A jet suit for paramedics which would see patients reached in minutes by a "flying" medic has been tested by the Great North Air Ambulance Service.After a year of talks between GNAAS and Gravity Industries, a first test flight was carried out in the Lake District.Andy Mawson, director of operations at GNAAS, came up with the idea and described seeing it as "awesome".He said it meant a paramedic could "fly" to a fell top in 90 seconds rather than taking 30 minutes on foot. Mr Mawson said: "There are dozens of patients every month within the complex but relatively small geographical footprint...…A jet suit for paramedics which would see patients reached in minutes by a "flying" medic has been tested by the Great North Air Ambulance Service.After a year of talks between GNAAS and Gravity Industries, a first test flight was carried out in the Lake District.Andy Mawson, director of operations at GNAAS, came up with the idea and described seeing it as "awesome".He said it meant a paramedic could "fly" to a fell top in 90 seconds rather than taking 30 minutes on foot. Mr Mawson said: "There are dozens of patients every month within the complex but relatively small geographical footprint...WW…

This story also ran on .When Joshua Martz tested positive for COVID-19 this summer in a Montana jail, guards moved him and nine other inmates with the disease into a pod so cramped that some slept on mattresses on the floor.Martz, 44, said he suffered through symptoms that included achy joints, a sore throat, fever and an unbearable headache. Jail officials largely avoided interacting with the COVID patients other than by handing out over-the-counter painkillers and cough syrup, he said. Inmates sanitized their hands with a spray bottle containing a blue liquid that Martz suspected was also...…This story also ran on .When Joshua Martz tested positive for COVID-19 this summer in a Montana jail, guards moved him and nine other inmates with the disease into a pod so cramped that some slept on mattresses on the floor.Martz, 44, said he suffered through symptoms that included achy joints, a sore throat, fever and an unbearable headache. Jail officials largely avoided interacting with the COVID patients other than by handing out over-the-counter painkillers and cough syrup, he said. Inmates sanitized their hands with a spray bottle containing a blue liquid that Martz suspected was also...WW…

More Than 600,000 Child Cases Of COVID-19 Reported In U.S., But Severe Illness 'Rare' : Coronavirus Live Updates In a survey of data reported by 49 states and four other jurisdictions, the American Academy of Pediatrics says the infection rate for COVID-19 is 829 per 100,000 children in the population.Mark KatkovIn a survey of data published on the health department websites of 49 states, New York City, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, a total of 624,890 child cases of COVID-19 were reported from the start of the pandemic through Sept. 24, or 10.5% of all cases in states...…More Than 600,000 Child Cases Of COVID-19 Reported In U.S., But Severe Illness 'Rare' : Coronavirus Live Updates In a survey of data reported by 49 states and four other jurisdictions, the American Academy of Pediatrics says the infection rate for COVID-19 is 829 per 100,000 children in the population.Mark KatkovIn a survey of data published on the health department websites of 49 states, New York City, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, a total of 624,890 child cases of COVID-19 were reported from the start of the pandemic through Sept. 24, or 10.5% of all cases in states...WW…

September 29, 2020Can’t see the audio player? .Midwesterners aren’t known for complaining. But after Mercy Hospital Fort Scott closed, hardship trickled down to people whose lives were already hard. In Chapter 1, we meet Pat Wheeler, who has emphysema. Her husband, Ralph, has end-stage kidney failure, and the couple are barely making ends meet as they raise their teenage grandson. Pat is angry with hospital executives who she said yanked a lifeline from residents. “I don’t understand how they can just so blatantly close the hospital. I mean, I understand dollars and cents,” Wheeler said....…September 29, 2020Can’t see the audio player? .Midwesterners aren’t known for complaining. But after Mercy Hospital Fort Scott closed, hardship trickled down to people whose lives were already hard. In Chapter 1, we meet Pat Wheeler, who has emphysema. Her husband, Ralph, has end-stage kidney failure, and the couple are barely making ends meet as they raise their teenage grandson. Pat is angry with hospital executives who she said yanked a lifeline from residents. “I don’t understand how they can just so blatantly close the hospital. I mean, I understand dollars and cents,” Wheeler said....WW…

