Easing of lockdown measures may have to be ‘reversed’ if variants spread rapidly, says scientist

Easing of lockdown measures may have to be ‘reversed’ if variants spread rapidly, says scientist Lockdown measures may need to be reintroduced if there is a rapid spread of Covid variants, a scientist advising the Government has said.

Surge testing is currently taking place in parts of London after a rise in people contracting the coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Over 150,000 people in the UK have died from coronavirus - according to ONS figures Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Crisis, communities, change: demands for an equitable recovery

Crisis, communities, change: demands for an equitable recovery Over the winter of 2020-2021, we undertook a community inquiry to listen to stories of resilience, challenge and imagination arising from the pandemic.

As part of our community inquiry, this short briefing is an attempt to understand in greater detail how those of ethnic minority backgrounds have been impacted. 

Amongst the findings was that discrimination in local services was twice as high among ethnic minorities: 52 per cent of Asian and 50 per cent of Black respondents have faced discrimination when accessing local services – compared to 19 per cent of the white population. The data suggests that institutional distrust because of discrimination may play a role in vaccine hesitancy. Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce

Integrated care systems explained: making sense of the new NHS structure

Integrated care systems explained: making sense of the new NHS structure Delivering more joined-up care for patients has been a key ambition for the NHS over the past few years. This glossary was developed following NHS Providers' recent virtual workshops, where governors expressed a desire to learn more about the acronyms and terminology that are now commonly used to describe how the NHS structure is evolving. NHS Providers

UK moves into next phase of vaccine roll-out as government target hit early

UK moves into next phase of vaccine roll-out as government target hit early Everybody in cohorts 1 to 9 has been offered a vaccine, with people aged 45 to 49 now invited to book their appointments. Department of Health and Social Care

See also: 

• UK health ministers’ statement on JCVI advice (13 April 2021) Department of Health and Social Care
• Moderna jabs mark new milestone in NHS vaccination programme NHS England
• Guidance: National protocol for COVID-19 mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) Public Health England

'Mix and match' UK Covid vaccine trial expanded

'Mix and match' UK Covid vaccine trial expanded A major UK trial looking at whether Covid vaccines can be mixed with different types of jabs used for first and second doses is being expanded.

Combining vaccines might give broader, longer-lasting immunity against the virus and new variants of it, and offer more flexibility to vaccine rollout.

Adults over 50 who have had a first dose of Pfizer or AstraZeneca can apply to take part in the Com-Cov study. BBC News

See also:

• Covid: South Africa variant surge probaby due to person travelling from Africa BBC News
• Covid-19: US agencies call for pause in Johnson & Johnson vaccine BBC News
• Weekly Covid deaths in England and Wales fall to lowest levels in six months The Daily Mail
• Anti-lockdown Sweden had highest rate of Covid-19 infections in Europe per capita last week The Daily Mail
• Moderna's vaccine is 90% effective at protecting against infection six months after the final dose The Daily Mail
• Mass Covid testing plans in disarray as pharmacies forced to ration supplies The Daily Telegraph
• As the UK inches towards normality, those with long Covid must not be forgotten | Frances Ryan The Guardian
• Covid vaccine side-effects: what are they, who gets them and why? The Guardian
• UK strategy of backing several Covid vaccines seems to be paying off The Guardian
• Boris Johnson: easing lockdown will increase Covid infections The Guardian
• NHS Covid app update blocked for breaking Apple and Google privacy rules on location data iNews
• Rate of people with Covid antibodies ‘levels off’ across most of UK The Independent
• Lockdown easing may need to be reversed if variant spreads rapidly, says government adviser The Independent

NHS considers standardised national nursing uniform

NHS considers standardised national nursing uniform The NHS is currently considering implementing standardised uniforms for nursing staff and other healthcare workers.

Staff working in clinical roles across the health service in England are now being asked to take part in a seven week consultation on the proposals. NursingNotes

‘I felt humiliated’: parents respond to NHS maternity care racial bias inquiry

‘I felt humiliated’: parents respond to NHS maternity care racial bias inquiry Feeling manipulated into having medical procedures, dismissed by professionals and labelled with racial stereotypes are among the complaints of parents who responded to a national inquiry into racial injustice in UK maternity care.

A panel established by the charity Birthrights is investigating discrimination ranging from explicit racism to racial bias and microaggressions that amount to poorer care. The Guardian

Two directors to step down at Suffolk hospital hit by ‘witch-hunt’ claims

Two directors to step down at Suffolk hospital hit by ‘witch-hunt’ claims Two directors at Matt Hancock’s local hospital are to step down, it has been announced ahead of the publication of a delayed review into a “witch-hunt” for a whistleblower involving an unprecedented demand for fingerprints from senior clinicians.

In January 2020 a “rapid review” was ordered into claims of managing bullying at West Suffolk hospital trust which the health secretary had to recuse himself from because of his friendship with the trust’s chief executive, Steve Dunn. The Guardian

Boris Johnson accused of creating ‘loophole’ in proposed conversion therapy ban

Boris Johnson accused of creating ‘loophole’ in proposed conversion therapy ban Boris Johnson has been accused of creating a “loophole” in the government’s proposed ban on conversion therapy after he suggested it will not cover prayer in religious settings for the “exploration” of a person’s sexual identity.  The Independent