October - 2020

Boots to offer 12-minute Covid nasal swab test

A Covid test that can provide a result in 12 minutes will be made available at high street pharmacy Boots. The nasal swab test, which will cost £120, will be available in selected stores in the UK to people who are not showing symptoms. The company says the aim is to offer customers peace of mind. Anyone in the UK who thinks they have symptoms should stay at home and contact the NHS to book a Covid test in the usual way. The technology has been developed by LumiraDx, which ha

Covid: England boosting plasma stocks for patients

NHS Blood and Transplant is boosting stocks of blood plasma for very ill coronavirus patients ahead of winter. It wants more people who have recovered from Covid-19 to become donors. Their plasma contains antibodies that are believed to help other sufferers fight the virus. Fourteen new donation centres will open in November and December, to bring the total in England to 42. The blood plasma will be used to treat patients in Covid trials. Mother-of-seven Ann Kitchen, from Lon

Flu jab 'essential' for pregnant women this winter

All pregnant women are being advised to get a flu jab as soon as possible to protect their babies and themselves. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and Royal College of Midwives (RCM) say the free vaccination is particularly important this year because of Covid-19. Influenza is dangerous to people who are pregnant and can be deadly. Health experts are also concerned a combined outbreak of coronavirus and flu could overwhelm health services. Why shou

Coronavirus: Should I start taking vitamin D?

There are mounting questions about whether vitamin D can help fight coronavirus. The Scientific Advisory Commission on Nutrition and the health watchdog the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have done a rapid review of the evidence. What is the advice? With more people staying indoors during the pandemic, some may have been deprived of vitamin D. Normally, many of us get it by spending time outside. Our skin makes it when exposed to the sun. The NHS says