pandemic
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Happy 2024?
New Year is a time for reflecting back over the last year and looking forward to the next 12 months. At a time when the world is in the grip of a fresh Covid wave, driven largely by the immune dodging JN.1 variant, and evidence on the damage done by Covid mounts by the day, Continue reading
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Increasing calls to improve protections against Covid in Healthcare
The last week has witnessed increasing calls, including from the BMA and RCN to improve safety measures to prevent the spread of Covid in healthcare settings. This follows on from a statement by WHO which classified Covid variant JN.1 as a variant of interests, which is being assessed. This was further fuelled by the publication Continue reading
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The ONS Winter Covid-19 Infections Survey is published! (updated 12 and 20 January 2024 – see end)
UKHSA published the results of the Winter Covid-19 infections survey this morning 21 December. It paints an awful picture of soaring Covid-19 infections across England and Scotland. It is estimated that about 1 in every 24 had Covid at the week ending 13 December, with infections highest amongst younger adults and in London where it 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 