their website on what to do if you think you have been missed.
For more information visit: https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/covid-19/covid-19-vaccinations/
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A booster vaccine is 88% effective at preventing people ending up in hospital with Covid-19, new data from the UK Health Security Agency suggests.
The new data confirms that two doses of the AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna vaccines offers little protection against being infected with Omicron.
But protection against severe disease appears to be holding up much better against the new variant.
Health officials said this reinforces the importance of getting a third dose.
The health secretary Sajid Javid said: "This is more promising data which reinforces just how important vaccines are. They save lives and prevent serious illness.
"This analysis shows you are up to eight times more likely to end up in hospital as a result of Covid-19 if you are unvaccinated."
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59840524 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59840524)
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Vaccinating everyone on the planet against Covid-19 regularly is not sustainable or affordable, a UK vaccine scientist has said.
Prof Sir Andrew Pollard, who helped develop the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, said the most at risk should be identified and prioritised instead.
He said the vaccine rollout had gone "extremely well" in the UK but other parts of the world were falling behind.
Booster jabs have been offered to all eligible adults in the UK.
There has been a surge of Omicron cases in the UK, with a record 218,724 cases reported on Tuesday.
However, this figure includes a backlog of two days worth of cases from Wales and four days of cases from Northern Ireland, due to the holiday weekend.
The public should be "in no doubt" it would be a difficult time for the NHS but there were mitigations in place to help them through a "challenging winter".
A number of hospital trusts have declared critical incidents, with coronavirus cases leading to staff shortages and increased pressure on services.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59865108 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59865108)
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The First Minister said the behaviour of unvaccinated people, who expect others to risk their health caring for them, when they became ill, was "simply unfair".
In a BBC Radio Wales interview this morning, Mark Drakeford was asked about many in hospital with the virus, appearing to be unvaccinated and whether he was "losing patience", with people who didn't have the jabs.
The First Minister said he tried not to lose patience, but recognised the point being made.
"Someone who deliberately choses not to take advantage of the vaccination programme, when they fall ill, they will expect somebody else to put themselves in harms way, in order to look after them and it simply isn't fair," the First Minister said.
"Why would you chose to behave in your own life in a way that causes that risk to other people?
"We are very fortunate in Wales, that we have got very high levels of vaccination and its never too late to be vaccinated in Wales.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/first-ministers-simply-unfair-message-22672736 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/first-ministers-simply-unfair-message-22672736)
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A fourth Covid jab is not yet needed, say UK experts, because booster doses continue to provide high protection against severe disease from the Omicron variant among older adults.
UK Health Security Agency data shows three months after boosting, protection against hospitalisation remains at about 90% for people aged 65 and over.
Protection against mild symptomatic infection is more short-lived.
That drops to about 30% by about three months.
Figures also show why it is important to get a booster dose if you have only had two doses so far.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59915560 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59915560)
Health Secretary Sajid Javid says he is concerned by rising Covid hospital admissions, particularly in older age groups.
One in 15 people in the UK had Covid in the last week of 2021, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates, with numbers rising in the over-70s.
The data suggests London's Omicron wave may be slowing but infections are rising quickly in the north of England.
But he added: "Despite all of that we are still seeing rising hospitalisations, particularly with the case rate rising with older age groups - that is of concern.
He once again called on people to get vaccinated, adding that staff at the hospital estimated about 70% of Covid patients were unvaccinated.
Getting boosted, he said, meant your chance of ending up in hospital was "almost 90% less than it was with Delta".
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59909813 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59909813)
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When this pandemic started some were concerned about what they perceived as an overly political tone to our comments. However, with this latest series of extremely worrying revelations, it seems plain to see that Johnson's behaviour has not simply been inept but in fact downright dishonest (https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-money-problems-finances-donations-carrie-symonds-2021-5?r=US&IR=T)and even possibly criminal. How long can he hang on, I wonder?
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Endemic Covid: Is the pandemic entering its endgame?
Who hasn't let out an exasperated "Is the pandemic finished yet?" or a "When can I just get on with my life?" over the past two years? I know I have.
The answer to those questions could be... very soon.
There is growing confidence that Omicron could be hurtling the UK into the pandemic endgame.
But what comes next? There will be no snap of the fingers to make the virus disappear. Instead, the new buzzword we'll have to get used to is "endemic" - which means that Covid is, without doubt, here to stay.
So, is a new Covid-era truly imminent and what will that actually mean for our lives?
"We're almost there, it is now the beginning of the end, at least in the UK," Prof Julian Hiscox, chairman in infection and global health at the University of Liverpool, tells me. "I think life in 2022 will be almost back to before the pandemic."
What's changing is our immunity. The new coronavirus first emerged two years ago in Wuhan, China, and we were vulnerable. It was a completely new virus that our immune systems had not experienced before and we had no drugs or vaccines to help.
It is important to remember that endemic does not automatically mean mild. "We have some huge killer diseases that we consider endemic," says Prof Ghani. Smallpox was endemic for thousands of years and killed a third of people who were infected. Malaria is endemic and causes around 600,000 deaths a year.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59970281 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59970281)
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I am at a loss trying to understand the rush to stop wearing masks, from day one it has made sense to me, and I will continue wearing a mask until I feel safe.
Welsh Government explains approach to mask rules after Boris Johnson scraps them in England
From Thursday next week, it will no longer be a legal requirement to wear masks anywhere in England
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-government-explains-approach-mask-22809065 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-government-explains-approach-mask-22809065)
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From New Scientist:
"After two years of mass deaths, long covid, social distancing, cancelled weddings and isolated funerals, increasing numbers of political leaders are saying it is time to “live with covid”. In England, legal requirements for self-isolation and contact tracing look set to end on 24 March, while “Plan B” measures such as advice to work from home where possible will be lifted on 26 January. But just how close to the end of the pandemic are we? And what will the end really look like?
In a sense, the pandemic won’t end until the World Health Organization (WHO) declares it over, just as it first declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on 11 March 2020. That won’t mean that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been eliminated, however. Instead, the end will come when new infections occur at a fairly constant rate, as opposed to the big, unpredictable waves we have experienced so far.
This is the point at which covid-19 becomes “endemic”. The virus will still spread from person to person, but on average each infected person will infect only one other. This will mean fewer people being hospitalised, dying or developing long covid.
It is important to understand that there are different kinds of endemicity. “Whether it becomes endemic at a low level or a high level really matters,” says Christina Pagel at University College London.
A commonly cited benchmark is that covid-19 might become about as widespread and severe as influenza, which causes annual mini-epidemics in many countries. But this example illustrates the ambiguity of the phrase “living with covid”. While it is true that countries around the world “live with flu”, that doesn’t mean their governments do nothing. The UK and many other countries have an annual flu surveillance programme, and new vaccines are developed and given every year.
“There are all kinds of things we do to get flu deaths down, and we’ve massively got them down in the last 20 years,” says Pagel.
Nonetheless, were covid-19 to become similar to flu, that “would be a disaster for the UK”, says Pagel, because flu already strains the country’s national health services in winter.
If covid-19 ends up equally serious, it would still represent a significant and permanent increase in case load every winter.
Bringing the number of covid-19 deaths down depends on four factors: global vaccination rates, the evolution of the virus, medical advances in covid-19 treatments and preventative measures like improved ventilation and social distancing.
So far, the race between vaccinations and virus evolution is a dead heat. As of 17 January, 9.68 billion doses of covid-19 vaccines had been administered in a little over a year. This is a huge number, and has substantially brought down the fatality rate in high-income countries, but the United Nations estimates that there were 7.88 billion people on Earth in 2021. That means the vaccine doses so far represent slightly more than one per person.
In practice, there is enormous inequity. Many children worldwide haven’t been vaccinated and in low-income countries only 9.5 per cent of people have had even one dose.
For the original virus, and older variants like alpha and delta, two doses of vaccine gave sufficient protection. The implication was that almost 16 billion doses were needed to vaccinate everyone. Achieving that by the end of 2022 would be a challenge, but not an insurmountable one.
However, the omicron variant is a game changer: two doses of vaccine aren’t enough to give decent protection against infection or severe disease. “As things currently stand, you definitely do need three doses,” says Lance Turtle at the University of Liverpool, UK.
That means almost 24 billion doses of vaccine need to be delivered to give everyone on the planet three doses. To achieve this by the end of 2022, vaccines must be delivered this year at almost twice the average rate they were delivered in 2021.
That looks difficult, but the rate of vaccine delivery has accelerated over the past year. Currently, nearly 33 million doses are given every day. If that was sustained throughout 2022, an additional 12 billion doses would be delivered, for a total of 21.7 billion. In theory, it wouldn’t take a huge increase in the daily rate to get to 24 billion by the end of the year.
