General Covid 19 news

[SteveH]

PEOPLE IN north Wales aged between 65 and 74 years old have until the end of this month to get their COVID-19 Autumn booster.

People of that age who have not received a COVID-19 Autumn booster have until March 28 to drop in to a community vaccination centre to boost their protection against the virus.

More than 175,000 eligible people across North Wales have already come forward to receive the booster since the programme began in September.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) will stop offering the COVID-19 Autumn booster on March 28.

The health board is calling on anyone who is eligible for the vaccine but has not yet had it to come forward over the next four weeks.

A statement read: "We are especially keen to encourage people aged 65 to 74 and anyone who is immunosuppressed to top up their protection and reduce their risk of serious illness.

"Walk-in flu vaccination for adults is also available.

COVID-19 Spring booster programme
A Betsi statement added: "Following guidance issued by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and the Welsh Government, our teams are currently planning the COVID-19 Spring booster programme in North Wales.

"From April 2, we will start offering a booster vaccine to: ? all adults aged 75 years and over ? residents in care homes for older adults ? all adults and children aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed (as defined by tables 3 and 4 of the Green Book).

"We will announce more details about our plans shortly.

"The COVID-19 Spring booster will be offered to patients around six months after their last dose of the vaccine. As in previous campaigns, our teams will issue invitations to all those eligible for the booster vaccine and work with care home managers to offer vaccinations to residents."

Full details  https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24161898.people-aged-65-74-urged-get-autumn-booster-vaccine/

[SteveH]

Nearly 70 healthcare workers with long Covid will take their fight to the High Court later to sue the NHS and other employers for compensation.

The staff, from England and Wales, believe they first caught Covid at work during the pandemic and say they were not properly protected from the virus.

Many of them say they are left with life-changing disabilities and are likely to lose income as a result.

The Department of Health said "there are lessons to be learnt" from Covid.

The group believe they were not provided with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) at work, which includes eye protection, gloves, gowns and aprons.

In particular, they say they should have had access to high-grade masks, which help block droplets in the air from patient's coughs and sneezes which can contain the Covid virus.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68479912

[SteveH]

BETSI CADWALADR has confirmed they will start offering Covid-19 spring booster vaccinations to eligible people across North Wales from April 2.

The Health Board in North Wales say following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and the Welsh Government, a spring booster vaccine will be offered to those most at risk from COVID-19.

This includes: everyone aged 75 or over, everyone living in a care home for older adults, and all adults and children aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.

Around 100,000 people across North Wales are eligible to receive the spring booster, which will top up their protection against the serious illness caused by the virus.

The booster will be offered around six months after their last dose of the vaccine. More information about the COVID-19 Spring booster vaccine is available here.

During April, Betsi's vaccination teams will visit care homes for older adults to offer the spring booster to residents. They will also contact people who are housebound to arrange vaccination.

As in previous COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, all other people eligible for a spring booster will be invited to an appointment at a nearby community vaccination centre by letter. Appointment letters will be posted over the coming weeks.

The first appointments to be held at community vaccination centres are expected to take place from April 15 onwards, and to run throughout May and June.

The health board is also calling on anyone who is eligible for the autumn vaccine but has not yet had it to come forward over the next two weeks.

They are especially keen to encourage people aged 65 to 74 and anyone who is immunosuppressed to top up their protection and reduce their risk of serious illness.

[SteveH]

THIS month marks four years since the world as we knew it changed forever and we entered the first of a few Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.

On Monday, March 23, 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the country in the first of many announcements to follow implementing restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19.

In this statement, he announced that people would only be allowed to leave their home for the following very limited purposes:

 Shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible
 One form of exercise a day - for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household
 Medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person
 Travelling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home.

Here, we takes a look back at the day we went into lockdown and reflect on some of the stories we covered back then:

Read more https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24194759.re-calling-covid-pandemic-swept-area-four-years/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

I get mine on Wednesday, I think that is number eight...............

Spring Covid booster campaign launched for those eligible for the vaccine across North Wales
Health board looking to give jab to 100,000 vulnerable people across the region

The spring booster will help to protect older people and adults and children with a compromised immune system, from serious illness caused by the virus, the health board said.

Health chiefs have urged everyone eligible for the vaccine, to take up the offer to boost their protection against the virus this spring.

Vaccination teams are prioritising eligible groups in order of clinical need, and have started visiting care homes to vaccinate older adults across the region.

