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Found 2,344 results
  1. News Article
    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, and it takes a couple of weeks after your second dose to build the fullest protection. Breakthrough" deaths - occurring at least two weeks after the second jab along with a first positive PCR Covid test - tend to happen in the most vulnerable, men and those with weakened immune systems, with the average age being 84. 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. Read full story Source: BBC News, 14 September 2021
  2. News Article
    A care home owner has said she was "forced" to ask two staff with Covid-19 to work because of a staff shortage. The Caledonia home in Holyhead, Anglesey, said 11 of its 12 residents had Covid and the two staff only cared for residents who were also positive. Ann Bedford said Anglesey council and an agency had both been unable to provide emergency cover for staff who were sick or isolating. After speaking to social services, it was agreed the staff could work. "I have never known a situation as bad as we faced over the last weekend. As a matter of course we have contingency plans in place to cope in emergencies but even these buckled under the strain," she said. "My heart sinks when I think about the weeks and months ahead. We felt abandoned and alone. I called on social services for help but they were facing their own emergencies." "The shortage of carers on Anglesey is at dangerous levels and is being intensified by the pandemic." Read full story Source: BBC News, 8 September 2021
  3. News Article
    "Bodies would have been piling up" if the Covid vaccine had not been available, the director of intensive care at Belfast City Hospital has said. Dr George Gardiner, a consultant, also said his biggest fear would be having to stop routine cancer surgery. He has called for an end to "tribal politics" in Northern Ireland to allow transformation of the health service, so that cancer and coronavirus can be tackled in tandem. He said the system was currently "one step from chaos" and warned hospitals will not cope with winter if Covid numbers continue to rise. "We need to get everyone who can take a vaccine to take it now before the winter pressures are on us," Dr Gardiner added. "The cancer surgery that we are doing at the minute is life saving. A few more Covid admissions, which could be prevented, will cause us to stop operating because we simply haven't got the capacity to do both." Read full story Source: BBC News, 7 September 2021
  4. News Article
    Public Health England's medical director has said schools are not "drivers" or "hubs" of Covid infection. "We understand, and I understand fully, that parents may be nervous but I would stress again that schools are not the drivers and not the hubs of infection." Said Dr Yvonne Doyle. However, Prof Calum Semple, a government scientific adviser, said with most adults vaccinated, schools were likely to be a "greater part of the problem" Read full story. Source: BBC News, 02 September 2021
  5. News Article
    Gavin Williamson, despite the risk of Covid, has insisted children must return to a "normal pre-pandemic" experience in schools. The education secretary said testing could be the key to guarding against infection rates, but refused to rule out a potential rise after experts have warned surges in Covid-19 are linked to classrooms. "This is why we're doing the testing programme and we're encouraging children to take part in it, parents, and of course teachers and support staff as well. This is a way of rooting out Covid. We're trying to strike that constant, sensible balance of actually giving children as normal experience in the classroom as possible, but also recognising we're still dealing with a global pandemic." He told Niall Paterson. Read full story. Source: Sky News, 02 September 2021
  6. News Article
    Experts have said the risk of "long Covid" in children is much lower than many had feared, with research suggesting somewhere between 2% and 14% still had symptoms caused by Covid 15 weeks later. However, while the research team found little evidence to showing huge number seeking help for symptoms that had left them bedridden or unable to attend school, it was still important that they received support if they had any persistent symptoms such as headaches, tiredness and breathing difficulties. Prof Sir Terence Stephenson, from UCL's Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, said of the development of Long Covid in children, "It is nowhere near what people thought in the worst-case scenario". Read full story. Source: BBC News, 01 September 2021
  7. News Article
    Groups representing the NHS have warned services may have to be cut unless NHS England receives an extra £10bn in funding next year, which may put patients at risk. The NHS Confederation and NHS Providers said the money was needed to cover pandemic-related costs and reduce the backlog in operations and treatments, but the government said it had already provided additional money to tackle backlogs. "We are committed to making sure the NHS has everything it needs to continue providing excellent care to the public as we tackle the backlogs that have built up during the pandemic. This year alone we have already provided a further £29bn to support health and care services, including an extra £1bn to tackle the backlog. This is on top of our historic settlement for the NHS in 2018, which will see its budget rise by £33.9bn by 2023-24." Said a government statement. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 02 August 2021