But in practice, delivering vaccines to lots of people in low-income countries is hard.
“The technological solution is only part of it – you’ve got to have all the steps from invention to manufacture to financing to the health systems to deliver it,” says Anne Johnson, president of the Academy of Medical Sciences in London. People in low-income countries often live in crowded, informal settlements where record-keeping is poor, or far from major cities in hard-to-access remote areas. “It’s a huge organisational challenge,” she says.
This has been compounded by high-income countries hoarding vaccine doses. Lower-income countries have struggled to obtain vaccines, and more doses have been given as boosters in high-income countries than have been given in total in all low-income countries.
A collaboration called COVAX has tried to send vaccines to low-income countries, but for much of 2021 it struggled to do this. So far, it has shipped 1 billion doses to 144 countries. It may get a boost from a vaccine called Corbevax, developed by Texas Children’s Hospital and licensed to Indian pharmaceutical firm Biological E. Corbevax is designed to be more easily made and stored, and is given patent-free to manufacturers.
Even three doses per person may not be enough to bring the pandemic under control. With omicron, the protection against symptomatic infection wanes within weeks of a third dose. Israel is already giving people over the age of 60 a fourth dose and other countries may follow suit. Vaccinating everyone on the planet every six months would be a vast undertaking, however.
Some form of regular vaccination is likely to be needed to keep the covid-19 death rate down. “For respiratory infections, we don’t get lifelong immunity that prevents us getting infected,” says Rustom Antia of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. If SARS-CoV-2 behaves like other human coronaviruses, “we need to forget about herd immunity”.
“I think it will be with us forever in the population, most likely, and I think we’ll need annual vaccines,” says Turtle.
That will include young children, says Pagel: “I imagine eventually it’ll be part of your childhood immunisation programme.”
Vaccinating children will be important, because we are unlikely to bring infection rates down if a substantial part of the population – especially one that mixes together in schools on a daily basis – is unprotected.
After initially focusing solely on vaccinating adults, the UK government announced in September 2021 that it would offer vaccines to 12-to-15-year-olds. But it hasn’t widely offered vaccines to younger children.
This is in contrast to other countries including the US, which has been vaccinating 5-to-11-year-olds after the Food and Drug Administration authorised the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for that age group in October 2021. Ireland also recently announced it would offer that vaccine to 5-to-11-year-olds.
But in the UK, while the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for 5-to-11-year-olds has been approved, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has only recommended that the vaccine be offered to children in this age group if they “are in a clinical risk group or who are a household contact of someone (of any age) who is immunosuppressed”.
The roll-out of vaccines to children in other countries follows extensive and ongoing clinical trials. In a November statement, the WHO said the authorised vaccines were “safe and effective” for children. The WHO also noted that children who can’t attend school, either because it is closed or because they are ill with covid-19, are missing out on education, and in some cases may struggle to go back.
Meanwhile, the vaccines are being tested, in smaller doses, in even younger children. Pfizer and BioNTech have an ongoing trial in children aged 6 months to 5 years. However, in December, the firms announced that they were adding a third dose to the regimen, after a second dose didn’t provide enough protection. As a consequence, no results are available yet.
Similarly, Moderna says it expects data on its vaccine in 2-to-5-year-olds by March. If the results are satisfactory, the companies will seek approvals to deliver the vaccines.
An evolving virus
Even as governments run their vaccination programmes, the virus continues to evolve. It is hard to say what will happen next, because the virus has repeatedly confounded expectations. “I don’t think any of us imagined that 18 months down the line we’d be still here,” says Johnson.
In one respect, the omicron variant isn’t as bad as it might have been: it causes less severe illness than other variants such as delta. However, the next variant may be different. “You hear this said quite often that viruses adapt to their hosts and become less virulent,” says Turtle. “The evidence for that is not that great. In Ebola, in 2014, the opposite happened.”
“There’s no real selection pressure on this virus to become milder,” says Aris Katzourakis at the University of Oxford. That is because most of the spread happens in the early stages of an infection, before the person becomes ill enough to be bed-bound and thus unable to spread it. “If a virus hospitalises its host straight away, that might lead to selection pressure for a milder strain,” he says. But that isn’t the case here.
Instead, the lesson of omicron is that “there could be more surprises in store”, says Turtle. “Who knows how many other variants that could escape or be radically different and still infect humans are possible,” he says.
Better vaccines could make a real difference. Katzourakis says future ones could target more parts of the virus, rather than just the spike protein that enables it to enter cells. This would make it harder for the virus to evolve to escape them.
Some researchers are even aiming for a universal coronavirus vaccine, which would protect against all possible variants. But the work is in its early stages. A putative universal vaccine developed at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Silver Spring, Maryland, has been tested in primates and is undergoing phase I trials to find out whether it is safe to give to humans. But more testing is needed, so a widespread roll-out is months away at best.
Even without such advances, simply giving people more vaccine doses makes it less likely that another game changer like omicron will emerge this year. As more people are immunised, fewer copies of the virus will circulate and its evolution will slow. “So far, none of the variants have arisen in countries with high vaccination rates,” says Pagel, suggesting that vaccination tempers the virus’s ability to transform itself.
Ultimately, ending the pandemic will take coordinated global action: something that has been sorely lacking so far.
On 3 January, Pagel, Katzourakis and their colleagues called for a global “vaccines-plus” plan. As well as vaccinating the world, they argue for a suite of measures, including high-quality face masks for indoor mixing, effective means of testing, tracing, isolating and supporting people who get infected, and better ventilation and filtration of indoor air.
“In the way Victorians went for clean water, sanitation, we have to go for clean air,” says Pagel. She emphasises that this offers multiple benefits. “There’s no individual liberty taken away that way, and it works against all kinds of airborne diseases.”
So far, no such global initiative is on the cards. Hence the statement given by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, on 30 December: “As we enter the third year of this pandemic, I’m confident that this will be the year we end it – but only if we do it together.”
It is theoretically possible for the pandemic to end in 2022, but the logistical and sociopolitical challenges are immense. “I think it’s mathematically but not politically possible,” says Katzourakis.
The reality is that we have been “living with covid” for two years, and are likely to do so in some form for the rest of our lives. The crucial question is, how much of it will we live with? That will determine how many more people die or develop long covid, and how many more times countries will have to implement drastic restrictions after the emergence of new variants.
For some, the phrase “living with covid” has become a shorthand for “let’s not do anything else”. But without something like a global vaccines-plus plan, “we’re going to be in a race of chasing after variants for years to come”, says Katzourakis.
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Excellent article, we can only hope enough people get to see it, and understand the implications of treating this matter lightly.
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The official Covid symptoms recognised by the NHS, WHO, CDC, and ZOE
There are now a wide range of indicators acknowledged by the main health bodies in the UK and the US
Though the latest guidance recommends people to 'flow before you go', it's important to know what is worthy of a test, especially in light of the reporting of lesser-known symptoms like ringing ears, unusual bowel movements, and headaches.
Different variants can obviously have different effects on the body so here's what all the leading officials say about Covid symptoms in one place.
full list.......... https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/official-covid-symptoms-recognised-nhs-22825766?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/official-covid-symptoms-recognised-nhs-22825766?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4)
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Pfizer and BioNTech have started clinical trials of a new Covid vaccine which targets the Omicron variant.
The companies plan to test the protection gained from the new vaccine as a booster jab and as three separate jabs in unvaccinated people.
More than 1,400 adults are expected to be enrolled in the trial, likely to be in the United States.
US company Moderna is planning to begin trials of its own Omicron-specific shot soon.
Oxford University and AstraZeneca have also started working on a new version of their vaccine.
Vaccine developers had always planned to tweak their original Covid vaccines as new variants emerged, but the arrival of the fast-spreading Omicron strain in the last two months has hastened that process.
In recent days, Prof Andrew Pollard, who led the development of the Oxford-AZ vaccine, said Omicron had spread at such speed that it was "quite difficult to make and deploy an updated vaccine quickly enough" to make a difference.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60131986 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60131986)
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The new Omicron subvariant BA.2: what we know so far
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant of concern has spread rapidly since its emergence in late 2021. Presently, an Omicron subvariant known as BA.2, first identified in late 2021, has made headlines due to its rapid spread.
BA.2 has spread to over 40 countries, including the US, UK, India, Australia, and Norway. In the latter, it currently accounts for half of Omicron cases. It is currently unknown why BA.2 has dominated so quickly in Norway; however, enhanced immune escape or transmissibility has been suggested.
