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Showing posts with label COVID-19. Show all posts

Friday, 17 October 2025

COVID-19 Coronavirus, Flu, H5N1 Avian Flu, Measles, Tropical Diseases and other virus UK and World News Update 17th October 2025

COVID-19 Coronavirus, Flu, H5N1 Avian Flu, Measles, Vaccination and other virus UK and World News Update 17th October 2025

The UK Government and NHS have caused a nightmare for Pharmacists by massively reducing the number of people who are eligible for an NHS COVID jab, and then allowing ineligible people to book an appointment anyway. The National Pharmacy Association were quoted last week as saying their members were reporting around 1/3 to 1/2 of all COVID jab bookings were people who they aren't authorised to vaccinate.

NHS England say they've fixed the online booking system now, but literally millions of people who had Winter COVID and flu boosters last year are only eligible for flu this time, and eligibility for flu jabs has been widened, which has only made the problem worse. For reference...

NHS flu jabs for Autumn/Winter 2025 are offered if you:

- are aged 65 or over by 31 March 2026

- have certain long-term health conditions (list online)

- are pregnant

- live in a care home

- are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive a carer's allowance

- live with someone who has a weakened immune system

(Frontline health and social care workers can also get a flu vaccine through their employer.)

NHS COVID boosters for Autumn/Winter 2025 are offered if you:

- are aged 75 or over by 31 January 2026

- are aged 6 months to 74 years and have a weakened immune system because of a health condition or treatment (list online)

- live in a care home for older adults

It's no wonder there's confusion. Millions of people have previously been eligible due to age, and now aren't, despite not getting any younger. Please don't take it out on the Pharmacist, it wasn't their decision. Private jabs cost around £100 each.

171025 Diwali symbolism and text get your flu and COVID jabs

COVID-19 Coronavirus, Other Virus, Vaccination and Health UK and World News Update 3rd October 2025 (Featuring Autism and Tylenol)

COVID-19 Coronavirus, Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 3rd October 2025

In the UK COVID cases are still on the rise, we haven’t hit the peak yet. RCGP Sentinel Surveillance of around 2,000 GP surgeries in England suggests cases are up around 20% in the latest week (week ending 28th September) and UK HSA data confirms, showing a rise of 22.2% in the week ending 24th September. Looking at the charts, allowing for lags in data, it's probably on a par with where we were this time last year. Stratus (the XFG and XFG.3 variants) and Nimbus (NB.1.8.1) are being given the blame, Stratus accounted for around 2/3 of cases last month.

Online reports say Stratos includes a hoarse voice. Presumably can confirm. I've had hardly any sore throat, but I've spent over 2 weeks out of the last 3 1/2 croaking, and I still don't have my voice back properly, despite feeling a lot better and a negative test finally (hurrah!).

Wes Streeting quote Simple politics I trust doctors over President Trump on this frankly

COVID-19 Coronavirus, HPAI Bird Flu and other virus UK and World News Update 24th January 2025

Well hello. It's been a very busy 2 weeks, and if you are reading this then I probably lost internet at some point due to Storm Eowyn (I uploaded this a couple of hours after power went off at 7.40am just in case I lost internet too). Sorry if anything is already out of date - I'll do a quick update to the update when I'm back online! I hope everyone out there isn't too badly affected. Stay safe everyone. Thank you to all of the emergency and essential workers risking their lives to look after us in this weather.

"CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) has provided real-time data and analysis about disease outbreaks and emerging health threats without a break every week since 1960.

Until today."

Dr Tom Frieden, former CDC Director, 23rd January 2025.

The USA has a new President and as promised, Trump immediately signed executive orders withdrawing the USA from the Paris Climate Agreement (alongside just Iran, Libya and Yemen) and the World Health Organisation. Any WHO member officially has to give 1 year's notice to leave, so it may not have an immediate effect.

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus including HPAI H5N1 and Disease X UK and World News Update 13th December 2024

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 13th December 2024

World COVID Statistics: 776,947,553 officially reported cases and 7,076,993 losses of life.