  8. News Article
    New data has revealed the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 is climbing rapidly, even before the latest surge in infections. These figures highlight the immense pressure the NHS is currently facing, and according to this data, there are now 585 people in hospital with the virus, up from 312 just eleven days ago, showing it to be the highest figure since early March. Health Secretary Huma Yousaf said the situation in A&E is being closely monitored. "Hospitals are reporting increased levels of people attending A&E who are much sicker and require higher levels of care. Weekly performance is impacted due to a range of challenges including high attendances, staffing pressures due to isolation and annual leave and the continued requirement for infection control precautions that is affecting the time people need to spend in A&E." Read full story. Source: The Herald, 01 September 2021
  9. News Article
    Government experts have said the reopening of schools next month will likely trigger an exponential rise in Covid infections among children. According to members of SPI-M-O, the governments committee on on pandemic modelling, the removal of certain measures such as face masks, and the lack of vaccinations, may mean children will be susceptible to the virus. “Vaccines have amazingly weakened the link between infections and illness and hospitalisations, but not broken it. No one wants to reimpose restrictions but we face a challenging winter. I do believe we need an informed public debate on the options through 2021 and 2022. The infection is not going away, we have incredible tools (tests, treatment, vaccines). No one wants restrictions reimposed but we will have to accept some illness, hospitalisations and deaths.” Said Sage member and director of the Wellcome Trust, Sir Jeremy Farrar Read full story. Source: The Independent, 28 August 2021
  10. News Article
    The number of Covid-19 cases reported in Scotland has now reached 7,113, previously recorded as 6,835 on Friday. Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has warned the NHS was facing a "perfect storm" of pressure, with latest government figures showing a total of 507 people are in hospital with Covid and 52 are in intensive care. "We are seeing a rising curve of cases in Scotland. It's reassuring that vaccines are preventing the levels of serious health harms that case numbers like this would once have caused. However, we can't be complacent and are monitoring carefully. In the meantime, please take care." Tweeted First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 30 August 2021 (Scotland)
  11. News Article
    A new study focused largely on unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people has found the Delta variant is more likely to cause hospitalisation than the Alpha variant. The Delta variant, first identified in India, is already understood to be far more infectious than the previously dominant Alpha variant that was initially detected in Kent. Dr Gavin Dabrera, one of the study’s lead authors and a consultant epidemiologist for Public Health England has said, “This study confirms previous findings that people infected with Delta are significantly more likely to require hospitalisation than those with Alpha, although most cases included in the analysis were unvaccinated.” Read full story. Source: The Guardian, 27 August 2021
  12. News Article
    Following a number of serious infections, hospitals have warned about the risks of wearing the wrong kind of face mask during surgery. This comes after a patient safety alert was issued by NHS England where it was reported that respirator masks have been acquired by the millions during the coronavirus pandemic but sometimes have been deployed in inappropriate settings. “These incident reports and feedback from services suggest that the risks of valved respirators and PAPRs for surgical and invasive procedures is not well recognised, and that their use may have become routine in some theatre environments.” NHS England said in the document. Read full story. Source: The Independent, 26 August 2021
  13. News Article
    A major review of vaccines suggests the AstraZeneca jab does raise the risk of blood clots and another serious condition that can cause bleeding. However, the study also found the complications following coronavirus infection to be much higher. The University of Oxford-led team also found an increased risk of stroke after the Pfizer jab but also found it at a much lower rate than after infection. This comes after a coroner ruled that BBC Radio Newcastle presenter Lisa Shaw died due of complications from the AstraZeneca jab. Lead author Professor Julia Hippisley-Cox said it was "important people were aware of the risks, but that they were kept in context given the higher risk from being infected". Read full story. Source: BBC News, 26 August 2021
  14. News Article
    A spike in hospital acquired Covid-19 has been observed in two acute trusts, The Royal Wolverhampton Trust and Yeovil District Hospital Foundation Trust. According to NHS England, it is can be considered hospital acquired if covid infections are diagnosed eight days or more after admission. Data suggests The Royal Wolverhampton Trust had a weekly average of 25 probable hospital-acquired covid infections in mid-August and a spike at the start of August for Yeovil District Hospital Foundation Trust. Infection Prevention Society president Jennie Wilson said "Infection prevention and control teams are totally aware it’s a problem and they strive to do their best to keep it under control. It’s hugely challenging but [staff] are doing their best." Read full story. Source: HSJ, 25 August 2021