Current reports liken the symptoms of the new lineage to that of the original strain of Omicron: sore throat, headaches, nausea, etc. It is believed that there are no differences in disease severity, with some even suggesting the symptoms are milder.
Scientists currently understand that previous Omicron infection confers protection against BA.2 and expect the already developed vaccines to be effective against the Omicron subvariant. Nonetheless, the WHO has made recommendations that understanding the immune escape characteristics of BA.2 is of great priority.
With reports of yet another Omicron subvariant, BA.3, it is of ever-increasing importance to track the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 strains and understand their implications on public health.
ref https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220126/The-new-Omicron-subvariant-BA2-what-we-know-so-far.aspx (https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220126/The-new-Omicron-subvariant-BA2-what-we-know-so-far.aspx)
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Covid cases have been falling in the UK since early January - but that decline has now come to a halt.
For more than a week, the daily number of positive tests being reported has been averaging just above 90,000.
That's well above the peak of last winter. But how concerning is this?
In many ways the levelling-off was to be expected. Two basic things influence infection levels - the amount of immunity in the population and how much people mix.
And it was a combination of the two that saw the Omicron variant peak earlier this month.
The rapid rollout of boosters certainly helped - a recent booster reduces the chance of infection by close to three-quarters.
But low levels of mixing also played a role. By the end of December, adults were averaging about 2.7 contacts a day - close to what was seen in the first lockdown.
As people have returned to work and school, contacts will have increased, giving the virus more opportunity to spread.
Particularly high levels are now being detected in children and this seems to be translating to an increase in cases in their parents' age group.
Another factor that will come into play is waning immunity - by 10 weeks that initial protection against infection has started to wane quite significantly.
Cases are now going to "stay high until the spring" and continue to disrupt our daily lives, Zoe Covid symptom-tracking app lead scientist Prof Tim Spector believes.
"It's crucial that we're responsible with our new freedoms and help prevent the virus reaching the more vulnerable groups," he says.
article and stats https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60161124 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60161124)
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Is ending the last Covid rule 'brave or stupid'?
The last remaining Covid restriction in England could be gone in weeks, after the prime minister announced the legal requirement to isolate after a positive test may be scrapped early.
The plan had been to end it on 24 March - but if the trends remained positive, Boris Johnson said, it could go a month early.
The move has taken many experts by surprise, with one describing it as either brave or stupid.
As often with Covid, the evidence is unclear.
Certainly questions are being asked about the politics of the move, with the prime minister under continuing pressure.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60324928 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60324928)
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He's using every strategy he can to cling onto his last vestiges of power.
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The Welsh Government is standing firm on Covid self-isolation rules, with England set to end its restrictions this week.
From one minute past midnight on Thursday, all legal Covid restrictions will end in England, including the requirement to self-isolate.
It means adults and children who test positive will be advised to stay at home, but it is not a legal requirement.
However the rules in Wales are different.
The Welsh government has said it could scrap its remaining restrictions - including the legal requirement to wear masks - at the end of March.
But in the meantime, the rules in Wales remain that people must self-isolate for at least five days after a positive test.
And people entering or leaving Wales for business, or pleasure, including holidays, must still follow these rules.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-government-stands-firm-self-23178700 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-government-stands-firm-self-23178700)
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People who are vaccinated are less likely to develop long Covid even if they catch the virus, a rapid review by the UK Health Security Agency reveals.
It looked at the available evidence to date from 15 studies around the world.
The findings suggest that while some who are jabbed catch Covid, vaccines reduce infection risk and illness, including symptoms like fatigue.
And unvaccinated people who catch Covid and get symptoms of long Covid, do better if they then get vaccinated.
Some of the studies in the review looked at the effect of vaccinations given before infection and found:
People with Covid who received two doses of the Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Janssen vaccine, were about half as likely as people who received one dose or were unvaccinated to develop long-Covid symptoms lasting more than 28 days
Vaccine effectiveness against most long-Covid symptoms was highest in people aged 60 years and over
Others that looked at the effects of vaccines in people who already had long-Covid symptoms found:
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60393588 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60393588)
Covid: How new drugs are finally taming the virus
The first patients in the NHS are being offered a new drug to help treat Covid-19. As Covid treatments are changing, fewer patients are becoming seriously ill or dying. So does this mean we are finally taming the virus?
At the start of the pandemic there were no drugs for Covid. In April 2020, I stood in a Covid intensive care ward while a doctor, in full PPE, told me they had nothing but oxygen to treat critically ill patients. I watched patient after patient on ventilators being turned on to their fronts to help their lungs take in oxygen.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60390187 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60390187)
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Covid in Wales: Two years since first death
A further 48 people in Wales have had a death which involved Covid-19, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The weekly figures marked two years since the first Covid death occurred in Wales.
Deaths have been within a similar range for the last month but deaths involving Covid were more than three times higher in the same week in 2021.
The total number of deaths involving Covid has now reached 9,779.
There were no deaths involving Covid in three counties in the latest week: Flintshire, Pembrokeshire and Wrexham.
Deaths from all causes were 9% above normal levels in the latest week.
In the two years since the pandemic began, there have been 6,100 additional deaths from all causes than we might expect to see on average.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-60737591 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-60737591)
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Covid cases have continued to rise in the UK, with an estimated one in every 20 people infected, figures from the Office for National Statistic suggest.
All age groups are affected, including the 75s and over, who are due a spring booster jab to top up protection.
Hospital cases are also rising, but vaccines are still helping to stop many severe cases, say experts.
An easily spread sub-variant of Omicron, called BA.2, is now causing most cases.
CONT https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60792087 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60792087)
Infections continue to rise in Wales
Covid-19 infections are continuing to increase in Wales, one of the key indicators of the pandemic has shown.
One in 25 people are estimated to have had Covid in the latest week, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
About 125,400 people had the virus in the week ending 12 March, which is 4.13% of the population.
That is an increase on the previous week's estimate, which was that 97,900 people were infected.
CONT https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-60795031 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-60795031)
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The new BA.2 Omicron sub-variant is now the dominant strain of coronavirus in Wales, Health Minister Eluned Morgan has said. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the two year anniversary of the first national lockdown, Baroness Morgan said that the current surge in coronavirus cases in Wales is being driven by the new sub-type of the Omicron variant.
Hospital admissions across all age groups have spiked over the last couple of weeks with more than 1,200 Covid-19 patients in hospital beds at the moment. That is the highest level it has been since March last year and will continue to rise over the coming weeks, the Health Minister said.
Current evidence shows that the BA.2 sub-type is "even more transmissible and faster moving than the original Omicron variant", the Health Minister told the conference, with high re-infection rates meaning those who have had coronavirus before will not be immune to BA.2.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/new-omicron-stealth-variant-now-23464914 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/new-omicron-stealth-variant-now-23464914)
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It might be worse than we think. From New Scientist:
"Some think the covid-19 pandemic is over – but it most certainly isn’t. On the contrary, around the world, the number of confirmed cases is rising rapidly again. The most concerning situation is in China, where many older people still have no immune protection of any kind and which is currently battling a major outbreak. So why are cases on the rise again, how bad will it be and what could happen next?
The omicron variant that first started spreading in November 2021 caused by far the biggest wave of the pandemic to date. Globally, reported covid-19 cases peaked towards the end of January this year, and they were falling nearly as fast as they shot up. But now they have begun to rise sharply again, up by 8 per cent in the week ending 13 March according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Because many countries are doing less testing than they did at the peak of the omicron wave, the actual increase could be even bigger than this, said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during a briefing on 16 March. Deaths are still declining globally, but they are expected to rise again too; deaths usually lag cases by around three weeks.
The situation isn’t the same everywhere. In some nations that had big omicron waves, the number of reported cases is still falling. Notably, that includes South Africa, the first country to have an omicron wave.
The number of tests being done in South Africa has fallen sharply, from around 70,000 per day during early December to just 20,000 in early March. But the proportion of positive tests has fallen from 37 per cent to 7 per cent over this period, which indicates that case numbers really are falling.
In other parts of Africa, Europe and Asia, reported cases have begun to climb again. Some countries that had big omicron waves, including the UK, Germany and France, are seeing a resurgence before the previous wave has even subsided.
Breakdowns of case numbers by which virus variant is responsible show that while the initial wave of omicron was mainly caused by one of its subvariants called BA.1, the BA.2 subvariant is driving the resurgence. The term omicron refers to a whole family of related variants that appeared around the same time, rather than to one specific variant. BA.2 has been around from the start and is even better at spreading than BA.1.
