Public Health England is encouraging adults across the nation to use the NHS Couch to 5K app. This is one of several free apps available from Better Health, designed to support people to become more active and lose weight … reports Asian Lite News
A recent England-wide survey by Public Health England (PHE) reveals that more than a third of South Asian adults feel a lack of motivation might prevent them from adopting a healthier lifestyle. Of those surveyed, 72% believe that having access to ideas around effective exercise routines could help them to reach their health and fitness goals. In response, PHE is encouraging adults across the nation to use the NHS Couch to 5K app. This is one of several free apps available from Better Health, designed to support people to become more active and lose weight.
Natasha Gupta has been using the Couch to 5K app since lockdown started and has found each week to be easier than the one before. “I felt I could run for longer,” she says. “I felt healthier, I felt fitter, and my stamina has increased.” Natasha has particularly enjoyed being able to kickstart her running regime remotely with friends, and they’ve been using the app to keep each other motivated. “Better yet, I’ve had my teen kids join in, and run with me!” she shares.
Harri Dokia hadn’t been very physically active during lockdown but wanted to do more. So when her friends suggested they all do the challenge together, she agreed immediately. She has been using the app for the last six months, and has been running with both her husband and friends. “I really recommend doing Couch to 5K with someone; they can help you stay motivated and hold you accountable at the same time.”
Professor John Newton, Director of Health Improvement at PHE, welcomed the news: “We’re thrilled that so many people have been using the Couch to 5K app to get more active over lockdown. Keeping active is not only good for our physical health but also crucial for our mental health, and we hope the app has helped people to cope better with the challenges the pandemic has brought.”
Vin Patel, Fitness Trainer said: “Being active is good for your body and mind – and the more you do, the more you’ll benefit. So if you’re thinking about getting more active to improve your health, fitness and well-being, just go for it! Everyone deserves to enjoy the benefits of being active and it’s far easier to get started than people may think.”
The free NHS Couch to 5K app can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play.
You can also search ‘Better Health’ or visit nhs.uk/betterhealth for free advice and support to help you get active and eat healthier this summer.
Get more active:
NHS Couch to 5K app
NHS Active 10 walking app
Weight Loss:
NHS Weight Loss Plan app
BMI Calculator
NHS Easy Meals app
NHS Food Scanner app
Reduce alcohol intake:
NHS Drink Free Days app
All the above apps are free and can be downloaded via the App Store or Google Play. The Better Health website (nhs.uk/BetterHealth) provides tools to help people improve their health and lose weight.
Steward volunteers needed to help South Asian community with Covid-19 vaccinations … reports Asian Lite News
NHS Volunteer Responders is reaching out to the South Asian community, calling for more Steward Volunteers to support at local vaccination sites. There is a growing need for steward volunteers and the NHS is calling for help to get the community vaccinated.
Getting both doses of the vaccine is the best way for people to protect themselves and those around them from the virus and volunteers in this role will be supporting the clinical staff at vaccination sites and helping the people that have come for their jab to complete the process safely and comfortably.
Volunteers help to ensure social distancing measures are in place and identify people who require additional support. Volunteer safety is a priority, with sites providing a full briefing ahead of the shift.
Jasbir Bangerh
People interested in signing up as a SV can go to www.nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk. Shifts usually last up to six hours with your expenses covered. No experience or qualifications are required.
The NHS Volunteer Responders programme was set up by NHS England and NHS Improvement to support the pandemic response and is delivered by Royal Voluntary Service and GoodSAM. Volunteers use a mobile phone app to choose what shifts they would like to do and when.
Motivated by the loss of a neighbour to Covid-19 last year, Jasbir Bangerh is passionate about volunteering and supporting the NHS and says that she can’t get enough of volunteering in her NHS Volunteer Responders Steward role.
Jasbir said:“I think that vaccine uptake is low among people of my background and often they may be nervous when they arrive on site, but I think it helps to reassure them when they see that I am someone they can relate to. My Punjabi isn’t the strongest but at times I have been able to communicate with people in Punjabi and support them through their visit, which is very rewarding. You have the chance to make a positive impact on someone’s vaccination experience and if they have a good experience, they might go on and share that positivity with their friends or family and you could be making a real difference.
