Thursday 7 April 2022

Drop-in clinics offering Covid spring booster jabs in bid to keep pressure off hospitals

Drop-in clinics offering Covid spring booster jabs in bid to keep pressure off hospitals Health chiefs are urging people to take up offers of Covid vaccine spring boosters in a bid to slow down the rise in hospital cases and deaths in Northampton. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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Research: Hepatitis C in England and the UK

Research: Hepatitis C in England and the UK Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major public health threat in the UK. These reports summarise the scale of the problem and are intended to support focused action. UK Health Security Agency

New calorie labelling rules come into force to improve nation’s health

New calorie labelling rules come into force to improve nation’s health New rules requiring calorie information to be displayed on menus and food labels come into force from Wednesday 6th April 2022.

The changes – which were approved by Parliament in 2021 – mean it is now a legal requirement for large businesses with more than 250 employees, including cafes, restaurants and takeaways, to display calorie information of non-prepacked food and soft drinks. Department of Health and Social Care

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Covid: Blood clot risk higher for six months after having virus

Covid: Blood clot risk higher for six months after having virus After a Covid infection, there is an increased risk of developing a serious blood clot for the next six months, a study from Sweden suggests.

The research found people with severe Covid, and those infected during the first wave, had the highest clot risk.

This highlights the importance of being vaccinated against the virus, the researchers say. BBC News

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Mental health groups call for trans conversion therapy ban

Mental health groups call for trans conversion therapy ban Mental health bodies in the UK have called for the government to include transgender people in forthcoming legislation to ban conversion therapy.

Last week No 10 rolled back on a promise to include therapies to supress someone's gender identity.

It led to a huge backlash from LGBT organisations and the cancellation of the government's first LGBT conference. BBC News

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NHS under ‘enormous strain’ in England as trusts declare critical incidents

NHS under ‘enormous strain’ in England as trusts declare critical incidents Hospitals and ambulance services across England are under “enormous strain” fuelled by “heavy demand”, “severe” staff shortages and soaring Covid cases, health leaders have warned after NHS trusts covering millions of patients declared critical incidents.

Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, which represents the whole healthcare system, said the situation had become so serious that “all parts” of the health service were now becoming “weighed down”.  The Guardian

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More than a third of British cancer patients are diagnosed in A&E

More than a third of British cancer patients are diagnosed in A&E More patients are diagnosed with cancer in A&E in Britain than in other comparable high-income countries, according to the first major study of its kind. The Guardian

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Fury as UK Government-funded vaccine manufacturing site SOLD to private firm

Fury as UK Government-funded vaccine manufacturing site SOLD to private firm A British taxpayer-funded vaccine manufacturing centre was today bought by a US pharmaceutical giant.  

The Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre, in Oxford, was built in 2018 with the goal of developing vaccines to protect against future pandemics, jab shortages and price wars. 

But New Jersey-based Catalent has purchased the 74,000-square metre facility for an undisclosed sum. The Daily Mail

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Cannabis will be tested as pain relief medication that could pave the way for NHS prescriptions

Cannabis will be tested as pain relief medication that could pave the way for NHS prescriptions Cannabis will be tested as a pain relief drug on thousands of Britons – which, if successful, could see the drug prescribed on the NHS.

Cannabis will be taken daily through inhalers in the trial with 5,000 participants with chronic pain, caused by conditions including arthritis. The Daily Mail