“This is the most transmissible variant we have seen of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to date,” said Maria Van Kerkhove at the WHO during the briefing on 16 March. A study in Denmark found that people can be infected by BA.2 less than two months after having BA.1, but this is rare and may not be a major element in the overlapping waves.
BA.2 isn’t the only factor involved. “We’ve dropped all measures, so a resurgence is not very surprising,” says Aris Katzourakis at the University of Oxford, referring to the situation in England.
“Lifting of the use of masks, lifting of physical distancing, lifting of restrictions limiting people’s movement, this provides the virus an opportunity to spread,” said Van Kerkhove."
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Posted by: Ian
« on: Yesterday at 06:33:25 PM »
“Lifting of the use of masks, lifting of physical distancing, lifting of restrictions limiting people’s movement, this provides the virus an opportunity to spread,” said Van Kerkhove."
I am, and have been at a loss as to why people feel so strongly against wearing masks in crowded spaces, today Jet 2 have stopped the mask rule on their flights, the basic simple steps (Masks/distance/hand washing) are no hard ship to the majority of the population, and would do so much to prevent the spread of the virus.
North Wales hospitals ‘under increasing pressure’ as Covid cases rise
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board say there is currently more than 200 people in hospital with the virus
A health board has warned its hospitals are "under increasing pressure" as more than 200 patients have Covid-19. Cases are rising across North Wales and bosses say keeping staff and patients safe from infection is becoming "more challenging."
It comes as latest figures from Public Health Wales show a total of 1,163 new positive tests in the region, taking the number of recorded infections to 163,550. Wales as a whole has recently seen a marked increase in cases in all areas and in all age groups, driven by the emergence of the BA.2 subtype of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
Meanwhile the the number of people to die with Covid-19 in North Wales since the start of the coronavirus pandemic is unchanged at 1,262. Five further deaths have been reported nationwide.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-hospitals-under-increasing-23470183 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-hospitals-under-increasing-23470183)
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People who've had Covid more likely to develop 19 serious health conditions, says study
The more serious your covid case the more risk you're at of developing any of these conditions
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/people-whove-covid-more-likely-23552742 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/people-whove-covid-more-likely-23552742)
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In the early days of the pandemic, it was extremely rare to hear of people catching Covid twice.
That's not the case any more, especially since the Omicron variant emerged in late November 2021.
Why are more people catching Covid again?
Part of it is Omicron itself - a variant that's better at sneaking past defences built on old infections.
Part of it is a numbers game. So many of us have already been infected at some point, that a rising proportion of new infections are a second bout.
But getting Covid twice in a short space of time is still pretty unlikely, even with the latest version of Omicron which is widespread in the UK, and for most people a second infection is less likely to make them very ill.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60913637 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60913637)
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'I've had long Covid for two years now'............
The initial emergency of Covid may feel like it's over, but thousands of people are still suffering from ongoing symptoms known as long Covid. So are we any closer to understanding the causes of this debilitating condition or to finding the best way of treating it?
Neil Robinson is finding it hard to accept that he is still affected by Covid. "I was just so certain that I would have recovered by now," he told me.
Jo House is learning to adjust to her new reality. "It feels weird to say it, but I'm now disabled and I need to rethink how I live my life," she says.
And although John Dusabe Richards is now improving, he has not fully recovered. A year after a mild Covid infection he could not read a bedtime book to his children because of the "sandbag on my chest" that made it hard to breathe. The breathlessness, constant headaches and joint pain are largely gone, but his fatigue is lingering. Dancing or doing sports with his kids needs planning due to an unnaturally long recovery time.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-60708123 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-60708123)
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And the bad news keeps on coming (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-we-know-about-omicrons-ba-2-variant-so-far1/)...
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And the bad news keeps on coming (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-we-know-about-omicrons-ba-2-variant-so-far1/)...
Interesting article Ian............
NHS under huge strain as A&Es turn away ambulances
Hospitals are under "enormous strain", with growing numbers so busy they are having to divert ambulances to other sites because they are unable to cope.
Over the past week, 20 NHS Accident and Emergency departments in England issued diverts, with patients taken elsewhere.
Those A&E departments still taking new patients have seen long delays, with more than 25% of ambulances waiting at least 30 minutes to handover patients.
All areas of the country are facing huge pressures, but NHS bosses in West Yorkshire and the south central area of England - covering Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Oxfordshire and Berkshire - have reported particularly severe strain.
The pressures are being partly caused by the high number of Covid patients currently in hospital. This week numbers across England have exceeded 16,000, rising to 20,000 once other nations in the UK are included.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-61023908 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-61023908)
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Good news for a change.......
More than 10,000 people who signed up to help deliver Covid-19 vaccinations have now taken permanent roles with the NHS in England.
About 71,000 people took paid roles and thousands more volunteered to help with the programme which has now given more than 120 million doses.
The 11,483 who have chosen to stay in the NHS include former airline cabin crew members, gym managers and chefs.
NHS England said they would help tackle the backlog caused by the pandemic.
Tamryn Saby worked for an airline for 11 years but decided to volunteer with the vaccine programme in Cambridge and study to become a therapeutic radiographer when she was furloughed.
"I hoped that by getting involved it would help us all return to 'normal' sooner, but being part of the vaccine roll-out also helped build my confidence for a career in healthcare, and showed that by working for the NHS you can make a real difference to people's lives every day," she said.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-61135281 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-61135281)
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Coronavirus infections may be receding in the UK - but that does not mean that the virus has suddenly become yesterday's problem.
Far fewer masks are seen on buses and trains and other public spaces. Indoor gatherings seem to be back to where they were pre-pandemic. Restrictions have been lifted and most people are enjoying the freedom.
But Covid is likely to remain with us for years to come. So what will it mean to live with the virus in the longer term?
Covid can still kill. But, thanks to vaccinations, innovative treatment and drugs, the chances of getting seriously ill and not surviving are much lower than in earlier waves.
Ministers have told the public they need to live with coronavirus and treat it like flu.
The message is to stay off work or away from vulnerable people if you have symptoms - whether it's Covid or flu, there is a need to minimise the risk of infecting others.
Pressure on the NHS has eased with the number of patients with Covid in hospital about 11,000 compared with more than 20,000 in early April.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-61333828 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-61333828)
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Covid in Asia.....three BBC reports...........This is the type of situation that can get out of control, and put the world back years.
North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has lambasted health officials and ordered the army to help distribute medicine, as a wave of Covid cases sweeps through the country.
More than a million people have now been sickened by what Pyongyang is calling a "fever", state media said.
Some 50 people have died, but it's unclear how many of those suspected cases tested positive for Covid.
North Korea has only limited testing capacity, so few cases are confirmed.
North Koreans are likely to be especially vulnerable to the virus due to lack of vaccinations and a poor healthcare system. A nationwide lockdown is in place in the reclusive country.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-61436270 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-61436270)
The Chinese city of Shanghai has been under Covid lockdown for over a month, affecting the lives of more than 25 million people.
Local authorities have now said they will relax rules soon, but many people remain confined to their accommodation.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-61023811 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-61023811)
China: Why is the WHO concerned about its zero-Covid strategy?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said China should rethink its strict Covid strategy aimed at halting the spread of the virus.
While many countries are now relying on vaccination and improved treatments, China has stuck to a policy of lockdowns and other restrictions.
The WHO says that with more transmissible Omicron variants spreading, this approach is not "sustainable."
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/59882774 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/59882774)
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A small aside: The number of reported monkeypox cases is rising rapidly in the largest known outbreak outside of Central and West Africa, where the virus is endemic.
At the time of writing, 172 confirmed cases have been recorded in North and South America, Australia, the Middle East, North Africa and across Europe, according to a list of reports compiled by Moritz Kraemer at the University of Oxford, John Brownstein at Boston Children’s Hospital in Massachusetts and their colleagues.
As of 23 May, the UK had recorded 57 cases of the virus, and it appears to be one of the hardest-hit countries so far. No deaths have been reported anywhere in the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
In the past, outbreaks outside of Africa have usually been linked with travel to endemic regions of the continent. A small 2021 outbreak in the UK occurred after someone travelled from Nigeria to Manchester. In 2003, monkeypox entered the US after exotic pets including mice and squirrels were imported from Ghana. These animals are thought to have transmitted the virus to humans.
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Horrible looking disease.
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Ian, If you can find some time at the moment......re your last post, check out this video ........it does appeal to my conspiracy side.
Wuhan Institute of Virology published on monkeypox research 3 months ago, NIH USA also have been researching monkeypox treatment
cont https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E6cD-VWhQY
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BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron: How worried should we be?
Two new fast-spreading subvariants of Omicron are causing fresh surges of Covid around the world.
