May - 2020

Coronavirus: Schools and workplaces could see 'local lockdowns'

Local lockdowns could see schools and workplaces targeted in areas of England that have "flare-ups" of coronavirus, the communities secretary has said. Robert Jenrick said restrictions could be introduced at "a micro level" to control the virus in particular communities. The measures will be part of the test and trace system, which will be ready by next week, he said. Health Secretary Matt Hancock will give more details shortly, Mr Jenrick added. Mr Hancock first mentioned th

Coronavirus: Half a million access suicide prevention course

More than half a million people have accessed online training that aims to prevent suicide in the last three weeks alone, a charity has said. The Zero Suicide Alliance said 503,000 users completed its online course during lockdown. It aims to help spot the signs that a person may need help. It comes as health leaders warned front-line workers tackling coronavirus could suffer from mental ill health. NHS England launched a mental health hotline to support staff last month. The

Coronavirus: 'Wash hands at least six times a day'

Washing your hands at least six to 10 times a day makes catching infections such as coronavirus much less likely, a study by UK researchers suggests. It looked at data, from 2006-09, on viruses structurally very similar to the deadly pandemic strain circulating now. Coronaviruses are a family of virus that most usually cause mild illness such as the common cold. And all of them, including the pandemic one, can be killed by soap and water. Each winter the Medical Research Coun

Coronavirus symptoms: UK adds loss of smell and taste to list

Loss of smell or taste have been added to the UK's list of coronavirus symptoms that people should look out for and act upon. Until now, only a fever and cough were triggers for people to shut themselves away in self-isolation in case they had and could spread the infection. Ear, nose and throat doctors had been warning for weeks that more symptoms should be included. Scientific advisers told the government to update the advice. If you or someone you live with has any of thes

Hay fever or coronavirus: How to tell the difference between allergies and Covid-19 symptoms

Since being placed in lockdown on 23 March, the UK has experienced a bout of blue skies and sunshine. While the nice weather is something to be enjoyed within the lockdown guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic, this season may also see hay fever symptoms flare up among those with the condition. Dr Beverley Adams-Groom, chief pollen forecaster at the University of Worcester, told LBC that the nation is “experiencing a typical tree pollen season”. “The tree pollen season s

Coronavirus: A&E visits in England down to record low

A&E visits in England have halved since the coronavirus outbreak started, dropping to their lowest level since records began. Before the pandemic, more than 2.1m patients a month were visiting A&E. In April that dropped to 916,581. Everything from cancer care to routine surgery has been disrupted by coronavirus, although ministers have called for services to be restored. But re-starting NHS services could take many months, experts say. Three think tanks said reorganising care

Coronavirus: UK drug trial for over-50s recruiting

A trial of potential coronavirus drugs aimed at over-50s, who are vulnerable to developing serious symptoms, is looking to recruit more UK volunteers. Over 500 GP surgeries are asking those with a new, continuous cough or high temperature to test existing drugs. Patients aged over 65 or over 50 with an underlying health condition can fill out an online questionnaire at home to see whether they can be included. Patients can also contact participating GPs to discuss their suita

Coronavirus: Parents urged to keep up child vaccinations

NHS England says it is still offering essential vaccinations and is appealing to parents not to miss appointments for their children during the pandemic. The childhood immunisation programme protects against diseases including whooping cough, measles and meningitis. Visits to clinics and GP surgeries are allowed as long as none of the family is experiencing symptoms of Covid-19. Public Health Wales said this week that it had seen a small drop in routine vaccination numbers. V

Coronavirus immunity: Can you catch it twice?

Can you catch coronavirus again? Why are some people sicker than others? Will it come back every winter? Will a vaccine work? Could immunity passports get some of us back to work? How do we manage the virus in the long-term? The immune system is at the heart of some of the most important questions about the coronavirus. The problem is we know very little. How do you become immune to coronavirus? Our immune system is the body's defence against infection and it comes in two par