Towcester: Six Indian variant Covid cases found at school

Towcester: Six Indian variant Covid cases found at school Six cases of the Indian variant of Covid-19 have been found at a school.

Testing is now taking place at Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School in Towcester, Northamptonshire.

It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned the new variant could affect the lifting of coronavirus restrictions in the future. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Health chiefs prepared for surge testing if more Covid Indian cases found in Northamptonshire Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Indian Covid variant can ‘spread like wildfire’ among those who haven’t had jab Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Health chief hails Northamptonshire school's quick response to Indian variant Covid outbreak Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Fears Indian variant is 50% more transmissible and could derail lockdown plans Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Over-35s to be offered Covid vaccine in ‘coming week’ as fears grow over Indian variant Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Kettering hospital visitors told don't hug your nan Northamptonshire Telegraph

Demand for A&E at Northampton General Hospital increasing

Demand for A&E at Northampton General Hospital increasing More patients visited A&E at Northampton General Hospital last month, with demand rising well above the levels seen during the first national lockdown last year. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Northampton General Hospital now employs more clinical staff compared to this time last year Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Integrated care systems are an opportunity to reset the relationship between health services and the public

Integrated care systems are an opportunity to reset the relationship between health services and the public  If there was ever a time for thinking differently about health and care, it is surely now. The Covid-19 pandemic has served as a graphic reminder that people’s health and wellbeing is shaped by the broader circumstances in which they live and the opportunities that are open to them, or not. The King's Fund

Long working hours increasing deaths from heart disease and stroke

Long working hours increasing deaths from heart disease and stroke Long working hours led to 745 000 deaths from stroke and ischemic heart disease in 2016, a 29 per cent increase since 2000, according to the latest estimates by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization.

See also:

• Global, regional, and national burdens of ischemic heart disease and stroke attributable to exposure to long working hours for 194 countries, 2000–2016: A systematic analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury (open access) Environmental International
• Long working hours killing 745,000 people a year, study finds BBC News

More than 20 million UK adults receive both doses of COVID-19 vaccine

More than 20 million UK adults receive both doses of COVID-19 vaccine Health services across the UK have now administered a total of 56,677,012 million vaccines between 8 December and 15 May, including 36,573,354 million people with their first dose (69.4%) and 20,103,658 million with their second (38.2%). Department of Health and Social Care

See also: 

• Most vulnerable offered second dose of COVID-19 vaccine earlier to help protect against variants Department of Health and Social Care
• Summit to build global confidence in vaccines to be convened by the UK Government Department of Health and Social Care
• More than 600,000 NHS Covid Jabs Booked in 48 Hours NHS England
• JCVI advice to mitigate impact of B1.617.2 variant Public Health England

Covid: Hancock confident jab works against Indian variant

Covid: Hancock confident jab works against Indian variant The UK has "increasing confidence" that Covid-19 vaccines work against the Indian variant of the virus, the health secretary has said.

Scientists believe that the variant is more transmissible and cases of it nearly tripled to 1,313 in the past week in England.

But Matt Hancock said early lab data showed vaccines remained effective. BBC News

See also:

• Covid: How should I protect myself now? BBC News
• Covid-19: Boris Johnson urges caution as lockdown eases for millions BBC News
• Covid-19: No 10 defends India travel ban timing amid variant fears BBC News
• Covid: Second vaccine doses to be sped up over variant concerns BBC News
• Why do so many vaccinated Britons still feel too frightened to leave home? The Daily Mail
• I wouldn't meet indoors, says Sage scientist The Daily Telegraph
• India variant could lead to serious third wave of Covid in UK The Guardian
• Matt Hancock: unlocking will go ahead next week despite India variant – video The Guardian
• Indian Covid variant: Where in the UK has the new coronavirus strain been found? The Independent
• Test and trace axes thousands of clinical staff as cases of new Indian variant surge The Independent

'My exhausting smear test battle'

'My exhausting smear test battle' Many dread being invited for their cervical smear test - but Laurie Hodierne found it exhausting to have to keep asking for appointments, and trying to chase up the result.

He is one of a number of transgender men who still have a cervix but are no longer registered as female at their GP surgery. Laurie was re-registered as male without requesting it, he says. BBC News 

Samaritans to extend help for frontline health and care workers

Samaritans to extend help for frontline health and care workers More than 20,000 health and care workers have contacted the charity’s helplines since Covid started spreading last spring, and the Department of Health and Social Care has agreed to extend funding for a dedicated line until at least September.

The Samaritans’ dedicated helpline for NHS and social care workers in England is 0800 069 6222; the number in Wales is 0800 585 0555. The Guardian

See also:

• NHS workers' mental health needs protecting Metro