BA.4 and BA.5 were first identified in South Africa and may soon become the dominant strains in Europe and the US, health experts say.
BBC report cont.... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55659820
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Scientists say there is "compelling evidence" that Wuhan's Huanan seafood and wildlife market was at the centre of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Two peer-reviewed studies published on Tuesday re-examine information from the initial outbreak in the Chinese city.
One of the studies shows that the earliest known cases were clustered around that market.
The other uses genetic information to track the timing of the outbreak.
It suggests there were two variants introduced into humans in November or early December 2019.
Together, the researchers say this evidence paints a picture that Sars-Cov-2 was present in live mammals that were sold at Huanan market in late 2019. They say it was transmitted into people who were working or shopping there in two separate "spillover events", where a human contracted the virus from an animal.
One of the researchers involved, virologist Prof David Robertson from the University of Glasgow, told BBC News that he hoped the studies would "correct the false record that the virus came from a lab".
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-62307383
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More than five million people have been ordered to undergo Covid-19 testing in the coastal Chinese city of Xiamen this week, after some 40 cases of the virus were detected.
But they're not the only ones who have been ordered to get tested: an official notice states that some forms of sealife are also expected to join the latest mass-testing drive.
In recent weeks, Xiamen's Jimei Maritime Pandemic Control district committee issued a notice saying that when fishermen return to their ports "both fishermen and their seafood must be tested".
The result has been that amid this latest outbreak, video footage has appeared on multiple social media platforms including Douyin - China's local version of TikTok - showing medical workers giving live fish and crabs Covid-19 PCR tests. &shake&
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-62593217
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A new coronavirus strain can re-infect patients within weeks of them recovering from the virus, doctors from around the world fear. The BA.5 strain is the new dominant infection in the United States and other countries abroad.
People who have been infected with Covid in the past have been found to have a level of immunity in the weeks afterwards. But BA.5 casts doubt on that notion, with patients reportedly testing positive again shortly after recovering from the virus
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/doctors-fear-new-covid-variant-24813119
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Health leaders are warning that this years flu season may be worse than the previous two years.
This warning comes amid fears there could be a 'surge' in Covid-19 cases. Global health officials have said that an 'agile response' need to be prepared for the oncoming flu season.
Suggestions that the flu season may be worse this year than the last two, when people were still taking preventative measures to avoid Covid. The use of social distancing and mask wearing may have also kept many flu cases at bay.
It also predicted a surge in Covid-19 cases as it urged at-risk groups to ensure they have had a second booster shot. the WHO regional director for Europe, Dr Hans Kluge said: With autumn and winter approaching, we anticipate a surge in (Covid-19) cases with or without a resurgence of seasonal influenza in Europe.
People stabilised their lives without actually stabilising the pandemic.
So there will likely be an interplay between the different viruses. It may not be a typical flu season, we might see an atypical it might come early and might come (for) a shorter period, it might come later on.
So we need to be really agile in our response and be ready to respond to any changes in the virus circulation.
In the UK, many people invited for a Covid booster jab ? those at highest risk of the virus and health and care workers will also likely be offered a flu jab. Officials hope many will be offered both jabs at once.
Dr Smallwood added: What we are expecting to see in the autumn and winter periods coming up in the European region is one or more waves of increased Sars-CoV-2 (the virus which causes Covid-19) activity with or without the presence of additional waves of other respiratory viruses such as influenza.
But not only influenza, we have seen throughout the past couple of years that other viruses have also taken advantage of the changes in the epidemiology in the region we have seen that with RSV, for example, as well.
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Late afternoon phone call from the local mobile vaccination team, telling us they had received extra doses, and if we were available, they would call within the hour, so we both received our Autumn jabs of the Spikevax moderna vaccine, it was mentioned this could become an annual event for the future.
I should point out it was a very simple and easy procedure, without side effects to either of us, yesterday or today.... please do not hesitate, with winter on the way, Flu and Covid together could get nasty
Moderna Spikevax The MHRA said that its approval was based on study data showing that the bivalent vaccine triggered a strong immune response against both BA.1 and the original virus, as well as a good immune response against BA.4 and BA.5.
cont https://www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj.o2038
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The UK must prepare for a big, early wave of flu, experts warn, based on what Australia has just experienced during its winter.
Many southern hemisphere nations have had their most rampant flu season for years.
It is largely because people mixed more once Covid restrictions had eased, but had little immunity to the influenza virus after a break from the disease.
Health experts are urging anyone who is eligible for a flu shot to get one.
After two years with almost zero flu circulating - and all the focus on Covid jabs - there is concern that vaccine fatigue may have set in. Covid cases are starting to rise again in the UK too.
UK Health Security Agency chief medical adviser Dr Susan Hopkins told BBC News that Covid cases "looked like they were turning in all four nations in the UK".
We do believe we are starting to see our autumn wave of Covid, she said.
NHS director for vaccinations and screening Steve Russell said: "This winter could be the first time we see the effects of the so called 'twindemic' with both Covid and flu in full circulation, so it is vital that those most susceptible to serious illness from these viruses come forward for vaccines in order to protect themselves and those around them."
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says this year's flu jab is a good match for the type of seasonal influenza that is circulating - a strain called H3N2.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63045190
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Covid infections in the UK are rising and have topped more than one million, according to official estimates.
There has been a 14% rise in people testing positive in the week to 20 September - the biggest increase since the summer.
But there is no clear evidence of an autumn Covid wave starting, says the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
More recent data showing a rise in hospital admissions with Covid has been called "a wake-up call".
Dr Thomas Waite, deputy chief medical officer for England, told BBC News that a number of new sub-variants of Omicron were circulating at low levels, and could be behind the hospital figures.
Daily hospital admissions are lower than where they were for much of July, but highest among the oldest age groups.
However, six out of 10 people with Covid in hospital is being treated for something else - not Covid-19.
"The fact there are people getting so seriously ill they need to go into hospital is a wake-up call to us all that Covid is still here," said Dr Waite.
Health experts have warned of a flu and Covid "twindemic" this winter, urging those who qualify to get their free jabs now.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63088223
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Experts identify common new Covid symptom amid fears of fresh wave this winter
Scientists are worried immune-evasive variants could cause 'real problems' for the NHS
They also warned that the new wave will be worse due to a lack of testing and the limited surveillance surrounding new variants. A whopping 1.1 million who are in private households tested positive for the virus in the seven days to September 17 in England and the week up until September 20 in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, an ONS survey has found.
That is a 14% rise in infections while it is also the first time the figures have been over one million since back in August. However the numbers are still well below the 3.8 million weekly infections that occurred back in July during the peak of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants.
The MEN are reporting that the co-founder of the Covid Zoe App Tim Spector is saying that the UK is already at the start of the next wave. The expert has told The Independent: ?It looks like we?re in the start of the next wave and this time it?s affected older people slightly earlier than the last wave.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/health/experts-identify-common-new-covid-25161718?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589
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Covid: Protect elderly from rising virus levels in UK Me for one ! !
Covid is on the rise again in the UK and people who feel unwell should avoid vulnerable friends, colleagues and relatives as a precaution, say experts.
Data suggests 1.3 million or one in 50 has Covid, with a "marked increase" in infections among over-70s in England.
There are no new restrictions, but people are being reminded to take extra care and protect the elderly.
There are fears of a flu and Covid "twindemic" this winter, and those who qualify for free jabs should get them.
Reminder texts, emails and letters will be sent out next week to more than 6m people in at risk groups, says NHS
Not alarming, but concerning
Prof Mark Woolhouse, an expert in infectious diseases at the University of Edinburgh, said the figures were "not yet alarming" but they were concerning
Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency, warned that cases and hospitalisation rates were at their "highest level in months".
With outbreaks on the rise, she asked people to help protect the most vulnerable.
"If you are unwell, it is particularly important to avoid contact with elderly people or those who are more likely to have severe disease because of their ongoing health conditions.
"If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, wearing a face covering will also help stop infections spreading," she said.
cont/stats https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63170006
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One in 20 suffer long-term Covid effects, study finds
The study, set up in May 2021, found those who were vaccinated before becoming unwell appeared to be protected from some long-term symptoms.
The most reported symptoms included breathlessness, chest pain, palpitations, and confusion or "brain fog".
Symptoms could range from mild to moderate - but having long-term effects might not necessarily result in a long Covid diagnosis.
Long Covid was more likely in those with pre-existing physical and mental health problems, such as a respiratory disease or depression.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-63219564
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From New Scientist today:
The UK has seen an unexplained surge in deaths in recent months, causing concern among the country?s chief medical officers.