The world is still officially losing around 500 people to COVID each week, despite only 102 countries still reporting regular figures to the World Health Organisation.

“We cannot talk about COVID in the past tense.

It’s still with us, it still causes acute disease and Long COVID, and it still kills.

The world might want to forget about COVID-19, but we cannot afford to.”

Dr Tedros, Head of WHO, at Wednesday's media briefing.

Large text telling people to get your Winter flu and COVID vaccinations and images of green germs in ice cubes

This time 5 years ago, the first severely ill patients in Wuhan, China, were about to be hospitalised.

Symptom onset for patient A was 1st December 2019, with 3 more patients by 10th December, and first hospitalisations around 17th.

"On that first confirmed case, none of his family members developed fever or any respiratory symptoms. He had not been to the Huanan seafood market and also no epidemiological link could be found between the first patient and later cases.

Chinese media later reported that there were earlier suspected infectections, going back to 17 November. Authorities did not publicly accept there was human-to-human transmission of the virus until 21 January."

Jim Reed, BBC Health Reporter.

5 years people... We all having been living a pandemic for 5 years.

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 29th November 2024

"I have no idea how to work within a system that accelerates catastrophic risk because people are pi**ed about the COVID pandemic. I have no idea how to convince people who think public health is a form of tyranny that millions of people could die in a flu pandemic."

Professor Angie Rasmussen, virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan.

Look Out For Others In Bad Weather UK HSA Rough blocky computer generated cartoonyimage of a snowy scene

English virus watch summary from the UK Health Security Agency (HSA):

- Influenza activity increased and has reached low activity levels

- COVID-19 activity remained stable and is at baseline levels

- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) activity increased is at medium levels

RSV is particularly affecting babies and infants 0-4 years (moderate levels), and children 5-14 (high). The UK also has a pretty big issue with Norovirus right now (sickness tummy bug).

Stay at home if you are ill...

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 11th October 2024

England's hospital admissions with COVID rose by 69% over September, so the wave did continue, and alas it seems it's not peaked yet. Cases are a mystery, as hardly anyone tests, but I know it is running around our local area at the moment, which is a lot rarer than it was when we were in Manchester.

Weekly RSV COVID and flu US HSA to mid October 2024

"10,096 deaths were registered in England and Wales, week ending 27 September 2024 (Week 39):

· 10.7% lower than the expected number (1,215 fewer deaths)

· 12.8% involved influenza or pneumonia (1,291 deaths)

· 1.4% involved COVID19 (143 deaths)"

It's absolutely great that we have sustained the lower losses of life, but 143 people still officially died from COVID last week - it really isn't 'over'.
There is a very important and somewhat grounding point to note, as Stuart McDonald of the COVID Actuaries explains:
"Mortality rates for young adults are still higher than any recent pre-pandemic year.
The CMI quarterly mortality monitor published yesterday shows that only 2021 and 2023 had higher death rates than we’ve seen so far in 2024."
We are still losing far too many people too early. It's hard to pull apart exactly why, but cardiovascular mortality is the main driver - heart and blood conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, aneurysm etc. These are areas we know can often sustain damage from COVID infection.

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 27th September 2024

The UK's 'cumulative mortality' continues to run at a level lower than would be expected historically. Summed up by COVID Actuary Stuart McDonald:

"Age-standardised death rates this year have tracked the best year on record (2019) very closely, except during the Covid-19 waves in June and July when death rates were a bit higher."

It's a very sad victory, but after so many people died early due to COVID, we would expect death rates to be lower than averages once stability returns. Last year it was clear that hadn't happened, this year looks more promising (unless XEC ruins it).

Stoptober stop smoking image of smiley man waving

COVID-19 Coronavirus, Avian Flu and other virus UK and World News Update 19th July 2024

"More from COVID inquiry on UK preparedness - strategy “outdated and lacked adaptability” , “fatal strategic flaws”, “lack of adequate leadership” by ministers, advisers and officials, Planning and policy “failed their citizens” , system was “unduly complex and labyrinthine”"

Hugh Pym, BBC News Health Editor, with the release of the first report from the UK COVID Inquiry.

