35 articles from SUNDAY 14.2.2021

'This was a life-saver': ex-smoker learned she had lung cancer after joining study

Case study: Judy Miller, 74, applied to take part in research into detection of lung cancer CT scan catches 70% of lung cancers at early stage, NHS study finds When Judy Miller got a letter in the post calling for former smokers to take part in a study, she never expected what came next.Taking part in the research, which examined whether lung cancer could be detected years before it would...

Don Hunter obituary

My brother-in-law Don Hunter, who has died aged 93, was a physicist who worked on some of the first electronic computers in the Rutherford Laboratory at Cambridge University and later helped set up one of the first major computer software companies in the UK. Don worked as a research assistant in the maths department of the Rutherford Laboratory from 1949 until 1952. There he was involved in...

Our understanding of Covid and the vaccines is constantly evolving. That's a good thing | Abby Bloom

There will continue to be plenty more data gaps because the Covid-19 strain simply behaves like all influenzas and mutates continuouslyBy the time you read this it will be out of date.Why? Because every day we receive new data that causes us to rethink and rewrite our response to Covid-19, notably vaccine programs. This is good. I will explain. Continue...

Guinea enters 'epidemic situation' as seven Ebola cases confirmed

Health minister says officials ‘really concerned’ after three deaths from the infectious diseaseGuinea has entered an Ebola “epidemic situation” with seven cases confirmed, including three deaths, a leading health official in the west African nation has said.“Very early this morning, the Conakry laboratory confirmed the presence of the Ebola virus,” Sakoba Keita said after an emergency...

UK hits target of offering first Covid vaccinations to 15m people

Four priority groups of people in England seen as most vulnerable have been offered jabsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe government has reached its target of offering at least first vaccinations to the four groups of people in England seen as most vulnerable to coronavirus by mid-February, it has announced.In a video message sent out via social media, Boris Johnson...

Lionel Fry obituary

My former colleague Lionel Fry, who has died aged 87, was one of the most significant dermatologists of his generation. In addition to running a demanding NHS department at St Mary’s hospital in London, he founded and led a pioneering research unit there which came up with new ways of alleviating psoriasis.Lionel’s work altered our understanding of the development and treatment of psoriasis,...

Life savers: the amazing story of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

A year ago, two scientists began work on the response to a new virus. Now, as their vaccine is being given to millions, they tell of their incredible 12 monthsExactly a year ago, Oxford University scientists launched a joint enterprise that is set to have a profound impact on the health of our planet. On 11 February, research teams led by Professor Andy Pollard and Professor Sarah Gilbert – both...

Q&A: Does handwashing stem the transmission of Covid-19?

Airborne droplets are more likely to spread coronavirus than touch, scientists believeIn the early days of the pandemic, public health experts emphasised handwashing as a way to prevent infection and the government launched a “Hands, Face, Space” campaign to encourage people to wash their hands, wear masks and keep 2 metres apart. Subsequent research has shown the biggest risk of Covid-19...

Dominic Raab rejects demands for easing of Covid rules

Foreign secretary says ‘we’re on track’ to meet vaccine targets, but cautions against making any promises on reopeningCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageDominic Raab has hit back at what he called “arbitrary” targets demanded by some Conservative MPs to lift coronavirus restrictions in England, urging caution even as he said the government was on track to meet...

Has Covid changed the price of a life?

A pandemic is a moral and economic minefield. How should governments weigh up the difficult choices – and are they getting it right?Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe dilemmas are achingly familiar by now. Should we lock down or stay open? If we lock down, when and in what order should the different sectors of the economy open up? What about schools? Places of...

Is Covid more deadly and contagious than seasonal flu? | David Spiegelhalter and Anthony Masters

Behind the numbers: the short answer is yes, and scientists still have much to learn about itCovid-19 and influenza are both respiratory diseases, but there are important differences, which statistics can help us understand.First, Sars-CoV-2 is more infectious than seasonal flu. We’re used to hearing about the reproduction number R, the average number of people whom someone with the virus will...

Nelson urged mistress to give their baby girl 'new' smallpox vaccine

Naval hero praises Jenner’s cowpox jab in a newly found love letter to Emma Hamilton, written as he prepared for warHe is best remembered as the one-armed hero who defeated Napoleon, rewrote the rules of naval warfare and died at sea, in battle, onboard HMS Victory.Now, the “chance discovery” of a 220-year-old love letter from Admiral Horatio Nelson to Lady Emma Hamilton, his mistress,...

The Observer view on British scientific success on Covid-19

Our scientists’ accomplishments on vaccines and genome sequencing are exemplary and must be shared with the rest of the worldA remarkable milestone will be passed today when government figures reveal that more than 15 million people in Britain have received at least one dose of a vaccine that will protect them from the severest impacts of Covid-19. It is a striking achievement. In just over two...

Clues for improving sleep in visually impaired athletes

Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have found that approximately one-third of a group of visually impaired athletes had sleep disorders. A later wake-up time and stress regarding interpersonal relationships in competition activities were related to the rate of sleep disorders. Addressing these factors may be key in improving sleep quality in this population.