Professor Sir Keith Willet, SRO – NHS Covid-19 vaccine deployment programme at NHS England said: “We are incredibly appreciative of everyone who has stepped forward to support the vaccine rollout so far. All out vaccination volunteers are performing a critical role and are a key part of the programme’s success. Our Steward Volunteers do a fantastic job of freeing up our staff to focus on the task at hand, and at this crucial stage we need these volunteers now more than ever so we can make sure as many eligible people as possible get all their jabs done.”
Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service said: “We are at a crucial moment in the vaccination rollout. There is a real urgency to this, and we are working at pace to get people vaccinated as fast as possible. There is a particular need for steward volunteers to help the vaccination programme reach communities most in need. If you are able to help by joining the team, please don’t hesitate. Together we can get the jabs done.”
NHS Volunteer Responders was set up by NHS England within just a few days in March 2020 as part of the COVID-19 response. It is jointly delivered by Royal Voluntary Service and the GoodSAM app. To date it has mobilised an army of volunteers to carry out almost 2 million support tasks enabling people to stay at home if they are clinically vulnerable to COVID-19 or self-isolating for other reasons. It has also provided 74,000 vaccination Steward Volunteers across England.
Public urged to continue protecting friends and family following restrictions lifting… reports Asian Lite News
Everyone across England is being urged to continue letting fresh air into enclose spaces, take up the offer of twice-weekly free testing, wash their hands and book both doses of their vaccine, in a major new campaign which has been launched.
As we have moved into Step 4 of the roadmap and restrictions have been cautiously lifted, the campaign begins across radio and print advertising to encourages the nation to remind the public of the importance of continuing healthy behaviours to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
This includes a new short film, narrated by TV doctor and practising GP, Dr Amir Khan. The message encourages the public to meet outside if they can, let fresh air in when inside, wear a face-covering in crowded places, check-in into venues and test regularly, even if they have been vaccinated.
The film shows how those positive actions that have become second nature to many people over the pandemic should continue to be implemented into everyday lives.
New research was conducted as part of the campaign which reveals nearly nine in 10 (86%) hope that people will proceed with caution and common sense even with restrictions lifted.
The full list of actions being invited to continue include:
Booking your first or second vaccine if eligible without delay
Letting fresh air into enclosed spaces
Regularly twice weekly testing
Taking a PCR test even if you only have mild symptoms
Checking in to venues using the NHS COVID-19 App
Washing hands often and carrying hand sanitiser
Wearing face masks when in close proximity to others and distancing not possible, particularly in enclosed spaces such as public transport or small shops
“We should all be proud of the efforts of our nation in getting us to a point where we have been able to lift restrictions in a careful and cautious way as we move one step closer to normal life,” said Sajid Javid, Health and Social Care Secretary. This new campaign highlights the importance of continuing to follow the simple actions we have become accustomed to, such as practicing good hygiene and letting in fresh air wherever possible.
“Our world-leading vaccine programme has helped us build a strong wall of defence, saving tens of thousands of lives and preventing millions of infections. By the end of September, we plan to make full vaccination a condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather, as well as for quarantine-free travel from amber list countries. I urge everyone who is eligible to book their first and second jabs without delay.”
Dr. Amir Khan, practicing GP who features in the new film says: “Thanks to the nation’s efforts, we are now able to travel to family and friends across the country, and visit the places that we love and have missed – such as cinemas, sports stadiums and restaurants. But whilst we can enjoy the benefits of restrictions lifting, please remember that COVID-19 is still with us; good ventilation indoors, regular testing and handwashing are just some of the actions that will help stop the spread.
Dr Amir Khan
“If you have the virus, its particles bind to you; these particles are spread while you talk, exhale, eat, or perform other normal daily activities – which makes continuing to carry out these simple actions so important. Being vaccinated helps protect you and those around you further, because the vaccine limits the volume or quantity of viral particles shed by individuals who are infected with the virus. All these actions are common sense and second nature to us now, I would encourage people to keep doing them and help keep life moving.”
Whilst data from Public Health England estimates that the vaccination programme in England has prevented over 11 million infections and saved almost 37,000 lives, around one in three people who have COVID-19 have no symptoms and could be spreading the virus without knowing.
