It was five years ago this week that “non-essential” UK shops reopened after the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this article we will look again at the Covid risk and how employers can improve workplace control of infectious diseases. Much has happened in the half-decade since the start of the pandemic, and Covid […]
Cardio-metabolic changes after COVID infection A huge UK study tracking nearly a million patients has just reported some startling results. The special type of study, a matched cohort study, was designed to see how COVID affected people after infection with the virus. Researchers from King’s College London suggest in the BMJ that anyone infected with
How long does COVID vaccine immunity last? The results from a huge clinical study into COVID vaccine immunity have just been published. The study, one of the largest ever conducted in the UK, tracked over 6 million people’s vaccination status and matched it with COVID infection. The results contain illuminating data on just how effective
A breath test for COVID For anyone who doesn’t enjoy being swabbed, news of a new COVID breath test may be welcome. Claimed as the first “ultra-rapid COVID-19 detection technology” a Finnish medical company has just received CE certification for their device, which means it can now be sold across Europe. The device, called a
Returning to work after Long Covid Covid-19 is still a new illness, even though we’ve lived with the pandemic for nearly two years. Although more reliable data is beingpublished all the time, much is still unknown about the long-term impacts of Covid infection on health. Some people recovering from Covid-19 still experience symptoms months after infection. It can
New data shows Pfizer vaccine safe for children The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for use in children (aged 5-11) just before Christmas. The MHRA is responsible for approving all medicines and medical devices in the UK. The MHRA conducted a detailed review of the available evidence in late
How is Omicron affecting South Africa? It’s difficult to escape the Omicron virus in the news. Case numbers and hospitalisations are being widely reported. We know it will take time for the true risk levels to become clear. The current case trend gives a very clear idea of the rapid change in number of cases
New drugs are coming to treat COVID Whilst the world has its gaze fixed upon the latest COVID variant, new treatments are coming to the rescue in the fight against the pandemic. They herald the beginning of the end to the pandemic and the disruption to daily life. Although the treatments are still sometime away, the data from trials
Long-covid update for employers So far there have been over 246 million reported cases of Covid worldwide, with over 5 million deaths. In the UK, there have been over 9 million cases reported and 575,000 admitted to hospital. Although mortality rates have fallen from over 30% of hospitalised patients to less than 20%, the spectre
The latest COVID vaccine developments AstraZeneca safety update Many people have believed the AstraZeneca vaccine to be in some ways inferior to the Pfizer or Moderna alternatives. The vaccine was bedevilled by safety concerns in the early days of the pandemic. However, most clinicians consider the risk of serious illness from COVID far outweighs the