Men are notoriously resistant to going to see a doctor – even if their symptoms are unpleasant and they fear they may be suffering from something serious. Why? Do they hate admitting to a weakness? Do they see confessing to … Read More
Miscarriage increases risk of type 2 diabetes, say researchers
The fact that obesity has been accepted by many as the norm means it has diminished the attention we give the increasing prevalence of diabetes, both type 1 and 2. But the pandemic is a wake-up call – figures show … Read More
Children with Covid-19 are susceptible to a rare illness
What is this serious illness, thankfully rare, that affects children and teenagers who have contracted Covid-19? And we’re still not certain that it’s caused by coronavirus. When this severe inflammatory syndrome emerged we realised it affected a section of the … Read More
UK’s Covid drug discovery will help the world to fight virus
With a breathtaking act of selfishness the US has cornered the market on remdesivir, the Covid drug, leaving the rest of the planet without it. So is a vaccine our only hope? Wait a minute. We do have dexamethasone, the ubiquitous, … Read More
Obesity link has worsened chances of Covid-19 patients
There’s definitely a link between obesity and Covid-19, but it’s difficult to fathom what it is. We do know that people who are obese seem to suffer severely from Covid with a high risk of dying. Also, the more obese … Read More
It is the best time to quit smoking – health has never been so important
The Covid pandemic has reawakened our interests in health and our instincts to be healthy in the long term. So we’re going through a phase of adopting healthy habits and giving up bad ones. Now is probably one of the … Read More
Ethnic minorities being failed by lack of inclusive planning
The longer the pandemic lasts, the more inequality we uncover. Now we learn both access to testing and its uptake is uneven across all socioeconomic groups, with BAME coming out worst. It’s not just in the UK that disparities exist … Read More
Young people hit hard by pandemic as anxiety levels double
A few people responded to lockdown positively, it simplifies life. There are fewer options so there are fewer decisions to be made. But that kind of reaction presupposes you don’t mind your own company, rarely feel lonely and aren’t short … Read More
Decisions on coronavirus must be guided by ethics, not just science
The mantra from ministers is “we follow the science”. But the increasing failure to serve all people of the nation equally suggests there should be another and equally important mantra – “we follow the ethics”. I’m increasingly disturbed by the … Read More
Being locked down has put a huge strain on the nation’s mental health
Social distancing and managing community health is such a balancing act. What’s already obvious during this pandemic is the nation’s mental as well as physical health has come under worrying pressure. And several groups of people may be more vulnerable … Read More