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Health

Autumn Covid-19 booster roll-out begins today in Wales

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THE ROLL-out of the autumn Covid-19 booster has started today (September 1) in Wales with care home residents and staff across Wales the first to receive the vaccine.

Everyone who is eligible for the autumn booster will be invited for a vaccination by their health boards. Invitations will be issued in order of vulnerability, with everyone eligible being offered a booster vaccine by December.

The vaccine will help support the immunity of all those who are at higher risk from COVID-19, improving their protection against severe illness, while also helping to support the NHS during winter 2022-23.

This autumn, in line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine booster will be offered to:

  • Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
  • Frontline health and social care workers
  • All adults aged 50 years and over
  • People aged five to 49 years who are in a clinical risk group
  • People aged five to 49 years who are household contacts of people who are  immunosuppression
  • People aged 16 to49 who are carers.

In line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), eligible adults aged 18 and over will initially be offered the Moderna vaccine which protects from both the original strain of coronavirus and the Omicron variant. Those eligible aged under 18 will be offered the Pfizer vaccine. Both vaccines will be offered at least three months after a previous dose.

The vaccines will be administered in a variety of settings including GP surgeries and vaccination centres.

The winter respiratory vaccination strategy will ensure all those eligible for the autumn booster are also protected from seasonal flu – people are being encouraged to take up the flu vaccine when offered. All those eligible for a flu vaccine will be offered it before the end of the year.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: “Our winter respiratory vaccination programme will help protect the most vulnerable in our communities from flu and coronavirus this winter.  The COVID-19 booster campaign will start with those in care homes, alongside those working within the NHS and the social care sector.

“Vaccines have had an enormous impact on the course of the pandemic – they have saved countless lives and given us the freedom and confidence to restart our lives.

“I want to thank everyone working in the NHS and other organisations who will once again lead efforts to protect the most vulnerable through vaccination.

“This year, we will  once again offer an expanded flu programme, with 1.5 million people being eligible for a free vaccine.

I would encourage anyone who is eligible to take up their invitation to help themselves.

“All eligible adults will be invited for their autumn COVID-19 booster via letter and text message from their health board by December and I would ask people not to contact their GPs about their invite so they can continue to focus on looking after people’s health.”

Health

Hay fever warning – Tree pollen on the rise across Wales

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POLLEN experts are warning that the next few days could be significant for those who suffer from hay-fever.

“The first medium pollen counts of the season are forecast across Wales over the next 5 days,” says airborne allergens expert Max Wiseberg, “and many hay fever sufferers start to experience symptoms when the count reaches this level. The main culprit at this time is birch pollen, the pollen most tree pollen allergy sufferers are allergic to. So now is the time for hay fever sufferers to prepare for the season ahead.”

“Birch is arguably the most problematic tree of them all for hay fever sufferers,” continues Max. “In the same family as alder and hazel trees, the birch is the worst of the bunch for the 25% of UK hay fever sufferers who are allergic to tree pollen. The peak of the birch pollen season can run throughout April to mid May.”

“So now is the time to start preparing for the season ahead. If you are already starting to experience hay fever symptoms or want to avoid them being triggered, start to apply an allergen barrier balmsuch as HayMax, which works by trapping pollen before it enters the body and starts to work straight away. If you use antihistamines, many manufacturers recommend starting a month before your season starts, so if you haven’t started already, now is the time. And it’s the same with nasal sprays; they need several days to build up to their maximum protective effect and some makers advise starting using them one month before your hay fever season begins.”

“If your symptoms are particularly bad on a given day, or you find that nothing really works, or the remedy you use stops working, try combining products for a greater effect, in other words create your own ‘Hay Fever First Aid Kit’, a combination of products which can be complementary to one another. My recommendation would be an allergen barrier balm to trap the pollen, one (and only one) antihistamine to combat the overproduction of histamines, one (and only one) steroid nasal spray, as the nasal area is where the pollen enters and is most affected, plus one or more drug-free or natural products.”