Even if someone has been vaccinated, they can still get the virus and pass it on. This is because its particles bind to individuals and spread through talking, exhaling, eating, or performing other normal daily activities. The vaccination limits the volume or quantity of viral particles shed by individuals who are infected with the virus helping to stop the spread.
From the research of over 3,000 adults in England, over three quarters say that they will continue to wear face masks when in crowded spaces, 81% will practice social distancing where possible and 83% say they will continue to wash hands thoroughly and often. 1
Among those who said they would continue with at least one of these actions, 74% said they are doing so to help protect others, whilst 63% say it’s respectful to other people who may feel more nervous about the lifting of restrictions. 1
Over a third (34%) said that they now have a greater understanding of how germs and viruses spread and feel better able to try and protect themselves. 1 And with cases of other viruses, such as seasonal vomiting bug Norovirus, increasing as restrictions ease, people are being urged to take extra precautions to protect themselves and loved ones, by using these healthy behaviours.
The government said for the average nurse, this will mean an additional £1,000 a year, while many porters and cleaners will receive around £540. But health unions opposed the new figure saying it does not reflect the sacrifices made by staff, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
The UK government said on Wednesday that it will back the National Health Service (NHS) by providing a 3 per cent salary uplift to health workers in full accordance with recommendations of NHS independent pay review bodies.
It comes after heavily criticised proposals made by the Department for Health and Social Care in March said only a rise of 1% was affordable, the BBC reported.
“NHS staff including nurses, paramedics, consultants, and dentists in England will receive a 3 per cent pay rise backdated to April 2021 after the government accepted the recommendations of the independent NHS Pay Review Body and the Review Body for Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration,” the statement read.
For the average nurse, this will mean an additional £1,000 a year, while many porters and cleaners will receive around £540, the UK government said.
The NHS staff has 45,300 more workers in 2021 compared to 2020 to fight the pandemic, the government added.
UK Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said NHS staff are rightly receiving a pay rise this year despite the wider public sector pay pause, in recognition of their extraordinary efforts.
“We asked the independent pay review bodies for their recommendations and I am pleased to accept them in full, with a 3 per cent pay rise for all staff in scope, from doctors and nurses to paramedics and porters,” Javid said in the statement.
“We will back the NHS as we focus our efforts on getting through this pandemic and tackling the backlog of other health problems that has built up. I will continue to do everything I can to support all those in our health service who are working so tirelessly to care for patients,” he added.
Meanwhile, some health unions opposed the new figure saying it does not reflect the sacrifices made by staff. They point out the NHS workforce has been under unprecedented pressure.
The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents doctors, said the pay rise was disappointing and that junior doctors and some GPs could miss out on it altogether, the BBC reported.
GMB union said this was opportunity for government to turn their clapping in to genuine recognition, with health workers’ morale rock bottom.
GMB, the union for NHS and ambulance workers, said the government has ‘failed spectacularly’ with their much delayed ‘offer’ on NHS pay.
The union earlier on Wednesday wrote to the Prime Minister calling for him to intervene after a Minister’s statement on the NHS dodged the issue of pay after four months wait.
“The pay offer has been sneaked out to avoid Parliamentary scrutiny as MPs are packing up for summer holidays fails to match the 15% pay increase – or £2 per hour – GMB has been calling for to make up for a decade of real terms pay cuts for NHS key workers deserve, shows how much disrespect this government truly has for NHS staff,” GMB said in a statement.
GMB has also called into question the independence and validity of a pay review body “that has failed to seriously consider union’s evidence as to why a significant increase is essential this year, to reward and recognise staff and to also address the huge staffing crisis in the NHS and the potential retention crisis.”
Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer said: “NHS staff are on their knees – exhausted, fatigued and anxious – as we look set to enter another wave of the covid pandemic. Staff morale is rock bottom.”
He said hospitals and ambulance services are operating under extreme pressures due to rising demand and staffing shortages.
‘Now, rather than focussing on staff welfare they are being advised to enter the workplace against self-isolation advice and now given this frankly appalling pay offer. This was the opportunity for Government to turn their clapping in to genuine recognition. Their response is paltry,” he added.
Earlier this week, the UK lifted almost all COVID-19 restrictions as part of the government’s roadmap out of lockdown. The number of fully vaccinated adults stands at 69 per cent. (with inputs from ANI)
The exemption could include certain workers in the food industry, utilities, border staff and the NHS, said the report…reports Asian Lite News.
The UK government on Tuesday reinforced the need for people to self-isolate when sent an alert by the Covid app – and businesses should help employees to do so, media reported.
It comes after business minister Paul Scully said he would encourage people who are “pinged” to self-isolate but they can make an “informed decision”, the BBC reported.
A rising number of people having to isolate due to being pinged has led to the creation of a system where employers can apply for an exemption if their workers are flagged as needing to quarantine, according to Sky News.
The exemption could include certain workers in the food industry, utilities, border staff and the NHS, said the report.
In recent days, there has been widespread criticism that the app has been sending out so many alerts that hundreds of thousands of people are self-isolating and missing work, causing widespread disruption, the BBC reported.
People who are “pinged” by the NHS Covid app and told they have been in close contact with someone with coronavirus are advised – but not legally obliged – to self-isolate for 10 days.
However, anyone contacted directly by NHS Test and Trace – either by phone, text or email – must self-isolate.
Meanwhile, UK has reported another 46,558 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 5,519,602, according to official figures released on Tuesday.
The country also recorded another 96 coronavirus-related deaths, the highest number since March 24. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now standing at 128,823. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test, the Xinhua news agency reported.
The latest data came as England lifted most of the legal restrictions on social contact on Monday. But the British government said it will continue to work closely with local authorities and provide national support to local areas in curbing the spread of the virus.
Local areas including Blackpool, Cheshire East and Oxford City have been receiving extra support as additional measures have been needed to slow the growth rate of Covid-19, according to the government.
About 88 per cent of adults in Britain have received the first jab of Covid-19 vaccine and more than 68 per cent have received two doses, according to the latest figures.
To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the US as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.
The government has been urged to change the rules of isolation for NHS staff reportedly amid fears of staff shortages, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
The government is considering exempting fully vaccinated National Health Service (NHS) staff in England from having to self-isolate if they are traced as a Covid contact, media reported.
According to a BBC report, the health bosses have been urging the government to change the rules amid fears of staff shortages.
It is learnt that no decision had been taken and ministers wanted to see evidence the move would be safe. If it goes ahead, self-isolation would be replaced with daily tests from 19 July, when wider curbs are eased, it was reported.
The idea echoes a similar policy that would apply to all fully vaccinated people and children in England from 16 August.
Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive at NHS Providers, which represents trusts, said double-jabbed health service staff “should be able to carry on working even if they are pinged” by the NHS Covid-19 app.
“The government should bring that in as soon as possible. I can’t see any reason to delay. NHS trusts are struggling with the number of staff having to isolate – anecdotally we’re seeing significant numbers off [work],” BBC quoted Cordery as saying.
“We’ve picked up on the fact some staff are deleting the app, but it’s not happening on a big, widespread scale at this point.”
Of the estimated 1.3m NHS trust health care workers in England, around 1.1m have received two vaccine doses, BBC reported citing a data from NHS England. Meanwhile, UK has reported another 35,707 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 5,058,093, according to official figures released on Friday.
The country also recorded another 29 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 128,365. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.
Nearly 45.7 million people in Britain have received the first jab of Covid-19 vaccine and over 34.3 million people have received two doses, the official figures showed.
England’s coronavirus reproduction number, also known as the R number, has risen slightly to between 1.2 and 1.5, up from between 1.1 and 1.3 last week, according to the latest estimate by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), a British government advisory body.
An R value between 1.2 and 1.5 means that, on average, every 10 people infected will infect between 12 and 15 other people. An outbreak can grow exponentially when the figure is above one.
Meanwhile, the growth rate range of coronavirus is 3 per cent to 7 per cent, which means that the number of new infections is growing by between 3 per cent and 7 per cent every day.
Overall vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease in risk groups is approximately 60 per cent after one dose of either the AstraZeneca vaccine or the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, with little variation by age, according to a study released on Friday by the Public Health England.
After two doses, vaccine effectiveness is 81 per cent with AstraZeneca among people in risk groups aged 16 to 64. No data is available for Pfizer-BioNTech. Among people in risk groups aged 65 and over, vaccine effectiveness with Pfizer-BioNTech is 89 per cent and 80 per cent with AstraZeneca.
