Category Archives: Health

Pfizer Jab’s ‘Off The Scale’ Antibodies Could Protect Against Brazil Variant

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“The other potential is that you boost your antibody levels so high from whatever vaccine you have that there’s enough to go around and you cope with the variant.

“We’ve certainly seen in this paper that the antibody levels are so good, really after the first two weeks, that we are pretty confident that this should be very helpful against the Brazilian variant.”

Asked if he is surprised how well the vaccines have worked in older people, he said: “We were. When we sent these samples to Porton Down they said ‘we can’t give you results right now because we’ve got to dilute them because they’re so high, they’re off the scale’.

“The antibody levels were so high that they’d gone above the thresholds so they had to dilute them.”

But he added it will be crucial to see how long antibody levels are maintained after people have had a Covid-19 vaccine.

“It will be important to assess that and whether they wane at different rates in people of different ages,” he said.

“I think that’s something that we have to watch out for.”

Although the new study did not look at the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine, Prof Moss said the evidence for the jab is that “it’s very, very effective”.

He added: “The UK has a strong portfolio of vaccines – Pfizer, AstraZeneca, we’ve got Moderna coming very soon, and Novavax as well.

“So yes, I think it’s possible that we can have very broad vaccine coverage across the UK very quickly.”

On T cell responses, Prof Moss said they are “better against variants overall” than antibodies, but he added the role of T cells in fighting coronavirus is still uncertain.

“I do think cellular immunity is very important,” he said, adding that a third of people in the study had no cellular responses detected.

“We know that, as people age, their cellular and immune responses are more difficult to elicit.

“Even influenza vaccines are much less effective in older people so that’s something that we will keep an eye on very closely.”

Prof Moss also said the UK’s plan to exit lockdown appears to be “on track”, with policies to control variants, the development of new vaccines and a strong immunisation programme.

“I think we can be confident about gaining control of variants with the current plans, and also leaving lockdown,” he said.

First author on the paper, Dr Helen Parry, a National Institute for Health Research academic clinical lecturer at the University of Birmingham, said: “Our research provides further evidence that the mRNA vaccine platform delivers a strong immune antibody response in people up to 96 years of age and retains broad efficacy against the P.1 (Brazilian) variant, which is a variant of concern.”

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Seriously Guys, You Really Need To Wash Your Face Masks

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You grab your face mask from your pocket, think “I really should wash this soon”, forget all about it, then repeat the process next time you pop to the shop. Sound familiar?

Just 13% of people who wear reusable face masks are washing them frequently enough and in the right way, according to a study by YouGov.

A third (32%) wash their mask after every use, which is recommended. But even among those people, only 41% wash them at 60 degrees or higher, despite the fact lower temperatures are not enough to kill viruses like Covid-19.

Dr Roger Henderson, a senior GP who’s been working with Copper Clothing on their masks, is calling on Brits to take their mask care seriously to prevent the spread as lockdown measures ease.

Face masks become ineffective if they aren’t clean, he says. “If you take your mask off and set it down somewhere or leave it in your pocket, this allows for potentially harmful bacteria to spread onto other surfaces,” he tells HuffPost UK.

“Masks made from different materials will have different risks, but overall, it is best practice to wash your mask daily and wash your hands after every use. Really, you should be washing your mask as regularly as your pants.”

The government’s website says you should wash your face covering “regularly” and follow the washing instructions for the fabric. “You can use your normal detergent. You can wash and dry it with other laundry,” it adds. “You must throw away your face covering if it is damaged.”

Meanwhile, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) says you should wash and dry wet or dirty masks as soon as possible to prevent them from becoming mouldy. “Wet masks can be hard to breathe through and are less effective than dry masks,” it says.

Dr Ed Wright, senior lecturer in microbiology at the University of Sussex, previously told HuffPost UK coronavirus particles have a fatty, oily outer layer – and washing is important, because detergent damages that layer.

“That layer is required for the virus to be able to infect a cell,” he said. “If you use soap or detergent, they will interact with this waxy, oily layer and disrupt that, so the virus will fall apart and won’t be able to infect anybody.”

