As we navigate our way through the post-Covid world, it's important to consider the link between infections and outcomes.
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TLDR :
π« Try to avoid catching / spreading infections
π¨ Clean air will help
While you may well start off healthy, anyone can become Clinically Vulnerable at some point in their life, making them more susceptible to severe infections.
Take it from us, it isn't particularly fun - and frequently, our lives feel less valued.
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Covid infections or repeat infections of healthy people can lead to Long Covid*, where people experience prolonged symptoms and conditions including: fatigue, brain fog and respiratory issues.
* Some data suggests that up to 1 in 10 infections result in long-term symptoms.
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Also, people with Long Covid can become Clinically Vulnerable if they acquire conditions including:
You might have noticed people who have developed a persistent cough.
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According to the final ONS Covid Survey data, Clinically Vulnerable people have a 5.4x increased risk of Long Covid following Covid infections.
π Catching Covid isn't healthy
π It doesn't promote 'natural immunity'
π Living with Covid = constant reinfection
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Vaccination has been a crucial tool in breaking the Covid cycle and protecting lives.
Highly vaccinated countries are experiencing lower mortality despite the virus not actually being milder.
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However, we mustn't forget that Covid continues to claim far too many lives.
Anyone can be at risk, and we are all 3 years older and 3 years more vulnerable.
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To further break the Covid cycle, we need clean air as Covid spreads in aerosols.
We mustn't simply accept ~6 peaks a year as new variants continue to rip through the global community. It places a continuous burden on struggling health services. It is not 'flu.
No one wants to see more people suffering from Long Covid or losing their lives.
While the Covid cycle may be here to stay, we can't simply accept current rates of infection and reinfection.
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Going forward, we should consider the following:
π¨ #CleanAir
π· #WearAMask in high-risk, poorly ventilated indoor settings inc. healthcare
π₯ Testing / isolation if symptomatic
π πSupporting equitable access to vaccines around the world
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...and for anyone who thinks that young children can't or shouldn't be tested, there are saliva 'lollypop' tests that are accurate and trouble-free.
Parents in our Facebook group have been very happy with them.
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The system of control in schools was not effective for an airborne virus.
CVF's questions from @AdamWagner1 KC
NB/ There was a HUGE amount of content - our amazing team are working on prioritising the best clips for you actively!
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Adam had to work hard today to try to hold UKSHA to account!
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AW "By reducing the isolation period [to 3 days], as well as restricting testing unless advised by a healthcare professional, that meant that infectious children were likely to be returning to classrooms?"
SA "Infectious period... viral shedding... balance of risk..."
Secret plans were available to control risks in schools, but they weren't published... because they didn't want schools to have "an excuse not to open in September [2020]"
Professor Steve Turner, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (@RCPCHtweets) @SteveTurnerABDN.
"children, mercifully, were spared from the harm of that came from Covid. Even my most sick patients .... it was their parents who were unwell...."
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Advice on shielded children.
"The College was pleased that the UK government adopted the College's advice on shielding for babies, children and young people. Recommending that most but not all C&YP did not need to shield."
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"We knew very early on..."
"Children who've had kidney transplants, whose immune systems were suppressed [...] but the virus bounced off them."
NB/ This is the *only* group of children still prioritised 2x a year for vaccines.
The first hearing started with "Impact videos," including Seren (18) from CVF.
Please do take a moment to listen to her experiences.
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The Children's Rights Organisations, @SteveBroach KC, opened with concerns around the systemic deprioritisation of children's rights, which affected children and young people (C&YP) in a non uniform way.
Please help to BOOST this thread to your followers!
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Clinically Vulerable households were pressured by teachers and headteachers, who were following poor government guidance, to return to unsafe schools without appropriate safty measures in place.
Families faced:
Fines
Prosecutions
Inappropriate referals to Children's Services. 3/
πͺ As the UK Covid Inquiry began to focus on Children and Young people yesterday, CVF's barrister @AdamWagner1 KC stood to address the chair, Baroness Hallett, and shared our powerful opening submissions.
He started by sharing "David's" story (13). 1/
Then, Lana's story and the pressure she faced.
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It is a myth, of course, that children remained relatively unaffected by Covid-19. Thousands of them were and remain Clinically Vulnerable.
88 died
6000 Covid admissions
250 needed PICU care