Many suggestions have been put forward for why there have been about 22,500 more deaths between April and August than would normally be expected, but there is little agreement so far on the cause or causes. A spokesperson for the UK government's Department of Health and Social Care, for example, says: "Analysis is ongoing, however early investigation suggests circulatory diseases and diabetes may be partly responsible for the majority of excess deaths."
But Adrian Boyle, president-elect at the UK?s Royal College of Emergency Medicine doesn't agree that conditions like this, potentially worsened by coronavirus lockdowns delaying routine appointments, are likely to be the cause. "It takes time to die from cancer, it takes time to die from heart failure," he says. "These are all things that may have got worse during lockdown, but I'm not sure that is going to be driving the sudden and precipitous increase that we?ve seen in deaths this year.""
"The data suggest that it is very likely that something substantial is happening," says Michael Murphy at the London School of Economics.
So, researchers are scrambling to figure out what is going on, with National Health Service (NHS) problems, an ageing population, heatwaves and a resurgence of covid-19 all also being mooted as possible causes for the sudden hike in deaths. The fear is that this trend could worsen in the winter when healthcare systems are typically under most pressure.
The increase in deaths has been seen across the UK. Between 2 April and 12 August in England and Wales, for example, 202,491 deaths were registered, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is 19,756 higher than the five-year average for this period ? about an 11 per cent increase (see graph, below). The sudden drop in recorded deaths at the start of June is probably due to the extra Jubilee bank holiday in the UK and reflects the closure of registration offices, according to the ONS.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, between 4 April and 21 August, 23,009 deaths were registered, according to the National Records of Scotland, which is about 10 per cent higher than the five-year average of 20,854 deaths. In Northern Ireland, between 2 April and 12 August, 5980 deaths were recorded, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, when the five-year average is 5378, about an 11 per cent increase.
That adds up to more than 22,500 more deaths than expected across the UK. What could be behind these worrying figures? Several researchers told New Scientist that it is too early to say for sure, but they point to a range of possibilities.
Perhaps the most obvious one is the coronavirus. The current five-year average mortality statistics from the various UK statistics agencies are calculated in the same way: averaging each week?s death rates from 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021, but excluding 2020 figures because of the uniquely high levels of death caused by covid-19 that year. Could the coronavirus again be throwing things out of whack and pushing up the death rates?
The virus has contributed to the excess deaths; according to the data: there were twice as many deaths involving covid-19 this summer than there were in summer 2021 in the UK. But these deaths between the relevant dates in April and August numbered just under 13,000. This accounts for over half of the increase, but it still leaves more than 9500 unexplained deaths.
Covid-19 might also play a role in more deaths, though. This summer has seen rising infection levels. In early June, about 990,000 people in the UK were infected with the virus ? driven mainly by the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of omicron, and more than 1.7 million people were estimated to be infected with the virus in early August.
The number of covid-19 cases probably indirectly boosted the number of deaths from other things too, says Murphy. Studies suggest that getting infected with covid-19 increases the mortality risk for other conditions. "It's highly likely that Covid would be implicated to some extent," says Murphy.
High covid-19 caseloads also disrupt healthcare systems, although it is unclear whether any resultant rise of deaths would be observed yet, particularly for medical conditions that progress over many years, such as cancer, diabetes and heart problems.
"Cancer screening effectively stopped for a few months, the number of people being referred for tests dropped, and many tests and treatments were delayed," says Michelle Ferguson at Cancer Research UK. "So, there will absolutely be knock-on effects, we just don?t know the scale yet."
A study published in June estimated that 460 extra people would die from bowel cancer in Australia between 2020 and 2044 due to healthcare system disruption caused by the pandemic and 437 would die earlier than expected.
"There is a reason for having treatment time targets for cancers; the delays matter," says Simon Wood at the University of Edinburgh, UK.
The pandemic has also led to a backlog in routine diabetes care and many people with the condition still haven't had vital health checks for two years, says a Diabetes UK spokesperson. More than 700 people with diabetes die prematurely in the UK each week, according to the charity.
"It is important the government investigates this issue, particularly the question of whether delays in treatment are contributing to excess deaths," says Azeem Majeed at Imperial College London.
Other issues in the health services could also be causing problems. Some of the unexpected deaths could be the effects of longer-term NHS management issues starting to become apparent, says Michael Marmot at University College London.
Since 2010, the health services have lost almost 25,000 hospital beds across the UK, according to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. The UK also has fewer beds per 1000 inhabitants than 21 EU nations, according to the college.
The health services also face a staffing crisis. Research by UK health think tank Nuffield Trust suggests that NHS England, for example, is short of 12,000 hospital doctors and more than 50,000 nurses and midwives. The 2021 NHS staff survey in England found that just 27 per cent of staff say there are enough people in the organisation for work to be carried out effectively.
This has led to rises in waiting times for emergency care and ambulance responses. "Ambulances have been held up in hospitals because they can't transfer patients into emergency departments that have reached full capacity, says Boyle. "We know that the time it takes for an ambulance to reach someone in cardiac arrest affects their chance of survival," he says.
"This is a chronic problem that's been allowed to keep building up," says Marmot. "We then had the pandemic and now we have the cost-of-living crisis, which is only going to drive health inequalities."
"It's reached a tipping point," says Boyle.
NHS problems aren't the end of the list of possible causes for the rise in deaths. One less unexpected contributor could be ageing. The median age of the UK population in 2001 was 37.9, but by 2020 it had risen to 40.4 years. The country?s population is also steadily growing. In 2015, the population was about 65 million, whereas in 2019 ? before the pandemic ? it was estimated to be 66.8 million.
Even without the pandemic, the ONS had predicted that more deaths would have been registered in 2022 than in previous years.
In England, most deaths between 2 April and 5 August have been in people aged over 85. More than 70,000 people above the age of 85 died in this period as did some 19,200 people who were between the ages of 50 and 64. Both age groups have seen an 11 per cent rise in deaths compared with a five-year average, which is more than 63,000 in the over 85s and more than 17,000 among 50 to 64-year-olds. More than 81,000 people aged between 65 and 84 died in this period, about 8.5 per cent higher than the average.
"More deaths in these age groups were to be expected, but this doesn?t explain all the extra fatalities," says Majeed. "Correcting for this idea does reduce but not eliminate the increase in deaths," he says.
One factor that would have particularly affected older age groups was the unprecedented heatwave that hit the UK over the summer. Studies show that heatwaves are linked to higher rates of deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
This summer saw both the hottest temperature ever recorded in the UK, 40.3?C (104.5?F), and the highest daily minimum temperature ever observed in the country at 26.8?C (80.2?F).
Determining how many deaths are caused by hot weather is difficult, because many will be due to underlying health conditions exacerbated by temperature stress.
One estimate comes from Antonio Gasparrini at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. He has calculated that 948 extra people died between 17 and 19 July in England and Wales, when temperatures were highest during the heatwave. But large as this number is, it would cover only about 12 per cent of the non-covid deaths.
The ONS is scheduled to release a report into the deaths in early September, yet determining what is driving the jump in UK deaths will be no easy matter.
We may never know for sure what is causing the increase in deaths, but that doesn''t mean efforts to halt it have to wait "The solution to most of these problems is to stop underinvesting in the NHS and reform social care, " says Boyle.
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Sorry this post has jumped to a new page, and the article to big to quote, please check previous post. Ta
Interesting, I read something similar last year, also there has been talk of unexplained rise in the deaths of younger fit people.
https://www.theweek.co.uk/news/science-health/954825/extra-non-covid-deaths-increase
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I suspect the common factor is the starving of the NHS for funds. This is what 14 years of Tory misrule brings.
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I suspect the common factor is the starving of the NHS for funds. This is what 14 years of Tory misrule brings.
On that note........ Wales NHS: Health minister's 'hell on earth' funding warning
Running the NHS in Wales next year without extra funding from the UK government will be "hell on earth," the Welsh health minister has said.
The Welsh government needs an extra 207m to pay for energy costs alone this winter, Eluned Morgan said.
The added support provided by the UK government is not enough to cover the costs, according to Ms Morgan.
The extra energy spending is more than the 170m a year the Welsh government pledged to "transform" planned care.
With little prospect of extra funding coming from Westminster she said the Welsh government faces a "real nightmare" in running the NHS next year, especially given the current pressures on services.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-63335951
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As most know I am a great believer in the use of Vitimin D, it was pointed out early in the pandemic by Dr John Campbell, as its use was associated with reductions in COVID-19 infection, his latest report using a recent study Association between vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 infection and mortality https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-24053-4 would appear to agree.
If you already use it, or consider using it please watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbUm5FyrHRk
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More than two million people in the UK say they have symptoms of long Covid, according to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey.