The World Health Organisation adds that you should store fabric masks in a clean, reusable bag when you’re out and about – shoving them in a pocket next to your phone and keys is not recommended.

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Pregnant Women Are Getting Antibodies From Covid-19 Jabs

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The Covid-19 vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna are “highly effective” in producing antibodies against the coronavirus in pregnant and breastfeeding individuals, according to new research.

In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Ragon Institute demonstrated the vaccines are not just effective in protecting pregnant women, but they pass on protective immunity to newborn babies through breastmilk and the placenta.

In the UK, pregnant women aren’t able to have the Covid-19 vaccine unless they have an underlying health condition that puts them more at risk from the virus, or they work in a profession that increases their exposure.

This is because there’s a lack of safety data from trials of the jabs. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which is responsible for prioritising who gets the vaccine, says although available data doesn’t indicate safety concerns or harm to pregnancy, there’s insufficient evidence to recommend routine use of Covid-19 vaccines during pregnancy.

Women are, however, able to have the jab if they’re breastfeeding.

In the US, women can choose to have the vaccine. The study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (AJOG), looked at 131 women of reproductive age – 84 were pregnant, 31 were lactating and 16 were not pregnant. All of the women received one of two new mRNA vaccines: Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna.

Scientists discovered that in all three groups, antibody levels were present and similar – and, reassuringly, side effects after vaccination were rare and comparable across the study participants.

The news of “excellent vaccine efficacy” is “very encouraging” for pregnant and breastfeeding women, who were left out of the initial Covid-19 vaccine trials, said Dr Andrea Edlow, a maternal-foetal medicine specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital and co-senior author of the new study.

“Filling in the information gaps with real data is key,” she said, “especially for our pregnant patients who are at greater risk for complications from Covid-19.”

The study is important because we know individuals who are pregnant are more vulnerable to Covid-19. Research led by the University of Birmingham and the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests the risk of pregnant women being admitted to intensive care or needing ventilation is higher than non-pregnant reproductive-aged women with the virus.

Pregnant women are also at increased risk of severe Covid-19 if they’re from ethnic minority backgrounds, or if they have pre-existing conditions like obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.

For the latest study on antibodies in pregnant people, the team also compared vaccination-induced antibody levels to those induced by natural infection with Covid-19 in pregnancy, and found significantly higher levels of antibodies from vaccination.

Vaccine-generated antibodies were also present in all umbilical cord blood and breastmilk samples taken from the study, showing the transfer of antibodies from mothers to newborns.

In Florida recently, a new mother made headlines after her baby girl was born healthy and with Covid-19 antibodies – the frontline health care worker had received the Moderna jab three weeks before giving birth.

“We now have clear evidence the Covid vaccines can induce immunity that will protect infants,” said Galit Alter, of the Ragon Institute and co-senior author of the study.

A new study has found the vaccines are effective at producing antibodies in pregnant women – and these antibodies have been found to pass on to their newborns too.

A new study has found the vaccines are effective at producing antibodies in pregnant women – and these antibodies have been found to pass on to their newborns too.

The research was also able to provide an insight into potential differences between the immune response elicited by the Pfizer vaccine compared to the Moderna vaccine. Levels of mucosal (IgA) antibodies were higher after the second dose of Moderna compared to the second dose of Pfizer.

The finding is important for all individuals, since SARS-CoV-2 is acquired through mucosal surfaces like the nose, mouth and eyes, said Kathryn Gray, an obstetrician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and another author of the study.

“It also holds special importance for pregnant and lactating women because IgA is a key antibody present in breastmilk,” she added.

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Grunting And Nasal Flare: 7 Symptoms Of Covid In Under 18s

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Grunting, nasal flare and poor appetite have been listed as additional symptoms of Covid-19 in children and young people under the age of 18.

Throughout the pandemic, the NHS has listed the main symptoms of coronavirus in children as: a high temperature; a new, continuous cough; and a loss or change to sense of smell or taste.

But a new guideline from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) sheds more light on additional symptoms of the virus children and teens may experience.

