General Covid 19 news

[Fester]

A woman was brazenly walking around Marks and Spencer yesterday, without a mask, wearing a garish turquoise t-shirt, with huge lettering saying ‘ONLY GIMPS WEAR MASKS’

When you’ve got offensive people like that getting away with it, why would anyone else bother?

[Ian]

I agree. If it is against the law, which seems to be what Drakeford was saying, then the local constabulary need to so their bit.  A few arrests and lots of publicity should deter most imitators .

[SteveH]

A woman was brazenly walking around Marks and Spencer yesterday, without a mask, wearing a garish turquoise t-shirt, with huge lettering saying ‘ONLY GIMPS WEAR MASKS’

When you’ve got offensive people like that getting away with it, why would anyone else bother?

Sensitive woman, she needs to rethink her choice of T shirt, however, is does prove her decision making, is not up to much.

 Urban definition ............. Gimp

(1) a derogatory term for someone that is disabled or has a medical problem that results in physical impairment.

[SteveH]

The current pressures on the Welsh NHS laid bare as Covid hospital admissions rise
We look at the current state of the Welsh NHS including both the acute end of the system, such as the Welsh Ambulance Service and A&E, and those in primary care such as GP surgeries

The past 18 months have been relentless for staff working in the Welsh NHS.

The first wave of the pandemic brought great uncertainty to the workforce who, in many cases, were drafted into unfamiliar roles to treat Covid-positive patients on the front line.

The second wave was arguably even more devastating with the highly-infectious Delta variant causing an even higher volume of infections, hospital admissions and, sadly, deaths.

cont  https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/current-pressures-welsh-nhs-laid-21568942?IYA-reg=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4

[SteveH]

The Scottish government is drawing up a request for "targeted military assistance" for the ambulance service.

Nicola Sturgeon said health services were dealing with the most challenging combination of circumstances in their history due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Opposition politicians have highlighted a series of serious ambulance delays, including one where a man died after a 40-hour wait.

They said this should not be happening in Scotland in 2021.

Ms Sturgeon said her government was looking at a range of plans to deal with the significant challenges facing the health services, with the detail of a request for military assistance being considered.

She told the Scottish Parliament: "I'll be going back to my office to finalise the detail of the request for military assistance so we can submit that as quickly as possible."

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-58585349

[SteveH]

People will have to show an NHS Covid Pass to enter nightclubs and attend events in Wales from next month, Mark Drakeford announced today.
The Welsh Government says it's introducing the pass, which will show that the holder has been vaccinated, to help control the spread of coronavirus.

The NHS Covid Pass allows a person to show they are fully vaccinated. It also allows people to show they have had a negative lateral flow test result within the last 48 hours.

It comes as case rates remain very high in Wales, but the alert level will remain at zero for the next three weeks.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/mark-drakeford-confirms-major-vaccine-21596468


Coronavirus LIVE: Welsh Government press conference as NHS Covid Pass is announced
Wales' First Minister will hold a briefing on Friday afternoon

Full details of today's press conference .............

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-live-mark-drakeford-holds-21594665

[SteveH]

THE First Minister has warned that forging a COVID pass could come with serious consequences.

Mark Drakeford’s warning comes after he today (September 17) announced that you’ll need to remember one extra thing before a night out at the clubs or before heading to a big event in Wales come October.

Welsh Government announced that COVID passes – showing a holder either been double jabbed or has had a negative lateral flow test in the past 48 hours – will be required at certain venues and events come Monday, October 11.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19589176.welsh-government-consider-making-criminal-lie-covid-pass/

[SteveH]

Wales puts Army on standby as patients kept waiting for ambulances or left marooned outside hospitals
Social media has been humming with reports of long waits for ambulances across North Wales

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wales-puts-army-standby-patients-21624256

[SteveH]

This TV film is going to be one of the best means, of educating people about Covid, after watching a bit of it shown on Googlebox, I heard one of the viewers say " Oh he can hardly breath" as if he was surprised by this..........

