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Found 2,339 results
  1. Content Article
    The coronavirus pandemic had an unparalleled impact on NHS services and on the people who use them. In August 2022, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) carried out research to better understand what impact the pandemic had on public attitudes towards complaining about the NHS. They also asked respondents about: their attitudes to complaining about the NHS currently and during the pandemic how satisfied they were with the NHS organisations they used or had contact with during the pandemic. The results have now been published.
  2. News Article
    Time is running out for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people who are facing another winter shielding from Covid, campaigners have said. They are calling on the government to buy a drug called Evusheld to provide some protection against the virus. The government says it is not clear how long that protection will last when up against the Omicron variant. But patients, charities and health experts argue the protection offered is better than nothing. There are around 500,000 people in the UK with suppressed immune systems. That means their bodies struggle to produce antibodies, so the existing vaccines offer them little or no protection, leaving them very vulnerable to Covid. Blanche Hampton has lupus, a condition where her immune system has turned against her. The drugs she takes to control the lupus also suppress her immune system, meaning her body has no defences against Covid. Blanche has been shielding for two and a half years, but she believes Evusheld offers a chance for at least some kind of existence outside of her small flat in Inverkip, west of Glasgow. "Evusheld would give me a layer of protection, that is better than nothing. Because that's what I have currently - nothing." And Blanche, like many people who find themselves in the same situation, says she feels abandoned. Read full story Source: BBC News, 17 October 2022
  3. Content Article
    Long Covid is now estimated to affect 2 million people in the UK, and almost 145 million globally. It’s a complicated diagnosis to receive and those affected have to cope with both the physical symptoms and the psychological strain of having an illness that is not yet well understood and does not have well-established treatments. Three Long Covid patients share with the Guardian on how they navigated this journey.
  4. News Article
    At 9.16am Florence Wilkinson gave birth to a healthy baby boy by planned caesarean section. The team of NHS doctors and midwives worked like a well-oiled machine, performing what to them was a standard operation, while also showing real kindness. After a short stint in a close observation bay, Florence was moved onto the postnatal ward. Still anaesthetised, Florence was completely reliant on her partner Ben to help her recover from the birth and feed her son in his first hours of life. Yet just a few hours later, the scene was very different. Due to Covid protocol, Ben was not able to stay overnight. At 8pm, midwives bustled around briskly ejecting fathers and birth partners from the ward – and what followed was one of the hardest, most frightening nights of Florence's life. She was alone with a newborn, yet during the course of that night she only saw a midwife once. She was still recovering from my operation and unable to pick up her baby. An exhausted healthcare assistant told Florence she didn’t have time to help and the newborn didn’t feed for seven hours. There simply weren’t enough staff to look after the mothers, but no partner to advocate for them either. A review of the maternity policies listed on the websites of 90 hospital trusts in England reveals that 54% still restrict partners from staying overnight after birth. While a few trusts have always limited access at night, many admit to bringing in restrictions during the pandemic which they continue to implement to this day. “It is deeply concerning to hear that some Trusts are continuing to implement restrictions on visiting, such as limited postnatal visiting overnight, under the premise of Covid, particularly at this stage in the pandemic,” says Francesca Treadaway, director of engagement at the charity Birthrights. “There is overwhelming evidence, built up since March 2020, of the impact Covid restrictions in maternity had on women giving birth. It must be remembered that blanket policies are rarely lawful and any policies implemented should explicitly consider people’s individual circumstances.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Telegraph, 13 October 2022
  5. Content Article
    The impact of Long Covid needs urgent action – and there are five key elements to drive the effort forward, writes the WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in this article for the Guardian.