WHO Immunization has saved over 154 million lives text with image of baby receiving oral immunisation

COVID-19 Coronavirus, Avian Flu and other virus UK and World News Update 21st June 2024

"We've not made as much progress on cutting waiting lists as I would have liked."

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sky News

Errrm, no.

The NHS waiting lists for planned treatment in England alone rose in April to 7.57 million. In March it was 7.54 million. This relates to 6.33m patients (it was 6.29m in March).

With the longest waits it's a mixed story. The number of people waiting over a year is down to 302,500, but of those, more people have waited over 65 weeks - more than 50,000 of you. (I waited 21 months for my last operation, so you have my honest sympathy.)

I don't think this story is entirely negative, let us not lose hope. The NHS and it's workers managed to reduce waiting lists for 7 months straight, and in latest figures yeah it's up, but it's a relatively small 0.4%. Fingers crossed we can get back into the groove again, and fix some more of those people who have had their life on pause for over 15 months...

Text be a blood doner and save lives and image of reclined person donating blood

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 8th March 2024

World COVID Statistics: 703,975,702 officially reported cases and 7,004,515 losses of life.

4 years since most of the world went into lockdown, a sad milestone as over 7 million people worldwide have now officially died directly from COVID. The true figure is far, far higher, and we'll never know just how many more people did not die directly from acute COVID infection, but had their lives cut short because COVID exists.
Sadly this is the sort of data that takes ages to compile, but in 2022 Scientists from Cornell University estimated worldwide deaths due to COVID existing, from the beginning of 2020 until the end of 2021 (the first 2 years of the pandemic), number 14.9 million people. During that time 5.42 million people officially died from COVID.

cumulative-excess-deaths-per-million-covid

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 22nd December 2023

World COVID Statistics: 700,057,262 officially reported cases and 6,958,594 losses of life.

Seasonal affective disorder can affect anyone, helpful hints from UK NHS

"UKHSA estimates that prevalence of COVID in England and Scotland has nearly tripled in the month since the ONS restarted its COVID infection surveillance."

John Roberts, COVID Actuary.

We expected a rise, but yowsers. Aren't we glad we got our surveillance data back... erm... hmm.

Here from the UKHSA:

"There has been an increase in prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in England and Scotland during the 2 weeks leading up to 13 December 2023."

- England, estimate 4.3%, equivalent to 2,333,000 individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2. Around 1 in 24 people.

- Scotland, estimate 4.1%, equivalent to 215,000 individuals. Around 1 in 24 people.

- Prevalence was higher for individuals aged between 18 to 44 years than for those aged over 65, and was estimated to have increased across all age groups in the 2 weeks up to 13 December 2023.

- In some areas of London prevalence looks like it might (last week) be as high as 1 in every 12 people.

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 13th October 2023

World COVID Statistics: 696,503,623 reported cases and 6,925,559 losses of life.

In England during the month between 1st and 29th September, 866 babies and children were hospitalised with COVID.

That is an increase from 476 during August and 276 during July.

COVID hospitalisations are rising across England (Scotland is a more mixed picture). Last week there was a 25% increase, and this week a 12% increase. We are still at a relatively low level, but it's been rising fairly steadily since the end of June, despite the fact we aren't routinely testing anyone any more.

131023 Hospitalisations children and babies chart

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 1st September 2023

World COVID Statistics: 694,630,525 reported cases and 6,911,550 losses of life.

Hospital admissions with COVID in England are up among all age groups, but from 3 people per 100,000 population overall, to 3.37.

Up, but it's not a really dramatic increase, and could simply be a reflection of us spending more time indoors as the weather cools or more people returning to work after holidays, or something else seasonal.

Current UK Health Secretary Steve Barclay has offered a 6% pay rise to England’s hospital consultants, and an average 8.8% rise to England's Junior Doctors. He says these offers are final, and is very disappointed that they aren't being accepted.

Strike dates are planned, including for the first time ever, consultants and junior doctors striking at the same time - 20th September 2023. They will also be on strike simultaneously from 7am 2nd October until 7am 5th October. Many thousands of appointments will not go ahead as planned.

