Your Health Page

Vitamin D3 helps strengthen

defenses against Covid-19

– Study

by Pavel López Lazo

February 24th, 7:41pm (Prensa Latina)

Vitamin D3 could balance people's immune

system and help strengthen defenses

against viral infections including

Covid-19, the Swiss publication

Frontiers in Immunology

reported Thursday.

In a collaborative study by the Universities of

Surrey & Brighton, researchers investigated

the impact of vitamin D supplements – D2

and D3 – taken daily over a 12-week

period on the activity of genes in

people’s blood.

Those involved in the research, contrary to

widespread opinion, found significant

differences between the two vitamin

D supplements, as they discovered

that vitamin D2... leaves a

questionable mark on

human health.

“Vitamin D3 appears to stimulate the type I

interferon signaling system in the body –
a key part of the immune system that

provides a first line of defense...

against bacteria and viruses.''

Thus, a healthy vitamin D3 status may help

prevent viruses and bacteria from gaining

a foothold in the body,” said Professor

Colin Smith, lead-author of the study

from the University of Surrey.

“Our study suggests that it is important that

people take a vitamin D3 supplement, or

suitably fortified foods, especially in

the winter months.”

Although some foods are fortified with vitamin

D, like some breakfast cereals, yogurts, and

bread, few naturally contain the vitamin.

Vitamin D3 is produced naturally in the

skin from exposure to sunlight or

artificial ultraviolet UVB light,

while some plants and fungi

produce vitamin D2.

Many people have insufficient levels of vitamin

D3... because they live in locations where

sunlight is limited in the winter, like the

UK. The Covid-19 pandemic has also

limited people’s natural exposure to

the sun, due to people spending

more time in their homes.

__________________________________

Withholding vaccine safety

data ‘morally indefensible,’

medical journal says

January 22nd,, 4:17pm (RT)

The British Medical Journal (BMJ), has urged public

health regulators & pharma majors to immediately

release all raw data from Covid-19 vaccine trials

for independent scrutiny --- arguing that

“complete data transparency” is a

matter of “public interest.”

Branding Big Pharma as “the least trusted industry,”

a recent op-ed by BMJ editors stated that it was

“morally indefensible” that this information

remains inaccessible to doctors, public,

and researchers -- despite the global
rollout of vaccines and treatments.

In the scathing editorial, the writers – senior BMJ

editor Peter Doshi, former editor-in-chief Fiona

Godlee and her successor Kamran Abbasi –

accuse pharmaceutical companies... of

“reaping vast profits without adequate

independent scrutiny of their

scientific claims.”

At least 3 of the many companies making Covid-19

vaccines have past criminal and civil settlements

costing them billions of dollars. One pleaded

guilty to fraud. Other companies have
no pre-Covid track record.

In particular, the editorial collective calls out Pfizer,

Moderna and AstraZeneca for not providing “timely

access” to “anonymized individual participant
data” from their clinical trials.

This granular data is available to regulators like the

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which told

a judge last month to give it 75 years to publish all

data relating to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

But the BMJ said Pfizer – whose trial was “funded

by the company and designed, run, analyzed, and

authored by Pfizer employees” ------ has indicated

that it will not entertain data requests until May

2025, a full two years after the primary study

is completed.

This lack of access to data is “consistent across

vaccine manufacturers,” the editors write,

noting that the industry is not “legally

required” to honour requests from

independent researchers.

Further, they point out that regulatory bodies like

Health Canada and the European Medicines

Agency, do not even “receive or analyze”

trial data, whereas the UK’s Medicines

and Healthcare Products Regulatory

Agency does not “proactively

release” such info.

“The purpose of regulators is not to dance to

the tune of rich global corporations... and

enrich them further; it is to protect the

health of their populations,”

they concluded.

__________________________

Ireland: To Fully Lift

COVID-19 Restrictions

January 21st, 11:50pm (teleSUR)

Irish Prime Minister, Micheal Martin, announced

that COVID-19 restrictions that have been in

place for almost two years, are now lifted.

Micheal Martin, Irish Prime Minister disclosed that

the governments decided that almost all COVID-19

restrictions placed for about two years, are lifted.

Ireland is placed among the countries with the highest

rate of COVID-19 infections in Europe, and now also,

the continent's highest uptake of booster vaccines,

which made possible the number of seriously ill

people remained below the previous peak.

"We have weathered the Omicron storm," the minister

stated, on Friday's televised address --- in which he

noted, booster vaccines had "utterly transformed"

the country's situation. "I have stood here and

spoken to you on some very dark days. But

today is a good day," he added.

Ireland was one of the most cautious countries

in Europe about the risks of COVID-19, having

some of the longest-running restrictions on

travel and hospitality. According to public

health officials' advice, the government

decided: that bars and restaurants will

no longer need to close at 8pm, a rule

held late last year when the Omicron

wave struck, or to ask customers

for proof of vaccination.

The full capacity has been restored for the indoor

and outdoor events --- paving the way for full

crowds, for next month’s Six Nations rugby

championship. Martin highlighted that the

measure which decreed.... the need of

wearing masks in public places will

remain at least until the end

of February.

The Irish hospitality sector, which has been
hit by one of Europe’s toughest lockdown

regimes, has welcomed the decision.

[and in Wales?]

__________________________

Bye Bye, Mask and Covid Pass:

Boris Johnson --- Announces
End of Plan B Restrictions

in England

January 19th, 1:43pm (Sputnik)

UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced

on Wednesday the end of the so-called Plan B

implemented in England since December, to

prevent the spreading of the Omicron

variant of the SARS-CoV-2.

Addressing Parliament, Johnson said.. that the

working from home guidance, the requirement

to wear face masks, and the use of COVID

passports, in some settings, will be

dropped, next week.

"This government got the toughest decisions right,"

the prime minister told lawmakers, adding that the

government "will trust the judgment of the British

people" ...when it comes to social distancing

measures and face mask covering... to

prevent the spreading of the virus.

The so-called Plan B was originally rolled out in

December to combat the spread of the highly

transmissible variant.

Reacting to the announcement, the leader of

the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, called it an

attempt to distract the public’s opinion on

the crisis the prime minister is facing...

following revelations, that he and his

staff in Downing Street held parties

during the COVID-19 lockdown.

[Rhondda Records adds - and in Wales?]

_____________________________

Booster programs... will

prolong COVID pandemic,

not end it, WHO chief
warns

January 17th, (various media)

Blanket vaccine booster programs are likely to

prolong the COVID-19 pandemic, as inequity

in access to jabs, could lead to more

mutated variants that drag out the

crisis, the head of the World

Health Organization

(WHO) warns.

[The UK and others in the West...
simply don't care, Rhondda
Records adds]

__________________________________

Cannabis could prevent

Covid --- study claims

January 12th, 2:57pm (RT)

The next breakthrough in stopping Covid-19, may

come not from Big Pharma, but from the humble

pot plant. Researchers in Oregon in the US,

discovered that two compounds found in
the devil’s lettuce can stop the virus
in its tracks.

Rather than attempting to smoke their way

to immunity, a team of scientists at Oregon

University isolated two compounds from

hemp -- cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) and

cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) -- and found

they bind to the coronavirus’ spike

protein and stop it from binding
to the outer membrane of
human cells.

This latter binding process, is normally how the

virus enters the human lungs and other organs.

