CORONAVIRUS NEWS
First findings published from home COVID-19 testing programme
A major programme of community coronavirus testing that is tracking levels of infection in England has published its first report.- Coronavirus
Plans to deal with winter pressures and potential second wave vital
A second wave of COVID-19, on top of these challenges, would put the NHS under considerable pressure, so it’s sensible to look at potential worst case scenarios, as this report does, so that we can plan and put mitigating measures in place.- Coronavirus
Optometrists advise how to wear glasses with facemasks to prevent fog
Wearing a facemask or face covering is becoming the new normal, but one of the minor problems of the COVID-19 pandemic is fogged-up eyewear. This happens when warm breath escapes from the top of the mask and lands on the cooler surface of the lens.- Coronavirus
NHS deploys COVID-19 risk assessment tool to protect front-line staff
Working for the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, intelligent automation firm Rainbird has developed a COVID-19 risk assessment tool to help potentially vulnerable front-line workers limit their exposure to undue levels of risk from the virus.- Coronavirus
Urgent cancer referrals being turned down
The charity, Cancer Research UK, has reported that around a quarter of GPs surveyed said that urgent referrals for suspected cancer have been inappropriately turned down by hospitals 'more often than before the pandemic'.- Coronavirus
Finding local COVID rate should be 'as easy as checking the weather'
Up-to-date local data on the number of COVID-19 infections should be promoted to the public across England in an easy to interpret way similar to weather forecasts or pollen counts, the British Medical Association has asserted.- Coronavirus
NHS to launch online COVID-19 rehab service
People who are suffering long-term effects of Coronavirus will have access to an on-demand recovery service, the Government has announced.- Coronavirus
Majority of children no longer need to shield
The majority of children currently considered extremely clinical vulnerable to COVID-19 will be able to be removed from the shielded patient list, the Government has confirmed in the latest shielding guidance.- Coronavirus
Miele washer disinfector aids in ventilator challenge
A Miele washer disinfector proved a key product to aid the UK Ventilator Challenge in the fight against COVID-19.- Coronavirus
Point-of-care Covid-19 antibody testing kits ready for mass production
The UK-Rapid Test Consortium (UK-RTC), a group of UK scientists and expert medical manufacturers led by Abingdon Health, has reached “design freeze” for its Covid-19 antibody test.- Coronavirus
Bio-Rad accelerates production of antibody test
Bio-Rad Laboratories is accelerating production of its Platelia SARS-CoV-2 Total Ab test, a blood-based immunoassay kit to help determine if an individual has developed antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus associated with COVID-19 disease.- Coronavirus
Regular retesting rolled out for care homes
Staff and residents in care homes for over 65s and those with dementia will receive regular coronavirus tests from next week as part of a new social care testing strategy.- Coronavirus
Brain complications found in some patients with severe COVID-19
A study of 153 patients treated in UK hospitals during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic describes a range of neurological and psychiatric complications that may be linked to the disease.- Coronavirus
COVID-19: fatalities 'rare' in children
Children with COVID-19 generally experience a mild disease and fatalities are very rare, according to a study of 582 patients from across Europe.- Coronavirus
COVID-19: Bacteriophage could decrease mortality
A type of virus that preys on bacteria could be harnessed to combat bacterial infections in patients whose immune systems have been weakened by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.- Coronavirus
New data show the impact of Covid-19 on private healthcare
New data on private healthcare in the UK shows how the Covid-19 pandemic has led to an estimated 84% drop in privately funded care.- Coronavirus
Antibody test now available in markets accepting the CE Mark
Beckman Coulter has shipped more than 16,000 SARS-CoV-2 IgG immunoassay analysers worldwide and has ramped its manufacturing to deliver more than 30 million tests a month.- Coronavirus
Schools to take part in voluntary testing for COVID-19
A new voluntary COVID-19 study to assess and monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 among pre-school, primary and secondary school pupils and teachers has been launched by the government.- Coronavirus
First accreditations for COVID-19 testing awarded by UKAS
UKAS is currently assessing over 30 laboratories who have requested an extension to their scope of accreditation to include COVID-19 testing.- Coronavirus
PHE reveals disparities in outcomes of COVID-19
Public Health England has published a report on ‘Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19’, which shows that healthcare inequalities continue to exist, leading to increased mortality among certain sections of the community.- Coronavirus
