Category Archives: Health

Coronavirus live news: return to school could lead to sharp rise in cases, UK expert warns; Vietnam reports 352 deaths

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Delta Covid cases likely to put strain on health services in areas with low vaccination rates, experts say; Australia suffers its worst daily total

That’s it from me, Léonie Chao-Fong, for today. Here’s a quick roundup of what’s been happening so far:

Tennis fans aged 12 or over will be required to show proof of Covid vaccination in order to attend the US Open, tournament officials have confirmed.

The tournament did not originally require any proof of vaccination or a recent negative test for fans to enter. Attendees were also not required to wear a mask.

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An oral history of Oxford/AstraZeneca: ‘Making a vaccine in a year is like landing a human on the moon’

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It has shipped more than a billion doses, saved countless lives – and faced controversy over its safety and supply. Here, some of those who created the vaccine tell the story of their epic race against the virus

In December 2019, hospitals in Wuhan, China, reported that they were dealing with dozens of cases of pneumonia of an unknown cause. They soon identified the disease as being caused by a novel coronavirus.

Teresa Lambe, associate professor, Jenner Institute My brother lived in China, so whenever there was an emerging or break pathogen there, I used to follow it. I remember thinking very early on that this was probably another influenza strain.

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Delta variant doubles risk of hospitalisation, new study finds

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Outbreak of Delta Covid cases likely to put strain on health services in areas with low vaccination rates, experts say

The Delta variant doubles the risk of Covid hospitalisation compared with the previously dominant Alpha variant, a new study focused largely on unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people has found.

The analysis – based on data collected in England – suggests that outbreaks of the Delta variant are likely to put an additional strain on health services, particularly in places with low rates of vaccination.

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Weight loss via exercise harder for obese people, data suggests

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Research finds that when humans exercise, our bodies limit the energy used on basic metabolic functions

Losing weight through exercise appears to be more difficult for obese people, research suggests.

Initially, researchers thought that the total energy we spend in a day is the sum of energy expended due to activity (ranging from light gardening to running a marathon) and energy used for basic functioning (what keeps us ticking even when we are doing nothing, such as immune function and wound healing).

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Victoria Covid hotspots: full list of Melbourne and regional Vic coronavirus exposure sites and trend in cases

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Here are the current coronavirus hotspots and Tier 1, 2 and 3 Covid-19 public exposure site locations in Victoria and Melbourne, and what to do if you’ve visited them

Authorities have released a list of public exposure sites in Melbourne and regional Victoria visited by a confirmed case of Covid-19.

Here are the current coronavirus hotspots, Covid exposure sites, venues and case location alerts and what to do if you’ve visited them.

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Australia to open Covid vaccinations to 12- to 15-year-olds from 13 September

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Expert advice released ahead of national cabinet meeting which discussed what freedoms Australians will enjoy once 70% of adults are vaccinated

Greg Hunt has promised that all children aged 12 to 15 will be able to be vaccinated by the end of 2021, after technical advice confirmed they are eligible for Pfizer.

But the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has warned that, given supply constraints, Pfizer doses should be prioritised for young adults. And the government should also consider offering older Australians choice of vaccine before vaccinating teenagers.

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Air pollution linked to more severe mental illness – study

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Exclusive: research finds small rise in exposure to air pollution leads to higher risk of needing treatment

Exposure to air pollution is linked to an increased severity of mental illness, according to the most comprehensive study of its kind.

The research, involving 13,000 people in London, found that a relatively small increase in exposure to nitrogen dioxide led to a 32% increase in the risk of needing community-based treatment and an 18% increase in the risk of being admitted to hospital.

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Malaria trial shows ‘striking’ 70% reduction in severe illness in children

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A study in Burkina Faso and Mali suggests combining anti-malarial drugs and vaccination could reduce deaths and hospitalisations

A trial combining vaccinations and prevention drugs has substantially lowered the number of children dying of malaria in two African countries, according to researchers.

The results of the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, have been hailed as “very striking”, especially at a time when decades-long progress on combating malaria has stalled in some countries.

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Are Covid booster shots necessary? – video explainer

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Many countries with already high vaccination rates are considering offering people an additional coronavirus vaccine dose. But are booster shots necessary? And what about the issue of vaccine equity? The Guardian's Natalie Grover examines the costs and benefits of possibly introducing a third jab

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NHS planning Covid vaccines for children from age 12, reports say

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UK health officials say no decision has been made yet as new school year in England looms

NHS England has been told to prepare to administer Covid vaccinations to all children aged 12 and above, as vaccine advisers continue to consider whether to extend the programme, according to reports.

The planned extension to the vaccination programme would coincide with the start of the new school year. NHS trusts have been told to have plans prepared by 4pm on Friday, the Daily Telegraph reported.