Although age is the greatest risk factor for adverse outcomes following Covid-19 infection, certain health conditions also increase the risk of severe disease.
Diabetes, severe asthma, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, neurological disease, and diseases or therapies that weaken the immune system – such as blood cancer, HIV or chemotherapy – have all been linked to an increased risk of hospitalization or death with Covid-19, according to the PHE.
Conservative Friends of the NHS celebrates birthday with Londoners on the streets
Conservative Friends of the NHS celebrates birthday with Londoners on the streets … writes Soumik Saha. The forum chose the streets to celebrate the birthday of the institution which touches the lives of every breathing soul in the UK
On a busy Monday morning, office goers and other pedestrians on the Great Ormond Street were a bit overwhelmed seeing a birthday party happening on the footpath in front of the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. However, as the birthday carol was sung, everything became clear. They knew who was being celebrated, as they all knew the ‘birthday-baby’ personally.
The 73rd birthday of the beloved institution of this country was being celebrated by a group of doctors, nurses, paramedics, patients, and caregivers– the NHS. The Conservative Friends of the NHS chose the streets to celebrate the birthday of the institution which touches the lives of every breathing soul in the UK.
Conservative Friends of the NHS celebrates birthday with Londoners on the streets
Keya Prasad, the Secretary of the organisation, said: “The location for the birthday party seems appropriate as it is the NHS, which is the umbrella over us all. The NHS is everywhere in this nation. We also got a child coming out of the hospital to cut the cake. Everybody is a part of the NHS.”
It has been one of the most challenging years for the NHS. The hospitals have cared for around 400,000 seriously ill COVID-19 patients, including more than 100,000 admitted in January 2021.
Rachel Sharp, Senior Lecturer at Brunel University London, said: “Our National Health Service has been looking after us for 73 years now, and I have always been so grateful that we have it. But never more so than now. The pandemic has shown everyone how essential and hard[1]working our beloved NHS is. It has been so tough on them, and they deserve every accolade and more.”
The UK being the first country to start vaccination against Covid19, NHS has rolled out its biggest vaccination programme in health service history; the fastest in Europe and perhaps the most precise in the world during the last seven months.
About 45.4 million people in this country have had their first dose of vaccine, which comprises 86% of the adult population. 34 million have had both doses done by now.
Conservative Friends of the NHS celebrates birthday with Londoners on the streets
Nivedita Bhushan, a photographer from India living in London, said: “I am overwhelmed by the way the NHS handled the vaccination process. While my siblings and even my parents, had to toil for an appointment to get their vaccines in India, I was jabbed here without any hassle, and that too for free. My parents were so unsure about their second dose, as there was a crisis of vaccines in India in April and May. Here, we are getting both our appointments together along with regular follow-ups.”
The NHS touches the lives not only of its citizens but of people living in the UK from across the globe.
Lilia Lolenko, a university student from Ukraine, living in London, said: “I feel safe in this country due to the NHS. I know that if I need medical help, they are there to take care of me. The fact that I do not have to pay for my medical expenses or any kind of insurance, gives me peace.”
The journey during the pandemic, however, has not been free of complaints. The NHS faced various challenges from the shortage of medical staff, to scarcity of funds. There have been rampant complaints about disruptions in adult care, basic services been cut down, hospital beds being blocked, and so on.
Dr. Ashraf Chohan, Chairperson of the Conservative Friends of the NHS, however, prefers to see the glass to be half full. He said: “People complain about not getting appointments on time, and some also complain about not getting proper treatment. There have been discrimination complaints as well. However, the percentage of such complaints is quite low as compared to the mammoth number of people the NHS serves. Providing free medical care to the whole nation is a gigantic task, something unique to this country. I strongly believe that people with any kind of medical issues can rely on the NHS, and this institution is the basis of this country’s happiness.”
With the vaccine roll-outs getting to their mark, the NHS now plans to amend and fix spots of crisis that it has been suffering from. On the occasion of its 73rd birthday, an open letter written by Chief Nursing Officer Ruth May, NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis, and Suzanne Rastrick, the NHS’s Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, was published urging young people to join the NHS.
