CORONAVIRUS NEWS

Biologics increase COVID-19 infection risk but may protect psoriatic patients from ICU hospitalisation and death.

A government-led project is successfully detecting traces of coronavirus in sewage, providing an early warning for local outbreaks across the country and sharing data with NHS Test and Trace.

Hundreds of patients who turn up to A&E departments in Birmingham may be turned away in a bid to protect key services, health bosses have said.

Leading surgeons are calling for hospital beds to be ring-fenced for planned operations, to avoid a ‘tsunami of cancellations’ during the second wave of COVID-19.

NICE and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) have announced they will work with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to develop a guideline on persistent effects of COVID-19 (Long Covid) on patients.

People suffering ‘long COVID’ symptoms will be offered specialist help at clinics across England, the head of the NHS has announced.

UK PPE firm, Globus Group, is expanding its UK manufacturing capacity to meet the increasing demand for high performance PPE for the UK’s healthcare sector.

The UK Government has entered into a contract with Abingdon Health, on behalf of the UK-Rapid Test Consortium (“UK-RTC”), for the supply of the AbC-19 Rapid Antibody tests.

Interim results from the fourth report of the country’s largest study on coronavirus rates of infection have been published.

A committee of MPs has highlighted the impact and unprecedented challenge caused by COVID-19 to the provision of essential services.

More than 10 percent of young and healthy people who develop severe COVID-19 have misguided antibodies that attack not the virus, but the immune system itself, new research shows. Another 3.5 percent, at least, carry a specific genetic mutation.

Short-term hydroxychloroquine treatment is not associated with lethal heart rhythms in patients with COVID-19 who are risk assessed prior to receiving the drug.

Research presented at the ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease has investigated the accuracy of a number of antibody assays.

A new 18-bed modular ward has been installed at Kettering General Hospital (KGH) to provide extra capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Commonwealth Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) has invested almost $3 million into new COVID-19 vaccine candidates led out of Melbourne.

A 90-minute COVID-19 test has been shown to have over 94 per cent sensitivity, and 100 per cent specificity in a new study.

Two new Lighthouse Labs in Newcastle and Bracknell will join the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities created in British history to help scale up testing capacity ahead of winter.

Speaking at the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Coronavirus, RCN director of nursing, policy and public affairs, Susan Masters, called for an inquiry to investigate how the UK prepared for and responded to the pandemic.

A £500 million funding package is being invested in next generation testing technology and increased testing capacity, the Health and Social Care Secretary has announced.

Up to 200 staff working for Queen Victoria Hospital are being recruited to take part in a major national study to help scientists to find out more about COVID-19 antibodies and whether having COVID-19 antibodies makes someone immune to the virus.