NICE, which offers advice and information services to health, public health and social care professionals including the NHS, has published a single guideline – sort of like a ‘one-stop shop’ for Covid information – for the management of Covid-19 in both children and adults.

A NICE spokesperson tells HuffPost UK previous guidance about Covid-19 symptoms only covered adults over the age of 18, whereas the new guideline includes young people and children.

“The symptoms listed for children are not new symptoms but are recognised in peer reviewed studies,” they explain. “This evidence was examined by the guideline panel and brought into our overall guideline so that the information is all in one place for clinicians.”

They noted that, as with other areas in this guideline, it may evolve over time as additional evidence emerges.

The guideline is for health and care practitioners, and those involved in planning and delivering services. In it, NICE lists additional symptoms of Covid-19 that can present in children and young people under the age of 18.

These include:

  • Grunting. This sound can be heard each time they exhale and can be a sign of respiratory distress in children.
  • Nasal flare. In babies especially, enlargement of the nostrils during breathing can also be a sign of respiratory distress.
  • Nasal congestion.
  • Poor appetite.
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting.
  • Skin rash.
  • Conjunctivitis.

Children and young people are likely to feel much better in a week if their symptoms are mild, reads the guidance, however if their symptoms worsen, parents are advised to contact NHS 111 online.

The presence of symptoms such as fever, rash, abdominal pain, diarrhoea or vomiting may indicate paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS), the guidance states, which is a more serious issue and requires urgent medical help.

As it stands, parents can only access PCR tests on the NHS for their children if they experience one or more of the three classic Covid symptoms. Children who are asymptomatic – meaning they have no symptoms – are able to have lateral flow tests as part of the return to school, in a bid to try and reduce the spread of Covid even more. It’s thought one in three people are silent carriers of the virus.

Dr Paul Chrisp, director of the Centre for Guidelines at NICE, said he hopes the information hub will support healthcare professionals caring for patients unwell with Covid-19.

“The pandemic has driven new collaborative and international ways of working, and by sharing high-quality evidence with our colleagues around the world we have been able to develop this guidance more quickly,” he said.

“By keeping abreast with the latest evidence, we hope to identify which guidance needs updating more efficiently.”

NICE’s new guideline also lists the key signs of severe illness in Covid patients more generally, which include:

  • Severe shortness of breath at rest or difficulty breathing.
  • Reduced oxygen saturation levels measured by pulse oximetry. Oxygen saturation levels below 94% for adults – or below 88% for adults with known type 2 respiratory failure – can help identify people who are seriously ill. In children who are resting, anything below 91% would also warrant medical help.
  • Coughing up blood.
  • Blue lips or face.
  • Feeling cold and clammy with pale or mottled skin.
  • Collapse or fainting.
  • New confusion.
  • Becoming difficult to rouse.
  • Reduced urine output.
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NHS Medics Slam 1% Pay Rise: ‘It’s A Real Insult, I’m Absolutely Fuming’

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A staff nurse who held a phone to the ear of a dying patient on a Covid ward so he could say goodbye to his family has blasted the government for its “pitiful” 1% pay increase.

Alex Oldham told HuffPost UK that the NHS has had the “year from hell” and that he backed proposals for strike action in response to the gesture.

Oldham, who works in Bristol, said: “We’ve been working through a year-long pandemic where at times we’ve had nurses wearing binbags for PPE, there’s been 850 NHS workers who have died of Covid.

“Yes, we’ve had nice things like Clap for Carers on Thursdays, and when ministers have given praise and kind words, but we now know those words are hollow and not worth anything.”

The main nurses’ union is to set up a £35m industrial action fund in response to the government’s recommendation.

The council of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) made the decision amid growing anger over the pay of health staff who have been under unprecedented pressure during the coronavirus crisis.

Dozens of healthcare workers have also been tweeting their disgust at the proposal.

Unite, which represents tens of thousands of NHS workers, is also warning of industrial action. Some of the hardships endured by NHS workers have seen using foodbanks, moving out of family homes to live closer to the hospitals and cover staff sick leave and living in complete isolation in order to protect their families.

