COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 26th April 2024

 COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 26th April 2024

World COVID Statistics: 704,753,890 officially reported cases and 7,010,681 losses of life. And that is the last COVID statistics update. Very few countries still report, and even less test regularly, so it's far from accurate. Huge thank you to Worldometers dot info for keeping tally for the last 4 years. 

"It's World Immunisation Week

Every minute, every day over the last 50 years, immunisation saved over 6 lives. It is one of humanity's greatest achievements.

Yet there’s more work to do. We’ve eradicated smallpox, it’s time now to eliminate malaria, polio, cervical cancer and more.

Nobody should suffer from a disease we know how to prevent.

It’s Humanly Possible."

The World Health Organisation

"Thanks to immunisation, a child born today is 40% more likely to see their fifth birthday than a child born 50 years ago.

And more and more lives are being saved as more and more diseases are becoming vaccine preventable, with newer vaccines against COVID-19, malaria, cholera, dengue, meningitis, RSV, Ebola and mpox, and more in development"

DrTedros, Head of WHO

Itson - A More Environmentally Conscious Household Battery (Sent for Review).

This Spring when you are buying batteries for household gadgets and toys you will be able to choose a more environmentally conscious brand with a lower carbon footprint - itson batteries.

Itson batteries are brought to us by APS (Advanced Power Solutions, previously known as Panasonic Energy Europe), and focus on local production using 100% renewable energy from wind and solar. The batteries are  packaged plastic free, and sourced and made within the EU, further reducing their carbon footprint to as little as one third that of other batteries. 

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 12th April 2024

 COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 12th April 2024

World COVID Statistics: 704,749,430 officially reported cases and 7,010,624 losses of life.

Hiya! Welcome back. Not a lot of COVID news this week, it's especially quiet because a lot of regular sciencey folk have taken time off, so no big COVID news means no disasters, which is always a good thing.

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 22nd March 2024

 COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 22nd March 2024

World COVID Statistics: 704,308,357 reported cases and 7,007,032 losses of life.

"We cannot allow the cycle of panic and neglect to repeat.

We cannot forget the trauma of the pandemic, and the painful lessons it taught all of us.

I urge all Member States to work together on the principles of solidarity and equity to find common ground, compromise and to give all of us an effective agreement, and a safer future"

Dr Tedros, Head of the World Health Organisation, talking about the ongoing discussions around the 'Pandemic Accord' - a collective agreement on how the world's Governments should act and react to the next pandemic, using the lessons learnt from COVID.

On 20th March 2020 all UK schools closed to most pupils. Gyms and other leisure facilities closed, and we were all asked to avoid inessential mixing. 

4 years and 2 days ago our lives changed forever. 

LeLightGo LED Lighting Kit Review for LEGO Alpine Lodge set 10325 (sent for review).

It's been far too long since I reviewed anything LEGO related, so I was very happy to accept a request from LeLightGo to look at their miniature LED LEGO lighting kits. 

The sets come complete with everything you need, can be powered using USB or batteries, and everything is a tiny scale, so that it can be almost entirely hidden away inside your LEGO build... and it looks fantastic... 

Most of my LEGO is currently in storage because of my move to Scotland and temporary accommodation, but this Winter's Christmas LEGO ICONS set #10325 the Alpine Lodge is right here, and an ideal candidate for lighting up. 

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 8th March 2024

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 8th March 2024

World COVID Statistics: 703,975,702 officially reported cases and 7,004,515 losses of life.

4 years since most of the world went into lockdown, a sad milestone as over 7 million people worldwide have now officially died directly from COVID. The true figure is far, far higher, and we'll never know just how many more people did not die directly from acute COVID infection, but had their lives cut short because COVID exists. 
Sadly this is the sort of data that takes ages to compile, but in 2022 Scientists from Cornell University estimated worldwide deaths due to COVID existing, from the beginning of 2020 until the end of 2021 (the first 2 years of the pandemic), number 14.9 million people. During that time 5.42 million people officially died from COVID.

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 23rd February 2024

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 23rd February 2024

World COVID Statistics: 703,586,078 officially reported cases and 6,985,448 losses of life.

"This week, Member States from around the world are meeting in Geneva to discuss the new Pandemic Accord.

This agreement is being developed, shaped and decided on by the 194 Member States that make up the World Health Organization.

Building on the lessons of COVID-19, I broadly see 3 key benefits; the agreement would help countries drive a more equitable response, it will boost collectively health safeguarding and it will enhance cooperation."

Dr Tedros, Head of WHO (World Health organisation). 

Word is that the talks haven't gone entirely smoothly, with some disagreements and failure to commit, and frankly a jaded response - seems everyone is a bit bored with pandemics right now and can't really face having to learn from their mistakes and get ready for the next one... 

In the UK all of the COVID stats are going down - positives, hospitalisations and mortality. The unusual double wave has passed, and so has any fear about JN.1. It could have been responsible for the extra peak, but it hasn't got out of control and it's not proven any more dangerous than previous variants. Ahhhh... 

The Traitors Strategy Card Game Review for 4-8 players aged 8 or over. (Sent for review by Ginger Fox Games)

Missing the BBC TV game show The Traitors already? Don't panic, because now you can play it yourself at home. Ginger Fox Games have released a card game version for 4-8 players aged 8+, and they've sent us a copy to review. 

Firstly I have to admit to never having watched The Traitors on telly, so this was a complete unknown for all of us. I was worried it would be a vicious and heartless game, but it turns out that isn't the case. This is a very quick game to play, each round takes about 30-45 minutes depending on the number of players, and although it's all about strategy, there isn't really enough time to be mean to anyone else - especially good if you are playing with younger gamers. 

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 9th February 2024

 COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 9th February 2024

World COVID Statistics: 702,882,810 officially reported cases and 6,980,637 losses of life.

In England the unusual second peak in hospital admissions for flu over the last few weeks seems to have finally eased (although this cold snap won't be helpful in keeping it down, and we are still likely to see some increased mortality due to having a lot of very sick people already). From Stuart McDonald (COVID Actuaries):

"Today’s surveillance report from UKHSA shows hospital admissions from flu are within the medium threshold and are no longer on the rise. 

Other indicators such as primary care consultations and ICU admissions are consistent."

Thank goodness for that.

via COVID Actuaries

In other good news, hospital admissions with COVID are down 20% on last week... ahhhh... and relax (but not too much!).

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 26th January 2024

 COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 26th January 2024

World COVID Statistics: 702,382,516 reported cases and 6,973,669 losses of life.

"In the week ending 12 Jan 2024 (Week 2) of deaths registered:

▪️ 17.7% involved influenza or pneumonia (2,425 deaths)

▪️ 2.8% involved COVID19 (388 deaths)"

UK ONS (Office for National Statistics). 

These figures are higher than a normal week in part due to delays from Christmas and New Year, and a lot of people are unhappy that many folk hospitalised with pneumonia are not even being tested for COVID, nor is it considered relevant to these stats if they tested positive a couple of weeks or more previously.

The good news is that alongside preliminary figures since then, we don't seem to have quite as many people sick with COVID as this time last year. 

The bad news is that we already have a lot of people in hospital with flu, and significant pressure on the NHS, causing 'critical incidents' in several trusts (including Leicester). Unusually we have had 2 flu waves and may not be at the peak of this one for hospitalisations, so fingers crossed that tapers off.

If you are ill, whatever it may be, please stay home if you can.