What the papers said in the week ending 13 February 2021
In this week Donald Trump has again faced the possibility of impeachment. The evidence presented has been shocking. Meanwhile the daily news is dominated by the Coronavirus Pandemic – many people affected, many people dying, variants proving less responsive to vaccines, the impact of lockdowns on wellbeing and economies
Care Homes in the UK have become the site of great distress – with illness and deaths on the one hand, and pains of enforced separation on another
- There was much joy when Stanley and Mavis Harbour were reunited by a visit at his care home after 12 months separation Couple reunited after year apart under care home lockdown rules | UK news | The Guardian
- There are legal moves to make essential visits allowed: Restart essential care home visits in England, relatives demand | Society | The Guardian
The dangers of covid are not evenly distributed:
- People in prison in England and Wales are twice as likely to be infected as the general population: 86 prisoners have died when covid positive – from a population of 78,000. The number of prisoners on suicide watch has increased
- Number of prisoners in England and Wales on suicide watch rises steeply | Society | The Guardian
- Some South Asian communities remain at high risk: ‘They deserve more credit’: Britain’s south Asian taxi drivers on Covid frontline | Health | The Guardian
- South Asian ethnic groups ‘continue to see higher risk of dying with Covid’ | Herald Series
- While infection rates are lowest among older people, hospitalisation rates and deaths from covid are highest for those who ate 70+ Coronavirus (COVID-19) weekly insights – Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)
Covid and Mental Health
Richard Bentall casts doubt on the view that covid and the associated restrictions is running riot with the nation’s mental health. He finds that the early impact has been followed by a steadier period. People who have experienced more anxiety and depression include younger people, those living in towns and cities, having children at home, having established mental health problems or physical health problems. Those living alone or with a low income are more likely to have become depressed or anxious. Older people (65+) have been less affected – and feeling that you belong in a neighbourhood or community is seen to be a strength.
- Has the pandemic really caused a ‘tsunami’ of mental health problems? | Mental health | The Guardian
- C19PRC wave 1 initial report.pdf
- Others confirm that Mental Health Services have found themselves under stress: Covid-19 has put a major strain on mental health | Mental health | The Guardian
Finances: The stress of relative poverty is inescapable as work has become denied to so many Covid fallout has put one in four UK adults at financial risk, says FCA | Borrowing & debt | The Guardian
Historians review a wide range of factors which they agree will designate a very dangerous period in the story of mankind: ‘A very dangerous epoch’: historians try to make sense of Covid | World news | The Guardian
Healthcare
- Obesity has become the most dangerous risk factor for illness and early death – overtaking smoking: while smoking rates have fallen from 20% of adults to 10% in the UK in ten years, obesity now affects 28% – against only 15% 30 years ago. Lessons to be learned here. Older people are amongst the most overweight and obese. Time for action Obesity bigger killer than smoking in England and Scotland – study | Society | The Guardian
- Part 3: Adult overweight and obesity – NHS Digital
- It is possible that changed dietary habits within lockdown will be beneficial: Steep rise in UK’s consumption of organic food | Organics | The Guardian
There probably are good arguments for a further reorganisation of the NHS – a correction to the market model which has been so damaging, but we fear that the time, money and stress associated with this will be more than NHS workers can cope with Matt Hancock lays out plan for reorganisation of NHS in England | NHS | The Guardian
Other mattersGloom abd gladness
- Stonehenge is found to have been transferred to its present site from its origins in Pembrokeshire Dramatic discovery links Stonehenge to its original site – in Wales | UK news | The Guardian
- The Thames has frozen at Teddington Lock – a mild reflection of comprehensive freezes of the past Part of River Thames freezes amid sub-zero temperatures | London | The Guardian
- Frank Rothwell a 70 year old from Oldham has shown that age is no barrier: he rowed the Atlanic Ocean and raised funds in memory of his younger brother who died with Alzheimer’s disease while Frank was on his mission Grandfather becomes oldest person to row 3,000 miles solo unassisted across Atlantic | UK news | The Guardian
- Mary Beard, Professor of Classics at Cambridge University is sanguine about abuse which styles her ‘Witch’ as an older woman ‘Witch’ tweets reflect society’s fear of older women, says Mary Beard | Mary Beard | The Guardian
David Jolley
