Health (Page 100)

As vaccine programmes gather pace worldwide, attention continues to focus on both viral mutations and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine – sometimes simultaneously. South Africa has temporarily halted the vaccine’s rollout. This is because a preliminary study (yet to be released or reviewed by other scientists) suggests that the vaccine provides limited protection against mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 caused by the South African variant of the coronavirus. This may seem quite alarming. However, the study only involved young people, who tend to be less badly affected by COVID-19, and so it didn’t assess whether the vaccine protects against severe disease caused by the variant. Shabir Madhi, Professor of Vaccinology at Wits University in South Africa, who was involved in theContinue Reading

simplystocker/Shutterstock If we’re going to rely on COVID-19 vaccines to bring an end to the pandemic, we need to maximise their effects. But one thing that risks undermining their protectiveness is nutritional deficiency, particularly in the elderly. Older people have weaker immune responses and are known to respond less well than younger adults to many vaccines, including the seasonal influenza vaccine. This is partly down to frailty, which cannot be easily remedied, but can also be due to deficiencies in vitamins and minerals – known as micronutrients. For the immune system to fight off infection or generate good protection against a disease following vaccination, it needs a variety of micronutrients. This is likely to be just as true for COVID-19Continue Reading

simplystocker/Shutterstock If we’re going to rely on COVID-19 vaccines to bring an end to the pandemic, we need to maximise their effects. But one thing that risks undermining their protectiveness is nutritional deficiency, particularly in the elderly. Older people have weaker immune responses and are known to respond less well than younger adults to many vaccines, including the seasonal influenza vaccine. This is partly down to frailty, which cannot be easily remedied, but can also be due to deficiencies in vitamins and minerals – known as micronutrients. For the immune system to fight off infection or generate good protection against a disease following vaccination, it needs a variety of micronutrients. This is likely to be just as true for COVID-19Continue Reading

Borders have moved, not uncommonly for the UK, to the forefront of public discussion in 2021. The home secretary, Priti Patel, recently expressed rare contrition for the failure to close borders in March 2020 – a point on which Labour leader Keir Starmer took the prime minister to task. Under normal circumstances, the idea of a Labour party led by the historically Europhile Starmer advocating for a hard border regime would be notable, but these are far from normal circumstances. The change reflects a profound shift in British attitudes. Whereas UK citizens were some of the least likely to support shutting international borders in March 2020, with only 51% approving such action, a more recent poll shows 84% of BritishContinue Reading

Sharon Peacock, Author provided The UK is a world leader in sequencing SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Of all the coronavirus genomes that have been sequenced in the world, nearly half have been sequenced by COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium (Cog-UK). The consortium began life on March 4 when Sharon Peacock, a professor of public health and microbiology at the University of Cambridge, emailed a handful of scientists and asked for their help. The Conversation spoke to Professor Peacock about that day and what happened after. Q: When did you first get the idea to set up Cog-UK? And how was it formed? In late February 2020, it dawned on me that we were going to need genome sequencing capabilitiesContinue Reading

For some, having a hobby may even prevent depression. Diego Cervo/ Shutterstock The pandemic has taken its toll on many peoples’ mental health. Given the fear of the virus and the government restrictions on movement many may understandably be feeling more lonely, anxious, and depressed than usual. The World Health Organization (WHO) has even issued guidance on how people can look after their mental health during this difficult time. Key advice includes trying to keep a regular pattern of eating, sleeping, hygiene and exercise. But a less obvious recommendation is to make sure you’re still finding time to do the things you enjoy. In fact, research shows that having a hobby is linked to lower levels of depression – andContinue Reading

Sharon Peacock, Author provided The UK is a world leader in sequencing SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Of all the coronavirus genomes that have been sequenced in the world, nearly half have been sequenced by COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium (Cog-UK). The consortium began life on March 4 when Sharon Peacock, a professor of public health and microbiology at the University of Cambridge, emailed a handful of scientists and asked for their help. The Conversation spoke to Professor Peacock about that day and what happened after. Q: When did you first get the idea to set up Cog-UK? And how was it formed? In late February 2020, it dawned on me that we were going to need genome sequencing capabilitiesContinue Reading

Simon Brat/Shutterstock In the depths of February, it’s not in many of our natures to open the window to let in the cold air of a northern hemisphere winter. But with the coronavirus pandemic in full swing and new variants on the rise, good ventilation is in an important method to stop the spread of infection in indoor environments. Research has shown that poorly ventilated indoor areas are among the highest risk venues for spreading the disease. And although we have known about the importance of ventilation in the fight against COVID-19 for a while, the messaging has not truly taken hold in the UK. In April 2020, a document presented to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) onContinue Reading

winnievinzence/Shutterstock During the pandemic, the chances are that as you enter an airport or doctor’s surgery, someone will point an infrared thermometer at your forehead in order to assess your temperature. Your skin temperature is being measured to try to identify whether or not you have an increased deep body temperature, which is indicative of fever, one of the leading signs of COVID-19. The good thing about using infrared thermometers is that they are quick, simple and non-invasive. You can rapidly screen many people without inconveniencing them, for instance travellers moving through an airport or people entering a sports stadium. But to be useful mass-screening tools, infrared thermometers also need to be accurate – and this is where problems arise.Continue Reading

Ireland had the fastest and highest spike in cases in the world in January. This happened because, in early December, confirmed cases in the community were deemed to be low enough to allow some easing of restrictions. At that stage, Ireland had the lowest incidence of COVID-19 in Europe, which had been achieved with a second lockdown in November. Restaurants and non-essential retail were opened, and households could mix in a limited way. People began to meet again, both outside their homes and inside. Despite many warnings about household gatherings, as Christmas approached it became clear that case numbers were rapidly rising, followed by hospitalisations, ICU admissions and, sadly, an increase in deaths. The reason was simple: too much contactContinue Reading