Conservative Friends of the NHS celebrates birthday with Londoners on the streets
The letter read: “As the NHS marks its 73rd birthday, we are asking young people wondering what path to take, and anyone thinking about a career change, to consider joining us. There are more than 350 different roles on offer and whichever one you pick – while we cannot promise it will always be easy – it will be one of the most rewarding decisions you ever make. So, as we look back with pride on 73 years after the toughest time in our history, and forward to the future, we urge you to consider joining the biggest care team in the world. Please search NHS Careers online today.”
More than 50% of NHS staff today, belong to ethnic minority groups from Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America. According to Dr. Chohan, it is this diversity the makes the institution unique and successful.
Manish Tiwari, an expert on the diaspora economy, said: “NHS has always thrived on the global talent pool and doctors and nurses from the Commonwealth have been part of it since the very beginning. It could have been equally apt if it was called NHS by Commonwealth Health Workers, and of late even recruits from Eastern Europe have helped it bridge staff shortage. It’s a wonderful institution that manages to do good for all and make Britain a country with high standards of health care. This sets up a healthy exchange of medical know[1]how across the Commonwealth and larger world and that’s the bigger story of NHS.”
During the most adverse times since the Second World War, the institution has shown extraordinary teamwork, not just across the NHS but involving hundreds of thousands of volunteers, millions of carers, key workers.
Alessandro Carrara, a university student from West London said: “I have to give a lot of praise to the work the NHS has been doing during this very difficult time. The system needs to be supported and protected.”
The institution was awarded the George Cross by Her Majesty the Queen, on its birthday. It was an “unprecedented” honour, bestowed collectively for only the third time in history.
Welcoming the honour, NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said: “Out of those dark times have come the best of what it means to be a carer and a health professional.
In a personal message, the Queen said NHS staff across the UK had worked “with courage, compassion and dedication” for more than 70 years…reports Asian Lite News.
The UK Royal Family on Monday celebrated the 73rd anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS) with the award of the George Cross and a cathedral service.
The award comes in recognition of 73 years of dedicated service, including for the courageous efforts of healthcare workers across the country battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a personal message, the Queen said NHS staff across the UK had worked “with courage, compassion and dedication” for more than 70 years.
In her handwritten message, the Queen wrote, as quoted by BBC: “It is with great pleasure, on behalf of a grateful nation, that I award the George Cross to the National Health Services of the United Kingdom.
“This award recognises all NHS staff, past and present, across all disciplines and all four nations.
“Over more than seven decades, and especially in recent times, you have supported the people of our country with courage, compassion and dedication, demonstrating the highest standards of public service.
Boris Johnson attends the National Service of Thanksgiving. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson joins Prince William at St Paul’s Cathedral for the National Service of Thanksgiving on the Anniversary of the foundation of the NHS. Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street
“You have our enduring thanks and heartfelt appreciation.”
The George Cross – the highest civilian gallantry award, equivalent to the Victoria Cross – has only been bestowed collectively twice before, and Monday marked the second time it has been awarded collectively by Queen Elizabeth II.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We wouldn’t be where we are today without our health services. NHS staff have cared for us and our friends and family on the frontline of a pandemic for over a year, and I have witnessed their courage first-hand.
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) July 5, 2021
“Thanks to their devotion and duty our NHS has saved countless lives, and the George Cross is a symbol of the nation’s gratitude. I know the whole of the UK is behind me in paying tribute and giving thanks for everything the NHS has done for us not only in the last year, but since its inception.”
The George Cross was first bestowed collectively to the people of Malta on 15 April 1942 by King George VI and was granted to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (the fore-runner of the Police Service of Northern Ireland) on 23 November 1999.
The George Cross is given for acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger. The George Cross was instituted in 1940.
Latest ONS data show vaccine hesitancy among Asian and Asian British people has halved. More than 43 million adults in the UK have had their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. New short film aims to boost vaccine confidence through word of mouth
A new short film about the COVID-19 vaccine is encouraging people to speak to their friends and family about their vaccination experience as the latest ONS figures show vaccine hesitancy among those from Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds has halved in the past few months.
Kiran Virdee
The film features members of the public who have had the vaccine, sharing their motivations for getting vaccinated – which include losing close friends to COVID-19 and protecting themselves against serious illness.
