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 being published 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 …
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 …
Are mRNA vaccines safe for use during pregnancy? Are COVID vaccines safe for use during pregnancy? Between December 2020 and February 2021, 35,961 pregnant people were monitored via the v-safe pregnancy registry and the Vaccination Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The aim was to identify the safety of mRNA vaccines during pregnancy. Tracking vaccines during …