A survey of RCN members last year revealed that more than one in three were thinking of leaving the profession, with many citing pay as the main reason.

Oldham said: “Strike action, in whatever form that may be might have to be the only option, obviously with patient safety carefully considered.”

When asked if he was tempted to leave, Oldham replied: “It does make me consider. There are other avenues to earning more money – like being an agency nurse, but that just doesn’t sing with my values. I like the ethos of the NHS, I like how it all works and the goodwill of it. But we can’t keep running on empty.”

Downing Street has defended the figure, saying it was what was “affordable” and Health Minister Nadine Dorries has said she was “pleasantly surprised” at the proposal.

Oldham said he was reminded of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s vow to lead a government of substance, not gestures, adding: “Here we are, really not seeing any substance. Even as a gesture it’s pretty pitiful.

“The government also have a pledge for wanting to put an extra 50,000 nurses on the wards by the end of their term in government, but how are they going to achieve that when they are offering, in terms of retention and appealing to people, a £3.50 a week pay rise?

“That’s an extra cup of coffee. That’s what that equates to, that’s the reality. And we also have to think about the human cost of the nurses on the frontline. I’ve held a phone to the ear of a dying patient, to their relatives who are crying on the phone because they can’t come in and see them.

“This pandemic will ripple for years to come because of the PTSD that nurses and many other NHS workers will suffer. It’s a real insult, I’m absolutely fuming.

 “This request for a pay rise is not driven by greed. This is driven by the fact we are exhausted. We are on our knees and we are fed up of being treated like this. We want a substantial pay rise to put food on the table, pay the mortgage and pay for childcare.”

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‘A Womb Full Of Nails’: These Pictures Show The True Pain Of Endometriosis

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Like “tightening barbed wire” or “a womb full of nails and daggers” – these are just two ways women describe the debilitating pain of endometriosis, in a new “pain dictionary” that aims to reduce diagnosis times for the condition.

One in 10 women are thought to experience endometriosis – which equates to 176 million women globally – yet astonishingly, it still takes an average of seven and a half years to be diagnosed.

Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside the womb. This tissue bleeds monthly, but there’s nowhere for this blood to go.

It can cause excruciating pain, like “organs wrapped in slowly-tightening barbed wire, followed by sudden intense tightening pain which can be so intense it’s almost difficult to breathe”, says Emma Sutt, one of the illustrators involved in the project, who has endo herself.

Barbing, by Emma Sutt

Barbing, by Emma Sutt

Many women experience delays in diagnosis and treatment due to perceptions that even severe period pain is ‘normal’. Over half (51%) of women and men (52%) think period pain is something women should endure, according to research by Bodyform.

It means many endometriosis sufferers are shamed into silence, while medical professionals underestimate the impacts of living with the condition.

In reality, endo can destroy women’s confidence, sex lives, careers and mental health. In one study of 7,000 women across 52 countries, over 40% had given up or lost their job because of endometriosis.

Monster, by Augustine Cerf.

Monster, by Augustine Cerf.

The pain dictionary is now available as an e-book and in hard copy for GPs who want to gain a better understanding of the condition. It’s hoped it will also give women “new language” to describe their pain.

Currently, healthcare professionals tend to ask patients to describe their pain on a scale of one to 10, but the experience of pain is often highly individual – and often can’t be reduced to a number.

The dictionary is part of #PainStories, a campaign by Essity, the creator of Libresse and Bodyform, designed to tackle the gender pain gap.

“A lot of women think painful periods is normal but actually, it’s not, particularly when the periods are starting to affect activities in your daily life,” says Dr Shireen Emadossadaty, a GP and women’s health specialist who has worked on the campaign.

“Opening up the conversation around period pain will encourage women to see their GP, to be persistent about their symptoms and hopefully we can bring down that diagnosis time. You’re not alone, period pain is common but it’s not normal and it’s not something you should be suffering with.”

Bodyform's digital museum. 

Bodyform’s digital museum. 

People with endometriosis were asked to describe their pain, and their testimonials were then turned into striking illustrations.