People aged 75 and over will be offered a Covid-19 Spring booster at one of the health board's community vaccination centres during April, May and June.

The first appointments at the community vaccination centres will take place from mid-April onwards. Appointment letters, which include the location, date and time of your vaccination slot, have already been posted to the first people to be invited.

Further rounds of invitations will be issued in priority order over the coming weeks. The health board will write to you when it is your turn. Please be patient ? there is no need to contact the team.

Check your invitation letter carefully because the location of your vaccination appointment may have be different from your previous appointment.

The health board will contact people who are housebound to make arrangements for them to receive their vaccination.

Adults and children aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed will also be offered the Covid-19 Spring booster at one of the health board's vaccination centres.

A BCUHB statement said: "We are especially keen to encourage adults and children with a compromised immune system (as defined by tables 3 and 4 of the Green Book) to come forward to receive the vaccine when invited."

The health board also said its autumn booster campaign ended on March 28. And between September and March, the health board delivered booster vaccines to more than 175,000 people.

[SteveH]

People with long Covid have evidence of continuing inflammation in their blood, which could help understanding of the condition and how it may be treated, a UK study suggests.

It found the presence of certain proteins increased the risk of specific symptoms, such as fatigue, in people sick enough to need hospital treatment.

It is unclear whether milder cases of Covid have the same effect on the body.

A test remains a long way off - but the findings may prompt future trials.

Long Covid - symptoms lasting at least 12 weeks after a Covid infection - is thought to have affected millions of people around the world.

Some of the most common symptoms are:  cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68762171

[SteveH]

A former Team GB rower claims a treatment she underwent for long Covid leaves participants feeling "blamed" for being ill.

Oonagh Cousins was offered a free place on a course run by the Lightning Process, which teaches people they can rewire their brains to stop or improve long Covid symptoms quickly.

Ms Cousins, who contracted Covid in March 2020, said it "exploits" people.

However, the programme's founder denied it blames patients for their illness, saying that was completely at odds with the concepts of the programme

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-69040592

[SteveH]

MORE than 45,000 of the most vulnerable people in North Wales have already topped up their protection against COVID-19 by receiving a booster vaccine this spring.

Vaccination teams from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board are delivering up to 2,000 booster vaccines each day at their network of community vaccination clinics.

The health board has thanked people throughout North Wales for coming forward for their spring booster in such high numbers.

Everyone eligible for a COVID-19 spring booster has now been sent an invitation to attend an appointment at a clinic close to their home.

Teams are delivering vaccines from almost 40 locations throughout North Wales, including community halls, sports grounds, leisure centres and other venues – making it easier and more convenient for people to protect themselves against the virus.

The health board say the final batches of appointment letters have been sent in recent days and should arrive very soon.

Residents have been asked to check letters carefully because the venue for appointments may be different from previous vaccination programmes.

Teams are also continuing visits to offer the spring booster to people living in care homes and who are housebound.

The spring booster helps to protect older people and adults and children with a compromised immune system from serious illness caused by COVID-19.

Following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and the Welsh Government, a spring booster vaccine is being offered to everyone aged 75 or over, everyone living in a care home for older adults, and all adults and children aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.

The health board is urging everyone eligible for the vaccine to take up the offer to boost their protection against COVID-19 this spring.

They say they are especially keen to encourage adults and children with a compromised immune system to come forward to receive the vaccine when invited.

[Ian]

It's very easy to criticise the NHS, but their work in organising and delivering the Covid vaccinations has been outstanding.

[SteveH]

New combined flu and Covid jab has 'higher immune response'
Moderna has been testing a single vaccine giving full protection

Moderna say their new combined flu and Covid vaccine provokes a higher immune response than if you were to have the vaccines as separate single jabs. The firm says their latest results mean the new jab could be rolled out on the NHS if it is approved by regulators this year.

The NHS currently uses Moderna's Spikevax vaccine for Covid-19 booster programmes, along with Pfizer/BioNTech's Comirnaty. Moderna has created and tested a version of Spikevax which includes a flu vaccine dose, meaning people wouldn't need two separate jabs to give them Covid-19 and flu protection.

Moderna's findings showed that the mRNA-1083 vaccine led to higher immune responses against flu and Covid than two other single vaccines currently in use, including the current Spikevax. This is the first time final phase 3 data for a combined vaccine has been published by any firm.

cont https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/new-combined-covid-and-flu-jab-has-higher-immune-response/

[SteveH]

THE UK COVID-19 Inquiry will be in Llandudno for the first time later this week, with residents invited to share their pandemic experiences in-person.

