Christmas Day freedom for more than 2,500 in Northamptonshire after Covid self-isolation period cut from ten days to just a week

Christmas Day freedom for more than 2,500 in Northamptonshire after Covid self-isolation period cut from ten days to just a week More than 2,500 people could be free to enjoy Christmas Day across Northamptonshire after ministers reduced the ten-day self-isolation requirement to a week. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• NHS bosses in East of England asked to find extra Covid beds BBC News
• Omicron is now the dominant strain of Covid in England, figures suggest Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Children to be offered Covid vaccine as JCVI issues new advice Northamptonshire Telegraph

Rise deaths of people waiting for drug treatment in Northamptonshire, figures show

Rise deaths of people waiting for drug treatment in Northamptonshire, figures show The number of people who died while undergoing drug treatment in Northamptonshire has risen, figures show.

Amid a rise in fatalities nationally, drug reform charity Release warned that drug-related death rates are higher among those not in contact with treatment services. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton neighbourhood slams NHS staff over six-year parking 'nightmare' in busy estate

Northampton neighbourhood slams NHS staff over six-year parking 'nightmare' in busy estate A Northampton neighbourhood has spoken out about the 'nightmare' that rogue car parking is having on their estate. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Bridging the gap: protecting the nation from public health threats

Bridging the gap: protecting the nation from public health threats This report examines the UK’s policies and approach to health protection including the availability of the specialist resources, knowledge and skills needed to tackle the many diverse and challenging public health threats. Deloitte

Government sets clear ambition to close gender health gap

Government sets clear ambition to close gender health gap Decades of gender health inequality will be addressed as the government publishes its vision to reset the dial on women’s health.

The Vision for Women’s Health sets out key government commitments on women’s health, while recognising the system wide changes needed to tackle some of the issues raised, to be addressed by the upcoming Women’s Health Strategy in spring 2022. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Policy paper: Our Vision for the Women’s Health Strategy for England Department of Health and Social Care
• Consultation outcome: Women's Health Strategy: Call for Evidence Department of Health and Social Care
• Women's health ambassador appointment to improve care BBC News
• NHS 'has been neglecting women's health for decades': Ministers pledge to end sexism and stigma The Daily Mail
• Ministers pledge to ‘reset the dial’ on women’s health in England The Guardian
• A strategy for women’s health in England: six areas of focus The Guardian
• Finally the UK has noticed its rampant sexism in healthcare. What now? The Guardian

JCVI issues new vaccination advice for children and young people

JCVI issues new vaccination advice for children and young people Following extensive assessment of the risks and benefits of vaccinations for 5 to 11 year olds, including analysis of clinical trial results and real-world international data, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has updated its advice for this age group.

Children aged 5 to 11, who are in a clinical risk group or who are a household contact of someone (of any age) who is immunosuppressed, should be offered a primary course of vaccination. UK Health Security Agency

See also: 

• Carers urged to get COVID-19 booster now Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: Coronavirus Act 2020: status Department of Health and Social Care
• UK hits 30 million boosters as push continues to Get Boosted Now Department of Health and Social Care
• Research: COVID-19: Omicron daily overview UK Health Security Agency

Health staff ‘wrung dry’ by pandemic pressures,

Health staff ‘wrung dry’ by pandemic pressures More than two thirds (69%) of health staff say they’ve experienced burnout during the pandemic, and three in five (62%) feel overwhelmed after long, intense shifts, according to a UNISON survey. 

Omicron wave appears milder, but concern remains

Omicron wave appears milder, but concern remains The wave of Omicron appears to be milder according to preliminary studies published in the UK and South Africa.

Early evidence suggests fewer people are needing hospital treatment than with other variants - with estimates ranging from a 30% to a 70% reduction.

But the concern remains that even if Omicron is milder, the sheer number of cases could overwhelm hospitals. BBC News

See also: 

• SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike mediated immune escape, infectivity and cell-cell fusion (open access) bioRxiv
• Report 50: Hospitalisation risk for Omicron cases in England (open access) Imperial College Covid Response Team
• Early assessment of the clinical severity of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in South Africa (open access) medRxiv
• Omicron may be significantly better at evading vaccine-induced immunity, but less likely to cause severe disease University of Cambridge
• Covid: Ministers watch data as studies say Omicron risk lower BBC News
• Daily Covid-19 cases in the UK exceed 100,000 for first time BBC News
• Global Covid vaccine rollout a stain on our soul - Brown BBC News
• Health Secretary Sajid Javid promises millions more antivirals for UK BBC News
• NHS staffing crisis timebomb: 130000 workers are STILL not fully jabbed The Daily Mail
• Covid alert levels explained: What Level 4 means for you as omicron cases rise The Daily Telegraph
• NHS may set up ‘field hospitals’ in car parks to cope with Omicron The Guardian
• Covid: how has the pandemic changed in the UK in 2021? The Guardian
• New Year’s Eve plans in England may have to be cancelled, says minister The Guardian
• Public support for lockdown measures is disintegrating - a new approach is needed | Owen Jones The Guardian
• Innate immune response of children ‘better at fighting Covid’, new study suggests The Independent
• Inside UK intensive care hospital ward where 4 out of 5 patients are unvaccinated The Mirror

NHS England to offer life-changing drug to children with peanut allergy

NHS England to offer life-changing drug to children with peanut allergy Children in the UK will be the first in Europe to receive a life-changing treatment for peanut allergies, after NHS England secured a deal for a drug that decreases the severity of symptoms including anaphylaxis.

The oral treatment, Palforzia, will be available to up to 600 children aged four to 17 the first year and 2,000 the following year. The Guardian 

See also: 

• Palforzia for treating peanut allergy (guideline in development) NICE

GPs must not send patients to pharmacy without proper referral, says NHS England

GPs must not send patients to pharmacy without proper referral, says NHS England GPs must not ‘informally’ send patients to community pharmacies while prioritising Covid booster vaccinations, NHS England has said.

Instead, they must make a referral to the community pharmacist consultation service (CPCS) for the patient’s minor illness symptoms making them eligible for the service ‘via the locally agreed electronic referral route’. Pulse