Covid: Kettering sees case rates nearly double in a week

Covid: Kettering sees case rates nearly double in a week Secondary school-aged children have been urged to stay at home if their parents suspect they have Covid as cases soar in a Northamptonshire town.

Kettering, which currently has the highest infection rate in England, has seen cases nearly double within a week.

The Northamptonshire town saw 960 cases per 100,000 people in the week to 23 September. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Kettering's Covid rate goes through the roof as 'simply shocking' school infections soar Northamptonshire Telegraph

Annual hospital outpatient report

Annual hospital outpatient report NHS Digital has published annual outpatient figures, covering outpatient activity in the NHS and NHS-commissioned activity in the independent sector.

Included in the Hospital Outpatient Activity 2020-21 report is the number of outpatient appointments in 2020/21, broken down into patients that attended and did not attend. Further breakdowns of gender and age are also included. 

National AI strategy

National AI strategy This strategy builds on the UK’s strengths but also represents the start of a step-change for AI in the UK, recognising the power of AI to increase resilience, productivity, growth and innovation across the private and public sectors. Office for Artificial Intelligence 

Policy paper: Proposal for mandatory COVID certification in a Plan B scenario

Policy paper: Proposal for mandatory COVID certification in a Plan B scenario This document fulfils the commitment, set out in the Autumn and Winter Plan, to provide organisations with more detail about the proposed certification regime that would be introduced as part of Plan B. Department of Health and Social Care 

UKHSA publishes new recommendations for COVID-19 infection prevention and control

UKHSA publishes new recommendations for COVID-19 infection prevention and control UKHSA has recommended 3 pragmatic changes to the current management of COVID-19 IPC measures, with a focus on elective care. UK Health Security Agency

See also: 

• Hospitals in England can relax Covid rules to treat more patients BBC News
• Addenbrooke's Hospital: A&E patients made to wait in car park BBC News
• Covid: 'I lost my daughter to cancer after the pandemic paused chemotherapy' BBC News
• Covid UK: NHS hospitals are told to drop restrictions to help clear backlog The Daily Mail
• Hospitals in England relax Covid rules to help tackle waiting lists The Guardian

Most teenagers willing to have Covid jab - study

Most teenagers willing to have Covid jab - study Half of children and young people aged nine to 18 are willing or eager to be vaccinated against Covid, a large survey in England suggests.

It is one of the first polls to ask pupils, rather than parents, their views on teenage Covid jabs.

Carried out during the summer term, the responses from more than 27,000 students at 180 schools reveal half would opt to get protected. BBC News

See also: 

• Willingness of children and adolescents to have a COVID-19 vaccination: Results of a large whole schools survey in England (open access) EClinicalMedicine
• What it's like to be a nine-year-old in a vaccine clinical trial BBC News
• Schools warn about hoax anti-vaccine letters BBC News
• Mothers can pass Covid antibodies onto their babies via breastmilk for up to 10 MONTHS, study finds The Daily Mail
• People who don't wear face masks are up to TWICE as likely to test positive for Covid, data suggests The Daily Mail
• Covid UK: Cases begin to spill over from children to parents as rates rise in 35-50 year olds The Daily Mail

Health workers should be given priority access to fuel in UK, says senior doctor

Health workers should be given priority access to fuel in UK, says senior doctor No 10 is facing calls to give ambulance drivers, healthcare staff and other essential workers priority access to fuel after panic buying caused shortages across the UK.

With ministers due to meet on Monday afternoon to discuss the growing crisis, the British Medical Association (BMA) called for emergency measures to let medical staff fill up, warning that as pumps run dry “there is a real risk that NHS staff won’t be able to do their jobs”. The Guardian 

'Explosive' jump in autism as number of children on the spectrum rises eight-fold in 20 years

'Explosive' jump in autism as number of children on the spectrum rises eight-fold in 20 years Autism diagnoses in England have soared nearly eight-fold in the past two decades, a study has shown. 

UK researchers said the 'explosive' rise was likely due to increased awareness and screening for the condition. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Time trends in autism diagnosis over 20 years: a UK population-based cohort study (open access) Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry