Sunday 28 May 2023: Because space is now reduced in the fortnightly Issues of Focus our regular weekly articles for Focus, which we also publish on our website, are halved in length. We’re extremely grateful to Focus for taking our full-page articles throughout the pandemic. That was invaluable in keeping readers informed with key public health information, especially those without online and digital access.
Housebound and isolating people and everyone without online and digital access rely on print and broadcast media. We’ll continue with our reduced space to provide as much local health and welfare information as possible, and we’re very grateful for Focus’s continuing help with this. So we now have to keep that article brief and can’t provide so much explanation.
However, we do publish more detailed articles on our website and promote them on our social media so do look there if you’re able: https://swfhealthsocial.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/swfhealthsocial/ & https://twitter.com/SWFhealthsocial . We also produce a weekly newsletter with all our articles of the week and you can subscribe for that on our website home page.
Our Survey of some health & welfare services provided by SWF and the Dengie Primary Care Network (PCN) is drawing to an end. The results are being analysed, the report written, and we expect to publish it around early June.
The World Health Organisation declared that Covid-19 is no longer a ‘global health emergency’. The danger isn’t over; emergency status will be reinstated if necessary. “Living with Covid” is now UK policy.
The latest UK Health Security Agency surveillance report indicates a continuing steady fall in Covid and flu infections, which is expected and welcome as summer arrives. UKHSA’s Head of Immunisation says: Covid “hasn’t gone away; we continue to see thousands of cases reported every week; topping up your protection is particularly important for groups who are most vulnerable.”
The Coronavirus Dashboard says in w/e 28 April England had 294 (p/w 386) Deaths with Covid on death certificates and in w/e 22 May 2,268 (p/w 2,621) patients were admitted to hospital. Anecdotally we know last week saw more local infections making people feel awful and taking longer than usual to recover.
Other infections including Flu, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Adenovirous, Scarlet Fever & Strep A are falling but remain high. The sickness bug Norovirus is rife, with many outbreaks in care homes. Don’t visit vulnerable people, particularly in care homes or hospitals, while having diarrhoea and/or vomiting until 48 hours after symptoms stop. Maintain good hand hygiene especially after being unwell, using the toilet, preparing or eating food.
RCN Nurses, Unite members at ambulance & other trusts and JUNIOR DOCTORS held recent STRIKES, causing over 200,000 cancelled appointments on top of those caused by previous strikes. These disputes must be settled immediately. They hurt patients, make workloads more challenging, and interrupt tackling the NHS backlogs. 13,000 hospital beds are blocked by patients fit to discharge.
Spring Covid booster vaccinations are being given to over 75s, care-home residents and the most vulnerable people. If you get an NHS invitation book at nhs.uk/get-vaccination or phone 119 for avaccination centre jab. In the Autumn there’ll be another full programme of Covid and flu jabs, as in 2022.
Measles is highly infectious, can lead to serious complications and cases are rising alarmingly. Immunisation has fallen recently. UKHSA urges parents to ensure children are up to date with MMR vaccine.
AVOID CATCHING & SPREADING ALL INFECTIONS: TAKE CARE; IF UNWELL AVOID VULNERABLE FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES & RELATIVES; ventilate indoor meetings; meet outdoors; wear face coverings in crowded enclosed spaces. Stay home and avoid contact with other people. For health and welfare information and signposting contact SWF Health & Social Care Group on swfhealthsocial@outlook.com or leave a voicemail on 01245 322079 which is monitored daily.
SWF Health & Social Care Group 