National Covid-19 Day of Reflection
 
Government Announcement -
Covid 19, Day of Reflection, 9 March 2025 
Sunday 9 March 2025 is the Day of Reflection across the UK for the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is an opportunity to come together to remember those who lost their lives since the pandemic began and to honour the tireless work and acts of kindness shown during this unprecedented time. 
2025 marks five years since the pandemic began and we continue to honour and remember those affected.  People and communities are invited to come together on the COVID-19 Day of Reflection, to mark the day in ways that feel meaningful to them. 
 
 
A minute's silence will take place in front of the Guildhall in Worcester on 8 March
2 March 2025
City to mark five years since start of pandemic 
A remembrance event to mark five years since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic is set to take place in Worcester.  The town will join the rest of the UK on 8 March to commemorate the national Covid-19 Day of Reflection.  Mayor of Worcester, Mel Allcott, will give a short speech on the steps of the Guildhall at 12:00 GMT on the day, followed by a minute's silence.
 
The Guildhall will also be illuminated yellow during the week leading up to the Day of Reflection.  Ms Allcott said: "The Covid-19 pandemic had a profound impact on everyone.  "As the years go by since the peak of the pandemic, it may seem as though Covid-19 is becoming a distant memory.  "However, for those who lost loved ones, the National Covid Day of Reflection offers a moment to remember those who passed away."  Residents are also being encouraged to sign an online book of remembrance and leave a message about the loved ones they lost during the pandemic.
 
 
Thank you for taking part in Day of Reflection
 
Thank you to all who took part in Day of Reflection in 2024. It was incredibly moving to see communities, organisations, groups and schools coming together to reflect, remember and support one another.
We are pleased to announce that the Government have announced a new date for 2025. The Day of Reflection will take place on 9th March 2025. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will be leading on the event and have a new website with further details.
Marie Curie will be sharing plans in the January and will continue to raise awareness of the impact grief has on our lives and the need for better end of life care and support for all.
 
 
International Long Covid Awareness Day.  15 Mar 2025, 10:00 - 16:00
Join us online or in person at, 20 Cavendish Square , Marylebone , London, W1G 0RN
 
International Long Covid Awareness Day - Book now
Nursing and Covid-19: Past, Present and Future
March 2025 marks five years since the World Health Organisation declared Covid-19 a global pandemic.  On March 15, International Long Covid Awareness Day, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will mark this five year milestone by paying tribute to the vital role that nursing and the wider health and care workforce played during the height of the pandemic.  We will also take the time to recognise the varying and lasting impact of the pandemic on the nursing workforce including long Covid.
The event will be an opportunity to share and shape good practice in supporting the nursing workforce as it continues to come to terms with the impact and aims to leave the audience with a positive and empowering vision of the future.
 
Who should attend?
The event is open to all RCN members but may be of special interest to those who are living with long Covid, those working in occupational health or infection prevention and control, those with line management responsibility and RCN workplace representatives.
Programme:  Further information on the programme will follow.
Registration:  This event is open to RCN members only. It is free of charge and in person registration is available on a first come first served basis. Delegates will be able to join online to watch and participate via MS Teams if they are not able to attend in person.
Click on the ‘Register your interest’ button above and complete your details to be notified when booking opens.
 
 
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Services
International Long Covid Awareness Day: Launch examines patient perspectives on COVID-19
16 March 2023
On Wednesday March 15th - the first International Long Covid Awareness Day -researchers from the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences launched an online discussion of four qualitative studies exploring patient experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Teams from Oxford, Edinburgh, Stirling, Aberdeen, Cambridge, and the Open University conducted several projects between 2020-22. These connected studies explored different dimensions of patient and family experience, and utilised interview-based methods to understand illness experiences, information and support needs and experiences seeking healthcare. They bring together findings of over 200 interviews conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic. Each study has an informative public-facing section on the website Healthtalk.org, where visitors can hear and learn from the experiences of other people living with Long Covid.  

•  Coronavirus (COVID 19)  •  Government U.K.  •  Local News 
•  N.H.S.  •  Post COVID Syndrome (Long COVID)  •  Worcester City Council

Flu, Pneumonia & Covid-19 Booster - National and Local Vaccination Information.
 
Updated information from the ME Association (MEA).
Free New Winter Vaccines Leaflet: Flu, Pneumonia, and Covid-19 Booster  
October 22, 2021
Dr Shepherd reviews the Winter 2021/22 Flu, Pneumonia, and Covid-19 booster vaccines in detail, and answers questions, such as if the Flu and Covid-19 booster are free for people with ME/CFS and the pros and cons of having them.
 
Winter vaccinations: Flu, Pneumonia, & Covid-19 Booster
Introduction  -  Dr Charles Shepherd, Hon. Medical Adviser, ME Association:
To link in with the launch of the NHS flu vaccination campaign this year I have updated our flu and pneumococcal vaccine leaflet. I have included some information about COVID-19 boosters as well.

• This new free leaflet can be download here or included with any purchases made via the website shop.

The key message from this year’s flu vaccine campaign is that having been isolating ourselves from respiratory infections for almost two years our natural immunity to flu viruses has decreased significantly. So, we are likely to see a large rise in the number of people catching flu this winter.
At the same time, flu viruses and COVID-19 virus are going to be circulating in combination – which makes the chances of serious illness far more likely, especially in the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.
COVID-19 is not going to go away in the foreseeable future and it looks as though high case numbers may well persist into early 2022 before hopefully starting to decline.
 
Questions answered in this leaflet include:

1. Are people with ME/CFS entitled to have a free NHS flu vaccine if they choose to do so?
2. Is it safe to have a flu vaccine and a COVID-19 booster vaccine together?
3. Will people with ME/CFS be automatically offered a COVID-19 booster jab?
4. Should I have a COVID-19 booster if I had a bad reaction to the first or second dose?
5. Can I get a COVID-19 booster at home if I cannot get to the surgery or vaccination hub?

 
Consequently, some experts are predicting that the number of deaths from flu this winter could even reach 60,000. So, the aim of this year’s campaign is to vaccinate around 40 million people. In addition to all the usual groups, anyone over the age of 50 can now have a free NHS flu jab and children up to the age of 16 will also be offered one.
All the key points relating to the 2021/2022 flu vaccine and eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 boosters are covered in the Questions and Answers section. More detailed information on flu vaccine, as well as the pneumococcal vaccine, can be found in the second part of this information leaflet.
 
Earlier this week, Covid Booster news from the Independent -
Covid-19: Jonathan Van-Tam defends speed of booster rollout but warns of potentially ‘problematic’ Christmas
November 3, 2021 9:43 am(Updated 2:45 pm)
England’s deputy chief medical officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, has defended the Government’s Covid booster programme after i analysis found the scheme is running so late it may not be completed until February.
He said the booster scheme is picking up “considerable momentum” and suggested limited NHS capacity is preventing a more rapid roll-out of the third doses.
Professor Van-Tan continued to praise England’s roll-out of the scheme and noted the pace of vaccinations had increased in recent weeks.  “Yes of course everyone wants to go faster but we are picking up really quite considerable momentum and it’s really important when you get your call please come forward and get your booster.”
He said the Government will be making it easier for people to book their booster dose by giving patients a few weeks notice to book their slots, enabling them to get the third jab as soon as possible.
 
Covid Booster announcement from the BBC-
Covid: Booster jabs to open earlier for booking in England
6 November
People living in England will be able to book their coronavirus booster jabs a month in advance under government plans to speed up their rollout.
Currently, people cannot book their top-up vaccines until six months have elapsed since their second dose.  But from Monday, those aged 50 and over, plus those most at risk, will be able to book after five months.
It means they could receive their booster on the day they reach the six-month milestone.
NHS England is introducing the change to accelerate the rate of take-up of booster jabs, to help prolong protection against the virus.
 
Being able to book ahead will save receiving text invitations after the appointment time. 
This text was received during the evening of 20 October, and the appointment was anytime from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm on 20 October !! -

Flu Vaccination Information from Worcestershire County Council.
Where can you get the flu jab in Worcestershire?
Flu vaccination will be provided by your GP via flu clinics held in your practice or your local pharmacy.  Please download the list of pharmacies in Worcestershire who are providing flu vaccinations. 
 
For Worcester City Residents
If you’re eligible for a free flu jab on the NHS, your GP practice will invite you to attend our pop-up vaccination centre at Worcester Racecourse.
Worcester City Primary Care Network (PCN)  -
Tried and tested flu protection from your local GP.  Get your free NHS flu jab at Worcester Racecourse this winter.
Worcester City PCN covers -
• Albany House Surgery; • Haresfield Surgery;  • Barbourne Health Centre; 
• Severn Valley Medical Practice - Henwick Halt Health Centre; 
• Elbury Moor Medical Centre;  • Severn Valley Medical Practice - Lyppard
• Grange Health Centre;  • Farrier House Surgery;  • Spring Gardens Group Practice;  • St Johns House Medical Centre;  • St Martin’s Gate Surgery; 
• Thorneloe Lodge Surgery
 
Current flu jab information from the Worcester City PCN website (6 November)
If you’ve been invited to get your flu jab at our centre, you do not need to book an appointment - simply walk in during our opening times.
Vaccination Centre Opening Hours
Our centre at Worcester Racecourse is currently open
from 9am-5pm (Lunch break from 12pm-12:30pm) Mon-Wed,
12pm-8pm (Lunch break from 4pm-4:30pm) Thurs, and
9am-5pm (Lunch break from 12pm-12:30pm) Friday.
Please check back here before your visit - as any changes to opening hours or planned closures will be posted below.
Scheduled Closures  -  Friday 12th November - Closed all day.

•  B.B.C.  •  Coronavirus (COVID 19)  •  Government U.K.  •  Local News   •  M.E. Association  •  N.H.S.  •  Worcester City Council 
•  Worcestershire  •  Worcestershire County Council

The following is a report in the Worcester News re Worcester City Council (contact info is included) -
if you need help, and you don't live in the City of Worcester, could be worth asking what is available in your area.
  Disabled given more cash to adapt homes By Lucy Tatchell   MORE disabled people in Worcester will be able to adapt their homes thanks to extra Government funding.
Worcester City Council has received an extra £23,000 towards its disabled facilities grant which funds home adaptations to help disabled people live independently. It takes the city's funding total for 2007-2008 to £188,000. The money must be spent by the end of March 2008. Kate Bailey, principal strategic housing officer for the council, said the extra money will mean the council can help six or seven more people in Worcester in the next couple of months. She said: "The money means we will be able to do some more work. The money is what we asked for so it is great news to get it." Last year, the grant helped 60 disabled people in Worcester make adaptations to their homes which will allow them to live independently. The most common adaptations included improving access by widening doorways or building ramps, and installing downstairs bathrooms and stairlifts. Anyone wishing to find out more about the grants should speak to their occupational therapist or general practitioner, or call Ms Williams at strategic housing services in Worcester on 01905 721127.
4:33pm Wednesday 16th January 2008
http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/wnnewslatest/display.var.1970317.0.disabled_given_more_cash_to_adapt_homes.php