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Does Covid immunity wane and will vaccine booster jabs be needed?

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Multiple studies seem to suggest immunity declines over time, though what this means is unclear

With plans for the UK’s Covid vaccine booster programme this autumn soon to be revealed, we take a look at what we do – and don’t – know about waning immunity after vaccination.

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‘I’m one of them’: the FGM survivor providing a lifeline in Leeds

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Stigma can stop women seeking help but Hawa Bah, who was cut at eight, reaches those suffering in silence to get them the care they need


One night 14 years ago, Hawa Bah crept out of her house in Guinea and slipped into the darkness. She says she had lost count but it may have been her 14th or 15th escape attempt from an abusive marriage she was forced into with a man 37 years her senior.

Bah made her way through a maze of streets to the meeting point where a car was waiting with two strangers inside. When they took her to the airport, Bah felt her heart beating through her chest. She had not realised until then that she would be leaving her country. Aged 17, she had no belongings and no idea where she was going.

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Taiwan hits zero Covid cases for first time since outbreak in May

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Acceleration of vaccine rollout and test-and-trace improvements credited for turnaround

Taiwan has reported zero community cases of Covid-19 for the first time since its biggest outbreak began in May, killing more than 800 people.

“The local confirmed case today is zero, it was not easy,” the head of the Central Epidemic Command Centre, Chen Shih-chung, said on Wednesday.

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Lucy Dawson: the model who got a mystery headache, a misdiagnosis – and a new mission in life

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When she began experiencing head pain as a student, Dawson was diagnosed with a breakdown and sectioned. She actually had encephalitis. Five years on, now paralysed in one leg, she is speaking out for disability rights

Lucy Dawson was skating through life. Everything came so easily to her: she had friends, confidence, academic success. At the age of 20, she was studying criminology at the University of Leicester, determined to join the police. Then, in the summer of 2016, she got a terrible headache that refused to go away.

The headache was to change Dawson’s life. It took almost four months for her to be diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis, an acute inflammation of the brain that leaves many people with permanent brain damage and has a mortality rate of about one in 10. She was showing classic symptoms of encephalitis from the off (confusion, personality change, hallucinations and the headaches) which should have been spotted within a couple of days.

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Number of young smokers rose by a quarter in first lockdown, England study shows

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Stress of pandemic could be behind increase in people aged 18-34, but number who quit habit also rose

The number of young adults who smoke in England rose by about a quarter in the first lockdown, research has suggested.

Nevertheless, the number of people who stopped smoking altogether increased, with the number across all age groups almost doubling during the first national lockdown when compared with the period immediately prior, researchers from University College London (UCL) and the University of Sheffield said.

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Dangerous weight loss products for sale online with no health warnings

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Which? finds substances that can cause heart problems being sold on eBay, Wish and AliExpress

“Dangerous” weight loss products containing substances that can induce a stroke or heart attack are being sold on websites such as eBay without any health warnings, an investigation has found.

The consumer group Which? found dozens of products on sale online containing plant extracts that can make users agitated or aggressive and increase their heart rate and blood pressure.

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‘Get it today’: Biden urges Americans to get Pfizer vaccine after FDA approval – video

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President Biden urged Americans to come forward to receive the Pfizer vaccine after it received FDA approval. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is trying to finish its licensing process for the drug as soon as Monday.

The president spoke directly to Americans who have said they would wait to get vaccinated until one of the vaccines received full FDA approval. 'It has now happened,' Biden said. 'The moment you’ve been waiting for is here. It’s time for you to go get your vaccination – and get it today'

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UK Covid deaths average 100 a day with fears of rise when schools return

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Seven-day average now highest since March as children in Scotland return to the classroom

Deaths from Covid-19 are now averaging 100 a day across the UK, according to official data, and scientists have warned that case rates will jump again when millions of pupils return to schools next week.

The seven-day average for deaths within 28 days of a positive test now stands at 100, figures released by Public Health England on Monday show, a number that was last exceeded on 18 March.

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FDA gives full approval to Pfizer vaccine for Covid-19

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Decision is likely to trigger a wave of formal vaccine requirements from government departments, businesses and schools

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given full approval to the Pfizer vaccine for Covid-19. The vaccine and others have been in use for months under emergency use authorisation.

Related: ‘You are not a horse’: FDA tells Americans stop taking dewormer for Covid

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‘You are not a horse’: FDA tells Americans stop taking dewormer for Covid

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Agency issues message after misinformation about ivermectin, a medicine used to deworm livestock, spreads on social media

Ahead of full US authorisation of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had a simple message for Americans contemplating using ivermectin, a medicine used to deworm livestock, instead of getting a Covid shot.

Related: FDA gives full approval to Pfizer vaccine for Covid-19

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