These illustrations appear in the book, as well as a new digital ‘Pain Museum’, an exhibition offering more information about endometriosis.

Here are just some of the artworks, coupled with quotes about how it really feels to live with endometriosis.

Fire sickness, by Venus Libido

“The pain burns, stings and aches sometimes all at once. I feel it build up in my lower body like fire, and hot knives pushing from the inside out. The pain travels from my uterus across my stomach and around my sides, down through my legs and up my back until it starts all over again from the source. I feel sick and exhausted from the pain overriding every part of me.”

Misery Roulette, by Selby Hurst

“It’s a fun-sponge roulette of misery. Cramps that stop me moving, yo-yoing emotions, gut-wrenching nausea, being sick, wanting to eat nothing and then everything, back pain, breast pain, alarmingly painful constipation, diarrhoea so bad you can’t leave the house, headaches, migraines, worsening depression, fatigue, anxiety, stress and a whole heap more.”

Misery Roulette by

Misery Roulette by

Inner Nails, by Augustine Cerf

“Hundreds of nails piercing my uterus, my whole pelvis in agony. The pain radiates down my legs, and through my whole body. From one second to the next, I can’t stand up.”

Torture Grips, by Em Cooper

“Like torture. Like somebody is gripping, squeezing, cutting, prodding, stabbing you inside, and won’t let go. The waves of pain last for so long you can only take some painkillers, curl into a ball, and cry yourself to sleep.”

Torture Grips, by

Torture Grips, by

Inner Wringing by Augustine Cerf

“It’s like someone’s wringing my organs. And unbelievable tugging.”

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These Celebs Are Urging You To Get The Coronavirus Vaccine

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Romesh Ranganathan, Beverley Knight and Denise Lewis want you to have the coronavirus vaccine.

The celebs appear in a new star-studded advert urging people from ethnic minority communities to take up the vaccine when they’re invited. The ad has been organised by actor and writer Adil Ray, best known for BBC One comedy Citizen Khan.

Research shows hesitancy in getting the vaccine is “disproportionately high” among Black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups. Data also suggests people from Black and south Asian backgrounds are more likely to die from Covid-19 than white people.

The ad – which features the likes of Meera Syal, Moeen Ali and David Olusoga, too – will air at 9.56pm on Thursday evening.

It’ll be screened across several networks, including ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5, as well as multiple Sky TV channels. The makers expect it to reach an audience of around 10 million people.

“We are in unprecedented times and the fact remains that this pandemic disproportionately affects people from ethnic minority communities,” said Ray.

“It’s heartening to see the major broadcasters come together in an equally unprecedented television broadcast at this crucial time, an indication of how serious this situation is. We must all engage and encourage one another to do the right thing. The message is simple: take the vaccine, save lives.”

Medics have highlighted how structural inequalities within Britain’s healthcare system and racist historical medical practices have caused widespread distrust among minority groups, who have suffered poorer health outcomes throughout their lives.

Ivo Vlaev, professor of Behavioural Science at Warwick Business School and a member of the NHS Covid Behaviour Change Unit, said “fake news” is largely to blame for vaccine hesitancy. “Fake news and conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 vaccine seem to spread almost as fast as the virus itself,” he said.

“They range from the utterly outlandish, such as the vaccine containing a microchip allowing Bill Gates to track peoples movements, to claims it contains pork, which could cause even more harm among BAME group.”

Prof Vlaev said in addition to this, the government is “battling concerns around safety and critics arguing regulators approved the Pfizer vaccine too quickly”.

A key consideration when tackling vaccine take-up is where positive messages come from, he added.

“We know we trust messages more when the person delivering them is like us or we perceive them to be a figure of authority,” he said. “Therefore faith groups and charities that have the trust of the community have an important role to play. Trusted celebrities can also be more persuasive.”

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First Shot Of Covid Vaccine Gives 67% Protection After Three Weeks, Says Epidemiologist

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South Africa Variant: What The Mutation Means For Vaccines And You

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These Are The Birth Risks For ‘Big Babies’ And Mums-To-Be

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