  15. News Article
    According to reports, Covid-19 was the 9th biggest cause of death in England in July, and the 26th most common in June, with data showing it was the 22nd leading cause of death in Wales. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show the number of deaths was 7.6% higher than average in England and 10.4% higher in Wales. However, when there isn't a pandemic, the top causes of death are usually heart disease and dementia, but in the months when Covid-19 has been dominant, it has been the leading cause by a long way. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 23 August 2021
  16. News Article
    A new antibody testing programme has been launched where participants will be sent two finger-prick tests to complete at home and then inform the UK Health Security Agency of the antibody response to different coronavirus variants. The new programme was created in order to generate new data on antibody protections for people following infection by different coronavirus variants, and from Tuesday, anyone over the age of 18 in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, will be able to opt into the programme. Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said "Our new national antibody testing will be quick and easy to take part in [and by] doing so you'll be helping strengthen our understanding of COVID-19 as we cautiously return to a more normal life. I'm proud to see all parts of the UK uniting around this new initiative and working together to arm ourselves with even more valuable insights into how COVID-19 vaccines are protecting people up and down the UK." Read full story. Source: Sky News, 22 August 2021
  17. News Article
    There has been a "harrowing" rise in child deaths and serious cases of harm linked to to abuse or neglect of children since the first Covid lockdown, according to reports from the Local Government Association (LGA). Data has revealed there were 536 serious incident notifications in England between April 2020 and March 2021, with LGA saying it was a "huge cause for concern" and it is extremely concerned about children’s safety. Councillor Anntoinette Bramble, chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, has said, "The pandemic has put extra pressure on families, particularly those living in difficult circumstances, which can fuel harmful acts of abuse or neglect on children. Councils have been working hard with their partners to identify this and provide the help children need, but it is vital that children’s social care services are funded to meet this need.” Read full story. Source: The Independent, 21 August 2021
  18. News Article
    According to new data, those who have been vaccinated against Covid-19, can still harbour virus levels as high as unvaccinated people if infected with the Delta variant. This new data suggests that hitting the threshold for herd immunity remains unlikely. However, it evidence does show vaccination still offers protection against hospitals and infection. “We don’t yet know how much transmission can happen from people who get Covid-19 after being vaccinated – for example, they may have high levels of virus for shorter periods of time, but the fact that they can have high levels of virus suggests that people who aren’t yet vaccinated may not be as protected from the Delta variant as we hoped.” said Sarah Walker, a professor of medical statistics and epidemiology at the University of Oxford. Read full story. Source: The Guardian, 19 August 2021
  19. News Article
    According to recent reports, the number of patients on waiting lists for non-urgent hospital treatment in Wales has again hit record levels. Data has revealed there were 624,909 people waiting in June, and those waiting the longest, more than nine months, rose again to 233,210. A Welsh government spokesperson said: "Waiting times for treatment continue to grow. However, it is encouraging to see progress being made with the number of patients waiting over 52 weeks falling for the third month in a row. We also saw the largest number of specialist consultations completed and treatments started in any month since the start of the pandemic." A&E time performance has been at its worst on record, with 94,176 attendances to emergency units over the month. Health spokesman Russell George said: "To record the worst ever A&E waiting times and the longest NHS treatment waiting list in the same month shows a complete lack of leadership." Read full story. Source: BBC News, 19 August 2021 Related Reading Patient Safety Learning blog: Tackling the care and treatment backlog safely (19 August 2021)
  20. News Article
