AstraZeneca withdrawing Covid vaccine worldwide

With any vaccine or in fact any medication there will be side effects, even with goods and drinks they are not always good for you.

Some foods can be really bad for you or for a sizable part of a population, but that doesn’t mean they are banned or will be banned.

Vaccines go through very rigorous testing programmes  and this vaccine has saved many lives.

Over the last few years vaccines have been subjected to many rummers for one the MMR and the research into that vaccine and what it could cause led to many to refuse the vaccine for their children. Then later it was found that this research was flawed, but the damage was already done.

This has led to a measles outbreak when previously it was believed that it had been eradicated and now the outbreak is causing great concerns as measles can be devastating on children who get measles.

When viewing side effects the likelihood is of great significance compared to what the vaccine can safeguard from or vastly reduce the effects.

We need more vaccines not less, otherwise the strides in medical interventions will be lost. In doing so people will again start to die younger and years of gains through research will be lost.

Nothing will ever be 100% safe.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/07/astrazeneca-withdrawing-covid-vaccine/

Blood test reveals best lung cancer treatment | BBC News

This appears to be great news and lets hope it becomes more available very soon.

While cancer treatments have been improving and the survival rates from having cancer are also improving, the NHS crisis with all its resulting problems is causing some delays to receiving initial assessments and then receiving required treatments which is bound to affect current survival rates to some degree.

When this new treatment becomes more available it may, to a degree, counteract any delays people are currently experiencing and therefore allow the survival rates to continue to increase.

Source: Blood test reveals best lung cancer treatment | BBC News

Mastering the Mental Capacity Act – Community Care

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is a critical pieces of legislation, employed every day by social care practitioners working with people aged 16 and over. But with case law and practice contexts continuing to evolve, staying up to date with the MCA is vital to legal literacy in social work and occupational therapy. That is …

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Mental capacity is far from easy to understand for our capacity to understand is forever changing and could change day by day depending on how we are at any moment in time.

In many instances, a mental capacity assessment is not undertaken as those in assumed power just look at a person and could assume they have the capacity, which in their view is capacity in all areas. For most of us, we will never have full capacity but will be deemed to have. This is because our understanding of life is different in person to person for we don’t know to a large extent what we have never come across and even if we have may have come to the wrong conclusions.

Studies of mental health still have a long way to go, even though studies have come a long way, but, the outcomes of studies could change over time depending on what other studies have been done or need to be done. Also, in every study it depends on what we use as the criteria, as to use some that are not as extensive as they should be could create a differing outcome and our own views and opinions could have some bearing on this too.

But our brains and minds are still very unknown in what capacities and abilities there are and these could to some extent change slightly on how we feel at any particular moment in time.

A mental capacity assessment is only a tool and not be accepted as the only tool for knowledge of the person is also important and the assessor could well have no real knowledge of the person they are assessing and they too will have their own views and opinions which could cloud any results. We use to a large extent our own life experiences but are ours and may not be general to the larger population. There are also Society and social views, which may or may not be good and then there is legislation, which again could well not be as good as it should be and could well be outdated with changes in life and values of the current time.

Having mental capacity assessments is good, but should be used with all other available knowledge and questioning should always be a consideration.

Source: Mastering the Mental Capacity Act – Community Care

Julia Bradbury Says ‘starring death in the face’ over cancer changed her ‘forever’

It is so good to speak out and especially for someone who can raise an audience so more people are prepared to listen for listening is what people need to do more of.

Cancer is a shock to anyone who hears it being a diagnosis and not only to them but their family around them for all in the process need support. Yes, the person diagnosed, but with a supported family the tasks of supporting each other will be easier, but it will never be easy.

In some forms of cancer the coming through is much better now than previously, but it is still a process which needs much support to go through for all concerned with the person diagnosed to be at the centre and the most concentrated on, but not forgetting all those around on whose support is required, for they too need much needed support.

Cancer will never be easy to deal with, but survival to being cancer free eventually now happens so much more and hopefully will continue to do more so.

Current treatments are now more successful but the resulting side effects are not great to deal with and reassurance and much care is required by and for everyone.

But to ensure continuing improvements in cancer care and survival rates much needed funding is always required. So more needed support in all aspects.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/julia-bradbury-says-staring-death-31505498?utm_source=mirror_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Mirror+-+Daily+Newsletter_newsletter&utm_content=&utm_term=&ruid=ddec2f3b-a42b-4fe8-83fc-abb1006ffff7

Covid: Everything you need to know from variants, testing, vaccines as virus spreads again – Mirror Online

The autumn booster programme was brought forward three weeks in part due to the discovery of a new variant BA.2.86 which raised alarm amongst scientists and health chiefs due to its large number of mutations on the spike protein

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Unfortunately many believe that COVID-19 is no longer with us and some who believe it was never with us, so try telling that to those who are suffering from COVID-19, not to mention those who are still wary to venture out.

We should all believe the scientists and not the politicians and those who are unbelievers for there is still something around which could cause much harm.

Pandemics used to only occur ever so infrequently, but with climate change, irresponsible research in some instances and much more, pandemics will be very much more frequent and we all have to be ready. But after the politicians through COVID and all their inability to keep to restrictions they imposed on the UK population, the next time there is a pandemic many more people will not believe and it will result in even more deaths than from COVID.