The two compounds are precursors to CBG and

CBD, which are widely legal, and available to

consumers. The CBG and CBD cannabis oils

and extracts are commonly used to treat

anxiety, sleep disorders, epilepsy, and
a wide range of other ailments.

CBGA and CBDA “are not controlled substances like

THC... the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana and

have a good safety profile in humans,” said Richard

van Breemen, a researcher with Oregon State’s

Global Hemp Innovation Centre. Van Breemen

added that these compounds “can be taken

orally,” and “have the potential to prevent

as well as treat infection” by

the coronavirus.

Van Breemen and his team published their research in

the Journal of Nature Products on Tuesday. However,

they have a long way to go before doctors begin

writing hemp oil prescriptions en masse. While

the study found CBGA and CBDA effective

against both the Alpha & Beta variants

of the coronavirus, it was carried out
on human cells in a laboratory rather
than actual human test subjects.

Still, the scientist sees these hemp compounds

eventually being used alongside vaccines... to

make “a much more challenging environment”

for Covid-19. One of the main criticisms of the

current crop of vaccines is that they use the

original spike protein of the virus as an

antigen, meaning that when variants

emerge... with new spike protein

mutations, they are more likely

to evade the protection
offered by a vaccine.

“These variants are well known for evading antibodies

against early lineage [Covid-19].... which is obviously

concerning given that current vaccination strategies

rely on early lineage spike proteins as an antigen,”

said van Breemen. “Our data show CBDA & CBGA

are effective against the two variants we looked
at, and we hope that trend will extend to other

existing and future variants.”

_________________________________

UK government gives NHS

to private companies

to ''help''with Covid

January 10th 10:52am (PressTV)

The National Health Service (NHS), the publicly funded

healthcare system in the UK, is seeking ''help'' from
private health companies to deliver critical treat-

ments... such as cancer surgery.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has ordered England's

NHS to strike a ''3-month'' agreement with private

health companies --- to allow patients to get

specific treatments, as the NHS hospitals

are ''overwhelmed'' with COVID-19.

David Sloman, NHS England chief operating officer

and COVID incident director, said on Monday the

deal “places independent health providers on

standby to provide further help should

hospitals face unsustainable levels of

hospitalizations or staff absences.”

The agreement includes Practice Plus Group, Spire

Healthcare, Circle Health Group, and several other

leading private companies, according to the NHS.

Circle CEO Paolo Pieri said the company has been

helping the NHS, since the first COVID wave in

March 2020, performing urgent treatments

for over 400,000 NHS patients.

According to the Spire Healthcare, under the agreed

deal the company “will grant NHSE access to 100%

of its facilities and teams on a local, regional or

national basis, in the event of a surge of

COVID-19 patients in NHS hospitals

in England.”

The Spire said the deal ''expires'' on March 31st, 2022.

The new plan comes in the wake of the highest level of

hospital staff absence in England, since the vaccine

rollout began.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has expressed

sorrow over the “terrible toll” of more than 150,000

deaths inflicted by the coronavirus in the UK.

The UK’s death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic

has reached more than 150,100, making it the

world's seventh worst official pandemic toll.

PM Boris Johnson confirmed the number and

expressed sorrow over the fatalities last

weekend. He said the coronavirus has

“taken a ‘terrible toll’ on the country.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove was at pains
to assert that there is mounting pressure on

British hospitals... and the country is ''not

yet'' in a position to live with

the pandemic.

_______________________________________

UK care sector declares
‘red’ alert amid Covid
staffing shortage

January 5th, 1:42pm (RT)

Over 11,000 care home workers are currently unable

to work, amid the spread of the Omicron strain, with

staffing shortages leaving the UK sector struggling

to cope and infections delaying hospital discharges.

Government data shows that, across England, 9.4% of

care home staff are temporarily off work, with around

3% self-isolating due to Covid. Although the figures

could be higher, having been undercounted... due

to the festive period and bank holiday weekend.

The situation has forced more than 90 care operators

to declare a “red” alert, meaning that they don’t have

the staff to meet patient demands. This has been

exacerbated by a shortage of PCR tests,

delaying workers from getting test

results and forcing them to

isolate at home longer

than needed.

Barchester, one of the UK’s largest care home

operators, running 250 establishments, has

warned: that it is facing Covid outbreaks
in 105 of its homes. Under government

guidelines, care homes with active

outbreaks cannot accept hospital

discharges, creating a backlog

and preventing the struggling

NHS from clearing beds.

Staffing shortages have forced care agencies to offer

up to £80 ($108.31) an hour for temporary staff – four

times the normal cost – as well as resulting in homes

poaching staff from other providers at the last minute.

“The spread of Omicron across the country will bring

more care homes into outbreaks, put huge pressure

on the already compromised staff group, and mean

those who need care, do not get it,” said Vic

Rayner, the chief executive of the
National Care Forum.

To address the situation, one care operator in

Yorkshire, Mike Padgham, called on the UK

government to establish a “volunteer

army”... of retired nurses, doctors,

and carers who could potentially

fill shifts at short notice.

Despite the situation in care homes, the chief

executive of Barchester, Pete Calveley, says

that the virus is not causing serious illness

and death among the majority of residents

....with most only showing “minor or

cold-like symptoms.”

____________________________

Growing evidence that

Vitamin K improves

heart health

by Pavel López Lazo

January 2nd, 5:27pm (Prensa Latina)

New Edith Cowan University (ECU) research

has found that people who eat a vitamin K-

rich food... have up to a 34% lower risk of

atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular

disease, the US magazine

SciTechDaily reported.

Researchers examined data from over 50,000

people taking part in the Danish Diet, Cancer,

and Health study, over a 23-year period.

They investigated whether people who ate

more foods containing vitamin K, had a

lower risk of cardiovascular disease

related to atherosclerosis (plaque

build-up in the arteries).

There are two types of vitamin K found in foods

we eat: vitamin K1 comes mainly from green

leafy veggies and vegetable oils, while

vitamin K2 is found in meat, eggs,

and fermented foods, such

as cheese.

The study found.... that people with the highest

intakes of the vitamin K1.. were 21% less likely

to be hospitalized with cardiovascular disease

closely related to atherosclerosis.

For vitamin K2, the risk of being

hospitalized was 14% lower.

University of Western Australia researcher Dr. Jamie

Bellinge, the first author on the study, said the role

of vitamin K in cardiovascular health, and

particularly in vascular calcification,

is an area of research... offering

promising hope for the future.

“Current dietary guidelines for the consumption of

vitamin K are generally only based on the amount

of vitamin K1 a person should consume, to

ensure that their blood can coagulate,”

explained ECU researcher and

senior author on the study,

Dr. Nicola Bondonno.

However, there is growing evidence that intakes of

vitamin K - above current guidelines - can afford

further protection against the development of

other diseases, such as atherosclerosis.

“Although more research is needed to fully

understand the process, we believe that

vitamin K works by protecting against

the calcium build-up in the major

arteries of the body leading to

vascular calcification.”

“Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause

of death in Australia... and there’s still a limited

understanding of the importance of different

vitamins found in food and their effect on

heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral

artery disease,” Dr. Bellinge said.

_______________________________________

Chinese Think Tank:
US Most Likely Origin
of COVID-19

December 25th, 1:50pm (FNA)

The US is most likely the country where the

coronavirus originated and it is most

responsible for the fast global

spread of the deadly viral

pathogen, according to

a research report.

The report titled... ‘US Responsible for Global Spread

of COVID-19’ was jointly released by the Intelligence

& Alliance Think Tank and the Taihe Institute in

China ,on Friday.

China's official Xinhua news agency, published
the report’s findings, saying data from multiple

sources had shown that the US was to blame
for the coronavirus out-break as its political
manipulation of the disease had made the
global anti-pandemic efforts, difficult

and challenging.

“Evidence indicating COVID-19 originated from

the United States has kept cropping up,” the

report said.

“For example, the timeline of the outbreak in the

United States has been continuously backdated,

the role of the US military is implicated in the

origin and spread of COVID-19, and early

cases, in many countries, are linked to

the United States,” it added.

Calling the United States "the main force of global

COVID-19 spread", the report said... the country

missed the best time to contain the pandemic

at an early stage... and its open-door policy
as well as its irresponsible repatriation
of immigrants... had exacerbated the
global spread of the virus.

Xinhua also said that the US troops stationed

overseas have repeatedly violated epidemic

prevention protocols and accelerated

the transmission.

The country's failure to control COVID-19 in

international events, has led to "super-

spreading" of the virus and its

unilateral sanctions have led

to a humanitarian crisis,

according to

the report.

Stressing that the US political manipulation has made

the global fight against the pandemic more difficult,

the report said the country shirked responsibility

for pandemic prevention, which undermined

international anti-pandemic efforts.

“The United States has been obsessed with political

self-interest and evaded due responsibility,” Xinhua

cited the report as saying, adding that political

polarization harmed both America and the

world at large.

Underlining that the US should abandon its obsession

with political self-interest, and reflect on epidemic

prevention and control, the report called on the

country to stop politicizing the coronavirus

and undermining international anti-

pandemic cooperation.... and

actively share its vaccines

with the world.

It also urged the US, to conduct origins tracing

research in a scientific manner and facilitate

global economic recovery, so that the

COVID-19 pandemic will be

eventually defeated.

The theory that the contagion had leaked from a

Chinese lab was originally hyped up by, among

others... the administration of former US

President Donald Trump, as part of his

hawkish anti-China policies.

Since infecting its first victims in the central Chinese

city of Wuhan, in late 2019, the pandemic has

spread to nearly every country across the

globe, causing more than 278 million

infections and nearly 5.4 million

deaths worldwide.

Last week, Trump said the US should make China pay

for the COVID disaster, demanding that the US tariffs

on Chinese goods be increased “very substantially”

as reparation payments for the chaos unleashed
by the virus.

China has repeatedly called on the US to give a full

clarification on its bio-military activities at home

and abroad, a matter of concern shared by

Russia and others.

___________________________________

NHS Leader Warns: England

Hospital Units May Close as

Staff Revolt over Jab Mandate

December 20th, 12:33pm (FNA)

Entire hospital units could be forced to shut because

of staff quitting in protest at the government’s order

that they must all be vaccinated against COVID-19,

a senior NHS leader warned.

Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers,

said that - at one hospital trust in England -
40 midwives were refusing to get jabbed,

raising fears that the maternity unit

may have to close, The Guardian

reported.

“Trust leaders are acutely aware that -- from April

onwards, when COVID vaccinations will become

mandatory -- decisions by staff to remain

unvaccinated could – in extreme

circumstances – lead to patient

services being put at risk,”

said Hopson.

“If sufficient numbers of unvaccinated staff in

a particular service in a particular location

choose not to get vaccinated, the viability

and/or safety of that service could be at

risk,” Hopson added.

Hopson did not name the trust. But he cautioned that

its maternity unit is “one representative example” of

potential closures on grounds of patient safety that

the government’s decision to compel NHS staff in

England to be vaccinated or risk losing their job

could lead to.

Hopson said, “I was talking to a [trust] chief executive

who said that 40 of the midwives on their midwifery

service … were saying they were not prepared to

be vaccinated. Those staff, given their skills and

their expertise, are not easily redeployed, but

they’re also extremely difficult to replace."

The trust’s chief executive “is seriously concerned

about the safety of the service” because of the

potential exodus of midwives.

Maternity staff quitting over compulsory jabs posed

a particular challenge because of the NHS-wide

shortage of midwives, Hopson said.

NHS England estimates that maternity services need

2,000 more whole-time equivalent midwives, while

the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) puts the

figure at 2,500.

The Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, and NHS England

need to “be clear well in advance how we will

resolve the - hopefully - small number of

instances where service viability and

safety could be at risk”, because of

frontline personnel leaving rather

than getting immunised,

said Hopson.

The new rule applies to any staff who have face-to-

face contact with patients, but also non-clinical

staff, including hospital porters.

Javid told the Commons last Tuesday that “despite

the incredible effort to boost uptake across the

country... there are still approximately 94,000

NHS staff who are unvaccinated. It’s critical

to patient safety that health and care staff

get the jab”.

However, the number of NHS workers who have had

a first dose since the government first announced

in September that it was adopting a policy of

compulsory jabs, has risen since by 55,000,

he added.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)

impact assessment of its policy, found that as

many as 126,000 unvaccinated staff could

lose their job when the rule comes into

force.... on April the 1st.

The House of Lords... has raised concerns about the

policy. Its secondary legislation scrutiny committee

has warned that the DHSC’s definition of “face-to-

face” is too vague, that it had no obvious

contingency plans to “cope with

expected staff losses” and
that the potential loss of

unvaccinated staff...

was “likely to be

particularly

acute” in

London.

The RCM said, “We don’t yet have a number for

midwives who have yet to be vaccinated.

However, to meet the statutory require-

ment, they will need to have their first

vaccination by February the 3rd. The

RCM will represent members. But

there are very limited options."

“We are concerned that this will inevitably deepen

maternity staff shortages... and severely impact

those midwives and maternity support workers

left behind in services already struggling with

acute staffing shortages,” it added.

The DHSC did not respond directly

to Hopson’s comments.

A spokesperson said, “We are grateful to all

our NHS staff who work incredibly hard."

“Vaccinations remain our best defence against

COVID-19. This is about patient safety and it’s

our duty to ensure that they are as safe as

can be," the spokesperson added.

“Working with organisations... in the health and care

sector, we will continue to support those who have

not yet received the vaccination... to take up the

offer to protect themselves, their loved ones

and their patients,” the spokes-

person added.

...and in Wales?

__________________________________

Pets don’t spread COVID to humans,

mustn’t be excuse for animal

abandonment, expert says

December 15th, 12:04pm (TASS)

Cases when pets catch COVID-19 are rare and they

don’t infect humans and so there is no reason to

throw them out on the street over the fear of

contamination, Vice President of the

Russian Academy of Sciences,

Irina Donnik, said

on Wednesday.

"It is most important that we may sleep peacefully and

animals should not be thrown out on the street and

certainly, domestic animals must not be handed

over. However, when news broke that domestic

animals get infected, the number of homeless

animals in the streets, and the owners who

throw them out grew 25-fold," Donnik said.

The scientist explained that cats and dogs get infected

with their own coronaviruses and don’t pass these

viruses to humans. Meanwhile, the infected

humans should better limit contacts

with animals.

According to her, people in markets create conditions

that could not be present in a natural environment,

where animals of non-crossing species have

contact with each other. This creates risks

of COVID-19 transmission between wild

animals and humans. The key

transmitters of the virus,

are bats and camels.

"Bats are an ideal incubator of new pathogenic

viruses, including coronaviruses, as they can

be asymptomatic virus carriers because of a

limited immune and inflammatory response,"

Donnik specified.

___________________________

Doctor who flagged Omicron

advises against harsh

restrictions

December 14th, 1:23pm (RT)

There is ''no need'' to impose tougher restrictions over

the Omicron variant as the cases are “predominantly

mild”, the head of South Africa Medical Association

Dr. Angelique Coetzee, has said.

The South African GP was the first medic who raised

concern about the new Covid-19 variant four weeks

ago. Answering questions of the UK Parliament’s

Science & Technologies committee on Tuesday,

Dr Coetzee said... that “we don’t have all the

answers” and that “we need to see how

this virus progresses”.

However, the current picture shows that Omicron is a

“mild disease”, & less dangerous than Delta variant,

thought it might be more transmissible, she added.

Dr Coetzee said that the existing data, though

limited, shows that the symptoms in Omicron

patients, even in those who are hospitalized,

are milder, they get better quicker & there

have been no cases of long COVID in

these patients.

Therefore, she noted that, before imposing travel bans

and other tough restrictions, it would make sense for

governments to take measures internally: to get

more people vaccinated, make sure that they

are wearing masks, avoid crowded places,

and keep social distance.

Saying that South Africa is “still on the same level of

restrictions”, she underlined that “we don't see

the need for stricter restrictions."

“The virus is everywhere. Maybe, in a way, we

need to learn how to live with this,” she said.

Earlier, in an article for Daily Mail, Dr. Coetzee was

even more straightforward.. in her criticism of

what she called “knee-jerk reactions”, to the

news of discovery of the new COVID variant.

The UK was one of the first countries to

impose bans on travel from South

Africa in the aftermath of the

announcement.

“Indeed, I am disappointed by such knee-jerk

reactions. They bear no relation to what we

are seeing in surgeries in South Africa,

where people rarely even discuss

Omicron.

As one Twitter user commented:

'Covid's become a UK neurosis’”,

she wrote.

________________________________

Omicron causes pneumonia

2-3 times faster ...than

previously known

strains:
expert says

December 8th, 1:23pm (TASS)

The Omicron coronavirus strain can cause pneumonia

2-3 times faster than previously known coronavirus
strains, said Alexander Semyonov... who heads
the Yekaterinburg Research Institute of Viral
Infections (affiliate of the Vector Centre
of the Federal Service for Surveillance
....on Consumer Rights Protection

and Human Wellbeing),

when speaking

with Izvestia.

"What’s not good about the Omicron strain, is that

just like Delta it has more tropism, meaning, it is

capable of interacting with the epithelium of

lungs, the lower respiratory tract. This is

why Omicron descends into the lungs

faster, causing pneumonia.''

''This is very alarming. With the infection with the ‘old’

coronavirus, an individual had up to 10-11 days from

the moment of infection, to pneumonia. This time it

was possible to come from the most remote village

to a hospital where one can obtain qualified help.

Now it’s 3-5 days," the expert explained.

According to him, the spread of the strain will not

strongly impact the effectiveness of vaccines.

"It is possible that it will be somewhat lower but
not critically so. There are no exact data yet

....only the preliminary ones. According to

some data the effectiveness decreases,

yet no more than by 40%, not several-

fold. According to other data, it

decreases even less," the

expert stressed.

The scientist noted that overall, the scenario of the

development of the pandemic now exclusively

depends on the immunization rate of

the population.

"If vaccination rates increase with the same speed

they’re increasing with now, then we can expect

another small increase and then the incidence

will go down, flaring up from time to time. If the

rates do not increase, then it is possible to

expect another rise in incidence closer to

spring," he explained.

The expert also said that after the end of the current

pandemic, new coronaviruses will emerge, ready to

break through interspecies barriers and come

to humans.

"Recently, an expedition of Paris’ Pasteur Institute and

the Lao Academy of Sciences worked in a hard-to-

access unpopulated region between Vietnam,

Laos and China.''

''These are mountains covered with jungles, caves,

forest, swamps, waterfalls - impassable places.

The scientists took samples from wild bats

there and isolated coronaviruses ---

surprisingly similar to SARS-CoV-2.''

''And these new viruses also can effectively infect

human cells, this was verified under laboratory

conditions. They are waiting for their moment.

There are also several groups of viruses that

are also standing on the threshold of the

interspecies barrier... and are ready, to

break through it, and come to humans.''

''We have to realize that this may happen in the

near future and be prepared for it," he said.

________________________________

Over half Omicron cases

Study names major

risks for vapers

December 1st, 2:36pm (RT)

Men who vape or use e-cigarettes are more than twice

as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than those

who have never used the popular nicotine-based

smoking alternatives, a new study has found.

The study, which analyzed self-reported data from

almost 14,000 US men aged between 20 and 65,

found that regular e-cigarette users were

around 2.2 times more likely to

experience impotence than

non-smokers.

The findings were published in the American

Journal of Preventive Medicine on Wednesday.

The risk was found to be 2.4 times greater in a smaller

sample of men younger than 65 – with normal body

mass indexes and no history of heart disease –

when compared to non-vapers. The study did

not include data on whether the respondents

were taking medications that can raise the

risk of erectile dysfunction.... such as

antidepressants or heart medication.

Researchers noted the “abundant evidence” already

linking smoking and nicotine to sexual dysfunction

and theorized that the particularly high level of

nicotine in vaping liquid reduces blood flow

to the penis and interferes with the normal

functions of blood vessels, though they

didn’t definitively prove the link.

Nonetheless, the study’s authors – from New York

University and Johns Hopkins University – noted

that vaping enthusiasts needed to be warned

about the potential impact on their

sexual health.

Citing research based on rodent models, the

researchers also noted that another

“plausible” link was exposure to

e-cigarette “refill liquids.. with or

without nicotine.” These contain

chemicals that may reduce

testosterone levels in the

human body and impair

normal erectile function.

“Overall, e-cigarettes are likely less harmful than

smoking cigarettes to the degree that they

substitute cigarette smoking,” the study’s

lead author, Omar El Shahawy, told Insider.

He added that men who view vaping as a

healthier alternative should try to “limit”

the habit as it is “simply not risk free.”

The study comes as England gears up to become

the first country to prescribe e-cigarettes as a

method to help smokers kick the habit. In

October, the UK’s Medicines and Health-

care products Regulatory Agency issued

updated guidance.. that would allow the

products to be offered through the NHS.

But El Shahawy warned that the relationship

between vaping and impotence needs to be

“fully investigated” in further studies. The

study did not detail whether the risk of

erectile dysfunction was comparable

to that posed by smoking.

________________________________

Report: Tens of Thousands
Missed Cancer Referrals
in UK ''Due to COVID-19''

December 1st, 11:43am (FNA)

The NHS may be missing more than 9 million

referrals, while patients face - a “postcode

lottery” for cancer treatment and routine

operations, a parliament watchdog

has warned.

Millions of patients... have either avoided, or been

unable to obtain healthcare during the pandemic

leaving the NHS with a potential unknown back-

log of operations, which could push the

national waiting list to 12 million by

2025, The Independent reported.

A report from the government’s National Audit Office,

on Wednesday, also warned that patients across

England are facing a postcode lottery in terms

of waits - with some hospital waiting lists far

larger than others following the pandemic.