  6. News Article
    Long Covid is “devastating” the lives and livelihoods of tens of millions of people, and wreaking havoc on health systems and economies, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned as he urged countries to launch “immediate” and “sustained” efforts to tackle the “very serious” crisis. The world has never been in a better position to end the Covid-19 pandemic, but it is also “very clear” that many of those infected by the virus, which first emerged in China in late 2019, are still experiencing “prolonged suffering”, the WHO director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said. With the absence of evidence about how best to treat it, Long Covid is turning people’s lives upside down, and many face “often lengthy” and “frustrating” waits for support or guidance, Tedros said. The large numbers of those cruelly affected by the long tail of Covid is also having a dangerous impact on health systems and economies still reeling from waves of infections. “While the pandemic has changed dramatically due to the introduction of many lifesaving tools, and there is light at the end of the tunnel, the impact of long Covid for all countries is very serious and needs immediate and sustained action equivalent to its scale,” Tedros said, writing for the Guardian. Countries must now “seriously ramp up” both research into the condition and access to care for those affected if they are to “minimise the suffering” of their populations and protect their health systems and workforces. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 12 October 2022
  7. News Article
    Even mild cases of Covid-19 during pregnancy “exhaust” the placenta and damage its immune response, new research suggests. The findings, which come as coronavirus cases are again on the rise in the UK, lend weight to multiple studies over the course of the pandemic linking the virus to a rise in dangerous pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia. But the results of the study – the largest yet involving the placentas of infected women – may represent the “the tip of the iceberg” of how Covid-19 affects foetal or placental development, warned Dr Kristina Adams Waldorf, the senior author on the study, which was published last month in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Early in the pandemic, it was widely assumed that the coronavirus did not harm the developing foetus because so few babies were born with the infection, said Dr Adams Waldorf, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. “But what we’re seeing now is that the placenta is vulnerable to Covid-19, and the infection changes the way the placenta works, and that in turn is likely to impact the development of the foetus,” explained the professor. Read full story Source: The Independent, 9 October 2022
  8. News Article
    NHS trusts may be forced to cancel appointments and limit visiting times in a Covid and flu “twindemic” this winter, health leaders have warned. Fears have been raised the viruses could strip back the workforce and further increase demand for services during an already busy period. It comes amid rising Covid infections in the UK. Around 1.3 million tested positive in late September, according to the latest figures, which was a 25% increase on the week before. The UK is also concerned there could be a bad flu season this year, with lower immunity across the population due to reduced exposure in the Covid pandemic. NHS leaders have warned that this background could make winter even more difficult for the health service. “I make no bones about this: we know it’s going to be a pressurised time for trusts over the next four months if not longer,” Saffron Cordery from NHS Providers, which represents trusts in England, told The Independent. The interim chief executive added: “We’re worried about Covid and we’re worried about flu.” Ms Cordery said these joint pressures – which could increase demand, strip back workforces and introduce the need for greater infection control measures – could have a knock-on effect on services. “We need to anticipate that there may well be cancellations for either outpatient appointments or routine procedures or operations, because there could be staff shortages or rising demand in emergency care – that means that those routine appointments cannot take place as quickly as we’d like,” she said. Read full story Source: The Independent, 8 October 2022
  9. News Article
    Bereaved families fear their experiences will be “diluted” in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry after it was confirmed their evidence would be submitted to a third-party company. Instead of the usual “pen portraits” heard in the inquiry, families will submit their evidence to a private research company as part of a parallel listening exercise that will analyse the responses and feed back the findings to the inquiry chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett. Matt Fowler, co-founder of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign, said while families believe the start of the inquiry is a step in the right direction after campaigning for two years, they fear being excluded from the inquiry because of the listening exercise. “All bereaved families want from the inquiry is the same outcome that anyone should, for lessons to be learnt from our loss that can stop the monumental scale of death that took place from happening again,” Matt said following the preliminary hearing. “As Baroness Hallett herself has acknowledged, for that to happen the experiences of the bereaved must be learnt from, so why is she leaving us out in the cold instead of working with us?” A&E doctor Saleyah Ahsan, from east London, worked in intensive care units during the pandemic. She said she remembers holding hands with people and telling them they needed to be incubated as they desperately called their families – some died in intensive care. “It is very important that stories jump off the page and are real because they are real,” She added: “If we really want to make sure we get this right there is only this inquiry, it has to be right. I am a medic, I see the numbers are rising, it’s autumn. Thankfully we’ve got a booster but hospitals are getting busy – I’m worried.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 4 October 2022
  10. News Article