The inquiry team will be travelling to Llandudno as part of a series of nationwide Every Story Matters community events, in which members of the public are invited to meet the team and share first-hand how the pandemic affected them.

Every Story Matters is the public’s opportunity to share with the inquiry the impact the pandemic had on them and their lives, without the formality of giving evidence or attending a public hearing.

The inquiry will be held at Trinity Community Centre, on Trinity Avenue, on Thursday (June 20) from 10am to 4.30pm.

Members of the public will be able to speak to inquiry staff to find out more about Every Story Matters and share their experiences in a variety of different ways.

Counsellors will also be present to provide emotional support for those who may need it.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24393015.uk-covid-19-inquiry-set-held-llandudno-one-day/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

There is some talk of a "summer Covid wave" at the moment. We all seem to know someone who has had it lately, or a friend who has been off sick.

But have cases really gone up and are there any new variants we should be worried about? What else do we know right now?

Is there a spike in infections?
Possibly, but it is difficult to tell.

We do know there has been a very small increase in the number of people being admitted to hospital with Covid.

The number went up to 3.31 admissions per 100,000 in the week to 16 June, compared with 2.67 per 100,000 in the previous week.

We no longer collect national data in the way we used to, as far less testing takes place now.

That means many cases of Covid are not being recorded.

The data, external we do have is based on laboratory tests taken across the country, mostly swabs taken from people in the healthcare system.

According to this data, about one in every 25,000 people had Covid on 26 June.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck5g2jk0730o

[SteveH]

The US government has given Moderna $176m (£139m) to develop a messenger-ribonucleic-acid-based (mRNA) pandemic influenza vaccine that would work against bird flu.

It says it wants to be "better prepared" for public-health crises, having learned lessons from Covid.

Bird flu is not a big threat to people, despite outbreaks in poultry and cattle.

But experts want a working vaccine that could be quickly rolled out, in case the virus mutates and becomes a problem.

Vaccines using mRNA technology - which the Moderna's Covid jab is also based on - can be produced more quickly.

And the US government says adding this technology to its pandemic-flu toolkit enhances its ability to be "nimble and quick" against bird flu.

The $176m, from the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, will be used to complete late-stage development and testing of Moderna's vaccine against H5N1 avian influenza.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c51ywpxp43lo

[SteveH]

Hay fever or Covid? Brits urged to get tested as symptoms overlap
The new Covid variant is leading to a rise in hospital admissions, with symptoms similar to hay fever.

New Covid-19 variants, FLiRT and FLuQE, are causing a significant rise in cases, rapidly becoming the dominant strains in the UK, USA and other parts of the world. Hospitals in the UK have reinstated mask-wearing protocols to reduce the spread, as wards are filled and Covid-related hospital admissions continue to increase.

In the UK alone, these variants are responsible for a 24% increase in Covid-related hospital admissions over the past month and now account for about 40% of all Covid cases. Additionally, there are concerns that these strains might be linked to a rise in hay fever symptoms.

The NHS predicts that around 20% of UK residents will experience hay fever reactions this summer, following a report in mid-June that saw a 147% increase in hay fever sufferers seeking NHS advice. Those who have previously suffered from hay fever are also reporting more severe symptoms this year.

According to the NHS, COVID-19 symptoms can include:  cont https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/hay-fever-or-covid-brits-urged-to-get-tested-as-symptoms-overlap/

[SteveH]

BBC doctor's ‘red flag’ warning signs as new Covid strains sweep nation
Dr Xand van Tulleken shares the signs and symptoms to look out for

The UK is currently grappling with a wave of flu-like symptoms, sparking fears of Covid as two new strains, FLiRT and LB. 1, make their rounds this summer. Dr Xand van Tulleken took to BBC Morning Live to address the nation's concerns, highlighting the need to watch out for specific ‘red flag’ symptoms.

He said: "There is a lot going around and let me deal with the Covid stuff first of all because I think it still has a troubling memory for a lot of people. It is wildly different now to the point where even the vaccine programme has been scaled back enormously by the government."

 "There is a new group of variants going around, and they are being intensively studied and monitored. The truth is the health agency is monitoring it and keeping an eye on it, but there has been a very tiny uptick in hospital admissions."

READ MORE........ https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/bbc-doctors-red-flag-warning-signs-as-new-covid-strains-sweep-nation?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589