CORONAVIRUS NEWS
Calls to protect doctors from litigation during COVID crisis
Leading healthcare organisations are calling for emergency legislation to protect healthcare workers who find themselves at risk of legal challenge when treating COVID-19 patients in good faith and in circumstances beyond their control.
COVID-19 responses in cancer patients: new findings
A new study funded by Cancer Research UK shows that the immune response to COVID-19 is the same in people with solid tumours compared to those without cancer.
High street pharmacies deliver NHS COVID jabs
Life-saving coronavirus jabs will begin to be delivered at High Street pharmacies from today as the NHS accelerates the biggest vaccination programme in its history.
Blood plasma treatment has limited effect for sickest COVID patients
Treating critically ill COVID-19 patients with blood plasma from people who have fought off the disease has limited impact on patient outcomes.
Arthritis drugs show promise in treating critically ill COVID patients
Treating critically ill COVID-19 patients with drugs typically used for arthritis may significantly improve survival, a landmark study has found.
RCP COVID-19 study provides early insight into pandemic hospital care
Preliminary findings from what is expected to be one of the largest reviews of hospital care delivered during the pandemic, currently being conducted by the Royal College of Physicians, were presented at the organisation’s Medicine 2021 conference.
FDA to approve COVID drug for phase III trials
Carrimycin, a synthetic biological drug treatment for severe COVID-19, is to receive US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Phase III trials.
COVID-19 linked with higher death rate in acute heart failure patients
Patients with acute heart failure nearly double their risk of dying if they get COVID-19, according to research published in ESC Heart Failure, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
Ethical guidance published for frontline staff dealing with pandemic
The Royal College of Physicians has published ethical guidance for frontline staff dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, supported by more than a dozen other health organisations.
GPs Given £10 Per Jab Boost To Support Vaccination Drive
The NHS is to provide GPs an extra £10 for every care home resident they are able to vaccinate against COVID by the end of January in an accelerated drive to protect the most vulnerable.
Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine authorised by MHRA
The Government has accepted the recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to authorise Oxford University/AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine for use.
New guideline on managing the long-term effects of COVID-19
NICE, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) have published a guideline on the management of the long-term effects of COVID-19 (also known as Long COVID).
Over 600,000 people get first dose of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine
The Government has published figures which show the number of people who have received the vaccine between 8 December and 20 December in the UK is 616,933.
Pregnant women excluded from three-quarters of COVID treatment trials
Pregnant women are among those most in need of safe, effective therapies against COVID-19, but they are routinely excluded from the majority of clinical treatment trials, according to authors of a paper, published in The Lancet Global Health journal.
New poll finds BAME groups less likely to want COVID vaccine
A new poll by the Royal Society for Public Health has revealed that three in four (76%) of the UK public would take a COVID-19 vaccine if advised to do so by their GP or health professional, with just 8% stating they would be very unlikely to do so.
Over 137,000 people receive first dose of COVID vaccine in one week
More than 137,000 people in the UK have received the first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in the first week of the largest vaccination programme in British history.
Machine learning helps develop more accurate COVID-19 diagnostic tool
Researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) have developed a method of generating high-quality chest X-ray images that can be used to diagnose COVID-19 more accurately than current methods.
Portable digital chest drainage systems could minimise COVID spread
A team of thoracic consultants from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust has uncovered important findings on the use of chest drains during the COVID pandemic.
Interim trial results published for Oxford vaccine
Interim results of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trials find that the vaccine protects against symptomatic disease in 70% of cases
Cancer risk factors for mortality following COVID
Cancer and cancer treatment are both independent risk factors for mortality following COVID-19 infection, according to UCLH led research which highlights the ongoing need to protect cancer patients during the pandemic.
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