The global death toll from COVID-19 has crossed one million, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, but the World Health Organization (WHO) says that number is probably an underestimate and the actual toll is likely to be much higher.Some 1,000,555 people across the world have now died from the virus, data from JHU showed on Tuesday.COVID-19 was first reported in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year when doctors began noticing people were getting seriously ill with a mysterious new form of pneumonia. Despite border closures and quarantines, the virus spread across the...…The global death toll from COVID-19 has crossed one million, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, but the World Health Organization (WHO) says that number is probably an underestimate and the actual toll is likely to be much higher.Some 1,000,555 people across the world have now died from the virus, data from JHU showed on Tuesday.COVID-19 was first reported in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year when doctors began noticing people were getting seriously ill with a mysterious new form of pneumonia. Despite border closures and quarantines, the virus spread across the...WW…

Drinking one to four or more cups of coffee a day may help people with advanced colorectal cancer live longer and slow the progression of their disease. The finding, from a by the Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, was based on about five years of data from 1,171 people treated with chemotherapy for colorectal cancer that had spread, referred to as Stage 4 cancer. Overall, as coffee consumption increased, so did the benefits, and whether the coffee was caffeinated or decaffeinated made little difference, according to the research published in the journal JAMA Oncology. During the...…Drinking one to four or more cups of coffee a day may help people with advanced colorectal cancer live longer and slow the progression of their disease. The finding, from a by the Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, was based on about five years of data from 1,171 people treated with chemotherapy for colorectal cancer that had spread, referred to as Stage 4 cancer. Overall, as coffee consumption increased, so did the benefits, and whether the coffee was caffeinated or decaffeinated made little difference, according to the research published in the journal JAMA Oncology. During the...WW…

The FDA approved dozens of opioids for use in people with pain, despite lacking full data on safety and effectiveness, a new analysis has found. Photo by jorono/PixabayThe U.S. approved nearly 50 new prescription opioid pain medications between 1997 and 2018, even though it lacked "critical" data on safety and effectiveness, an analysis published Monday by the journal found.None of the 48 drugs granted agency approval during the more than 20-year period was evaluated in clinical trials that lasted longer than 12 weeks, and the trials often included narrowly defined groups of patients,...…The FDA approved dozens of opioids for use in people with pain, despite lacking full data on safety and effectiveness, a new analysis has found. Photo by jorono/PixabayThe U.S. approved nearly 50 new prescription opioid pain medications between 1997 and 2018, even though it lacked "critical" data on safety and effectiveness, an analysis published Monday by the journal found.None of the 48 drugs granted agency approval during the more than 20-year period was evaluated in clinical trials that lasted longer than 12 weeks, and the trials often included narrowly defined groups of patients,...WW…

Texas officials have warned thousands of residents of a city in the state about using tap water after a deadly brain-eating microbe was found in the water supply.Tests were carried out on the system and confirmed the presence of Naegleria fowleri in Lake Jackson after a six-year-old boy contracted the microbe and died earlier this month, city manager Modesto Mundo told reporters on Saturday.Officials believe the amoeba entered Josiah McIntyre's body at a splash park in the city, or from a hose in the family home.Until the water supply has been disinfected and tests show it is safe to use...…Texas officials have warned thousands of residents of a city in the state about using tap water after a deadly brain-eating microbe was found in the water supply.Tests were carried out on the system and confirmed the presence of Naegleria fowleri in Lake Jackson after a six-year-old boy contracted the microbe and died earlier this month, city manager Modesto Mundo told reporters on Saturday.Officials believe the amoeba entered Josiah McIntyre's body at a splash park in the city, or from a hose in the family home.Until the water supply has been disinfected and tests show it is safe to use...WW…