The findings come ahead the government’s plan to

tackle the NHS’ treatment and surgery backlog,

which is expected to be published this week.

In November the NHS recorded its highest

ever waiting list, at 5.8 million.

According to the NAO’s analysis NHS services in

Birmingham and Solihull have racked up the

longest waiting lists - with 51 percent of

patients waiting more than 18 weeks,

compared to 20 percent in Surrey.

Birmingham and Solihull also had the worst for

cancer waiting times according to the data,

with 57 percent waiting more than three

months compared to Surrey, Kent

and Cornwall.

The NAO said variations may reflect, differences in

areas, such as poverty levels and rates of routine

operations, prior to March 2020, as well as the

direct impact of the pandemic.

The findings come after NHS data in November,

revealed the number of patients waiting more

than two years for treatment following a

referral, rose to a record 12,491.

The report also estimated there were between 240,000

and 740,000 “missing” urgent GP referrals for

patients with suspected cancer between

March 2020 and September 2021 and

up to 60,000 patients, missing first

treatments, in the same period.

The NAO warned, “The NHS was doing more work

year-on-year, before the-pandemic, but the

demand for its services was increasing...

even faster. To keep pace, it would have

needed either more beds and more staff

or a different way of working, or most

likely, a combination of all three.”

When COVID-19 first hit England, the NHS rapidly

agreed a deal with 27 private sector hospitals to

carry out routine operations.... amid fears

hospitals would be overwhelmed.

Under this national contract, during 2020-21, the NHS

will have paid £2.1 billion to private sector providers

in return for 3.3 million completed treatments,
according to the NAO’s report.

Between March 2019 and February 2020,

independent providers carried out 8%

of routine operations for the NHS.

Following the pandemic... the NAO said there was
a “sharp” reduction in operations carried out by

private sector hospitals in the initial stages of

the pandemic but that this increased to pre-

pandemic levels from June 2021.

It is not clear how many operations and treatments

were expected to be carried out by private

providers under the £2.1 billion contract,

and NHS England has never officially

released this information.

However, in November last year, the Health Service

Journal reported just one third of capacity paid

for by the NHS in private hospitals was used

following the first pandemic wave.

Eve Byrne, head of campaigns and public affairs,
at Macmillan Cancer Support, said, “This report

confirms what we hear --- day in, day out, from

people living with cancer.... Chronic staffing

shortages are already having a devastating

impact on cancer patients, and we have

major concerns that is only set to

worsen without urgent action."

She said the government’s plan to tackle

the operations backlog must be backed

up by steps.... to ensure enough

nursing staff.

“Without these critical pieces of the puzzle, we

risk increasing numbers of people facing later

diagnoses, poorer care and potentially worse

chances of survival. This has to change,”

she added.

As part of its recommendations the NAO has said

the government, NHS England and education

body Health Education England, should

develop a detailed plan to address

shortages in the workforce over

the next 12 months to 3 years.

The recommendation comes just after the government

rejected an amendment to the Health and Care Bill by

MP Jeremy Hunt which would have required the

Secretary of State for Health and Care to

publish independent assessments of

NHS workforce gaps, every 2 years.

Dr Tim Mitchell, vice president of the Royal College

of Surgeons of England said, “The NHS faces huge

challenges as staff continue to treat COVID-19

patients, while trying to reduce the vast

waiting list for planned care.

He called for the government’s upcoming plan to

include guidance --- on how it would set up

“surgical hubs” and separate planned

surgery from emergency care... to
allow for operations to continue
safely during the pandemic.

The royal college vice president added, “Also we urge

the government to amend the Health and Care Bill, to

ensure there are independently verified assessments

of workforce numbers. It will take investment both
in surgical hubs and staff to bring waiting times
down to acceptable levels.”

An NHS spokesperson said, “Treating more than half

a million patients in hospital for COVID... as well as

delivering a world-leading vaccination programme,

has inevitably had an impact on some routine and

non-urgent care, yet, since the pandemic began,

the NHS has performed millions of routine

procedures, and over 450,000 people

have started treatment for cancer."

“NHS staff are now pulling out all the stops to recover

elective activity levels, making good use of additional

resources to open new surgical hubs and diagnostic

centres, develop innovative ways of working and

perform more operations, tests, checks and

scans, so anyone who is concerned about

their health should come forward so the

NHS can help you,” the spokes-

person added.

(Rhondda Records adds: and in Wales?)

__________________________

Long-term efficacy of Russian

New symptoms that could

help doctors diagnose
pancreatic cancer

by Pavel López Lazo

November 10th, 5:10pm (Prensa Latina)

Researchers at the University of Oxford, UK, have
identified a series of symptoms associated with
pancreatic cancer, including two previously
unrecognized symptoms - feeling thirsty
and having dark urine.

The study has confirmed a further 23 signs of pancreatic

cancer, after looking at data from 24,230 patients who

were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in England

between 2000 and 2017, using a large electronic

database (QResearch).

The research, which is the largest study of its kind,

found 23 symptoms linked with the diagnosis of

PDAC... (yellowing of the skin, bleeding in the

stomach or intestine, problems swallowing,

diarrhea, change in bowel habits, vomiting,

indigestion, abdominal mass, abdominal

pain, weight loss, constipation, fat in

stool, abdominal swelling, nausea,

flatulence, heartburn, fever,

tiredness, loss of appetite,

itching, back pain, thirst,

and dark urine).

Nine symptoms were linked with PNEN (yellowing of

the skin, blood in stool, diarrhea, change in bowel

habits, vomiting, indigestion, abdominal mass,

abdominal pain, and weight loss).

“When pancreatic cancer is diagnosed earlier, patients

have a higher chance of survival. It is possible to

diagnose patients when they visit their GP, but

both patients and GPs... need to be aware of
the symptoms associated with pancreatic

cancer.” Dr. Weiqi Liao said.

While most symptoms were not specific to pancreatic

cancer and could be due to other benign conditions,

the researchers found patients diagnosed with

pancreatic cancer, had a higher chance of

experiencing some of these non-specific

symptoms, one year before diagnosis.

Dr Liao said: “These new findings enable us to conduct

further work on understanding symptoms that could

suggest pancreatic cancer. This will help GPs to

make decisions - about who to refer for urgent

tests, especially when patients have several

seemingly non-specific symptoms.”

____________________________________

Care Homes in England Set to Lose

50,000 Staff as COVID Vaccine

Becomes Mandatory

(Rhondda Records:
and in Wales?!!!)

November 10th, 2:31pm (FNA)

Tens of thousands of care home residents face

losing vital support, as unvaccinated carers

clock off for the last time, before double

jabs become mandatory.

About 50,000 care home staff who have not had

two doses in England will not be allowed to

work from Thursday. Analysis by the

Guardian suggests that on current

staff/resident ratios without other

measures to tackle the problem

------ the care of about 30,000
people could be affected.

Care operators and health chiefs have warned: staff

shortfalls could prevent thousands of people from

being discharged from hospitals this winter ---

limiting admissions and clogging up wards.

They say it will increase pressure on remaining care

staff to work longer hours, despite many being

already exhausted.

One of the largest not-for-profit operators, MHA,

estimates-about 750 care homes may have

already stopped taking new admissions..

because of the staffing crisis. Seven of

its homes are closed to new entrants

and it is losing up to 150 staff

because of the vaccine

policy, this week.

“It is scary, as we head into winter and the concern

is there will be a buildup of people in hospital who

can’t be discharged,” said Sam Monaghan,
MHA chief executive.

