Medical Centre

 More than 375,000 pupils in England are currently are out of school for Covid-related reasons, an increase of more than 130,000 in a week. Not being at school is very disruptive for children’s education and their social development, and also for their families. The government is therefore considering other options for managing children in whom there has been a Covid-19 case in their school bubble. This could include daily testing  rather than exclusion from school. If the policy for children does change, it is likely to start in the new school term in September.   Will there be regular testing in schools even without any positive cases? The current policy of testing secondary school children twice each week is likely to continue in the new school year in September. This will be the case even in schools where there are no cases.   What will happen someone in my child’s class tests positive? Currently, everyone in the class and the wider school bubble is e...

The rapid spread of the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) in the UK in recent weeks shows the importance of foreign travel rules, such as on testing, immunisation and quarantine, to limit the import of Covid-19. Countries need to look at their own situation and put in place the most appropriate rules for them. This will including rules on Covid-19 testing for inbound and outbound travellers, and when and for how long travellers should quarantine; as well as guidance on whether travellers who are fully immunised can be exempted from some of these rules.  Holidays in foreign destinations carry risks. Settings such as restaurants, bars, night clubs and indoor concert venues have all been linked to large outbreaks of Covid-19. We all need to do our part to reduce these risks when we travel by following the local rules on social distancing and on the use of other preventive measure such as wearing face masks; and ensuring we get tested if we have symptoms of Covid-19 or have bee...

Countries globally are considering the implementation of Covid-19 vaccination programmes for children. In this article for the Daily Mirror , Matt Roper and I answer some of the common questions from parents about Covid-19 vaccination for children.  I'm worried about vaccinating my child - how safe is it? Clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccines in children aged 12-15 years in the UK and USA confirm that the vaccines are very safe. The rate of side effects in children in these studies was similar to that seen in young adults. As in young adults, most side effects were mild to moderate, such as a sore arm or tiredness.   Will children need two jabs like adults? Children will need two doses of vaccine because this provides much better protection against serious illness than one dose of vaccine.   How likely is it they will suffer from side effects? The most common side effects in children aged 12 to 15 years of age are pain at the injection site (> 90%), tired...

There will be a lot of disappointment about the 4-week delay to the relaxation of Covid-19 control measures in England until 19 July that was announced today by the Prime Minister. But it is the right decision. A delay of a few weeks allows more people to be fully vaccinated with two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. The vaccination programme in the UK is progressing well; with 79% of adults in the UK having received one dose of a vaccine and with 57% who have received two doses. But this still leaves many adults unvaccinated, including some people in the 50+ age groups who are at highest risk of serious illness, hospitalisation and death.  The delta variant in circulation in the UK appears to be more infectious and more likely to result in an illness severe enough to require hospitalisation than other strains of SARS-CoV-2; and now accounts for the vast majority of Covid-19 infections. One dose of a Covid-19 vaccine is less effective in preventing symptomatic infection from the delta ...

By mid-June 2021, the UK had administered over 70 million doses of covid-19 vaccines; with the majority (estimated around 75%) delivered by primary care-led vaccination sites. Since the start of the vaccine programme in December 2020, the UK has offered a variety of locations for covid-19 vaccination; GP led sites, mass vaccine sites, community pharmacies, and hospitals. The rollout of covid-19 vaccination is a major and much needed success for the NHS, and there are many positive  lessons to be learned and taken forwards . However, we must not be complacent. We are still in the midst of a global pandemic, with covid-19 rife in many countries; and with new, more infectious variants of SARS-CoV-2 continually emerging. It is essential for the UK to maintain its vaccination momentum, as well as consider extending the vaccination programme to older children; and being prepared to offer booster doses to adults if these are required to maintain immunity. We must also focus on  vacci...