Andy Burnham says lifting lockdown ‘won’t work’ without new self-isolation support scheme
The Mayor pointed to the recent spread of COVID-19 in South Manchester as proof that certain people cannot afford to self-isolate without fear of losing income or their job.
Andy Burnham has urged the government to plug the “biggest hole in our national defences”by providing a more comprehensive self-isolation scheme ahead of any lockdown measures being lifted.
The Mayor pointed to the recent spread of COVID-19 in South Manchester as proof that certain residents cannot afford to self-isolate “without fear of losing income or their job.”
A mutated strain of COVID-19 was found in the region last week, leading to surge testing commencing across Moss Side, Hulme, Fallowfield and Whalley Range.
In these parts of the Manchester, residents have been encouraged to take a test even if they have no symptoms.
But the Mayor says part of the reason for the recent spread of COVID-19 has been due to a “lack of a proper self-isolation support scheme.”
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Burnham claimed that an insufficient self-isolation model had been the country’s “Achilles Heel” during the pandemic and is now calling for the protection of the jobs of anyone self-isolating to be enshrined in law.
He stated: “Our experience in Moss Side tells us that the country will not be able to contain these new, highly-transmissible strains if people cannot self-isolate instantly without fear of losing income or their job.
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“Many workplaces based on low-wage, insecure employment – such as warehouses and food processing sites – have been allowed to remain open throughout the pandemic even though the support has never been in place to prevent the risk of spread.
“It is essential that the Government listens to SAGE and fixes this issue now in advance of any unlocking.”
The lack of a proper system of self-isolation support for people in low-paid, insecure work – as recommended by SAGE in August 2020 – is the single biggest hole in the country’s defences against COVID-19. https://t.co/HEgnHDp1iM
According to data from Greater Manchester’s councils, just 47% of applications to the main self-isolation support scheme are successful.
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SAGE has previously stated four components of self-isolation support are needed for maximum compliance, including proactive information, social and clinical support; sufficient supplies of food and other essential goods; employment protection; and financial assistance.
A local GP and practitioner at the University of Manchester has also warned that without a more comprehensive self-isolation system in place, many people will continue to go to work even if they should be quarantining.
Doctor Aneez Esmail, told BBC Radio Manchester on Thursday: “[Moss Side] is a deprived part of Manchester and a lot of people have got low paid jobs.
“A lot of them are working on zero hours contracts and, when you have to self-isolate, it’s easy for your employer to say well just don’t come in then and you lose everything.
“I think that is the biggest problem. Unless we can find a means of supporting them, then people won’t.”
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NHS launches new AI and robot cancer detection pilot offering ‘glimpse into future’
Emily Sergeant
The NHS has launched a ‘trailblazing’ new AI and robot pilot to help spot cancers sooner.
Patients who are facing suspected lung cancer could get answers sooner under the new pilot that makes use of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic technology to help doctors reach hard-to-detect cancers earlier, and all without with fewer tests too.
At the moment, patients are faced with weeks of repeat scans and procedures to come to a diagnosis.
But this could soon be replaced with a single, half-hour cancer biopsy – reducing prolonged uncertainty, and avoiding more invasive surgery.
According to the NHS, the new approach uses AI software to rapidly analyse lung scans and flag small lumps that are most likely to be cancerous, before a robotic camera is then used to guide biopsy tools through the airways with much greater precision than standard techniques.
A new NHS pilot using AI and robotic technology will help doctors reach hard-to-detect lung cancers earlier.
Weeks of scans and procedures could be replaced with a single biopsy, reducing uncertainty and avoiding more invasive surgery.
The robot can reach nodules as small as 6mm – which is around the size of a grain of rice – that are hidden deep in the lung and are often deemed too risky or difficult to access using existing methods, and once AI has highlighted higher-risk areas, doctors can then take a precise tissue sample, which is sent to specialist laboratories and reviewed by expert cancer teams to confirm or rule out cancer.
The NHS’s top cancer doctor hailed the pilot – which is currently being carried out at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust – as ‘a glimpse of the future of cancer detection’.
“Waiting to find out if you might have cancer is incredibly stressful for patients and their families,” admitted Professor Peter Johnson, who is NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Cancer.
The NHS has launched a new AI and robot cancer detection pilot that’s offering a ‘glimpse into future’ / Credit: rawpixel
“Our lung cancer screening programme means that we are picking up more cancers at an early stage than ever, and by bringing AI and robotics together in this trailblazing NHS pilot, we’re bringing in the very latest technology to give clinicians a clearer look inside the lungs and support faster, more accurate biopsies.
“This is a glimpse of the future of cancer detection.
“Innovation like this is exactly how we can help diagnose more cancers faster, so treatment can be most effective, and why the NHS continues to lead the way in bringing new technology safely into frontline care.”
If successful, the pilot will help the NHS to generate evidence to develop a national commissioning policy for robotic bronchoscopy.
It will also support more consistent access to the technology across the NHS in future.
Featured Image – Tima Miroshnichenko (via Pexels)
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Chester Zoo announces new spring date for its popular running event to help UK wildlife
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo has announced that its popular Run For Nature is back again this year, and this time, there’s a new spring edition.
The UK’s biggest charity zoo seen success with this event in the past few years, with thousands of runners signing up for one of the North West’s most unique athletic experiences and all funds raised going towards efforts to protect highly-endangered giraffes in Africa.
This year though, the much-loved event’s focus brings conservation ‘a little closer to home’ and will protect some of the UK’s most threatened species instead – with all funds helping to safeguard hedgehogs, kingfishers, otters, harvest mice, and more.
It comes as the UK is currently considered one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth.
Participants will first get to wind through the zoo and enjoy glimpses of elephants, lemurs, and other incredible species along the way, before heading out into the picturesque Cheshire countryside.
Adults can choose from a 10K or 5K route, while younger runners are invited to take part in a one-mile ‘Zoom’ race, open to children aged four-15, which takes place entirely within the zoo’s incredible 130-acre grounds.
All runners will receive free entry to the zoo for the rest of the day as part of their registration, along with a 25% discount for friends and family who come along to show support.
Chester Zoo’s popular 10K charity run is returns with a new spring date / Credit: Chester Zoo
Lorraine Jubb, who is the Fundraising Lead at Chester Zoo, called the Run For Nature a ‘really special event’.
“In previous years, runners have already supported conservation efforts for Asian elephants, Eastern black rhinos and Northern giraffe,” she explained. This springtime though, we’re turning our attention much closer to home in the UK, and to the wildlife we share our gardens, parks and countryside with.
“With one in six species now at risk of extinction in the UK, every runner will be playing a vital role in helping us protect animals and supporting our growing nature recovery work across right across Cheshire.
The Manc -
15th February 2021 