    The first preliminary hearing of the UK Covid public inquiry will begin today. The session, in London, will focus on the UK's pandemic preparedness before 2020. It will be largely procedural, involving lawyers and an announcement about who will be giving evidence. Public hearings where witnesses are called will not start until the spring. The inquiry formally started in the summer, with a listening exercise. But this first preliminary hearing is still being seen as an important milestone for the families who lost loved ones. Lindsay Jackson's mother, Sylvia, 87, died from Covid during the first lockdown, after contracting it at a care home. Ms Jackson, of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign group, said it was essential lessons were learned. She was "really pleased" the inquiry was finally starting but it had taken too long to reach this stage. "It's two-and-a-half years since the pandemic started," she said. "We lost so many people. If people have done things wrong, they need to be held accountable. "For me, my family and the others who lost loved ones, it's important that answers are found to the questions that we have." Read full story Source: BBC News, 4 October 2022
  11. News Article
    Every hospital in the UK is under significant pressure and a new Covid surge is “a very heavy straw on the camel’s back”, health leaders have warned. At least eight hospitals declared a critical incident, cancelled operations or asked people not to come to A&E unless they were seriously ill last week. One of Britain’s most senior emergency doctor said there were links between incidents like these and the rapid rise in hospitalisations for Covid, up nearly 37% in a week to 7,024. While the Office for National Statistics said it was too early to say if an autumn Covid wave had begun, health leaders said ministers need to urgently address staffing shortages. Dr Adrian Boyle, the incoming president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine told the Observer: “Our system is under-resourced. We don’t have enough beds, and we don’t have the workforce for the demand that we’re being asked to deal with. “Covid just makes everything that much harder and it’s entirely valid to link this with critical incidents being called around the country. All hospitals are feeling significant levels of pressure at the moment. Covid is a very heavy straw on the camel’s back.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 1 October 2022
  12. Content Article
    This practice pointer in The BMJ provides an update on treating Long Covid in primary care and outlines how healthcare professionals might respond to questions that patients ask about the condition. The article provides information on: Definition of Long Covid Epidemiology Symptoms and case definition Questions patients ask Further resources for patients and healthcare professionals
  13. Content Article
    Long Covid is politically problematic, medically uncertain, and personally scary. It is too easy to look away.  In media narratives this summer the Covid-19 pandemic was eclipsed by the cost of living and climate crises. But in practice these crises co-exist and interact. Long Covid makes heatwaves and price hikes a whole lot harder to bear.  Jo Maybin was healthy, triple vaxed, and had been down with Long Covid since February 2022. In this blog for The King's Fund, Jo describes how she feels and asks you not to look away from Long Covid, this ‘mass disabling event’, which is affecting 2 million people in the UK, and will likely have a direct impact on hundreds of thousands more this winter. 
  14. Content Article
    Only 1 in 3 people were fully recovered from COVID-19 a year after they left hospital. Being female, having obesity or being on a ventilator were each linked with ongoing symptoms, months after people were discharged (Long-COVID). Nearly 1 million people in the UK have so far been admitted to hospital because of COVID-19. The long-term effects of the infection in this group are only just coming to light. Researchers explored the impact of being hospitalised for COVID-19 on people’s mental and physical health, and on their employment. They looked at characteristics such as age and sex to see which were associated with worse recovery. They also assessed whether inflammation in the blood may be a potential target for treatment. This study described, for the first time, four different patterns of COVID-19 recovery. It found, for example, that some people with long-COVID had higher levels of inflammation. The researchers say that targeting treatment to specific clinical problems, such as treating inflammation in people with higher levels of inflammation, are promising approaches to aid recovery.
  15. News Article
    A leading academic is calling on new Health Secretary Therese Coffey to reconsider rolling out a Covid drug for people with weakened immune systems. Last month the government decided it would not supply Evusheld in the UK. But Dr Lennard Lee, an academic medical oncologist from Oxford University who is backed by more than 120 leading scientists and clinicians, said a rethink was needed. The government said more data was required on the treatment. Evusheld was approved for use in March, but was reviewed after the Omicron variant emerged. The drug's manufacturer AstraZeneca said there was "ample real-world data" that it worked. It is currently available in 32 countries. Dr Lee told the BBC: "It's time for a re-review of the data, and to think about transparency in terms of why they decided not to do this, and also the pros and cons of doing this. "We do know that coronavirus cases are likely to go up in winter, and we do know there are people who face increased risks... "Therefore if there is anything we can do to protect... anyone immunosuppressed I think this is something that does need to be reconsidered." Research from the US and Israel suggests Evusheld reduces the risk of infection by about 50%, and cuts the risk of serious illness by 90%. Read full story Source: BBC News, 21 September 2022
  16. Content Article
    Long Covid Support and Long Covid Kids surveyed people with Long Covid about their experience of being reinfected with Covid. Responses were received from 484 adults and 112 children and young people. The study found that reinfection worsens the symptoms of Long Covid in the majority those who are still symptomatic. Reinfection causes a recurrence of Long Covid in 60% of those who were in recovery or remission. 89% of respondents first got Long Covid after their first infection, 10% after their second infection and 1% after their third. Most adult respondents had been vaccinated before their second infection.