Thewas created to stop deadly pathogens. It battled malaria and polio. It helped eradicate smallpox. It sent intrepid disease doctors to Africa to . Over the course of seven decades, it became the world’s most admired public health agency.The CDC had been preparing for decades for this moment — the arrival of a virus rampaging across the planet, inflicting widespread death and suffering.But 2020 has been a disaster for the CDC.The agency’s response to the worst public health crisis in a century — the coronavirus pandemic — has been marked by and botched messaging. The agency has endured...…Thewas created to stop deadly pathogens. It battled malaria and polio. It helped eradicate smallpox. It sent intrepid disease doctors to Africa to . Over the course of seven decades, it became the world’s most admired public health agency.The CDC had been preparing for decades for this moment — the arrival of a virus rampaging across the planet, inflicting widespread death and suffering.But 2020 has been a disaster for the CDC.The agency’s response to the worst public health crisis in a century — the coronavirus pandemic — has been marked by and botched messaging. The agency has endured...WW…

The NHS is facing a "triple whammy" of rising Covid-19 cases, a major backlog in treatment and reduced capacity due to infection-control measures, according to health bosses.The NHS Confederation report on the English NHS said more investment was desperately needed.The NHS bosses also called on ministers to be "honest and realistic" about waiting lists for treatment.It comes despite the government promising an extra £3bn this winter.That money - announced over the summer - was intended to:But hospitals are still performing only half the number of routine operations they normally would.Two...…The NHS is facing a "triple whammy" of rising Covid-19 cases, a major backlog in treatment and reduced capacity due to infection-control measures, according to health bosses.The NHS Confederation report on the English NHS said more investment was desperately needed.The NHS bosses also called on ministers to be "honest and realistic" about waiting lists for treatment.It comes despite the government promising an extra £3bn this winter.That money - announced over the summer - was intended to:But hospitals are still performing only half the number of routine operations they normally would.Two...WW…

Researchers warn that many coronavirus-related drug trials may not be including enough older people. Photo by Sgt. Michael Baltz/FlickrMore than half of all clinical trials evaluating vaccines and potential treatments for are "at high risk for excluding older adults," according to an analysis published Monday by .In addition, roughly one in four of the 847 trials reviewed by the researchers included an age "cutoff" that would exclude adults age 65 to 80, the data showed.Older adults are generally considered to be at higher risk for severe COVID-19 and health complications related to the...…Researchers warn that many coronavirus-related drug trials may not be including enough older people. Photo by Sgt. Michael Baltz/FlickrMore than half of all clinical trials evaluating vaccines and potential treatments for are "at high risk for excluding older adults," according to an analysis published Monday by .In addition, roughly one in four of the 847 trials reviewed by the researchers included an age "cutoff" that would exclude adults age 65 to 80, the data showed.Older adults are generally considered to be at higher risk for severe COVID-19 and health complications related to the...WW…

Lessons Learned After 1 Million Global Coronavirus Deaths As the world marks the sad milestone of 1 million lives lost to the coronavirus, NPR's international team reviews the way nations have handled the pandemic.Toggle more optionsHeard onToggle more optionsAs the world marks the sad milestone of 1 million lives lost to the coronavirus, NPR's international team reviews the way nations have handled the pandemic.NPR thanks our sponsors…Lessons Learned After 1 Million Global Coronavirus Deaths As the world marks the sad milestone of 1 million lives lost to the coronavirus, NPR's international team reviews the way nations have handled the pandemic.Toggle more optionsHeard onToggle more optionsAs the world marks the sad milestone of 1 million lives lost to the coronavirus, NPR's international team reviews the way nations have handled the pandemic.NPR thanks our sponsorsWW…

have died as a direct result of California’s devastating wildfires so far this year. But the actual number of lives lost because of them may have been much higher.that the pollution from an is likely to have led to at least 1,200, and up to 3,000, deaths in California between Aug 1. and Sept. 10 that otherwise would not have occurred.They refer to these deaths — among people 65 and older, many of whom had underlying conditions — as “excess deaths.”“You could think of it as the hidden cost of air pollution exposure,” said Marshall Burke, an associate professor of earth system science at...…have died as a direct result of California’s devastating wildfires so far this year. But the actual number of lives lost because of them may have been much higher.that the pollution from an is likely to have led to at least 1,200, and up to 3,000, deaths in California between Aug 1. and Sept. 10 that otherwise would not have occurred.They refer to these deaths — among people 65 and older, many of whom had underlying conditions — as “excess deaths.”“You could think of it as the hidden cost of air pollution exposure,” said Marshall Burke, an associate professor of earth system science at...WW…