HELP    is a 2021 British television drama film about the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, written by Jack Thorne and directed by Marc Munden. It follows Sarah (Jodie Comer), a young health care assistant who starts working at a care home in Liverpool, where she cares for Tony (Stephen Graham), a middle-aged man who has early-onset Alzheimer's disease; when the pandemic hits the UK, both their worlds are completely transformed.[1][2] It premiered on Channel 4 on 16 September 2021.[1] available on demand

Plot
In 2019, Sarah begins working as a care assistant at Bright Sky Homes, a care home in Liverpool. She is good at connecting with the residents, in particular a middle-aged man called Tony, who has early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Tony frequently walks out of the building and wanders the streets to try and go to his mother's house, forgetting that she has died and their home now belongs to another family.

cont  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help_(television_film)

[SteveH]

Concern as Wales NHS Covid Pass says it is only 'valid in England'
The pass will be necessary for some people to attend nightclubs and events in Wales next month

The Welsh Government has confirmed that they are working to resolve the issue.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/concern-wales-nhs-covid-pass-21656157

[SteveH]

Return of the common cold: infections surge in UK as autumn arrives
After 18 months of social distancing, scientists believe people’s immune defences have weakened

According to Public Health England, there is no particularly nasty new virus doing the rounds, but as cases rise, experts warn that people can expect more frequent infections and more serious symptoms now the UK is emerging from lockdown.

Common colds and other respiratory tract infections tend to ramp up in September when the schools go back and autumn arrives, but after 18 months of social distancing and mask wearing, many people are thought to have weaker immune defences to protect themselves against the onslaught of respiratory viruses.

With reduced immunity across the board, people may fall ill with viruses they would normally have fended off with little trouble, or develop co-infections that make them feel more poorly. This is particularly likely if the viruses that have been kept at bay by anti-Covid measures all bounce back at once.

Interesting article    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/sep/24/return-of-the-common-cold-infections-surge-in-uk-as-autumn-arrives


The article ends with this important statement............

Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England, said: “As we head into winter, there are steps we can all take to keep ourselves healthy and reduce the burden on the NHS. Hand washing, ventilation and mask wearing aren’t only important for Covid-19, they keep other bugs at bay too. Try to stay at home if you are unwell.”

[SteveH]

IT IS safe for people to get coronavirus and flu vaccines at the same time, new research suggests.

A clinical trial found that reported side effects were mainly mild to moderate.

A total of 679 volunteers took part in the study across 12 NHS sites in England and Wales.

cont  https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19618488.safe-flu-covid-vaccine-jabs-time-study-shows/

[SteveH]

Welsh Government responds to whether Covid vaccine will be made compulsory to NHS staff

COVID vaccination take up amongst health and social care staff in Wales is at 'such high levels'.

This comes after over in England, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Covid-19 vaccines are set to become "compulsory" for ALL frontline NHS workers under new plans.

It is part of new plans "to protect the most vulnerable from the deadly bug".

A formal consultation on making Covid and flu vaccination a condition of employment in the NHS is due to end on 22 October, with iNews reporting that Mr Javid is ready to act quickly and bring this change into place.

cont  https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19631222.welsh-government-responds-whether-covid-vaccine-will-made-compulsory-nhs-staff/

[SteveH]

Covid: UK start to pandemic worst public health failure ever, MPs say

The findings are detailed in the long-awaited report - Coronavirus: Lessons learned to date - from the Health and Social Care Committee and the Science and Technology Committee, which contain MPs from all parties.

Across 150 pages, the committees cover a variety of successes and failings over the course of the pandemic, which has claimed more than 150,000 lives to date and is described by the MPs as the "biggest peacetime challenge" for a century.

More details: here.

[SteveH]

MORE than 4.7 million doses of the main covid vaccines have been given out in Wales.

And more than 87 per cent of people 12 and older have had at least their first dose, the Welsh Government's health minister said on Tuesday.

Eluned Morgan MS said 81 per cent of those people have had both doses.

Younger adults are currently in the process of getting their vaccines, though some older people are still coming forward.

And, Ms Morgan stressed that it is not too late for anyone.

The meeting started with MS Morgan condemning the anti vaccination protests seen at vaccination centres over the weekend.

She added that it is hoped that all eligible care home residents will have been offered their booster.

It is expected that priority groups will be offered a booster appointment "before the end of the year".

According to JCVI modelling, this flu season could be 50-100 per cent higher than a typical season, and could peak at a different time.

Ms Morgan said: "This is the first season where we will have significant amounts of coronavirus circling as well as flu.

cont  https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19643440.4-7-million-doses-covid-vaccines-given-wales/