health | Westminster World

Dec122022 by Elfredah-Kevin-Alerechi, Nneoma EkweghNo Comments

Harrow parents express concern over strep A infection

A total of 9 children have died from strep A infection in the UK, health officials have confirmed. Photo Credit: Nneoma Ekwegh The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Monday December 5, confirmed the deaths of 9 children in England while Wales and Northern Ireland recorded the death of one child. The illness can be spread by having contact with infected persons through sneezing and coughing. Group A Streptococcus (GAS), popularly known as Strep A, and its common symptoms include sore throat, rashes, pain and vomiting among others, according to the NHS. Westminster World went to the streets of Harrow, and spoke to parents about the Strep A surge and how they are protecting their children. Ebere Okeke, a mother and biologist, advised parents to protect their kids...

Air pollution hitting deprived and POC communities hardest

Climate, Environment, Extinction Rebellion, extinction rebellion, Health, London, London Mayor, Politics, protest, Science, Transport, UK news, urban

Air pollution burdens low income and communities of colour resulting in major health risks. Source: Unsplash The British Heart Foundation found that 15 million Brits are exposed to toxic air. The majority of which are people of colour and those within deprived communities; a report conducted by Natural England in 2019 revealed Britons who are POC were exposed to particulate matter pollution rates at 19-29% higher than White Britons. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt2OIcQ-7y8 Environmental racism is a form of systematic racism where communities of colour are disproportionately burdened with health hazards through policies and practices that force them to reside near or around polluted areas. Environmental Justice is not simply highlighting the discrepancies b...

Menstrual Leave: Should we be more accomodating?

Adults, Gender, Health, Women

Scotland has become the first nation to offer free sanitary products for all women. Photo credited by Halima Ahcene Djaballah Scotland has offered free access to period products for all women. Should England be this accommodating to menstruating women as well? What is Menstruation? Menstruation is a natural monthly process for females which at times may be accompanied with pain and discomfort. It is usually accompanied with painful muscle cramps in the stomach, back and thighs. As well as free sanitary products, the question arises of whether the nation should do more to cater for menstruating females. Menstrual leave has since been a topic of debate and has already been legalised in some countries such as Japan, Indonesia and Taiwan. Are period cramps really tha...

Nov162020 by Jing Yang, Tianhua YunNo Comments

Coronavirus: Young people concerned about getting Covid-19 vaccination

Covid-19, Health

UK is going to rollout Covid-19 vaccine before Christmas. According to King’s College London’s report this year, ‘Coronavirus uncertainties’, 22 percent young UK residents aged 16-24 are unwilling to get vaccination, ranked first among all age groups. In contrast, 89 percent of the elderly are willing to get a jab. Source: KCL, Coronavirus uncertainties: vaccines, symptoms and contested claims Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam who leads on health protection held a positive attitude towards the Covid-19 vaccine. He said he has "absolute trust" in the Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and he would be also at the front of the line to be the first to get the Covid-19 vaccine. When it comes to whether we need to get vaccinat

Nov162020 by Haiyue Zhang & Jinglin ZhouNo Comments

Does the NHS Covid-19 app violate our privacy?

Breaking News, Covid-19, Explainers, Health, NHS, UK news, Video, virus

Around forty per cent of adults with eligible smartphones in the UK have downloaded the NHS Covid-19 app. During the epidemic, the UK has launched its own epidemic tracking system with this app. However, there is a question that many people concern: does this app violate our privacy? https://youtu.be/xcL7tCT3WQo Many people are anxious about the law enforcement and intelligence agencies could someday get in touch with tracing app's data, although others claim that the app is too private. According to the BBC, the tracing method of the NHS Covid-19 app is "led some to suggest we've got the balance between privacy and effectiveness wrong".

Apr152020 by Editor2No Comments

What could we know, from SARS to COVID-19?

Covid-19, Explainer, Explainers, Health

The panic of COVID-19 In December 2019, Wuhan, the scenic city of Hubei Province, reported several unknown respiratory epidemics. Merely one month later, the situation was out of control. On January 23, the eve of the Chinese traditional New Year, the Chinese government announced the closure of Wuhan, Hubei Province, all public transportation in Wuhan ceased operation. During this reunion festival, Chinese society had given up plans to travel, visit relatives, stayed at home for self-isolation. In February 2020, WHO named the new coronavirus, which was 80 percent similar to SARS, as COVID-19. Now the world is in the panic of COVID-19. Ordinary people's daily life was affected. Although at the end of February, ...

Apr142020 by Fabio Angeli No Comments

Sexually Transmitted Infections: how to prevent and get treatment

Breaking News, Education, Explainer, Explainers, Explainers, Health, Medical, youth

Find out the best tips for a safe sexual life According to the World Health Organization, there are more than one million Sexually Transmitted Infections transmitted daily worldwide. Currently, 30 different viruses, bacteria and parasites could cause infections through sexual contact. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGVP19bFUp4&feature=youtu.be How can I get infected? The STIs contamination occurred mainly by sexual contact, including vaginal, anal and oral sex. But some STIs can be acquired without having sex, by blood contact or blood products. Which are the most common STIs?Four diseases have a high number of cases: syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis. These four STIs together cause approximately 376 million new infections per year. The good ...

Apr142020 by Editor2No Comments

The history of how people fought against viruses, explained

Explainer, Explainers, Health, virus

The pandemic of coronavirus has infected nearly 2 million people, taking approximately 120 thousand lives worldwide so far, four months after its outbreak in Wuhan, China， according to the Guardian. In certain countries, the epidemic has been under control at the cost of quarantining cities and forcing people to stay at home, while in other nations, it is continuously crashing the public health system, creating panic and resentment among people, and thus devastating the global economy. People may have somehow felt the weakness in front of viruses: why a tiny bit of creature can be so devastating? In fact, in the long history of human beings fighting against viruses, people had been slaughtered repeatedly for thousands of years before they found effective ways to save lives and stop the

Apr142020 by Juliane SonntagNo Comments

Obesity in childhood

children, Data Journalism, Education, Explainer, Explainers, Fitness, Food, Health, Medical, NHS, Obesity, Sport, youth

The numbers for people who are obese in the UK again saw a record high in 2019; it is the fourth consecutive year that a new national record was set. Around 20 percent of UK's school children aged 8 to 11 are obese, according to the NHS’s National Child Measurement Programme. In other words, every fifth child is severely overweight. This puts the UK on rank 33 out of 191 surveyed countries (Global Obesity Levels). Obesity in childhood increases the risk of obesity in adulthood and can cause serious illnesses such as Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. Often, it also triggers mental health issues such as depression or fatigue. Especially now that schools, playgrounds and gyms are closed due to the coronavirus, it is vital to provide a healthy diet and as much

Apr132020 by Natalia ReppasNo Comments

Understanding your skin: Acne explained.

Breaking News, Explainer, Explainers, Health, LifeStyle, Medical, News

Acne is one of the most common skin conditions, with 80% of people aged 11 to 30 being affected according to the NHS. Almost 8 in 10 teens have acne. Although it is considered a normal part of puberty, it’s not always easy. To understand acne, you need to learn your own skin. Do you know your skin type? Infographic: Natalia Reppas. Chances are you've experienced acne at some point in your life, if you are not currently experiencing it. How did that spot get there? Did I not wash my face enough? And more importantly, how do I cover it up? You're not alone. Bad skin can affect your confidence and make you feel less than your best. We are often left with spots that we have no explanation for in areas like our cheeks or forehead and we have no idea where they cam