What the papers said in the week ending 29 May 2021
The spectre of lonely old people is a recurring theme for headlines. A report from the Older People’s Task Force and Finish Group, chaired by Independent Age and the Alzheimer’s Society is the latest to draw attention to the phenomenon and the need for action. Age UK finds that Covid and lockdowns have left old people with less energy and stamina and poorer balance.www.theguardian.com/society/2021/may/24/a-million-over-65s-still-at-risk-of-loneliness-as-uk-lockdown-eases
- It is as well to be aware that loneliness is at least as common amongst younger people in the UK of 2021. Loneliness in young people: policy recommendations | Mental Health Foundation
- Emerging Together: the Tackling Loneliness Network Action Plan – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- There are no easy answers to this problem, but discussion at our latest Conference Call urges churches to see the return to more normal social rules as a time to open doors and engage with communities and all ages: https://christiansonageing.org.uk/conference-call-2/
Prince Charles has spoken and written is support of his view that traditional small family-run farms offer the best future for the industry and the planet, even if they will need to collaborate in consortia: Small farms have a huge role to play in our sustainable future | Charles, Prince of Wales | The Guardian
- He finds agreement from some, but arguments against him and the view from others The uncertain future that small farmers face after tariff-free trade deals | Letters | The Guardian
Covid
Analysis is revealing more of the horror and dynamics of illness and deaths from Covid in the UK: so many people contracted the disease in hospital, staff as well as patients, so many were to die, every one a person, not just a statistic. Up to 8,700 patients died after catching Covid in English hospitals | Coronavirus | The Guardian
- More than 77,000 NHS staff in England have caught Covid, shows research | NHS | The Guardian
- The lives lost to hospital-acquired Covid | Letters | The Guardian
- Additional facts and interpretations have come from the outpouring of Dominic Cummings in evidence to MPs Factchecked: Dominic Cummings’ evidence to MPs on Covid crisis | Dominic Cummings | The Guardian
The natural world
There is enthusiasm to change policy in the care of roadside grass verges. The argument is that mowing less will encourage wildflowers, bees and other insects – This is a romantic prospect and linked to a belief that this will reduce costs for councils. The concern is that unless very carefully managed this will represent neglect which will encourage litter, vandalism and loss of amenity End mowing of road verges to create huge wildlife habitat, says UK study | Wild flowers | The Guardian
The climate crisis is seen to threaten physical health through pollution and protective gases. It is also apparent that increased temperature and the impact on general health has adverse consequences for mental health, fuelling despair and more suicidesClimate crisis inflicting huge ‘hidden costs’ on mental health | Climate change | The Guardian
The Brave New World of experimental embryology is being released to explore aspects of human development beyond the threshold of 14 days: ethics and practicalities may collide Time limit on lab-grown human embryos is relaxed by experts | Embryos | The Guardian
The practice of enforcing unmarried mothers to give up their babies, which was common in the 1950s, 60s and 70s is now viewed with regret. This has left many women saddened throughout their lives. The wrong is recognised Mothers demand apology over forced adoptions – BBC News
Although the dangers of smoking tobacco to health and survival are well understood, factories are still manufacturing cigarettes and sales promoted throughout the world. So – though fewer people smoke in the UK, the global count and its consequences continue to rise Numbers of smokers threatens to rise with population growth if unchecked | The Nation’s Health (thenationshealth.org)
As science progresses and more detailed and enormous calculations become possible, understanding of Relativity Theory, Dark Matter and such is growing Astronomers create largest map of the universe’s dark matter | Astronomy | The Guardian
Also
The unexpected success of the Two Tone phenomenon which came out of Coventry and saw people of different colour making music together in harmony is celebrated: Pork pie hats and politics: Coventry pays tribute to 2 Tone legacy | Music | The Guardian
The bizarre system by which established customers of insurance companies have been required to pay more to continue their insurance than new customers, has been outlawed Loyalty penalties on UK car and home insurance to end | Financial Conduct Authority | The Guardian
Another government report, designed to investigate the truth behind murmurs of bias –this time of Islamophobia within the Conservative Party – has been rejected by people who it sought to reassure Tory Islamophobia report a ‘whitewash’, say Muslims in party | Islamophobia | The Guardian
We have lost:
Ron Hill – famous for his feats of long distance running in the1960s – and then for continuing at least a mile a day for over 50 years Ron Hill obituary | Athletics | The Guardian
And Eric Carle – who gave us The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and other stories Eric Carle obituary | Books | The Guardian
David JolleyF
