CORONAVIRUS NEWS
Exercise can help support recovery of patients with long COVID
Patients with lasting symptoms of COVID-19 who completed a six week, supervised rehabilitation programme demonstrated significant improvements in exercise capacity, respiratory symptoms, fatigue and cognition.
Could COVID-19 and flu vaccines be administered at the same time?
Researchers at UCLH have begun a study which could set the foundations for how booster COVID-19 vaccinations are delivered in the future.
New testing centre to fast-track COVID-19 variant vaccines
Vaccines tailored to tackle COVID-19 variants are to be accelerated through new state-of-the-art labs, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced.
Charity funds study into long-term impact of COVID-19 on stroke
The Stroke Association is funding the world’s first study to determine the long-term impact of COVID-19 on stroke survivors.
Asthma drug shortens recovery time in COVID-19 patients at home
Early treatment with an asthma drug budesonide shortens recovery time in COVID-19 patients aged over 50 who are treated at home or in other community settings.
JCVI issues new advice on COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women
The JCVI has advised that pregnant women should be offered the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as the rest of the population, based on their age and clinical risk group.
Consultation launched on staff COVID-19 vaccines in care homes
Staff in care homes with older adult residents in England may be required to have a COVID-19 vaccine to protect residents from the virus.
UK cancer patients were more likely to die following COVID-19
Cancer patients from the UK were 1.5 times more likely to die following a diagnosis with COVID-19 than cancer patients from European countries.
New findings on use of ECMO for COVID patients
For critically ill COVID-19 patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), the risk of death remains high, but is much lower than suggested by initial studies.
Findings from the latest COVID-19 REACT-1 study published
Findings from the 10th report of REACT-1, one of the country’s largest studies into COVID-19 infections in England, have been published by Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI.
Vaccination alone is unlikely to contain COVID-19 infections
Vaccinating all adults in the UK is unlikely to achieve herd immunity and fully contain the virus, according to a modelling study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal.
Heart surgery and other heart procedures fall by 39%
There were 39% fewer heart operations and other heart procedures performed in January in England compared to January last year, according to analysis of NHS data by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
Three-quarters of over 70s have COVID-19 antibodies
New findings from Public Health England have shown that an estimated 75.8% of 70 to 84 year old blood donors had antibodies against COVID-19 by early March.
New analysis of lateral flow tests shows specificity of at least 99.9%
New analysis shows lateral flow tests (LFD) to have a specificity of at least 99.9% when used to test in the community and could be as high as 99.97%.
COVID positive patients should delay surgery to reduce death risk
Surgery should be delayed for seven weeks after a patient tests positive for COVID-19 – as operations taking place up to six weeks after diagnosis are associated with increased risk of death, according to a new global study.
New report highlights link between COVID-19 deaths and obesity
A new report from the World Obesity Federation warns that increased bodyweight is the second greatest predictor of hospitalisation and a high risk of death for people suffering from COVID-19. Only old age rates as a higher risk factor.
Government updates on identifying and tackling COVID-19 disparities
Minister for equalities, Kemi Badenoch MP, has published the second quarterly report to the Prime Minister and Health Secretary on progress to understand and tackle COVID-19 disparities experienced by individuals from an ethnic minority background.
Households with school children to receive rapid COVID-19 tests
Whole families and households with primary school, secondary school and college age children, including childcare and support bubbles, will be able to test themselves twice every week from home as schools return from 8 March.
Latest findings from antibody surveillance study
Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI have published their latest antibody surveillance report tracking COVID-19 infection across England.
Many people with cancer symptoms have failed to see GP
The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) has urged patients to take up screening appointments and seek GP help for cancer symptoms, with oncology teams reporting more cases of less treatable cancer.
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