Junior Doctors in Wales are planning future strike action after refusing a 'final offer' last week, and Junior Doctors in Scotland will not be striking, as they have accepted an offer of 12.4%.

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 4th August 2023

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has currently authorised 9 different COVID vaccines, and the latest is Bimervax, which is suitable as a booster jab for people aged 16+. It's still up the Joint Committee on Immunisation and Vaccination (JCVI) as to whether we actually deploy any of the vaccines we've okayed, and the Government have to agree to buy them.

Protect yourself from the sun - skin and eyes - WHO poster

In the UK COVID cases are currently on the rise, with pharmacists noting a marked increase in test buying over July and the ZOE app. registering a jump in symptomatic people. That follows a similar pattern to previous pandemic years, with us desperate for the school holidays to serve as a firebreak. It's always worth keeping alert though...

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 21st July 2023

World to date: Officially reported COVID cases 691,770,965, losses of life 6,901,646

The final witness has testified for the first phase of the UK COVID Inquiry. There's a lot to sift through and evaluate, so an interim report is expected next year, and it'll be a long time before the final document. By then it'll likely be another degree warmer, fish will contain too much plastic to count as fauna, and no-one will really care about a report stating the obvious inadequacies we all lived through. They hope.

measles is common abroad get vaccinated and image of holidaying family climbing steps onto a plane

A recent UK study has looked at just how many children have been hospitalised with COVID in England.

• Between July 2020 and February 2022, 3,226,535 children and teenagers in England tested positive with COVID for their first time.

• 29,230 (0.9%, almost 1 in every 111 of those who tested positive) needed hospital admission - some were tested on arrival to hospital with various other ailments, but 21,000 (around 3 in every 4) were taken to hospital and admitted specifically due to COVID.

• 1,710 (5.9% or 1 in every 17 of those admitted to hospital) involved paediatric critical care.

• 70 deaths occurred in which covid-19 or paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome was listed as a cause.

• 8,415 (28.8% or more than 1 in every 4) of those children admitted to hospital were aged under 1 year.

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 23rd June 2023

We may as well start here... The Privileges Committee Report:

Within an hour of my last post, Boris Johnson resigned. This was after he received an advance copy of the 'Partygate' report - which he said finds him guilty "regardless of the facts".

Even then he didn't actually give in, and reportedly sent the panel some extra evidence. They delayed the report by 24 hours to read it, which bizarrely resulted in Johnson getting shouty in Parliament about delays to publication.

On Thursday we were able to see what has been blindingly and unquestionably obvious since the very start. We were right there watching. Johnson lied to Parliament. Repeatedly.

He was emphatic that all of the COVID socialising rules had been followed, but as he has a brain and implemented them in clear English himself, he must have been aware he was breaking them.

Parliament still had to endorse the Privileges Committee's report, and they did, by vote of 354 - 7 (225 Conservative MPs abstained).

COVID jab UK deadline July except vulnerable NHS

Among evidence which has now become public is a reminder WhatsApp isn't just for text messages, and the 'Partygate video'.

Handily this video appears to be from a party the met police didn't investigate through 'lack of evidence', and it shows people wearing paper party hats, laughing, flirting and dancing at an actual Christmas office party - with music, booze and catered food. Awesome.

I am so very sorry if you lost your next of kin, your parent, your child, during lockdown and restrictions on mixing. If you lost someone you loved very much, with very little contact or chance to say goodbye. If you attended a limited funeral, or weren't even able to go. If you had a baby, and couldn't show them off. If your Grandchildren grew, without you being able to watch.

This affected ALL of us. They set the rules, and some never for a second believed those rules also applied to them.

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update catch up 9th June 2023

World COVID Statistics: 690,078,591 reported cases and 6,889,524 losses of life.

Hey up! Remember me? I'm finally regaining use of my faculties after having my abdomen wall reconstructed, and dipping back in to the COVID news between naps and 'exercising by walking round the block at the speed of a UK Government Renters (Reform) Bill'.

