These are the UK coronavirus stories you need to know about today.
Human Challenge Tests agreed
The UK is the first country in the world to give ethical consent for COVID-19 human challenge trials.
A study is expected to begin within weeks with up to 90 healthy 18-30 year old volunteers discovering the ‘original’ viral strain in a “safe and controlled environment”.
Interim Chair of the Vaccines Action Group, Clive Dix, said: “We expect these studies to provide unique insights into how the virus works and help us understand what promising vaccines work. offer the best opportunity to prevent the disease. “
Chief Investigator Dr Chris Chiu, of Imperial College London, said: “Our ultimate goal is to determine which vaccines and treatments work best in stroke. This disease, but we need volunteers to support us in this work. “
Dr Charlie Weller, head of vaccinations at the Wellcome Trust, said through the Science Media Center that the approval of the Ethics Committee was “a very encouraging and important step”.
She said: “As with any human infection survey, there are clear ethical issues. Voluntary safety is paramount and the regulatory license will have gone through the highest level of assessment. As the usual treatment options for COVID-19 are limited, it is important that volunteers from the lowest risk groups receive and are closely monitored during the course of the study. ”
’10m waiting list’
The Reform think tank and the Edge Health report say the official NHS waiting list could grow to more than 10am by April in a “worst case scenario”.
The report said: “A year into this crisis and with the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that the impact of a complete redistribution of resources away from‘ business as usual ’has not been given much attention. “
He clarifies the impact of delayed diagnostic tests with “an estimated 11 months delay in the detection and treatment of 11,300 … lung cancer patients compared to a typical 5-6 month wait. estimates that in the next 5 years, this will result in about 1660 premature deaths from lung cancer alone. “
NHS England today brought celebrities on board to encourage people to get out for cancer if they test negative for COVID-19 but if they have a cough that lasts longer than 3 weeks. Famous faces included former England cricket captain Sir Andrew Strauss who lost his wife to lung cancer, and TV presenter Gaby Roslin whose mother died of the disease.
Professor Sir Paul Cosford, medical director emeritus at Public Health England and a lung cancer patient, said: “Having been diagnosed with late stage lung cancer in 2017, I am passionate about this initiative. Nothing can prepare for You can be told you have cancer, they cannot stress the importance of going to your GP as soon as you see any symptoms, such as coughing for 3 weeks or more. to see. “
Shield
The BMA has been monitoring the news yesterday that another 1.7 million people have joined the shield list. BMA Council Chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said: “It is a process of careful management by adding a large number of the population to the shield list without warning.”
He said “the impact of a shield on mental health and well-being cannot be underestimated, at a time when many would expect to rest in steps, and there must be adequate access to mental health support for those who need it” .
Lockdown Efficiency Tests
With Boris Johnson announcing a roadmap for easing England’s lock on Monday, NHS Providers sent out four tests they said should be passed first:
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COVID-19 case numbers and R numbers need to fall sharply to prevent infections recurring as soon as restrictions are eased, as happened last year
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The NHS’s capacity must return to levels where the service can treat all patients who need it.
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The vaccination campaign must be sufficiently advanced to provide adequate levels of protection and to avoid unnecessary death and harm to patients.
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We need to have a strong and effective strategy to identify and control future outbreaks from the various types that are now the biggest threat.
Chief executive Chris Hopson said: “The NHS is still at full capacity and trust leaders believe this will continue for at least another 6 to 8 weeks.”
He said: “If this is to be the last national closure we need to learn the lessons of last year and take a cautious approach.”
Surge test
Areas of Manchester, Norfolk, Southampton, and Surrey are the most recently targeted for compliance testing for variable South African virus cases.
The Department of Health and Social Care said rigorous testing in parts of Haringey, Merton, and Sefton has been completed.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told Sky News that brutal tests across the country would be a “key part” of plans to reduce locks in England and help the country land on incidents “such as a ton of bricks. “.
This could include the use of thousands of daily fast flow tests in homes and businesses, reports said.
The Daily Mail said the Government’s new slogan is “Are you ready? Get tested. Go.”
Test and find
Test and Trace alone cannot stop the spread of COVID-19 by 1.7% to 4.6%, according to official estimates. That would mean a reduction in the R number of 0.3 – 0.6.
A paper entitled ‘The Room Model Technical Annex’ published by the Department of Health and Social Care states: “The impact of contact detection is relatively small.”
‘Science with press release’
Politico reported in an email released from December suggesting that COVID’s Director of Response for Public Health England, Susan Hopkins, had agreed that ministers were pursuing “science by press release” when announcing new virus details.
Scientists were not given information until 24 hours after a news in the House of Commons told Politico.
However, he cites a PHE spokesman saying: “Dr Hopkins was not entirely critical of the Government.”
Alcohol
Public Health Scotland released new data on last year’s lockout and alcohol use. Sales did not completely replace lost pub, club and restaurant sales, resulting in a 6% reduction in alcohol sales in Scotland, England and Wales.
Dr Alastair MacGilchrist, chair of the Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP), said: “Despite the overall decline in alcohol sales over this period, the weekly average in Scotland remains at 17.5 units higher than the lead of 14 UK Chief Medical Officers. units per week. It is also important to note that the sales figures despise the real picture because they do not capture all online sales and some retailers, especially the supermarkets did not offer discounts , sales data. “
He said there is “concern that drinking at home is contributing to more harmful drinking behaviors”.
Prince Philip
The Duke of Edinburgh, 99, was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London but is not thought to be linked to COVID.
Buckingham Palace said: “The Duke’s admission, on the advice of His Royal Highness’s doctor, after he has felt ill, is a precautionary step.”
He and the Queen received their first dose coronavirus vaccine last month.
See more global coronavirus updates in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center.