The uptake for the Autumn booster will not be as good as it should be, but with those who are eligible please go for the booster for your own health and those of others.

For every little help, may not stop you from being affected by the new strain, but will mitigate its effects.

 

 

Source: Covid: Everything you need to know from variants, testing, vaccines as virus spreads again – Mirror Online

Air pollution linked to rise in antibiotic resistance that imperils human health | Antibiotics | The Guardian

Global study suggests connection has strengthened over time across every country and continent

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Unfortunately, no country is taking climate change and global warming seriously and some countries are much worse than others.

This lack of attention is very serious and the changes are taking place and no one taking any actions to mitigate any of the effects.

Ocean levels are increasing and over the years these levels will see small countries disappear and others lose large areas of land, more famines will occur, as will the extremes of weather, as will infections.

The outlook for us all is not good and even more so for our children and their children and forever more.

The earth’s existence is at stake and will eventually cease to exist to any degree, certainly from how it is now.

But as usual world governments are only looking at the here and now and some not even doing that. So the coming future is not anywhere on their radar when it should be.

Source: Air pollution linked to rise in antibiotic resistance that imperils human health | Antibiotics | The Guardian

The alarming reality of cheap Chinese cars on British roads

An invasion of cheap Chinese EVs is fast approaching – and there’s more at risk than UK car manufacturing

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All of this appears to be so worrying and we only have ourselves to blame as all apparently except China took our’ eyes off the the ball’.

But it is not just the effect of cars from China for in all cars these days there are ‘chips’ for cars are a mass of electronic components. No matter where the car is made there are chips and where are these made well, in the main, China.

So China will have something in virtually every car manufactured.

This is all down to the lack of investment in all manufacturing and not only cars.

 

Source: The alarming reality of cheap Chinese cars on British roads

How every step we take could soon help tackle those fuel bills | HeraldScotland

It may take a bit of legwork from householders, but Scottish researchers believe they have figured out how to effectively convert the power of every…

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This appears to be great news in theory, but the main problems will be with the practicality and costs.

In buildings would it be something to just place under carpets or rugs, but these days many buildings don’t have carpets as the floor is solid, say concrete or special flooring has been laid. So will this be just for new builds where it could be incorporated into the building structure? Not only will upfront costs have to be evaluated but also ongoing costs for maintenance.

As to public highways, well here the costs would have to be borne by the respective authorities either local Authorities or the National Highways agency. Would they be prepared to place it in new roads, which are not that common these days or somehow incorporate it into existing roads and pavements, which in any respect will take years to achieve? Also, how will it be affected by the array of agencies digging up and relaying these surfaces about repairs and maintenance of other facilities under roads and pavements?

So much to consider, but on the face of it a great concept, but so many other factors need to be taken into account if it ever becomes a reality.

 

Source: How every step we take could soon help tackle those fuel bills | HeraldScotland

MPs criticise ‘staggering’ failures at UK Health Security Agency | Health policy | The Guardian

Damning report highlights lack of spending controls and no stockpile plan for future pandemic at flagship agency set up under Boris Johnson

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I say this time and time again ‘Lessons are never learned’ for when there is any degree of assumed failure it is always said that ‘lessons will be Learned’, but we always see they never are, but we never find out why.

To learn there has to be a willingness to learn, sufficient resources have to be available and there needs to be stringent monitoring and appropriate timescales to be made.

Without the will to learn then learning will never occur and I feel the phrase is made without any real intentions, just something to say at the time and then hope no one will notice what happens next or not.

As to resources, it is much more than money, while money is so important, the people involved have to be right and this applies to government as much as other areas.

Why do Government Ministers have to be MPs, sure MPs have enough to do just dealing with their constituents and their problems, but surely taking on extra responsibilities leaves less time to cover what their constituents require.  Much is being said of MPs having second jobs but is being a Government Minister also a second job and in doing so they are being paid twice once as an MP and then as a government Minister.

A government Minister should be a job in its own right and it should be given to the best possible person available be they a MP or not. They also have to rely on Civil Servants to do all the research required for policies being considered and then enacted, so are the Civil Servants the best persons available and do they hinder or not. Surely more transparency and even more so accountability be in the process.

But this is going away from what the UK Health Security Agency is doing or more importantly not doing, for we have already seen what non-preparations lead to, so preparedness has to be a priority and this preparedness has to be transparent.

Transparency should be throughout not at the end or at certain intervals, but throughout all actions or non-actions.

 

Source: MPs criticise ‘staggering’ failures at UK Health Security Agency | Health policy | The Guardian

Why so many people have had enough of experts – and how to win back trust

Our research highlights three key reasons for declining trust in experts, and how to regain their authority in future.

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We are all experts in something, but the real extent of an expert rests with the limitations of their knowledge for no one can claim to be an expert on everything.

Also, knowledge can be used in many ways and can in some respects be distorted by our own beliefs. So, a true expert will or should know the limits of their knowledge and this will effectively limit the extent to which they should contribute to. They should also be open to listening to others, especially those who may not have used the knowledge to form the same opinions.

There is also or should be the expertise to use their knowledge as best as can be in areas that are new to them and especially new to everyone and only explain or advise with mitigation when expressing their knowledge.

 

Source: Why so many people have had enough of experts – and how to win back trust