The National Care Forum said providers are

running at 17% average staff vacancy rates.

Matthew Taylor, the chief executive of the NHS

Confederation, which represents healthcare

organisations, said people who were

medically fit to leave risked longer

hospital stays than necessary, at

a time when capacity is crucial.

“As we head towards what could be the most

challenging winter on record, we hope the

government has assessed the possible

knock-on impact of this policy,”

he said.

The Department of Health and Social Care said

councils will help care operators with staff

shortages, that it has provided town halls

with over £1bln of additional funding for

social care this year, and is running a

TV recruitment campaign.

Mandatory double vaccination for care workers in

homes for older and younger adults has boosted

vaccine protection, with close to nine out of 10

staff getting both jabs. But in areas including

Thurrock, Nottingham and Manchester -- a

fifth of staff are still not fully protected.

NHS staff and domiciliary care staff who look after

people in their own homes, will not need to be

fully vaccinated... until April 1st, 2022, the

government announced on Tuesday.

Claire Callender, 42, a short-staffed care home

manager in Warwickshire, who has already

closed 12 of her 27 bedrooms, said she

was laying off another care worker on

Wednesday because of the vaccine.

“The [situation] is absolutely ridiculous,” Callender

said, adding - “I have to turn a healthcare worker

away if they are not vaccinated, but not visitors

[who do not need vaccination].

Katie Madden, who worked night shifts at the Greenways

care home, cried when she told the Guardian about

leaving. She worked through a COVID outbreak at

the home and was sick with the virus for weeks.

She had planned to get the vaccine but was

anxious about it making her ill again.

“The decision was taken out of my hands …

and I thought, no, I’m not ready,” she said.

She washes residents, prepares them for bed

and checks on them through the night.

“This is a job I am going to be really upset about leaving,”

she said, adding, “I built a relationship with them all. We

were all there, through thick and thin, when everyone

was poorly … I could have run away when there was

coronavirus, but the old people were getting it and

it was breaking my heart. But I went there,

breaking my back to help, and it turns

from that, to – ‘you can go now’.

I feel really let down.”

Neil Russell, the chairman of PJ Care, which provides

neurological care for adults, said he was losing 14

staff across three sites on Wednesday and

potentially... another dozen by December

24 unless they could persuade doctors

they are medically exempt.

Carers are allowed to self-certify a medical exemption

until Christmas, but must leave after that date, if it is

not confirmed.

Those leaving this week are going to new jobs including

in the NHS, and handling parcels at Amazon and John

Lewis warehouses, he said.

The Care Quality Commission, which regulates care

homes, will enforce the vaccine mandate with “a

proportionate approach, to ensure the welfare

and safety of people who use services”, it

has told operators.

“We will always treat each matter individually and

consider the individual circumstances when

undertaking an assessment and deciding

on any possible next steps,” it said.

________________________________

Swedish doctors sign petition

to stop Pfizer rollout
over suspected fraud

November 9th, 9:36am (PressTV)

A group of doctors from Sweden, along with researchers

have signed a petition demanding the suspension of

vaccination with Pfizer jabs --- over reports of

violations in the trial of the vaccine.

In the petition, a group of 16 Swedish medical

practitioners have expressed grave concern

over what they call “gigantic” side effects
of the Pfizer vaccine --- amid reports of
a suspected research fraud.

It comes as the British Medical Journal (BMJ), a weekly

peer-reviewed medical journal from the UK, last week

cited a whistleblower as saying that a subcontractor

to Pfizer falsified data and failed to promptly follow

up on adverse events reported during the crucial

phase III trial of the vaccine last autumn.

Brook Jackson, who served as the regional director at

the Ventavia Research Group, told the BMJ that the

company unblinded patients, and employed

inadequately trained vaccinators.

According to the report, staff members who conducted

quality control checks were “overwhelmed by the

volume of problems they were finding.”

An employee at a US-based contract research company

helping to carry out Pfizer’s pivotal covid-19 vaccine

trial was fired, after reporting massive clinical trial

violations, a report says.

‘Extremely serious'

The group of Swedish doctors considered the

report surrounding Pfizer “extremely serious”.

“It undermines confidence in Pfizer, which is responsible

for testing the vaccine and for the safety of the vaccine

currently used by Swedes, including hundreds of

thousands of children,” the petition said.

The health experts also suggested that the extent of

the number of reported suspected side effects of

Pfizer jabs, is “gigantic”.

They put the number of suspected side effects reported

during the 10 months that vaccination has taken place,

at 83,744 ------ 10 times more than all the side effects
reported, per year.

“The strong suspicion, that parts of the clinical trial of

Pfizer's vaccine were not performed in a scientifically

acceptable manner, and where the study results can

not be considered reliable, combined with the large

extent of reported suspected side effects, after

vaccination - many of a serious nature - makes

us, as doctors, researchers & immunologists

--- deeply concerned,” the petition stated.

____________________________________

UK Senior Adviser Says

Vaccinated Patients

Dying of COVID Due

to Waning Immunity

November 8th, 11:46am (FNA)

Double-jabbed vulnerable and elderly people are

dying from COVID-19 due to the efficacy of the

vaccine waning, a senior adviser said.

The effects of coronavirus vaccines are known to

wane some five or six months after the second

dose, as discovered in multiple studies

during the pandemic, PA news

agency reported.

It comes as the government launches a campaign

to encourage take-up of booster jabs this autumn.

While most of those dying with COVID-19 are

unvaccinated, reports last week said Number

10 was concerned about hospital admissions

& deaths among double-vaccinated people

rising, due to waning immunity.

Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UK

Health Security Agency... told the BBC’s Andrew

Marr Show there are deaths among the elderly

because around 5% remain unvaccinated.

She added, “We’re still seeing deaths in mainly the

unvaccinated population ... but increasingly,

because of immune waning effects, there

are deaths in the vaccinated group

as well.”

She added that the majority of deaths are occurring

in the older age-groups --- particularly the over-70s,

and also among the clinically/extremely vulnerable

and those with underlying medical conditions.

She continued, “As we’ve mentioned, the immune

effects wane and what we see is, especially in
the older or the vulnerable groups, those are
the people whose immunity will wane
the most."

“So, if you’re a healthy 30-year-old, then two doses

will protect you for a longer period. That’s why

those people need to come forward for their

third dose as soon as possible,” she added.

Patients over 50 and those most at risk from COVID-19

are currently eligible for a booster six months after

their second jab.

More than seven in 10 people aged 80 and over have

had their boosters while almost three in five people

50 and over have also had their top-ups,

according to NHS figures

from Sunday,

From Monday, booster jabs can be booked

one month earlier than previously allowed.

Under previous rules, people could only book their

booster six months after receiving their second

dose. Now, they will be able to arrange an

appointment after five months, and

attend as soon as the six-month

period is up.

The move is meant to accelerate the programme by

making it easier for people to book their inoculation.

Dr Hopkins said that, while the uptake of booster jabs

has been “quite good”... it has also been slower

than with previous doses.

“I think.. that may be due to people thinking they’re already
protected, which is why we’re giving a lot of public health
messages about why it’s so important for them to come
forward for that third dose,” she added.

She added, “We know the virus is circulating at very

high levels in our community. So... unless people get

vaccinated, we will have a long and difficult winter.”