When 60-year-old Milind Ketkar returned home after spending nearly a month in hospital battling Covid-19, he thought the worst was over.People had to carry him to his third-floor flat as his building didn't have a lift. He spent the next few days feeling constantly breathless and weak. When he didn't start to feel better, he contacted Dr Lancelot Pinto at Mumbai's PD Hinduja hospital, where he had been treated.Mr Ketkar, who thought he had recovered from the virus, was in for a shock. Dr Pinto told him inflammation in the lungs, caused by Covid-19, had given him deep vein thrombosis, which...…When 60-year-old Milind Ketkar returned home after spending nearly a month in hospital battling Covid-19, he thought the worst was over.People had to carry him to his third-floor flat as his building didn't have a lift. He spent the next few days feeling constantly breathless and weak. When he didn't start to feel better, he contacted Dr Lancelot Pinto at Mumbai's PD Hinduja hospital, where he had been treated.Mr Ketkar, who thought he had recovered from the virus, was in for a shock. Dr Pinto told him inflammation in the lungs, caused by Covid-19, had given him deep vein thrombosis, which...WW…

Most U.S. Households Struck By COVID-19 Suffer Financially, Too : Shots - Health News Plus, of all U.S. homes that include someone with a disability, 63% report serious financial hardship during the pandemic, and 37% have used up all or most of their savings.Toggle more optionsHeard onFromToggle more optionsCOVID-19 has caused widespread damage to the economy — so wide that it can be easy to overlook how unevenly households are suffering. But out this month reveal households that either have had someone with COVID-19 or include someone who has a disability or special needs are much more...…Most U.S. Households Struck By COVID-19 Suffer Financially, Too : Shots - Health News Plus, of all U.S. homes that include someone with a disability, 63% report serious financial hardship during the pandemic, and 37% have used up all or most of their savings.Toggle more optionsHeard onFromToggle more optionsCOVID-19 has caused widespread damage to the economy — so wide that it can be easy to overlook how unevenly households are suffering. But out this month reveal households that either have had someone with COVID-19 or include someone who has a disability or special needs are much more...WW…

Black Health Care Professionals Help Black Communities Battle Pandemic Frustrated by COVID-19's disproportionate impact on Black communities, Black doctors came together to launch their own outreach group, bringing testing and care into Philadelphia neighborhoods.Toggle more optionsHeard onNina FeldmanFromToggle more optionsFrustrated by COVID-19's disproportionate impact on Black communities, Black doctors came together to launch their own outreach group, bringing testing and care into Philadelphia neighborhoods.RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:Forty-four percent of Philadelphia's residents are Black....…Black Health Care Professionals Help Black Communities Battle Pandemic Frustrated by COVID-19's disproportionate impact on Black communities, Black doctors came together to launch their own outreach group, bringing testing and care into Philadelphia neighborhoods.Toggle more optionsHeard onNina FeldmanFromToggle more optionsFrustrated by COVID-19's disproportionate impact on Black communities, Black doctors came together to launch their own outreach group, bringing testing and care into Philadelphia neighborhoods.RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:Forty-four percent of Philadelphia's residents are Black....WW…

Just a third of parents believe that having their child get the flu vaccine is more important this year than previous years. Credit: C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at Michigan Medicine.may not influence parents’ beliefs about the flu vaccine, with just 1/3 believing it’s more important for children to get vaccinated this year.The pandemic doesn’t seem to be changing parents’ minds about the importance of the flu vaccine.It could be a double whammy flu season this year as the nation already faces a viral deadly disease with nearly twin symptoms. And while...…Just a third of parents believe that having their child get the flu vaccine is more important this year than previous years. Credit: C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at Michigan Medicine.may not influence parents’ beliefs about the flu vaccine, with just 1/3 believing it’s more important for children to get vaccinated this year.The pandemic doesn’t seem to be changing parents’ minds about the importance of the flu vaccine.It could be a double whammy flu season this year as the nation already faces a viral deadly disease with nearly twin symptoms. And while...WW…

