2/x The father unable to hug his teenage daughter ๐ซ, a retired nurse ๐ฉโโ๏ธunable to walk down the streets, the heartbreaking stories of the Britons with health conditions that mean they are still in self-isolation, shielding from COVID-19. They are the #immunocompromised โฅ๏ธ๐ค๐๐๐
3/x Imogen Dempsy said "my blood test show I have no protection against COVID-19". There is a drug that would provide protection to those that don't respond to the covid vaccines ๐ท๐. BUT...Evusheld is only available in the UK only to patients who are willing to pay for it. ๐ข
4/x Former Health Secretary Lord Lansley said "More than 30 countries are offering Evusheld but the UK ๐ฌ๐ง has failed to do the same. It is a sad state of affairs. ๐ข. The government ๐ฆmust purchase stocks of the drug. ๐
5/x @DHSCgovuk said that studies had "inhertent limitations", but international expert @AditGinde, has hit back. Interational opinion leader at Colorado, USA ๐บ๐ธ "We found that Evusheld is a life-saving drug. Evusheld allowed this population to see family and friends"
6/x French ๐ซ๐ท another international respected pandemic experts, @YannNgyn echoed this concern. "This is a bad decision. It is nonsense to say there isn't enough evidence to use Evusheld". He added "to argue more trials are needed when threat of covid is so great... is unethical"
7/x Private provision of the COVID drug will up to ยฃ1,600 afterwards. I said"This is deeply UPSETTING. Patients who can't afford this". I'll go further. People are now forced into UNFAIR SACRIFICES to get COVID protection which they really can't afford. ๐ญ
8/x Charities have also condemmed the lack of action. @gemmapeters. "It should be available for everyone. What does it say about the country when we trail when it comes to offering compassion to the most vulnerable". ๐ฒ๐คฏ๐ฅน
9/x Thanks to #health & #socialjustice journalists like @EnnalsEthan + his successes here. There may now be a chance for the vulnerable ๐ฅน๐โบ๏ธ. We all hope he gets proper acknowledgement for his relentless pursuit of justice & health equality for those who don't have voice๐ณ๐ฉ
11/x. We shall now see if democracy works and if global expertise will be acknowledged and teams brought in to deliver protection to the #forgotten500k by Christmas. ๐๐คถ๐งโ๐. They want to see family and hugged loved ones and be protected from COVID like us....
12/x But what about the position of @DHSCgovuk? "Our clinical expert advise there is insufficient evidence on the duration of protection offered by #evusheld & the government will not be procuring doses at this time". Good to read the article and come to your views...END
1/x *** New Research ***. ๐What can be done to protect immunocompromised patients? New press release from @AstraZeneca. , and it's about a therapy called Sipavibart, the successor to Evusheld. astrazeneca.com/media-centre/pโฆ
2/x. What is the background? Some individuals in our community are more prone to infections, they are called immunocomromised. There are ~ 500,000-1.5M with these conditions. When they get infections, they can fight it less well. ๐ And the pandemic hit, this was a problem.
3/x It includes renal transplant patients, primary immunodeficiencies, those with cancer & blood cancers, kidney disease, and those with primary immunodeficiencies. It's a fair number. Most doctors want to protect these patients from infectious diseases by what ever means ๐
1/x ๐งต ***NEW RESEARCH *** How has #COVID-19 disease evolved in people living with #cancer and who remains at risk? Find out more in our latest publication from @UKCORONACANCER: https://t.co/P9NdBtbCRWnature.com/articles/s4159โฆ
2/x It is relevant as healthcare systems develop strategies for living with SARS-CoV-2 as an endemic disease and informing individual discussions between cancer patients and their oncologists. And to ensure that no one is left behind or forgotten.
3/x What was done? They analysed COVID-19 infections in the ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ population, assessing rates of COVID-19 related hospitalisation, intensive care admission and mortality. It ran Winter 20-Summer 22
2/x What's the issue ? The UK delivers successful cancer care. Year on year, people live longer and better lives. gov.uk/government/newโฆ. 10% improved survival in 15 years. That is by achieved early diagnosis, having better treatment the best cancer staff, research. ๐๐๐ฌ๐งโ
3/x but.... there's a flipside. Our Cancer leadership quote "Demand for cancer treatment is increasing by approximately 6-8% every year" and "They are being asked to deliver more treatment with the same staffing numbers"
1/x ๐งตThis Friday at 10:30am, we're excited to announce the reboot of the #forgotten500K campaign with an update from the podcasts hosted by @claremenglish, @MarkOak04974342, @NikolaBrigden. Here's the message for 2023 in advance. RT. ๐
2/x "The #forgotten500K are a group of immunocompromised patients who have not been prioritized during the pandemic and are experiencing higher ongoing levels of risk. The group started off as individuals asking for help while still in isolation during the pandemic.
3/x They were speaking as individuals trying their best to be heard virtually, as they were not able to leave their homes and re-enter normal life like everyone else. However, the #forgotten500K patient campaign brought them together, providing support and one voice. amazing
1/x Several months ago, @katebingham2 drove the UK pandemic response. She is incredible ๐ฆธโโ๏ธ- thanks for your insight. But then she finished and something extraordinary happened. The Winter plan to protect the #immunocompromised was quietly dropped....๐ซ Why does it matter? ๐คท๐คทโโ๏ธ๐คทโโ๏ธ
2/x Because it had widespread clinical & academic backing for our 2022 Winter plan. Cohorts were identified & large teams of clinicians worked around the clock to work out which of #immunocompromised who don't have high levels of protection from vaccination could be protected ๐ฉโโ๏ธ
3/x This would have put us in line with 32 countries who were protected their #immunocompromised during the Winter months when COVID cases rise. If you don't respond to vaccines ๐, then your risk of hospitalisation, ITU admission & not recovering from COVID is ๐
2/x Why did they do it? Because 1โฃ cancer patients are at high risk from covid ๐ 2โฃ Many don't get an immune response to vaccines ๐ 3โฃ They wanted to find the scale of the problem ๐ฅ. So they decided to go global! ๐
3/x. The team searched 3065 papers published from the start of vaccination to March 2022. They looked at third dose boosters ๐. They looked across all cancer types. They found 15 studies encompassing 1205 patients๐งโ๐คโ๐ง. The largest global review ๐