    After three Covid-19 patients died at the make-shift Nightingale Hospital in London following a breathing tube mix-up, NHS trusts in England could be issued tougher ventilation guidance. In each of the cases, filters which prevent the build-up of fluid were not attached to the machines, resulting in dangerous blockages, but it has not yet been determined if these incidents contributed to their deaths. Coroner Nadia Persaud has said the way the machines vary from model to model can be "confusing" and may lead to future deaths, also ruling that the classification and colour coding was "worthy of review, simplification, and standardisation". The original coroners report, carrying advice from an independent expert said "In my opinion, the non-standardised colour coding used by manufacturers of these filters, the number of different types of filters with different names, the variable optimal position of the filters, and whether a wet or a dry breathing system is being used, results in an extremely confusing situation. One of the leading manufacturers of these filters produces HMEs that are blue, which is the same colour as the non-HME filters supplied by another company. In my experience, few doctors and nurses working in ICU are knowledgeable about all these different filters and which ones should be used for any given breathing system." Inquests into the deaths are scheduled for October. Read full story. Source: The Daily Mail, 17 August 2021
  21. News Article
    New analysis looking at the spread of Covid-19 in hospitals has revealed a massive gulf in ability to contain the virus during the first wave. According to the published data, overall only 1 in 10 people actually caught the virus whilst in the hospital, however 314 UK hospitals showed that ranged from just one in 100 cases caught in hospital, to more than 1 in 4, with an estimate of between 5,700 and 11,900 people who were infected in hospital. Professor Calum Semple, one of the researchers from the University of Liverpool has said, "There will be tragedy behind this story, people that came into hospital with one problem, caught Covid and sadly died." Read full story. Source: BBC News, 13 August 2021
  22. News Article
    According to the state's health watchdog Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), six out of 10 hospitals inspected last year were non-compliant with aspects of infection-control procedures against Covid-19. Recurring issues such as poor physical infrastructure, capacity issues and workforce challenges were found to hinder efforts to cope with the pandemic, and despite investments, issues around infrastructure and capacity have been worsened by the pandemic. “In most instances, we found an effective approach to adapt to this unprecedented crisis in hospitals. However, hospitals’ efforts were made more difficult due to underlying historic problems with infrastructure, limited bed capacity and unequal or limited access to specialist workforce input and advice – problems that Hiqa’s prior monitoring work against national standards has consistently highlighted.” said Hiqa’s director of regulation, Mary Dunnion. Read full story. Source: Irish Times, 10 August 2021
  23. News Article
    According to leaked figures, the number of patients ready to be medically discharged has been rising since the spring and is now higher than the winter, but levels are believed to still be substantially lower than pre-covid. These figures come after reports hospitals are facing increased pressure to free up beds for incoming patients. David Oliver, consultant geriatrician and former national clinical director for older people, has said "Thanks to additional funding and capacity in community health and social care services, fantastic collaborative working across systems and new rules and permissions, and innovative service models, we saw far fewer delays and far slicker discharge for patients needing ongoing support outside hospital. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t sustainable. Both in my local experience and speaking to colleagues from around the country, we are now back to pre-pandemic levels of delays and worse. This is bad for patients, leaving them stranded in hospital when they’d be better off in their own home and other settings and bad for other patients needing hospital care, including those on waiting lists, as flow through acute beds is impaired." Read full story (paywalled). Source: HSJ, 11 August 2021
  24. News Article
    According to new data, those sick with Covid-19 are a decade younger than previous waves, with analysis showing the average age of among 2,889 patients admitted to ICU since May was 49, compared to 59 in the previous surges. However, this has been put down to the effects of vaccine programme as older adults were prioritised. Reports have also found hundreds of critically ill patients are having to be moved between hospitals due to the need to remove pressure on beds. The chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, said: “Trusts’ experience of Covid-19 has strongly confirmed what we already knew: that the NHS is significantly short of intensive care capacity, both beds and staff. The level of ICU transfers over the last few months, to alleviate pressures in a number of different hospitals, further confirms that." Read full story. Source: The Independent, 10 August 2021
  25. News Article
    According to the British Heart Foundation, it may take up to five years for cardiac services to return to pre-Covid levels. This warning comes after it was revealed nearly 14 million people could be on NHS waiting lists in England by next autumn. "Tragically, we have already seen thousands of extra deaths from heart and circulatory diseases during the pandemic, and delays to care have likely contributed to this terrible toll. At this critical moment, the government must act now to avoid more lives lost to treatable heart conditions. Addressing the growing heart care backlog is only the start," says Prof Samani, medical director at the British Heart Foundation. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 9 August 2021
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