Covid summary The latest Covid news in England is good news. Hospital admissions with Covid have been falling steadily over the past few weeks, with a sizeable 25% fall in the most recent week. This fall is seen across all English regions and also in number of people in hospital recorded by NHS Trusts as being primarily because of Covid. The Covid variant JN.1 is still dominant in England, with nothing new of concern just yet as far as I can see.
Since attention and funding on monitoring covid is being pared back, what happens to former long covid and clinically vulnerable people? Shouldn't the focus now be on all measures or treatments that can protect or cure anyone in this group including anyone concerned to not want to develop long covid (or other secondary health impacts of covid)? I feel very expendable and of zero value in this current approach.
Not knowing the level of covid is a nightmare for those old and with eg heart conditions. The only safe way of living is to assume it is prevalent wherever you go including dentists surgery hospitals. And taking as many precautions as are available and possible. Like standing outside the dentists if it is full of unmasked patients and receptionists.
they can call you when its your turn.
Fortunately for me I had more or less planned a hermit life when I had heart problems just before covid arrived. I buy everything online and have done so successfully for 4 years. all items left outside until deliverer has gone etc. I have discovered hundreds of websites selling all sorts of things I would never have searched for. Even from the continent.
The key part is the warn on gutting our monitoring rots,
Strong agree the NHS England reporting should remain weekly.
Also agree there is a HIGH likelihood of Spring or Summer covid resurgence, covid continues to also have strong affinity for spreading in roasting areas like the Sahel or South East Asia, I would be even more pessimistic that it will become a 'winter only thing' in the near future.
So ONS 'Winter' survey should be ALL YEAR round until covid stabilises and or we get more used to combatting it.
I remain concerned that many deaths and hospitalisations which are really due to covid are being mis categorised as not covid
So while the TREND line in the excellent / vital ONS prevalence rpt above is likely very accurate, the ACTUAL NUMBER of covid cases reported by ONS and particular numbers reported by the NHS at any one time are likely a LOT higher in reality, as is long covid ( The punch from the latter, long covid, takes a lot longer to become obvious to people affected , in many cases a few years delay before the affect of hidden body damage from previous infections manifests itself )
Thank you again for keeping us informed. I think it’s such a mistake to take away funding for monitoring this virus. I just wish leaders would take public health seriously and look to make public spaces, schools etc safe ventilated spaces. Sadly it’s not going to happen!
I don't think you will be able to. I think that's what Professor Pagel said. We are actively being encouraged to ignore Covid now. Some of us will not. But basically we will have to judge every social meeting or activity on it's own merits and risks and decide accordingly.
I was involved heavily in theatre for decades and also attended theatre productions regularly as audience. I haven't been near a theatre or cinema since Covid started and I don't see that changing any time soon. I treat that activity as a part of my life that's now over. It's very sad. With active preventative methods things could have been so very different.
Since attention and funding on monitoring covid is being pared back, what happens to former long covid and clinically vulnerable people? Shouldn't the focus now be on all measures or treatments that can protect or cure anyone in this group including anyone concerned to not want to develop long covid (or other secondary health impacts of covid)? I feel very expendable and of zero value in this current approach.
Thank you for this public service broadcasting
Not knowing the level of covid is a nightmare for those old and with eg heart conditions. The only safe way of living is to assume it is prevalent wherever you go including dentists surgery hospitals. And taking as many precautions as are available and possible. Like standing outside the dentists if it is full of unmasked patients and receptionists.
they can call you when its your turn.
Fortunately for me I had more or less planned a hermit life when I had heart problems just before covid arrived. I buy everything online and have done so successfully for 4 years. all items left outside until deliverer has gone etc. I have discovered hundreds of websites selling all sorts of things I would never have searched for. Even from the continent.
Great analysis from Prof. Pagel as usual.
The key part is the warn on gutting our monitoring rots,
Strong agree the NHS England reporting should remain weekly.
Also agree there is a HIGH likelihood of Spring or Summer covid resurgence, covid continues to also have strong affinity for spreading in roasting areas like the Sahel or South East Asia, I would be even more pessimistic that it will become a 'winter only thing' in the near future.
So ONS 'Winter' survey should be ALL YEAR round until covid stabilises and or we get more used to combatting it.
I remain concerned that many deaths and hospitalisations which are really due to covid are being mis categorised as not covid
So while the TREND line in the excellent / vital ONS prevalence rpt above is likely very accurate, the ACTUAL NUMBER of covid cases reported by ONS and particular numbers reported by the NHS at any one time are likely a LOT higher in reality, as is long covid ( The punch from the latter, long covid, takes a lot longer to become obvious to people affected , in many cases a few years delay before the affect of hidden body damage from previous infections manifests itself )
Thank you so much for this information
Thank you again for keeping us informed. I think it’s such a mistake to take away funding for monitoring this virus. I just wish leaders would take public health seriously and look to make public spaces, schools etc safe ventilated spaces. Sadly it’s not going to happen!
Thanks again for the easily assimilated updates.
Thank you for these updates.
As a CV person where can I get reliable data when the ONS stops?
I want to make informed decisions, but as reporting LFT's has been stopped I really don't know where I can find it!
I don't think you will be able to. I think that's what Professor Pagel said. We are actively being encouraged to ignore Covid now. Some of us will not. But basically we will have to judge every social meeting or activity on it's own merits and risks and decide accordingly.
I was involved heavily in theatre for decades and also attended theatre productions regularly as audience. I haven't been near a theatre or cinema since Covid started and I don't see that changing any time soon. I treat that activity as a part of my life that's now over. It's very sad. With active preventative methods things could have been so very different.