news
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Yet Another Winter NHS Crisis
The NHS is in the grips of another crisis due to infections, though mercifully, rates of Covid-19 infections are relatively low. Driven by flu, winter vomiting and RSV and other infections this was all entirely predictable. During the last week we have also witnessed the Chief Medical Officer warning about the impacts of infections on Continue reading
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The Covid-19 Autumn Wave takes off
After a period of relative calm the UK is now in a period of significant levels of Covid-19. This was of course inevitable. Without population wide mitigations and vaccination there are no signs of Covid-19 settling down into a predicable seasonal pattern of the type that some scientists were predicting back in 2022 and 2023. Continue reading
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It’s Still Airborne!
My previous post – It’s airborne – response to Minister for Public Health discussed the impasse in making headway in improving the safety of air in hospitals and other healthcare settings in order to reduce staff sickness and the number of people who get infected, sometimes dying, attending healthcare. The following quote sums up the Continue reading
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The Lingering Impacts of Covid Infections
There is now a very extensive evidence based on how Covid Infections can impact on all organs of the body as discussed in my blog on the Tragedy of Long Covid. There is also little doubt in the minds of many scientists that this is what is driving a significant proportion of the increased demand Continue reading
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Midwinter Update on the Covid Inquiry and more
Covid Inquiry The last three weeks have been very busy at the inquiry with 48 witnesses plus opening and closing statements from core participants crammed into twelve and half days of hearings. Issues covered included: As usual Jim Reed has done a good job in producing weekly podcasts overviewing the proceedings – listen to podcasts Continue reading
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In the Eye of the Storm
As the Covid Inquiry is about to begin module 4 hearings, and nearly two weeks into 2025, the NHS, is as predicted, overwhelmed with patients suffering from flu and other viruses and illnesses. As well as truly distressing stories from the front line this has brought the usual flurry of misinformed pieces spouting the benefits Continue reading
GILLIAN SMITH About Me
I am a semi retired social researcher and have previously held a number of senior social research positions in Whitehall Departments. See an interview with me here. I live in a London suburb with my husband who has suffered multiple serious illnesses over the last few years. I myself am living with MND.
This series of blogs represent a personal, evidence based perspective based on living in the UK at a time when we are all meant to be ‘living with COVID’. Although I am a social scientist by training, I have worked closely with people from different disciplines throughout my career in order to present a complete picture of the evidence on specific policy issues. I am therefore scientifically literate but where I quote evidence based on research beyond my particular expertise it is always validated with relevant experts. I am a member of the Clinically Vulnerable Families group, though please note that the information presented here and any views expressed are my own. We are a friendly, supportive group and can be found via Facebook in private mode or in public mode via X (formerly twitter) Or BlueSky.Social
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Living on Plague Island 