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The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will jointly launch a new study to gather data on COVID-19 this winter. The Winter COVID-19 Infection Study (WCIS) will run from November 2023 to March 2024, involving up to 200,000 participants, UKHSA has said on Monday (October 2). UKHSA previously commissioned the Coronavirus Infection Survey (CIS), conducted by the ONS in collaboration with scientific study leaders from Oxford University, analysing more than 11.5 million swab tests and 3 million blood tests from April 2020 to March 2023. Meanwhile, the Winter CIS study involves conducting up to 32,000 lateral flow tests weekly, providing vital insights into COVID-19 prevalence in the broader community. The sample will be structured to broadly reflect key population characteristics.

One in eight people who were hospitalised with Covid-19 between May 2020 and March 2021 were later diagnosed with myocarditis, according to major new research into the clinical long-term effects of coronavirus. The largest study of its kind to date was led by the University of Glasgow in collaboration with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC), and followed for one year, in real time, 159 patients after they were hospitalised with Covid-19. The study also looked at why some patients suffer long-term ill health after hospitalisation with Covid-19. Until now it has been speculated that previous underlying health conditions may be linked to the severity of post-Covid long-term effects. However, this new study suggests that it is the severity of the infection itself which is most closely correlated to the severity of a patient's long-Covid symptoms, rather than pre-existing health problems. Hospitalisation with Covid-19 was found to cause a number of long-term health problems. Researchers found one in eight patients hospitalised with Covid-19 have heart inflammation, while inflammation across the body and damage to the other organs such as the kidneys was also common.

British scientists said on Thursday (December 30) they would be studying whether higher doses of a cheap and widely used steroid called dexamethasone could work better for patients with severe Covid-19 compared to the standard low doses. Last year, the same scientists conducting the large trial, dubbed RECOVERY, showed that dexamethasone was able to save the lives of Covid-19 patients in what was called a "major breakthrough" in the coronavirus pandemic. They had found that a 6 mg daily dose of dexamethasone, which is used to reduce inflammation in diseases such as arthritis, cut death rates by around a third among the most severely ill Covid-19 patients in hospitals. "Given how quickly the Omicron variant is spreading, we can expect to see patients admitted to hospital with severe Covid-19 for a while to come," said Peter Horby, an Oxford University professor co-leading the trial.

Britain has approved Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine for use in those 18 years of age and older, the country's medicines regulator said on Thursday (February 3), bringing a fifth coronavirus shot to its roster amidst the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. The vaccine, Nuvaxovid, was approved as a first and second dose as it met the required safety, quality and effectiveness standards, the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said in a statement. The British approval for Nuvaxovid comes days after the drugmaker filed for US authorisation of the vaccine following months of struggles with development and manufacturing problems, and follows a German backing earlier in the day. "We are continuing our vital safety work in monitoring the use of all Covid-19 vaccines, to ensure that their benefits in protecting people against Covid-19 disease continue to outweigh any risks," MHRA chief executive June Raine said.

The Omicron variant of coronavirus is less likely to cause long Covid than previous variants, according to the first peer-reviewed study of its kind from the UK. Researchers at King's College London, using data from nearly 100,000 people who logged their Covid symptoms via an app, found the odds of developing long Covid after infection were 20 per cent to 50 per cent lower during the Omicron wave in the UK compared to Delta. The figure varied depending on the patient's age and the timing of their last vaccination. Long Covid, which includes prolonged symptoms ranging from fatigue to 'brain fog', can be debilitating and continue for weeks or months. It is increasingly being recognised as a public health problem, and researchers have been racing to find out if Omicron presents as big a risk of long Covid as previously dominant variants. The study from King's is believed to be the first academic research to show Omicron does not present as great a risk of long Covid, but that does not mean long Covid patient numbers are dropping, the team said. While the risk of long Covid was lower during Omicron, more people were infected, so the absolute number now suffering is higher. "It's good news, but please don't decommission any of your long Covid services," lead researcher Dr Claire Steves said, appealing to health-service providers.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) highlighted the role played by community pharmacies during pandemic to provide urgent care and vital support to people with long-term medical conditions at its opening remark in the Covid-19 public inquiry held on Tuesday (28 February). NPA is the core participant in the Covid-19 public inquiry. lawyer Brian Stanton made an opening statement on the NPA's behalf which focused on three areas- health inequalities and the needs of vulnerable patients; the impact of medicine shortages and medicine price increases and the challenge that community pharmacy faced in responding to the pandemic and maintaining patient services following long-term under investment. Stanton said: "The UK's community pharmacies were on the frontline of efforts to limit the impact of coronavirus and to keep people well, and as well as handling a massive increase in demand for healthcare advice and medicines, they also continued to provide urgent care and vital support to people with long-term medical conditions. "However, there are now very many at risk of closure during to underfunding and when the Inquiry comes to consider its recommendations the NPA would encourage you [the presiding judge] to think about how resilience can be built into future plans." The statement included a compelling account of the commitment typical of so many pharmacies during the pandemic - from husband and wife Pete and Sukhi Johal, both NPA members and pharmacists, who co-own Calow Pharmacy in Chesterfield.