Many long Covid patients now report Omicron was their first infection - and I'm one of them.
But almost three years into the pandemic there is still a struggle to be seen by specialist clinics, which are hampered by a lack of resources and research.
Has the condition changed at all, and have treatments started to progress?
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence defines long Covid, or post-Covid syndrome, as symptoms during or after infection that continue for more than 12 weeks and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis.
An estimated 1.2m of those who answered the ONS survey reported at least one such symptom continuing for more than 12 weeks - health issues that they didn't think could be explained by anything else.
It's easy to assume that new cases of long Covid have significantly decreased, given recent research suggesting the risk of developing long Covid from the Omicron variant is lower.
However, the sheer scale of cases over the past year has resulted in more than a third of people with long Covid acquiring it during the Omicron wave, according to the ONS.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-63546138
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Hospitals in China are reported to be filling up with Covid patients after the country relaxed its lockdown rules.
The government says it will now ramp up its vaccination programme, having immunised relatively few people until now.
Officially, China is reporting relatively low numbers of Covid cases and a tiny number of deaths.
Because it has ended its mass testing programme, Chinese authorities no longer have reliable figures for the number of Covid infections.
However, there are anecdotal reports of hospitals filling up with patients.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has asked it to provide specific data on disease severity and hospital admissions.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/63798484
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On the face of it, this seems like good news, but after listening to Dr John Campbells video, he paints a very different picture, I recommend watching the short video below..........
Press release From:
Department of Health and Social Care
Published
22 December 2022
UK cements 10-year-partnership with Moderna in major boost for vaccines and research
Moderna to invest in mRNA research and development (R&D) in the UK, and build a state-of-the-art vaccine manufacturing centre with the ability to produce up to 250 million vaccines a year.
NHS patients will have access to a UK-made supply of COVID-19 jabs as well as cutting-edge vaccines developed for other respiratory diseases, such as flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
Partnership will create more than 150 jobs and further future-proof the UK against potential pandemics, with patients to benefit from speedy access to the latest advancements in vaccine technology
Patients in the UK will be protected against potential future global health threats, including potential pandemics, thanks to a deal struck between the government and Moderna.
The investment means NHS patients will be able to receive UK-manufactured mRNA vaccines, as the UK cements its status as a life sciences superpower.
The partnership with Moderna will see a new Innovation and Technology Centre in the UK, which will create more than 150 highly skilled jobs and have the capacity to produce up to 250 million vaccines per year in the event of a pandemic.
The deal is also a major boost for UK health research and will see the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) working with Moderna to ensure early vaccine development, supporting the G7 mission to get from variant to vaccine in 100 days. &shake&
Press Release Continued https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-cements-10-year-partnership-with-moderna-in-major-boost-for-vaccines-and-research
Dr Campbells video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDLx1IAITTg
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Update on above..
Further information on the above subject, this needs further investigation by experts in science and financial fields. &shake&
Clip, Moderna expands, UK, Canada and Australia plants
short video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYiwms-Yp5s
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New Covid strain and the 12 symptoms to look for as infections leap
The XBB.1.5 is a mutated version of Omicron, the most contagious variant, which emerged in late 2021
There are concerns that 2023 may see the return of lockdowns and masks as the NHS continues to struggle with hospital patients, bed spaces, and not least a rise in Covid and flu cases.
It has been reported that a new strain of Covid was the cause for a rise in sickness over the Christmas period. It is certainly back on the agenda now China has ended its zero-Covid policy, lifted its lockdowns and opened its borders, which has allowed the virus rip through its 1 billion plus population. Following this, the UK, US and India have announced they're imposing testing requirements on arrivals from China.
However this does not appear to be a sign of a step towards tighter restrictions in the UK just yet, where infections leapt to a six-month high after Christmas. It has been revealed that one in 20 people were likely to have caught the virus over the festive period, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The cold-like symptoms are largely the same as Omicron, and, according to the NHS, can include:
a high temperature or shivering (chills) ? a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
a new, continuous cough ? this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
shortness of breath
feeling tired or exhausted
an aching body
a headache
a sore throat
a blocked or runny nose
loss of appetite
diarrhoea
feeling sick or being sick
read more https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/new-covid-strain-12-symptoms-25920550
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Millions of UK Covid test samples will be analysed for other serious respiratory viruses, including flu, in a new disease-tracking project.
The Wellcome Sanger Institute team will run detailed genetic reads on the anonymised nose and throat swabs leftover from the pandemic.
The initiative could be an early warning system, quickly spotting future disease threats, say scientists.
It could also help identify new treatments and ways to stop outbreaks.
If the programme can be scaled up, in a few years the NHS could do these types checks routinely on patients for large-scale surveillance.
In the future, it could scan for certain bacteria and fungal infections too.
The scientists will work with government and public health teams, and all the data will be made freely and publicly available.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64209168
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Bristol study finds Covid booster gives tenfold increase in antibodies
Vulnerable people who have had a third Coronavirus vaccine booster 5th jab, have a significant increase in antibodies and protection against the virus, according to research.
It found the third booster means they can be just as protected against the disease as people who are healthy.
It is hoped this will give renewed confidence to those who shielded during the pandemic if they leave the house.
Blood samples from more than 9,000 people were tested.
The booster was found to have given a tenfold increase in antibodies compared to the first two vaccines.
The national study involved Bristol's Children of the 90s, which has followed a cohort of thousands of people who were born in the city throughout their lives.
Principal Investigator of Children of the 90s and joint senior author, Professor Nic Timpson, said: "By responding to our antibody tests over the course of the pandemic, Children of the 90s participants have provided insight into the response to COVID-19 and the impact of the vaccination.
"It was fascinating to observe the dynamics of immune response and of course is reassuring to see how effective the booster jabs are."
For more than two years, Sheila Smith hardly left her home
The research has helped to reassure Sheila Smith, who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
She had to shield during lockdown and hardly left her home for over two years.
"It was really difficult. You felt pushed out and very much alone," said Ms Smith.
Chief nurse at North Bristol NHS Trust, Anne Morris, hopes the new research will encourage vulnerable people who have not yet had their booster.
"It's really important that they come forward and get boosted, we've only had about 60 per cent uptake in those groups and we want to encourage them to get boosted now." ref BBC
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Cases of Covid-19 have dramatically risen by 50 per cent over the past 10 days as the new "Kraken" variant gains momentum. 11 per cent of cases on January 16 were accounted for by XBB1.5 - a sublineage of Omicron - as it doubled its presence in Britain in the first fortnight of 2023 according to data from the GISAID.
This comes after the "Kraken" strain started spreading at concerning rates in the US. Cases of the virus in America hiked from 12 per cent to 42 in only three weeks, Experts believe the new variant will be more contagious when it spread more quickly, which means the strain could threaten to spark a new wave of the virus in the winter.
Previously speaking to Express.co.uk, Dr Stephen Griffin, an Associate Professor at the Leeds Institute of Medical Research, explained: ?The strain is not only better at infecting per se, it is better at evading our defences when doing so. This gives it a big advantage over its predecessors (mainly BQ1.1), as we are seeing in the US and now here.
?This could mean that we see a more rapid expansion of yet another wave of infection compared to what we would have otherwise had, as there may be many more people that are more susceptible to infection with this virus ? much like we have seen with influenza. More infections will necessarily lead to more severe disease, as well as adding to the dreadful toll of long COVID, which can happen following even a mild disease course.
"Whether this virus is also inherently more virulent on a case by case basis remains to be seen, and can be difficult to immediately tease out in highly vaccinated populations like the US and the UK.?
This news arrives despite hopes at first that there would be span of lower infection levels and suspicions that the strain may not spread as rapidly as was initially feared. It serves as a reminder of the sheer infectiousness of the disease, as just nine days ago symptomatic cases had fallen below 100,000, whereas the latest figures from the ZOE Health Study reveal that cases have risen by 45 per cent to 123,265 on Saturday.
Professor Danny Altmann, of Imperial College London, is concerned that the Kraken variant is responsible for the latest surge. He said: ?I?m concerned that with XBB.1.5 we have another increment in transmissibility and immune evasiveness, and our complacent reliance on established immunity may be misplaced. We continue to be in uncharted territory
Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, said: ?We can expect fluctuations in Covid infections from the circulation of more infectious variants such as XBB.1.5. There is also the impact of waning immunity, particularly as only 64.5 percent of those aged 50 and over have received the autumn booster.?
The variant is a mutated version of Omicron XBB, which was detected in Singapore, India and 33 other nations back in October, according to the World Health Service. ref Walesonline
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Cambridge researchers are continuing to regularly take blood from more than 150 volunteers, to check those most at risk from Covid-19 are still being protected by vaccines.