  17. News Article
    A coroner has said she does not understand why frontline workers were not required to wear a mask during lockdown after hearing a paramedic had died with Covid. A two-day inquest into the death of Peter Hart, who died on his 52nd birthday, concluded on Tuesday (September 13) with assistant coroner Dr Karen Henderson ruling the father-of-three died of natural causes caused by Covid. She said on the balance of probabilities he caught the disease while working at East Surrey Hospital, where he died on May 12, 2020. During the onset of the pandemic only healthcare workers tending to those suspected of having Covid-19 were required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). In accordance with national guidelines, Mr Hart, who was treating patients not suspected of having the virus, did not need to. “Retrospectively it is difficult to comprehend why the national guidance said PPE did not need to be used for all patients and healthcare workers at the earliest opportunity,” Dr Henderson said. “Although there appears a lost opportunity to ensure maximum protection I make no finding of fact whether this contributed to Mr Hart’s death. “Patients not suspected to have Covid were not expected to wear face masks. This is in effect a perfect storm and given evidence of Mrs Hart I am satisfied Mr Hart contracted Covid during his work at East Surrey Hospital,” she added. Read full story Source: Surrey Live, 13 September 2022
  18. News Article
    NHS staff have warned that needles supplied with a Covid vaccine which targets the omicron strain are “not fit for purpose” and could place vaccinators and members of the public at risk. Dozens of messages shared on an NHS staff forum reveal widespread concerns about the needles supplied with the Moderna SpikeVax vaccine, which are said to bend when vaccinators pierce the top of the vial containing the Covid-19 vaccine doses. The SpikeVax bivalent vaccine was the first to target both the original and the omicron strain of the virus. It is due to play a key role in the NHS’s autumn Covid vaccination booster programme. One pharmacist said: “They [the needles] just are not fit for purpose and as such we are not using them and are using the original needles until a solution is found”. A UK Health Security Agency spokesperson confirmed the problem, stating: “We are aware that some NHSE sites are experiencing some problems with the use of the new needle and syringe being supplied for administrating the Moderna bivalent vaccine. We are in touch with the supplier about these concerns, including the facilitation of additional training support, but if necessary will also offer an alternative suitable product to avoid any disruption to the vaccination programme.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 15 September 2022
  19. News Article
    The global response to the first two years of the Covid-19 outbreak failed to control a pandemic that has led to an estimated 17.7 million deaths to date, a major review has concluded. The Lancet Commission on lessons for the future from the Covid-19 pandemic, produced by 28 world leading experts and 100 contributors, cites widespread failures regarding prevention, transparency, rationality, standard public health practice, operational coordination, and global solidarity. It concludes that multilateral cooperation must improve to end the pandemic and manage future global health threats effectively. The commission’s chair, Jeffrey Sachs, who is a professor at Columbia University and president of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, said, “The staggering human toll of the first two years of the Covid-19 pandemic is a profound tragedy and a massive societal failure at multiple levels.”In its report, which used data from the first two years of the pandemic and new epidemiological and financial analyses, the commission concludes that government responses lacked preparedness, were too slow, paid too little attention to vulnerable groups, and were hampered by misinformation.Read full story Source: BMJ, 14 September 2022
  20. Content Article
    As of May 31, 2022, there were 6·9 million reported deaths and 17.2 million estimated deaths from COVID-19, as reported by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The Lancet COVID-19 Commission was established in July 2020, with four main themes: developing recommendations on how to best suppress the epidemic; addressing the humanitarian crises arising from the pandemic; addressing the financial and economic crises resulting from the pandemic; and rebuilding an inclusive, fair, and sustainable world. It has now published it's key findings and recommendations.