Refusing to self-isolate when told to is now illegal in England, with fines of up to £10,000.Anyone who tests positive for Covid-19, or has been told they have been in contact with someone who has, now has a legal duty to quarantine.It comes as a study commissioned by the government found just 18% of people who had symptoms went into isolation.Meanwhile, the government has promised an "uninterrupted supply" of PPE for front-line workers over the winter.Four-month stockpiles of PPE - personal protective equipment such as masks, visors and gowns - will be available from November, the...…Refusing to self-isolate when told to is now illegal in England, with fines of up to £10,000.Anyone who tests positive for Covid-19, or has been told they have been in contact with someone who has, now has a legal duty to quarantine.It comes as a study commissioned by the government found just 18% of people who had symptoms went into isolation.Meanwhile, the government has promised an "uninterrupted supply" of PPE for front-line workers over the winter.Four-month stockpiles of PPE - personal protective equipment such as masks, visors and gowns - will be available from November, the...WW…

Photo: Gabrielle Lurie / The ChronicleShoppers in Berkeley will soon see fewer junk food items on their way out of grocery stores now that the City Council has passed an ordinance requiring grocers to offer healthy food and beverages in checkout aisles.In a unanimous vote Tuesday night, the Berkeley City Council passed the “healthy checkout” bill, possibly the first city in the nation to do so, eliminating the sale of junk food and beverages in the checkout lane and requiring healthy food options instead.The bill was co-authored by Berkeley council members Kate Harrison and Sophie Hahn, and...…Photo: Gabrielle Lurie / The ChronicleShoppers in Berkeley will soon see fewer junk food items on their way out of grocery stores now that the City Council has passed an ordinance requiring grocers to offer healthy food and beverages in checkout aisles.In a unanimous vote Tuesday night, the Berkeley City Council passed the “healthy checkout” bill, possibly the first city in the nation to do so, eliminating the sale of junk food and beverages in the checkout lane and requiring healthy food options instead.The bill was co-authored by Berkeley council members Kate Harrison and Sophie Hahn, and...WW…

Nearly four years after her longtime partner’s death, Michelle Murphy still wakes in a panic, imagining that she forgot to help him breathe.At 61, Jeffrey Senne was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig’s disease. Murphy had become his main financial support and caregiver in their woodsy Northern California home. She ended up devoting 11 years to looking after him. As the disease progressed, Senne, who Murphy says once looked like Harrison Ford, grew bald and frail, lost control of his bowels and could no longer speak or swallow. To prevent him from...…Nearly four years after her longtime partner’s death, Michelle Murphy still wakes in a panic, imagining that she forgot to help him breathe.At 61, Jeffrey Senne was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig’s disease. Murphy had become his main financial support and caregiver in their woodsy Northern California home. She ended up devoting 11 years to looking after him. As the disease progressed, Senne, who Murphy says once looked like Harrison Ford, grew bald and frail, lost control of his bowels and could no longer speak or swallow. To prevent him from...WW…

When it comes to health care, President Donald Trump has promised far more than he has delivered. But that doesn’t mean his administration has had no impact on health issues — including the operation of the Affordable Care Act, prescription drug prices and women’s access to reproductive health services.In a last-ditch effort to raise his approval rating on an issue on which he trails Democrat Joe Biden in most polls, Trump on Thursday unveiled his “,” which includes a number of promises with no details and pumps some minor achievements into what the administration calls “monumental steps to...…When it comes to health care, President Donald Trump has promised far more than he has delivered. But that doesn’t mean his administration has had no impact on health issues — including the operation of the Affordable Care Act, prescription drug prices and women’s access to reproductive health services.In a last-ditch effort to raise his approval rating on an issue on which he trails Democrat Joe Biden in most polls, Trump on Thursday unveiled his “,” which includes a number of promises with no details and pumps some minor achievements into what the administration calls “monumental steps to...WW…