Vaccine hesitancy is higher among ethnic minorities in the UK according to the ONS. Hesitancy has been declining as the vaccine rollout has continued, according to the ONS: vaccine hesitancy has halved in the past few months among ethnic minority groups, from 22% in February to 11% in May. It has also more than halved among Asian/Asian British people as well, from 16% to 7% over the same period of time.
Figures show those from Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds are still among those least likely to come back for their second dose, however the latest data shows that confidence in the vaccines continues to increase among minority groups. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) vaccine hesitancy has halved in the past few months among Asian and Asian British people from 16% in February to 7% in May 2021.
The members of the public featured in the video, all of whom initially had some reservations about getting the vaccine, were motivated to speak about their choice to get the vaccine in response to the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on the South Asian community and to help encourage confidence in the jab.
Kiran Virdee, a personal trainer, who appears in the video, said: “The reason I decided to take the vaccine is because I was a sufferer myself of COVID-19. I want to live longer to be around my grandchildren and my friends and family.”
Dr Amir Khan, NHS GP said: “It’s really important that people come back and get their second dose, as you need two doses of the vaccine for the best protection against COVID-19.”
Rani Daljit Malik, who appears in the video, said: “The reason I took the vaccine was because I lost a lot of loved ones around me, so I decided to take it so I could protect myself and my loved ones as well.”
The UK’s vaccine rollout has already saved thousands of lives. Data from PHE’s real-world study shows the vaccines are already having a significant impact in the UK, reducing hospitalisations and deaths, saving over 14,000 lives and preventing over 42,000 hospitalisations in England.
Vaccinated people are far less likely to get COVID-19 with symptoms. Vaccinated people are even more unlikely to get serious COVID-19, to be admitted to hospital, or to die from it and there is growing evidence that they are less likely to pass the virus to others.
More than 43 million people in the UK have received their first dose and around 31million people have had their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, including over two million people from the South Asian community but more people need to come forward so everyone can benefit from the protection the vaccines offer.
Currently everyone aged 18 and over in England, those with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk and carers can receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
People who have been invited by their GP or the NHS to get the COVID-19 vaccine – including those who have previously declined – can arrange their vaccination by logging on to the national booking service at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination. Anyone unable to book online can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.
COVID-19 vaccinations can be booked without an NHS number and regardless of an individual’s immigration status – this will not be checked.
Thirty-eight new pioneering AI projects have been announced to help revolutionise care and accelerate diagnosis….reports Asian Lite News.
Thousands of patients and NHS staff will benefit from dozens of new pioneering projects awarded a share of £36 million to test state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.
The projects will help the NHS to transform the quality of care and the speed of diagnoses for conditions such as lung cancer.
At CogX Festival, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the winners of the second wave of the NHS AI Lab’s AI in Health and Care Award.
Thirty-eight new pioneering AI projects have been announced to help revolutionise care and accelerate diagnosis.
Already over 17,000 stroke patients and over 25,000 patients with diabetes or high blood pressure have benefited from the first round of the AI in Health and Care Award since September, where £50 million was given to 42 AI technologies.
“AI has the potential to completely revolutionise every part of how we approach healthcare, from how we diagnose diseases and the speed at which our doctors and nurses deliver treatments to how we support people’s mental health,” Hancock said.
“The 38 projects we are backing reflect the UK’s trailblazing approach to innovation in the healthcare sector, and could help us take a leap forward in the quality of care and the speed of disease diagnoses and treatment in the NHS,” he said.
“Confronted with this global pandemic, our tech sector has risen to the challenge and upended how we do things through innovations to support people to test from home, complete remote consultations and diagnose issues safely,” he added.
Sir Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England said, “Through our NHS AI Lab we’re now backing a new generation of ground-breaking but practical solutions to some of the biggest challenges in healthcare. Precision cancer diagnosis, accurate surgery, and new ways of offering mental health support are just a few of the promising real world patient benefits. Because as the NHS comes through the pandemic, rather than a return to old ways, we’re supercharging a more innovative future.”
The AI in Health and Care Award aims to accelerate the testing and evaluation of AI in the NHS so patients can benefit from faster and more personalised diagnosis and greater efficiency in screening services.