Jabs have been stopping most people getting severely ill, but hundreds of thousands remain vulnerable to the disease through illness or due to their age.
One of earliest findings from their research, which has been taking place since the pandemic began, was that the vaccine was not very effective in people aged over 80, until they had their second dose.
Prof Ravi Gupta, from the University of Cambridge's Department of Medicine, said he hoped the work would help scientists plan the next generation of vaccines.
Prof Ravi Gupta said the research had led to a number of discoveries about the vaccines
The researchers have been using the volunteers' blood to check how well vaccines deal with new variants.
Volunteer Jack Berry, from Haverhill in Suffolk, said: "I lost family to Covid in the first wave, and I had Covid myself and my family has caught it. So I thought, if I can help out in my own little way, then other people can benefit from that."
Experts found the 22-year-old through a Cambridge invention called the NIHR BioResource, external.
Made up of 200,000 volunteers, with 8,000 dedicated to Covid research, it has become an easy place for scientists to recruit people willing help.
read more https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce7z8gn719lo
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A spring booster vaccine against Covid-19 is to be offered to people at most risk of serious illness from the disease to protect them this summer.
UK vaccine experts say it should be available to everyone over 75, care-home residents and anyone extremely vulnerable aged five and over.
Vaccinations in England and Wales are to start in early April, with Northern Ireland's rollout from mid-April.
Scotland's booster campaign will start in the final week of March.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said hospital admission rates for Covid-19 in autumn 2022 showed that the risk of becoming seriously ill from coronavirus was noticeably higher in people over 75.
As a result, they would gain the most from protection from an additional vaccine dose this spring, with health chiefs warning against complacency.
Anyone who lives in a care home for older adults and people aged five and over who are defined as immunosuppressed are also to be offered a booster jab.
They include people who have had organ transplants or who have blood cancer, and those undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
It is advised that the booster vaccine be given six months after someone's previous dose.
Bridging the gap
Prof Wei Shen Lim, JCVI chairman, said: "Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself against Covid-19, and the spring booster programme provides an opportunity for those who are at highest risk of severe illness to keep their immunity topped up.
"This year's spring programme will bridge the gap to the planned booster programme in the autumn, enabling those who are most vulnerable to be well protected throughout the summer."
The NHS in England is expecting to offer the first spring booster doses to those eligible in April, and the campaign will last until late June. Wales has confirmed it will start on 1 April.
Four different vaccines, made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Sanofi/GSK and Novavax could be used.
It's likely most doses will protect against the Omicron variant as well as previous ones.
Since last summer, different versions of the Omicron variant of Covid have been spreading the most - the latest being Omicron BQ.1.
Children under 12 years of age will be offered a children's formulation of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine.
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency, said Covid-19 was still circulating widely and there had been recent increases in older people being admitted to hospital.
"It is important those at highest risk of severe illness do not become complacent and I would encourage everyone who is eligible to come forward once the booster programme starts."
People at higher risk of severe Covid-19 are also expected to be offered a booster vaccine dose in autumn 2023 in preparation for the winter.
Last autumn, frontline health and care workers, adults aged 50 and over, and some carers and household contacts were offered a booster dose, too. BBC
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UK records 50 cases of new Covid variant which caused return of masks in India
The Arcturus variant is believed to be the most contagious yet
The UK has recorded 50 cases of a new Covid variant which led to the return of masks in parts of India. MailOnline reported that the new variant, called 'Arcturus', has been detected in Britain already.
Hospitals in India are on red alert, with some states reintroducing compulsory face masks to curb rocketing infection rates, which have increased 13-fold in the past month. The variant is a spin-off of the Omicron variant and is believed to be the most contagious variant yet, reports WalesOnline.
The rise in cases is still much lower than the devastating wave of cases that India experienced during the 2021 Delta wave. Scientists do not expect the variant, scientifically known as XBB.1.16, to be more lethal than other types of Covid currently circulating.
The UK Health and Security Agency had reported in its final variant report issued last month that the 'Arcturus' variant had already been detected in the UK. Separate data from variant trackers indicate that the UK has sequenced nearly 50 samples of 'Arcturus'.
Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases from the University of East Anglia, cautioned that it is too early to determine if the variant will cause a significant surge in cases in the UK, but fortunately, it does not appear to cause more severe disease. 'Arcturus' is a spin-off strain of Omicron, similar to the Kraken variant (XBB.1.5), and has been detected in 22 countries since it emerged in March.
The largest outbreak by far has been in India. This has prompted health authorities in India to run hospital drills and reintroduce mask mandates in some areas.
'Arcturus' has mutations on its spike protein that the World Health Organization (WHO) says could increase its ability to infect people and trigger disease. Japanese researchers have suggested that it is 1.2 times more infectious than the already highly transmissible Kraken variant.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/uk-records-50-cases-new-26697308
I Still think the vulnerable should wear face masks in crowded situations without embarrassment
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World not ready for next pandemic, says Bupa boss
Governments and healthcare bodies around the world have not learnt the lessons from Covid-19 and are not ready for another pandemic, according to the boss of private healthcare firm Bupa.
"We might face [another pandemic] soon," I?aki Ere?o said.
Hospitals must be ready to treat infected and non-infected people separately, Mr Ere?o told the BBC.
In the UK the unprecedented number of hospital admissions caused by Covid-19 put the NHS under severe strain.
"The main question is: have we all [around the world] learned a lot, so next time we are ready? My belief is that is not the case," Mr Ere?o said.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65419126
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For those who have never been vaccinated against Covid19, there is still time to be vaccinated............please note not boosters
Getting a 1st and 2nd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine
Everyone aged 5 (on or before 31 August 2022) and over can get a 1st and 2nd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Children who turned 5 on or after 1 September 2022 can only get a 1st and 2nd dose of a COVID-19 vaccine if they?re either:
at increased risk due to a health condition or because of a weakened immune system
living with someone who has a weakened immune system
If you have not had a 1st or 2nd dose yet, you're still eligible and should get them as soon as possible.
cont https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination/getting-a-1st-and-2nd-dose-of-the-covid-19-vaccine/
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Update on above ..
Health leaders have expressed concerns about a dip in UK vaccine uptake since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and have pledged a 'laser-like' focus to bring the rates up. NHS officials warned about a fall in the number of pre-schoolers up to date with vaccinations.
Maria Caulfield, the under-secretary of state for mental health and women's health strategy, hinted that flu jabs would be extended to more schoolchildren over winter, despite no other plans for mandatory vaccines. Ms Caulfield, speaking in the House of Commons, said a 'certain threshold' is required for 'any vaccination programme for them to be effective'.
The MP said the rates are 'a concern', but the UK has 'one of the most extensive immunisation programmes' in the world, with vaccine confidence and uptake 'amongst the highest globally'. And despite 'some challenges', the UK is 'pretty well placed to deal with many of those'.
cont https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/health-leaders-promise-laser-like-focus-after-worrying-drop-in-vaccine-uptake/
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ANYONE eligible for a Covid-19 Autumn booster can now head to vaccination centres across North Wales.
Drop in vaccinations will be available at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board's (BCUHB) community vaccination clinics from today (Thursday, December 7). Locations, dates and times of clinics in Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy and Denbighshire are available on the BCUHB website.
Eligible groups include people aged 65 and over, anyone with a long-term health condition, and people who live with or care for someone who is more vulnerable to Covid-19. Pregnant women will be also be offered a Covid-19 autumn booster.
Health and care staff will also be offered a flu vaccine when they drop in to clinics.
If you have already received a letter with details of your booster appointment, you can stick to the date and time on your letter or choose to drop into a vaccination centre at an earlier date. If you choose to drop in, there is no need to contact BCUHB to cancel your appointment.
A spokesperson for the health board said: "You may face a short wait at busier times. Please be prepared to help our teams by waiting for a slot to become available.
Teams have so far delivered more than 140,000 Covid-19 Autumn booster vaccines to many of the most vulnerable people in North Wales.
"The vaccines help to protect people who are more vulnerable to these potentially serious viruses. They reduce the chances of you catching Covid-19 or flu, and will reduce the likely severity of your symptoms if you do.
"They also help to protect the wider community from outbreaks, and reduce the pressure on local NHS services during the busiest time of the year.
"Getting vaccinated now will boost your protection in time for Christmas ? helping you and your family to enjoy the festive season with the best possible protection against winter viruses."
Conwy ....Drop in list...........https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/covid-19/drop-in-for-your-covid-19-autumn-booster-and-flu-vaccine-now/conwy/