_________________________________________

Veteran care worker loses job

over vaccine mandate, blasts

government

November 8th, 7:07am (RT)

A UK care worker who worked in the field for over a dozen

years, decried the Covid-19 vaccine mandates, after her

refusal to be vaccinated cost her... her job. The story

has grabbed national headlines.

Louise Akester, 36, worked at Alderson House in Hull for

the last three years and in the healthcare field for 14

years, but has now lost her job, due to her non-

compliance with a mandate stating that all

care workers must be fully vaccinated

after November 11th, unless they

receive a medical exemption.

Opponents of vaccine mandates have argued that this

approach could lead to major staffing issues over

the winter months, while supporters insist it will

offer more protection to vulnerable care

home residents.

In a video she reportedly took... on Friday afternoon,

after her final shift, Akester tearfully explained how

losing her job and walking away from the people

she has cared for, was the hardest thing she
has ever done.

“I just can't believe what the bloody government

is doing to us, I just don't get it, I don't

understand,” she said.

Akester said the situation is unfair, as residents and

guests are not required to be vaccinated under the

new rules. She claimed residents at her facility

are “crying their eyes out” over her departure,

and noted that she has been tested for

Covid-19 regularly --- and has worn

proper protective gear at her job.

Thousands could lose their jobs after November 11th,

and Akester, who said she made the minimum wage
at her last job, said she has received lots of
messages of support.

“It’s nice to know I’m not alone - that there’s

other people in my shoes,” she said.

Akester insisted that she is not against vaccines,

but is not ready to be vaccinated for Covid-19

just now. She previously told the Daily Mail

she is waiting -- due to concerns over the

potential long-term side effects.

“This choice should be my basic human right.

I do not deserve to be punished for saying

no,” she said.

However, she did not rule out being

vaccinated for Covid-19... at some

point in the future.

_____________________________

Covid-19 causes hearing

and balance disorders

by Pavel López Lazo

November 4th, 8am (Prensa Latina)

A team of experts disclosed that the SARS-CoV-2

virus causes hearing and balance disorders ---

the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(MIT) reported.

“Coronavirus can infect cells of the inner ear, including

hair cells, which are critical for both hearing and

balance, causing hearing loss and tinnitus,”

researchers stressed.

In both human inner ear samples and stem cell-derived

cell models, specialists found that certain cells
(ciliated and Schwann) express proteins
necessary for the SARS-CoV-2
virus to enter.

A new study... from MIT and the Massachusetts Eye and

Ear provides evidence that “these two proteins include

the ACE2 receptor, which is found on the cell surface,

and two enzymes called furin and serine 2

transmembrane protease, which help the

virus to fuse with the host cell.”

Damage to cochlear hair cells, which can cause hearing

loss, is generally assessed by measuring otoacoustic

emissions, sounds made by sensory hair cells when

they respond to auditory stimulation.

Possible pathways for the virus to enter the ears include

the Eustachian tube, which connects the nose to the

middle ear.

The virus can also escape through the nose via small

openings surrounding the olfactory nerves. That

would allow the virus to enter the brain and
infect the cranial nerves, including the
one connected to the inner ear.

According to the Reports Nature’s Scientific journal,

Covid-19 causes more than 50 negative effects in

humans. These discomforts can last for weeks

and even months after a patient’s recovery is

decreed. The list of complaints is led by

fatigue, headache, attention disorder,

hair and tooth loss, shortness of

breath, loss of taste, smell,

cough, chest discomfort,

the decreased ability to

pulmonary diffusion,

sleep apnea.... and

pulmonary fibrosis.

Patients may also have heart disorders such

as arrhythmias and myocarditis; in addition

to tinnitus (when a ringing or other noise is

felt in one or both ears) and night sweats

...in addition to neurological disorders,

including dementia, depression,

anxiety... and obsessive-

compulsive disorders.

______________________________

High efficacy of Russia’s Sputnik V
vaccine in protecting the elderly
confirmed by the large
Argentinian study

November 1st, at 10:57am (RT)

A real-world study carried out in Argentina's capital

of Buenos Aires, has proven the high efficacy of

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19

in those aged above 60, the distributor of

the jab has said.

The results of the large-scale research by the Ministry

of Health of the City of Buenos Aires were published

in the prestigious, peer-reviewed Journal of the

American Medical Association (JAMA)
last week.

The study included more than 660,000 elderly residents

of Buenos Aires who'd been vaccinated with Sputnik V,

AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm jabs, between June the

1st and June the 15th, 2021.

According to the paper, infection rates decreased by

over 88% among those fully vaccinated, while

mortality dropped by 96.6%.

Two-dose vaccination also contributed to a 94.2%

reduction of all-cause deaths among those aged

80 and over, and a 98.2% reduction among

those aged between 70 and 79.

Sputnik V was the leading vaccine in the survey,

with over 63% of the participants injected with

the Russian-designed jab.The Argentinean

study: “reconfirms the great efficacy of

Sputnik V, in protecting the elderly,”

the Russian Direct Investment

Fund (RDIF), which funded

the development of the

Russian jab, and now

oversees distribution

...said in a statement.

The RDIF pointed to other research by the Buenos

Aires health ministry that was published in June

...and revealed the single-shot Sputnik Light

vaccine had an efficacy of 78.6–83.7%

among people aged between

60 and 79.

Sputnik V has been one of the main vaccines used in

Argentina’s immunization drive. Russia's jab has

contributed to Covid-19 cases in the capital

dropping “at least 15 times”, over the
last five months, the RDIF said.

Its high efficacy of 97.6% in those fully vaccinated

and its lack of any significant known side effects

has generated praise in the international

scientific community --- including from

the prestigious medical magazine,

The Lancet.

The Russian jab is already registered in 70 countries

but still lacks authorization from the EU's regulator,

the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the

World Health Organization (WHO).

In late October, the WHO said it was resuming the

approval procedure after a month-long pause

...caused by the claimed discovery of

''irregularities'' at one of the plants

where Sputnik V is manufactured.

During his address to the G20 summit over the

weekend, Russian President Vladimir Putin

urged the world’s leading nations to work

out a mechanism: to efficiently update

vaccines against Covid-19. in light of

the new variants and accelerate the

recognition of each other’s jabs.

Competition in the area of vaccines, only

undermines global vaccination efforts,

and exacerbates inequality in access

to the jab, he pointed out.

Putin again highlighted the high effectiveness

of Sputnik V, and said its single-component

version could be used as a booster shot...

to vaccines produced by other countries.

___________________________________

One rule for them? UK minister

claims MPs can choose whether

to wear masks after govt urges

public to wear face coverings

October 21st, 2:28pm (RT)

UK ''Health'' Minister, Edward Argar, has defended MPs

who fail to wear masks in Parliament -- claiming they

can make an “informed view”, on whether to follow

guidance, despite the health secretary asking
the public to wear face coverings.

Speaking on Thursday, Argar rebuffed criticism that

MPs are not following government guidance, by

claiming that politicians are entitled to adopt

an “informed view”, about whether advice

to wear one in enclosed places,
applies to Parliament.

“There’s clearly a leadership role for members of

Parliament on all sides,” Argar said, adding, “I
think it’s for those individual members of

Parliament to read the guidance,

consider it, bear in mind what

Sajid [Javid] has said, and

reach their own views.”

Conservative MPs... have largely stopped wearing

masks during debates in the House of Commons

while opposition politicians were seen without

face coverings, during the indoor Labour

Party conference, earlier this year.