Sobering Milestone: Global Coronavirus Deaths Near 1 Million The world is nearing a million deaths from COVID-19 — with almost every nation having lost people to the disease. And in the five countries hit badly by the pandemic, the trend remains worrisome.Toggle more optionsHeard onToggle more optionsThe world is nearing a million deaths from COVID-19 — with almost every nation having lost people to the disease. And in the five countries hit badly by the pandemic, the trend remains worrisome.RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:Nearly 1 million lives lost to COVID-19. The world is on the verge of marking...…Sobering Milestone: Global Coronavirus Deaths Near 1 Million The world is nearing a million deaths from COVID-19 — with almost every nation having lost people to the disease. And in the five countries hit badly by the pandemic, the trend remains worrisome.Toggle more optionsHeard onToggle more optionsThe world is nearing a million deaths from COVID-19 — with almost every nation having lost people to the disease. And in the five countries hit badly by the pandemic, the trend remains worrisome.RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:Nearly 1 million lives lost to COVID-19. The world is on the verge of marking...WW…

President Trump announced on Monday that the federal government will distribute 150 million rapid, point-of-care coronavirus tests to states over the next few weeks, including to K-12 schools and vulnerable communities like nursing homes and assisted living facilities.Why it matters: The Trump administration has stressed the importance of reopening schools in allowing parents to return to work and jumpstarting the economy. What's happening: Who gets tested is ultimately at the discretion of the governors, but the administration is encouraging schools to use the rapid tests to help restart...…President Trump announced on Monday that the federal government will distribute 150 million rapid, point-of-care coronavirus tests to states over the next few weeks, including to K-12 schools and vulnerable communities like nursing homes and assisted living facilities.Why it matters: The Trump administration has stressed the importance of reopening schools in allowing parents to return to work and jumpstarting the economy. What's happening: Who gets tested is ultimately at the discretion of the governors, but the administration is encouraging schools to use the rapid tests to help restart...WW…

The government has fixed a problem with its new NHS coronavirus app in England and Wales which meant many positive test results were not being logged.Users were unable to record a positive test result, if they had booked a test elsewhere and not via the app.But the Department of Health said everyone who tests positive can now log it, however they booked the test.However, people who test negative are still unable to share their result if they did not book it via the app.Anyone who books a test via the app has their result automatically logged whether it is positive or negative, according to...…The government has fixed a problem with its new NHS coronavirus app in England and Wales which meant many positive test results were not being logged.Users were unable to record a positive test result, if they had booked a test elsewhere and not via the app.But the Department of Health said everyone who tests positive can now log it, however they booked the test.However, people who test negative are still unable to share their result if they did not book it via the app.Anyone who books a test via the app has their result automatically logged whether it is positive or negative, according to...WW…

Businesses in Wales hit by coronavirus will be offered £140m in grants, Economy Minister Ken Skates has said.Nearly two-thirds of Wales' population will be under lockdown when new restrictions are imposed at 18:00 BST.Neath Port Talbot (NPT), Torfaen and Vale of Glamorgan will join eight other areas in lockdown, affecting almost two million people in total.The country's two biggest cities - Cardiff and Swansea - had restrictions applied on Sunday evening.The new rules mean no travel outside council boundaries other than for work, education or medical emergencies, with no indoor mixing...…Businesses in Wales hit by coronavirus will be offered £140m in grants, Economy Minister Ken Skates has said.Nearly two-thirds of Wales' population will be under lockdown when new restrictions are imposed at 18:00 BST.Neath Port Talbot (NPT), Torfaen and Vale of Glamorgan will join eight other areas in lockdown, affecting almost two million people in total.The country's two biggest cities - Cardiff and Swansea - had restrictions applied on Sunday evening.The new rules mean no travel outside council boundaries other than for work, education or medical emergencies, with no indoor mixing...WW…