Well Pharmacy is urging those eligible to take up the offer of a further Covid booster jab this spring. Adults aged 75 years and over and anyone over 5 years old and are immunosuppressed - such as those who are undergoing chemotherapy or have had an organ transplant - are entitled to have a further Covid booster jab from mid-April, said one of the UK's largest community pharmacy chains. Taking part in the vaccination programme again, Well Pharmacy is encouraging people to book another booster as soon as they are contacted by the NHS - which should be at least six months after their previous booster. The national booking site for those eligible opens this week. The jabs have been updated since the vaccines were introduced to now target newer strains of Covid-19, Well said in a press release issued on Wednesday, 5 April. Thousands of people are still testing positive for Covid each week according to Government data, and - while hospitalisations are down - a large number of people are still being hospitalised with Covid, so getting jabbed is as important as ever. And the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recently confirmed that hospital admissions last autumn highlighted that the risk of becoming seriously ill from coronavirus was noticeably higher in people over 75.

Genomic sequencing allowed the world to track new coronavirus variants throughout the pandemic. Now British researchers plan to use it to better understand a host of other respiratory pathogens, from influenza to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The work is aimed at shedding more light on known threats and, potentially, emerging ones, the team at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, working with the UK Health Security Agency, said. The world has never had access to the kind of real-time information for these viruses that scientists obtained on SARS-CoV-2 through sequencing millions of genomes, Ewan Harrison, head of the new Respiratory Virus and Microbiome Initiative, told reporters on Monday. That includes granular detail on how they transmit as well as how they evolve in the face of the human immune response. "We hope that by expanding our ability to sequence these viruses routinely, we can build upon the work that's going on COVID, and hopefully supercharge research efforts to understand the transmission of these viruses, but also to help develop new treatments and vaccines," Harrison said.

Pharmacies are the lifeblood of community healthcare, being a vital pathway to care and support in every borough of the UK. There are 11,600 pharmacies across the country, amongst which yours stands proudly. Pharmacies obviously have a duty of care to their patients and customers, and rigorous safety practices surrounding the safe storage and dispensation of medicine - but that duty of care also extends to fellow staff. This is to say that health and safety is a paramount concern for any pharmacy or pharmacist, and that great care should always be taken to uphold the highest possible standards with regard to health and safety. With this in mind, what follows is a refresher on some of the key hazards that could give way to workplace injury in your pharmacy - and how to mitigate the risk of injury. Biological Hazards Biological hazards are ever-present, and prescient in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. Though the COVID-19 virus was eventually shown not to be particularly resilient on surfaces, good practice was still to regularly disinfect surfaces and handles where possible - something which should still be a part of regular routine in your pharmacy. Likewise, face masks are a solid way to reduce the risk of infection or contamination, particularly where the handing over of biological samples is concerned.

Under the current circumstance, when New Yorkers are looking in the eye of COVID-19, to say that it brings the best out of them will not be wrong.

Find creative tips for managing old homes and dealing with seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The healthcare heroes, old home administrators, and care staff owe it to the seniors.

With restrictions applied nationwide and people under obligation to stay at home, our mental health is at risk. One way or the other, we must have a plan in place on how to get through the days in quarantine.

The term medical credentialing is not new for many of us. It is defined as the process of collecting and verifying the practitioners' qualifications and credentials, be it their license, education, training, experience, and more.

P3Care brings three easy tips for medical billing and coding experts to avoid denied claims. Yes! We can appeal for denied claims but why bother when you can compile clean claims in the first place.

P3Care brings three easy tips for medical billing and coding experts to avoid denied claims. Yes! We can appeal for denied claims but why bother when you can compile clean claims in the first place.

In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, a career change might seem like the least of your worries. In the ever-changing healthcare landscape, however, it is important to keep sight of your prospects and future post-COVID.

2020 has certainly thrown everyone for a loop. But what has it done to healthcare recruiting?

As America reopens and adjusts to the new normal, medical practices have a responsibility to fulfill. They have to implement the safety protocols within their clinics and continue to save lives. We have brought forward five tips to align your practice with the social distancing protocols; to keep it as a place where people heal rather than the opposite.

Reportedly, physicians are struggling with ethical concerns amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Johns Hopkins Hospital and Berman Institute of Bioethics in Baltimore has launched a moral round program where physicians find a solution to their problems by interacting with other colleagues and learn to deal with the COVID situation.

Physicians were quite unsure about how to act to these facts. Of course, medical billing outsourcing companies can't proceed without their clients' consent. Therefore, HHS took it upon itself to explain all the complications that restrict healthcare professionals to benefit from this program.

The last few months have been tough for the healthcare industry. All stakeholders were trying desperately to assist each other and save resources for COVID-19 response. Of course, meanwhile, CMS also took necessary measures to unburden some of the clinicians' load.

Where physicians have already burned out with COVID -19 cases, the administrative burden of QPP MIPS 2020 was additional pressure. The dynamics have changed. The contact points that were easily accessible before are now operational via online mediums.