The defence put forward by Argar comes after the

UK’s Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, urged the

public in England, to wear face coverings in

“crowded” areas for the foreseeable future

...amid rising Covid cases and fatalities
in the UK.

Issuing a warning, Javid stated at the Downing Street

press conference, that Covid restrictions would be

“more likely” to be legally reintroduced if people

fail to take proper safety precautions, such as

wearing masks “when they really should.”

Liberal Democrats spokesperson Layla Moran blasted

the Conservative government --- for showing “utter

hypocrisy” -- by advising people to wear masks

“while Conservative MPs refuse to do so.”

____________________________________

Pandemic-hit NHS -- wastes over

£560mn yearly on ‘unnecessary’

and addictive pills with severe

withdrawal symptoms – study

October 19th, 2:46pm (RT)

Despite the Covid pandemic, the NHS is reportedly

wasting as much as £568 million yearly on habit-

forming drugs like painkillers and sleeping pills

that the majority of patients do not need,

leading to dangerous addictions.

Doctors in England, are unnecessarily pushing

dependency-causing opioids, antidepressants

and other pills, according to a new study by

the Council for Evidence-based Psychiatry.

Researchers found that 3 in 4 prescriptions

were totally unnecessary in some cases.

The study, published Tuesday in the journal Addictive

Behaviours, revealed that, for many patients, their

symptoms... were not severe enough to warrant

such medication. In other cases, safer options

of treatment such as counselling or less toxic

drugs, were not fully explored, while there

were also instances of patients who were

put on the pills for longer than required.

“Money is being wasted at a time when the health service

is strapped for cash. The NHS, is not taking this problem

seriously and many doctors don’t appreciate the extent

to which withdrawal from these medicines is a
problem,” Dr James Davies, the study’s
co-lead author, told the

Daily Mail.

Between 2015 and 2018, the study estimated, there

was a taxpayer bill of £1.7 billion for prescriptions

for... antidepressants, opioids, gabapentinoids,

benzodiazepines and Z-drugs (sleeping pills).

The total costs accounted for the price of the

drugs, the average consultation cost (about

£33) of seeing a General Practitioner (GP),

and dispensing fees.

NHS figures reportedly show that nearly 17 million people

a year, in the country, are getting a prescription for such

drugs. The level of waste is so colossal that it could go

towards paying the salaries of another 10,000 GPs or

20,000 nurses, according to the Daily Mail, which

reported that the Department of Health and

Social Care is yet to finalise plans to

tackle the issue.

Nearly half the taxpayer money being wasted each year
– to the tune of £288 million – goes towards highly

addictive opioid painkillers followed by £158

million a year for gabapentinoids. But the

researchers, at Roehampton University,

Greenwich University, plus University

College London, warn that it is likely

the total amount lost is far higher

than the “conservative”

estimates in the study.

In addition, the study does not account for the significant

costs related to harms caused by habit-forming drugs.

These include higher disability payments and lost tax

revenues, as well as workplace absenteeism and

decreased productivity.

Besides the financial losses, unnecessary prescription also

exacts a human cost: when people try to kick the habit, they

suffer severe withdrawal symptoms --- including stomach

cramps, blurred vision & loss of appetite. For instance,

studies on benzodiazepine usage reportedly show that

50% of those on the drugs for as little as four weeks

suffer anxiety, dizziness, concentration problems,

nightmares and weakness. That figure rises to

100% for people taking the medication for

over six months.

Commenting on the study, the Tory MP Danny Kruger, who

chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed

Drug Dependence, said a “fraction of these wasted

costs should now be invested in a helpline and
dedicated withdrawal support services.”

In 2019, a Public Health England report revealed that

“hundreds of thousands” of patients... .had become

dependent on medicines.. and recommended face-

to-face support, better training for doctors on the

risks of drug dependency, and a 24-hour helpline

on how to reduce medication.

While little action has occurred since, a Department of

Health and Social Care spokesman told the Daily Mail

that ministers are finally backing plans for a helpline

and will be “working closely” with the NHS to

implement the recommendations.

______________________________

Psychosis Cases Soar in England

as Pandemic Hits Mental Health

October 18th, 3:22pm (FNA)

Cases of psychosis have soared over the past two years

in England... as a rising number of people experience

hallucinations and delusional thinking, amid the

stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There was a 75% increase in the number of people referred

to mental health services for their first suspected episode

of psychosis between April 2019 and April 2021, NHS
data shows, The Guardian reported.

The rise continued throughout the summer, with 12,655

referred in July 2021, up 53% from 8,252 in July 2019.

Much of the increase has been seen over the last year,

after the first national lockdown, according to data

analysed by the charity Rethink Mental Illness.

More than 13,000 referrals were made in May

2021, a 70% rise on the May before, when

there were 7,813 referrals.

The charity is urging the government to invest more

in early intervention for psychosis to prevent any
further deterioration in people’s mental health,
from which... it could take them years
to recover.

It says the statistics - provide some of the first concrete

evidence... to indicate the significant levels of distress
experienced across the population in the pandemic.

A study earlier this month, found that anxiety & depression

around the world, increased dramatically, in 2020, with an

estimated 76mln extra cases of anxiety and 53mln extra

cases of major depressive disorder than would have

been expected.. had COVID not struck. Women and

young people were disproportionately affected,

the researchers said.

Psychosis can involve seeing or hearing things that other

people do not (hallucinations) and developing beliefs that

aren't based on reality (delusions), which can be highly

distressing. It can be a symptom of mental illness...
such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or severe

depression, but psychosis can also be a

one-off, potentially triggered by a

traumatic experience, extreme

stress or drug and alcohol

misuse.

Despite the continued pressure on mental health services,

Rethink Mental Illness is highlighting the importance of

rapid access to treatment to prevent further episodes

of psychosis... and reduce people’s risk of

developing severe mental illness.

Nice guidelines for people experiencing a suspected

first episode of psychosis state they should receive

an assessment within two weeks. However, the

charity fears that if the increase in referrals is

sustained, more people will have to wait

longer for vital treatment.

Brian Dow, the deputy chief executive of Rethink Mental

Illness, said, “Psychosis can have a devastating impact

on people’s lives. Swift access to treatment is vital to

prevent a further deterioration in people’s mental

health... which could take them years to

recover from."

“These soaring numbers of suspected first episodes of

psychosis are cause for alarm. We're now, well beyond

the first profound shocks of this crisis and it’s deeply

concerning, that the number of referrals remains so

high. As first presentations of psychosis typically

occur in young adults, this steep rise raises

additional concerns about the pressures

the younger generation have faced

during the pandemic," he added.

“The pandemic has had a ''gamechanging'' effect on our

mental health and it requires a revolutionary response.

Dedicated additional funding for mental health and

social care must go to frontline services to help

meet the new demand, otherwise thousands

of people could bear a catastrophic cost,”

he added.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social

Care said, “It is vital everyone can get the right support

when they need it and we are delivering the fastest

expansion in mental health services in NHS

history, backed by an additional £2.3bln a

year, by 2023/24, benefiting hundreds
of thousands more people.

“On top of this, we’ve invested an additional £500mln

this year to help people whose mental health has

been particularly impacted by the pandemic. All

NHS mental health providers have established

24/7 urgent helplines, which have answered

around three million calls... during the

pandemic,” the spokesperson said.

_____________________________

COVID Testing Lab in UK...