I get a 6 month sicknote, so recovery is all going to plan, just veeeery sloooow. It's been 6 weeks, so there are quite a few headlines you might have missed - here are some of them.... (as always source links are at the bottom of the page, so you can find out more if you wish).

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 31st March 2023

World COVID Statistics: 683,871,943 reported cases and 6,830,866 losses of life.

"Isn't a baseline of 1 million current cases & several hundred deaths a week dramatic enough for you? Like Coronation Street, it drags on forever, but can't be said to lack drama."

Excellent quote from someone named Mal Smith on the COVID stats last week. COVID very definitely isn't over, we are 'learning to live with it'. Never forget those who won't ever be able to take it lightly. Around 1.5 million people in the UK will always be more vulnerable to serious disease and death. Never belittle someone who wants to wear a mask or flinches if you cough, whether for their own safety or yours.

310323 1st and 2nd COVID jabs will end for most on 30th June

The weekly COVID19 surveillance report from the UK HSA shows that hospital admission rates have decreased in almost all age groups. The highest admission rates continue to be seen in the over 75s.

This is for the week ending 26th March, so it's much more up-to-date than we used to have to work with.

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 10th March 2023

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 10th March 2023 - the Matt Hancock Lockdown WhatsApp edition.

World COVID Statistics: 681,301,970 reported cases and 6,810,359 losses of life.

"Since April ‘20, the COVID-19 Infection Survey has gathered & analysed more than 11 million swab tests & 3 million blood tests from households.

Thank you to everyone who has participated in the survey… your contributions have provided invaluable data that has helped develop our understanding of COVID-19 & helped shape decisions made throughout the pandemic."

Prof.Steven Riley, Director General of Data, Analytics and Surveillance, UK Health Security Agency.

100323 COVID jab Spring booster rollout recipients

Almost 3 years since the first UK press conferences, so hands up if you've got COVID! Yeeeay... noooo... booo. My youngest is testing positive again (4th or 5th time). Most of us are ill, but he's currently the only one with a positive test to prove it. Should be a fun weekend ahead...

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 3rd March 2023

World COVID Statistics: 680,435,744 reported cases and 6,803,287 losses of life.

"Hospital admissions with COVID in England have fallen by 6% in-week.

Our R estimate has fallen to 0.95.

Admissions rose slightly in NE&Yorks and were flat in the Midlands, but fell everywhere else. The largest fall was 22% in the East.

Bed occupancy has fallen by 7%."

The COVID Actuaries Response Group

(Join in Yorkshire, and then we might get all good news to start with next week... )

Hospital-acquired COVID (which generally works as a canary in a coalmine, to tell us early which way it's going to go), fell by 12% in the latest weekly counts. Adele Groyer:

"There were 1,903 likely hospital acquired cases in the 7 days to 27 February vs 2,160 the previous week."

Protect yourself from Norovirus wash hands with soap

Sadly not quite a full house. The ONS random sampling is a bit more out of date, so expect it to show improvement next week. Week ending 21st Feb:

"The estimated percentage of people testing positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) continued to increase in England and Wales, decreased in Northern Ireland, and the trend was uncertain in Scotland."

- England, estimate 1,298,600, equating to 2.31% of the population (2.18% in the previous reference week), or around 1 in 45 people.

- Wales, estimate 68,100, equating to 2.21% of the population (1.79% in the previous reference week), or around 1 in 45 people.

- Northern Ireland, estimate 20,800, equating to 1.14% of the population (1.62% in the previous reference week), or around 1 in 90 people.

- Scotland, estimate 117,100, equating to 2.22% of the population (2.18% in the previous reference week), or around 1 in 45 people.

About The Brick Castle

COVID-19 UK and World News Updates every couple of weeks. (I couldn't do 7 days a week forever!)

Play and entertainment for children and young people from tiny to teen and beyond. Skilled at Lego building, reviewing big kid toys and mending all things trodden on.
My family lost our 16 year old to suicide in August 2014. I write about this occasionally, and I collect smiles as often as possible.
Mainly my own content with an occasional guest post to put food on the table. If I didn't write it, they'll have certainly paid me to host it.

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