“There are several practical things you can do to reduce the effects of pollen:

  • When you’re outdoors wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting in your eyes. Apply an allergen barrier balm to help prevent pollen getting up your nose. And wear a cap or other head cover and tie up long hair to stop pollen getting trapped in your hair,
  • When you return home, take off your shoes at the front or back door so you don’t bring pollen indoors with you, Washing your face, changing your clothes and having a shower will all help by removing pollen from your hair and body.
  • Keep pollen out of your home. Keep doors and windows closed. Dust and vacuum regularly, including fabrics and upholstery, to remove pollen. Damp dusting will help stop pollen being dispersed back into the air. If you have a pet, keep it well groomed and washed regularly, to remove pollen from its fur and keep it out of the room in which you sleep.”

“There is currently no cure for hay fever – they’ve been working on it for years – but until there is there are many products – both natural and conventional – and lifestyle changes you can try. Check out my website www. https://haymax.biz/hay-fever/ for more ideas. Good luck!”

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Health

RCN’s three urgent steps to rescue Welsh NHS sent to First Minister

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HELEN WHYLEY, Director of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales, has written to the First Minister calling for immediate action in three key areas to protect patients and secure the future of nursing in Wales.

The RCN first urges Vaughan Gething to deliver on promises in the Welsh government’s 2023/24 pay offer – prioritising patient safety by ensuring there are enough nursing staff to deliver safe and effective care. Second, the organisation warns him to responsibly introduce registered nursing associates to Wales. The letter ends by asking him to strategically invest in the education of nurses at all career stages, to meet future health care demands.

Promises in the 2023/24 pay offer included action on patients being cared for in inappropriate places (so-called “corridor care”), better access to flexible working, a 36-hour week, and more.

Helen Whyley said: “Now is the time for the First Minister to refresh his public commitment to safe and effective care. That would go a long way towards assuring nursing staff that his government will address the extreme pressures they are under.

“What’s critical is that the First Minister keeps nurses nursing in the NHS. That’s why he must make sure the Welsh government keeps every promise it made to our members last year to end industrial action. Those important promises could make a real difference to nurses and to their patients. That’s why our members accepted them in good faith – but half a year later, they have yet to feel a difference.

“New nursing roles are fantastic, but patients need to understand what that means for them – and, crucially, they need to be funded properly. Any risk to patient safety from registered nurses being inappropriately replaced is completely unacceptable. And this can’t become a distraction from getting the basics right, either. A national strategy for commissioning nursing education, all the way from student to advanced and consultant level, would be a fitting ambition for a new First Minister with a commitment to improving health.”

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Health

Brain Injury Group Donates £3,000 to local services

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THE SOUTH WEST WALES BRAIN INJURY GROUP (SWWBIG) has announced donations to two local health boards, giving £1,000 each to Neath Port Talbot Neuro Rehabilitation Unit and the Community Brain Injury Services at Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda University Health Boards.

This funding boost for the health boards comes from the profits earned at the SWWBIG conferences in 2022 and 2023, which were organised and sponsored by JCP Solicitors and co-sponsored by Fieldbay (part of the ivolve Care & Support group).  

The conferences, which have taken place annually since 2011, provide an opportunity for individuals and families affected by brain injury, as well as healthcare professionals, charities, students and researchers across South West Wales to come together and explore the critical stages of survival and recovery. 

The 2022 and 2023 conferences each welcomed around 200 attendees and raised £3,000 in excess funds. The committee, made up of healthcare workers and practitioners in the field of brain injury, voted to donate to the brain injury services in their local health boards, ensuring that the funds can be used to assist the brain injury community in South West Wales in the best way possible. 

Suzanna Charles, Chair of SWWBIG said: “The South West Wales Brain Injury Conferences are always a huge success, as we are able to facilitate important conversations for professionals working in the field and offer support.

“What is more, the conferences raise vital funds which will go towards providing ongoing rehabilitation for those affected by brain injury. We are proud to provide this additional funding which will have a direct, positive impact on brain injury survivors in our local area. 

“The journey through rehabilitation is different for everyone, and it is so important to have a supportive network of healthcare professionals and experts to guide patients while listening to their individual needs.”

The main objective of the South West Wales Brain Injury Group is to provide a forum for individuals with an interest in acquired brain injury, to educate and encourage development and dissemination of good practice. For more information on SWWBIG or to register your interest to attend the conference in 2024, please visit www.swwbig.co.uk.   

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