COVID-19 – REACT study on wider symptoms

REACT

COVID-19 linked with wider set of symptoms than previously thought – REACT: A study of over a million people in England has revealed additional symptoms that are linked with having the coronavirus. In addition to the ‘classic’ symptoms – loss of sense of smell and taste, fever and new persistent cough – a wide range […]

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Just the flu vaccination campaign

This year’s flu vaccination marketing campaign “Just the Flu”, launching in early October, will raise awareness of the seriousness and risks of flu and encourage those eligible for the free flu vaccination to get vaccinated. Record numbers offered flu vaccine as those with flu and COVID-19 more likely to die. New Public Health England research […]

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Engineered antibodies from llamas neutralise COVID-19 virus

llamas

Antibodies derived from llamas have been shown to neutralise the SARS-CoV-2 virus in lab tests, UK researchers announced today. Llamas, produce a special type of antibody, far smaller than the size of a typical human antibody (one quarter of the size). These“single-domain” antibodies, or nanobodies, have several features that make them of interest as potential […]

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Vaping can help people quit cigarettes

Smoking is one of the hardest addictions to quit. For many people, it takes lots of tries to stop smoking for good. Some who are trying to quit smoking turn to alternatives including vaping, and these products are helping lots of ex-smokers stay off tobacco. Vaping is 95 per cent less harmful than smoking cigarettes, […]

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Myth and misunderstanding around vaping

I am, in my bones, a law-abiding sort of chap. I was brought up to respect the law and in turn have done the same with my children. I have also spent much of my medical career doing my best to help smokers quit their habit using all the methods available to me. You might […]

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Paul Cosford – I still hope for a cure for my cancer

I still hope for a cure for my cancer. I know it is unlikely, having had tumours identified in both lungs and my liver. No treatments that are currently available or in the pipeline offer a cure, only the possibility of keeping the tumours at bay for longer. Of course that is highly valuable in […]

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Intensity better than counting steps

We are all now encouraged to count our steps – 10,000 a day being the recommended goal – but health experts are now saying that we should focus on the intensity of walking, rather than just the actual number of steps we take each day. With an estimated 3 million middle-aged adults physically inactive across […]

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My incurable lung cancer by PHE director

I’m happy to be open about the fact that I have incurable lung cancer and I’m also the medical director of Public Health England. I can’t entirely separate the two but this blog is more about my personal take on living and dying and I’m not speaking on behalf of PHE. I’m 54 years old […]

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