Fresh plea from health chiefs after number of coronavirus-related deaths reaches 1200 in Northamptonshire

Fresh plea from health chiefs after number of coronavirus-related deaths reaches 1200 in Northamptonshire Twenty-six Covid-19 patients died in Northamptonshire hospitals over a 48-hour period, the latest figures have revealed, taking the county's total number of known victims to 1,200. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Is lockdown in Northamptonshire working? Here are the neighbourhoods where Covid infections are falling the fastest Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• More than 850 health and social care workers have died of Covid in England and Wales since the pandemic began Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Several deaths at Corby care home after mass Covid outbreak Northamptonshire Telegraph
• PICTURES: Hundreds vaccinated every day at Northampton vaccination centre Northamptonshire Telegraph

NHS reform: Five key questions about the future of primary care networks in England

NHS reform: Five key questions about the future of primary care networks in England NHS England and Improvement have published plans for changes to NHS structures and legislation. The changes aim to support NHS organisations to collaborate to improve care and manage resources, and may mean the abolition of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and new area-based agencies being established. The Health Foundation 

Who was advised to shield from COVID-19? Exploring demographic variation in people advised to shield

Who was advised to shield from COVID-19? Exploring demographic variation in people advised to shield The shielded patient list has been developed to identify those who are clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) to severe illness from COVID-19, to help ensure that they have safe access to essential services during the pandemic. Here we present novel data from five partners – Grampian, Wales, north west London, Liverpool and Wirral, and Leeds – in the Networked Data Lab, highlighting the heterogeneity of this group across different areas of the UK. The Health Foundation 

Young people’s mental and emotional health: trajectories and drivers in childhood and adolescence

Young people’s mental and emotional health: trajectories and drivers in childhood and adolescence Based on data from the Millennium Cohort Study, this report reveals insights into the determinants of young people’s wellbeing, including how it is affected by their relationships, background, and use of social media. The study examines the personal experiences of young people in England, at age eleven, fourteen and seventeen. The research shows that while the wellbeing of all young people declines by the end of their teenage years, there is a strong gender divide within this: girls see far lower levels of wellbeing and self-esteem than boys – driven by a sharp fall of both during mid-adolescence. Education Policy Institute

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions which require urgent or emergency referral

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions which require urgent or emergency referral This updated document follows the specialist guidance document produced during the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic.

It supports primary and community care practitioners in recognising serious pathology which requires emergency or urgent referral to secondary care in a patient who present with new or worsening MSK symptoms. Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance 

Latest findings from COVID-19 study published: January 2021

Latest findings from COVID-19 study published: January 2021 The findings from Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI show infections remained very high throughout this period with 1 in 64 people infected. Department of Health and Social Care 

See also:

• Official Statistics: REACT-1 study of coronavirus transmission: January 2021 final results  Department of Health and Social Care
• Tougher border controls to protect public health  Department of Health and Social Care
• Large-scale coronavirus vaccine manufacturing begins in Scotland  Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: COVID-19: enhanced surveillance of cases in vaccinated individuals Public Health England

Covid: 'Virus going in right direction but not fast enough'

Covid: 'Virus going in right direction but not fast enough' Scientists behind a study tracking coronavirus in England say there are signs of a "shallow decline" in infection levels but they remain high.

And with not all regions seeing the same downward trend, pressure on health services is likely to continue.

Some 1.57% of people had had the virus between 6 and 22 January - slightly down from 1.58% in early January, the researchers said. BBC News

See also:

• Debunking the Covid deniers who enter hospitals BBC News
• Covid: Black over-80s 'half as likely' to have been vaccinated BBC News
• Covid-19: 'Poor decisions' to blame for UK death toll, scientists say BBC News
• Coronavirus: AstraZeneca defends EU vaccine rollout plan BBC News
• Coronavirus: EU and AstraZeneca seek to resolve vaccine supply crisis BBC News
• Tory MP denies claims he endorsed Covid conspiracies The Daily Telegraph
• Pfizer vaccine only slightly less effective against South African coronavirus mutation The Daily Telegraph
• Oxford vaccine factory evacuated after 'suspicious package' was sent to site The Daily Telegraph
• Hospital incursions by Covid deniers putting lives at risk, say health leaders The Guardian
• Boris Johnson hopes schools in England will reopen from 8 March The Guardian
• Doctors call for better targeting of Covid vaccinations in UK The Guardian
• Covid-19 cases in England 'must fall to ease NHS pressure' The Guardian
• ‘Substantial divergence’ in Covid vaccination rates between different ethnic groups, figures show The Independent
• UK ‘just a few months away’ from vaccine rollout ‘changing all our lives for the better’, deputy chief medical officer says The Independent
• COVID-19: Tory MP Sir Desmond Swayne urged anti-vaxxers to 'persist' against COVID restrictions Sky News

REGEN-COV prevents symptomatic COVID-19 infections, finds analysis

REGEN-COV prevents symptomatic COVID-19 infections, finds analysis Interim data from the Phase III trial evaluating REGEN-COV™ as a passive vaccine to prevent COVID-19 finds it reduces overall infection rate, viral load and length of infection. European Pharmaceutical Review

See also:

• Increased Resistance of SARS-CoV-2 Variants B.1.351 and B.1.1.7 to Antibody Neutralization (open access preprint) bioRxiv
• Regen-cov™ antibody cocktail is active against sars-cov-2 variants first identified in the UK and South Africa REGENRON
• New Covid antibody drug found to prevent 100% of symptomatic infections in NHS trials Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• COVID-19: Breakthrough treatment claims to stop 100% of symptomatic infections Sky News

Post-Brexit immigration system risks ‘alarming’ shortfall in care staff, NHS leaders warn

Post-Brexit immigration system risks ‘alarming’ shortfall in care staff, NHS leaders warn Priti Patel’s post-Brexit points-based immigration system risks creating an “alarming” shortfall in social care workers in the coming years, NHS leaders have warned. The Independent 

NHS mental health deaths: dozens of families join forces in call for statutory public inquiry

NHS mental health deaths: dozens of families join forces in call for statutory public inquiry Dozens of families have joined forces calling for a statutory public inquiry into NHS mental health services across Essex after two decades of failings that have led to multiple deaths. iNews

Children's mental health services in England 'unable to meet demand'

Children's mental health services in England 'unable to meet demand' Mental health services in England do not have the capacity to cope with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on children, Anne Longfield, the children’s commissioner for England, has warned.

Despite an expansion in the four years before the pandemic, the supply of treatment for child mental health problems was already falling well short of demand, with referrals rising 35%, but treatments only increasing by 4%, the watchdog said as she called for a “rocket boost” in funding. The Guardian

See also:

• Damage to children’s mental health caused by Covid crisis could last for years without a large-scale increase for children’s mental health services Children's Commissioner