  21. News Article
    Over the past couple of months, deaths in England and Wales have been higher than would be expected for a typical summer. In July and August, there were several weeks with deaths 10% to 13% above the five-year average, meaning that in England about 900 extra people a week were dying compared with the past few years. The leading causes of death are within the typical range (the five-year average): heart and lung diseases, cancers, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Covid-19 deaths could account for half of the excess mortality, but the other half is puzzling, as there’s no one clear reason that jumps out. It’s likely to be a mix of factors: Covid is making us sicker and more vulnerable to other diseases (research suggests it may contribute to delayed heart attacks, strokes, and dementia); an ageing population; an extremely hot summer; and an overloaded health service meaning that people are dying from lack of timely medical care. The excess mortality puzzle has been weaponised by some to argue that this is a delayed consequence of lockdown. In essence, this is to say that mandatory restrictions on mixing and stay-at-home legal orders, as well as turning the NHS into a Covid health service during the first and second waves of infection, prevented people from being diagnosed or treated for other conditions such as cancer, heart disease, or even depression – and that those long-hidden conditions are now killing people. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 13 September 2022
  22. News Article
    Scientists have developed a virus-killing plastic that could make it harder for bugs, including Covid, to spread in hospitals and care homes. The team at Queen's University Belfast say their plastic film is cheap and could be fashioned into protective gear such as aprons. It works by reacting with light to release chemicals that break the virus. The study showed it could kill viruses by the million, even in tough species which linger on clothes and surfaces. The research was accelerated as part of the UK's response to the Covid pandemic. Studies had shown the Covid virus was able to survive for up to 72 hours on some surfaces, but that is nothing compared to sturdier species. Norovirus - known as the winter vomiting bug - can survive outside the body for two weeks while waiting for somebody new to infect. "This is the first time that anything like this has been developed," said Prof Andrew Mills, from the university's chemistry department. He added: "This film could replace many of the disposable plastic films used in the healthcare industry as it has the added value of being self-sterilising at no real extra cost." He said current personal protective equipment used in hospitals did a good job, but "infections can take place when you take off or put on the PPE, so this can help". Read full story Source: BBC News, 8 September 2022
  23. News Article
    The decision to reduce the number of children who are offered Covid jabs has prompted outcry from parent groups and academics. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said children who had not turned 5 by the end of last month would not be offered a vaccination, in line with advice published by the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) in February 2022. UKHSA said the offer of Covid jabs to healthy 5 to 11-year-olds was always meant to be temporary. UKHSA’s Green Book, which provides information on the vaccine rollout for public health professionals, states: “This one-off programme applies to those aged 5 to 11 years, including those who turn 5 years of age before the end of August 2022". “Subject to further clarification, on-going eligibility in 2022/23, after the one off-programme, is expected to be for children in the academic years where children are aged 11 or 12 years.” However, Prof Christina Pagel, of University College London, criticised the move. “JCVI itself considered there to be a benefit to young children to be vaccinated – even if most of them had already been infected,” she said. “There is also the additional benefit to children of providing additional protection from developing long Covid, missing school during the acute illness and reducing transmission to household members, other children and teachers.” Pagel said that at least one serious Covid wave was expected later this year, but that many children about to start school would now have to wait six years for vaccination, with likely relatively frequent infections in that time. “When we know there is a safe and effective vaccine available this seems unjustifiable to me,” said Pagel, adding that – while rare – children had died from Covid. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 6 September 2022
  24. News Article
    Excess deaths in the UK have continued to soar, as Covid deaths decreased for fourth week in a row, the latest data shows. A total of 10,942 deaths from all causes were registered in England and Wales in the week to 26 August, according to the Office for National Statistics. This is 16.6%above the five-year average, the equivalent of 1,556 “excess deaths” during this week. However, new figures show a continued downward trend in deaths involving Covid-19, which have fallen to the lowest level since the beginning of July. A total of 453 deaths registered in the seven days to August 26 mentioned coronavirus on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) – down 18 per cent on the previous week. Stuart Macdonald, from the Covid-19 actuaries’ response group, wrote: “There have been around 5,300 deaths with Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate in the last ten weeks. Covid was the underlying cause for 3,400 of these and may also have contributed to others. Since Covid does not explain all the recent excess we need to look at other causes.” Mr Macdonald outlined a number of potential drivers of excess deaths which included increased risk of heart failure in people following Covid-19 infection, delays for urgent treatment within the NHS and missed or delayed diagnoses earlier in the pandemic. Read full story Source: The Independent, 6 September 2022
  25. News Article
    Millions of people will be invited for their autumn Covid booster jab in England and Scotland, with care home residents the first to receive them. Although infections are falling, health bosses are predicting a resurgence of Covid and flu this autumn and winter. They are urging those eligible to protect themselves from serious illness by getting vaccines against both. A recently approved vaccine against the Omicron variant will be used first. However, there is not enough of Moderna's "bivalent" vaccine to protect everyone aged over 50 so health officials say people should take whichever booster they are offered. These will be the vaccines used in the spring. The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced on Saturday that it had approved a second "bivalent" coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech for people aged 12 and over. Read full story Source: BBC News, 4 September 2022
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