Like masks and lockdowns, lateral flow tests have become a point of contention during the pandemic. A debate has raged about how and when they should be used. At the same time, as more evidence has been put forward to illustrate their strengths and weaknesses, an outline of a scientific consensus has gradually emerged. Lateral flow tests are small, portable and give fast results, but their speed comes at some cost in accuracy. Exactly how much less accurate they are than PCR tests is a matter of some debate, and the final results depend on who is being tested and who is doing the testing. The short version of the accuracy debate goes like this: they should be able to detect the most infectious people, but they will give some … 阅读全文

COVID infection rates in all four UK nations fell in the week to 6 February, new figures reveal. Around one in 80 people in private households in England had COVID-19 between 31 January and 6 February, according to estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - the equivalent of 695,400 people. This is down from around one in 65 people for the period 24 January to 30. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world Infections were also down in Wales where around 1 in 85 people (35,300) had the virus, and Scotland too, with 1 in 150 there testing positive during the same period, the equivalent of 35,400 people. The percentage of people testing positive for COVID also decreased in Northern Ireland, where around 1 in … 阅读全文

There are early signs emerging in the COVID-19 data that vaccines are beginning to suppress deaths among the age groups most vulnerable to the virus. Case fatality rates, which measure the percentage of people with confirmed COVID cases who eventually die, have dropped significantly for those aged 80 and over, according to new analysis based on recent weeks' data from Oxford University's Centre for Evidence Based Medicine. The analysis, carried out by Daniel Howdon, Jason Oke and Carl Heneghan, found the case fatality rate (CFR) for those aged over 80 had dropped by around a third since early January. While the CFR for those under 80 has also fallen, that fall was far smaller, at around 8%. The data on the impact of the vaccines remains tentative, which is not … 阅读全文

Ten residents of a care home in Scotland have died after contracting COVID-19. A total of 25 residents of Mossview Care Home in Lochgelly tested positive for coronavirus, as well as 43 members of staff, NHS Fife said. The first case "associated with the cluster" was confirmed on 20 December, it added. Latest COVID updates from across the UK The local health protection team has been supporting the management of the home, and offering advice on stopping the spread of COVID-19. Fife Council's environmental health service has also been involved. For a time, the home closed to new admissions but has now reopened, because it is 14 days since the last positive test. More on Covid COVID anniversary: Day of reflection across UK to mark five years since start of … 阅读全文

All over-50s should be offered a coronavirus vaccine by May, the government has announced. It is a significant target and the first time a firm date has been put on when all those in the top nine categories on the priority list for a COVID-19 jab will be offered one by. Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed the ambition on Friday, saying in an interview: "My plan is that we should be able to offer a vaccine to everyone in categories 1-9 - that's all the over 50s - by May. "Lots of things have got to go right to hit that goal - especially supply, which is the rate-limiting factor." Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman yesterday would only say the deadline was the "end of spring" - and refused to … 阅读全文

The Duchess of Cambridge has praised the "vital role" of teachers during the pandemic, emphasising how important it is that they are "looked after too". As part of Children's Mental Health week Kate spoke to teachers from Ribbon Academy in County Durham about how they've been supporting pupils and their families during lockdown. Place2Be, a charity that provides mental health support in schools, of which Kate is patron, has been working in the school since 2002. Live COVID updates from UK and around the world Talking to one of the teachers over a video call, the duchess said: "You play such a vital role in looking after our children. It's so important that you're looked after too and have the appropriate networks and support systems to make sure you can … 阅读全文

Colchicine, a cheap drug normally used to treat gout, helps to reduce hospital stays and the need for oxygen therapy in COVID-19 patients, a study has concluded. The results of the small clinical trial, published in the online journal RMD Open, prompted the Brazilian researchers to suggest that it may be worth adding the medication to standard treatment for hospital patients with moderate to severe cases of coronavirus. Colchicine has been successfully used to treat and prevent systemic inflammatory conditions, including gout. As systemic inflammation is a key feature of moderate to severe COVID infection, the researchers wanted to find out if adding it to standard treatment may cut the need for supplemental oxygen and length of hospital stay. They also sought to establish whether it could mean fewer patients … 阅读全文

People may be able to catch COVID-19 twice and suffer two completely separate bouts of the disease within just four months, doctors have said. The warning comes after evidence emerged of a man whose infections were separated by four months of no symptoms and serial negative tests for the virus. But although dwindling immunity could increase the risk of contracting coronavirus again, the doctors say a severe first infection may be followed by milder symptoms on the second occasion. While people being reinfected with COVID is not unheard of, very few cases have been reported. Previous studies has indicated reinfection is possible, but have tended to suggest people generally get some immunity for more than four months. And the experts who highlighted the case in the journal BMJ Case Reports … 阅读全文