Page 32 - Londra Gazete Sayı 1125

Londra Gazete, Thursday 29 October 2020 LondraGazete.com/English 9

New coronavirus test gives results
High intake of vitamins A, E and D
linked to ‘fewer respiratory illnesses’ 'in just 12 minutes

HIGH intakes of vitamins A, such as asthma and pulmonary dis- A Covid test that can provide
E and D are linked to fewer respira- ease. a result in 12 minutes will be made
tory illnesses, according to a study, Overall, there were 33 cases of available at high street pharmacy
with experts calling for more re- respiratory complaints, and re- Boots.
search into their effect on COV- searchers found vitamin A and E The nasal swab test, which will
ID-19. from both diet and supplements cost £120, will be available in se-
It comes soon after a separate was associated with a lower likeli- lected stores in the UK to people
study found 82% of 216 coronavi- hood of them being reported. who are not showing symptoms.
rus patients in a Spanish hospital The researchers in the latest The company says the aim is to
had a vitamin D deficiency. study, including from Imperial offer customers peace of mind.
UK Health Secretary Matt Han-
cock has ordered a review into vita- College London, said their work Anyone in the UK who thinks
min D's effect on the disease, after supported the hypothesis that sup- they have symptoms should stay at
previously saying it appeared to plementation is "critical" for some, home and contact the NHS to book
have no effect. and that diet alone is often not a Covid test in the usual way.
The latest study involved 6,115 enough. The technology has been devel-
adults, with people self-reporting They recommended further work oped by LumiraDx, which has also
their vitamin intake and any res- "to assess the implications of the struck a deal to provide supplies to
piratory problems. current study in the context of the the NHS in Scotland.
Illnesses included chesty coughs, current coronavirus disease" pan- Trials suggest it is accurate
as well as long-term conditions demic.
enough to identify cases, although,
like any Covid test, there are some
false results meaning they are not Other rapid tests, which give re- Speedy and comprehensive test-
100% reliable. sults within 90 minutes, are also ing is thought vital to efforts to
The Lumira tests, due to lauch at being trialled by the NHS. contain the second wave of the
50 Boots stores in November, take Prof Paul Hunter from the Uni- virus while the world waits for an
minutes to give a result, analysing versity of East Anglia said while effective vaccine.
a nose swab sample on the spot, via the test could give peace of mind at But figures released last week
a small, portable machine. the time it was taken: "A negative showed that just 15.1% of peo-
Anyone who tests positive should test today tells you nothing really ple are currently receiving results
then isolate to avoid spreading the about whether you are going to be within 24 hours through the offi-
infection to others. positive a day or two later." cial system in place in the UK.

Fears over 'weakening' of UK green watchdog

CAMPAIGNERS fear that But they now want to grant them- nise environmental policy and law,
the legal body designed to protect selves powers to “advise” the new investigate complaints and take
the environment on behalf of cit- body. enforcement action against public
izens is being undermined by the These plans were revealed in a authorities where necessary.
UK government. tabled amendment to the Envi-
Antibodies 'fall rapidly after infection' Ministers promised that af- ronment Bill. But Greener UK’s concerns are
ter Brexit, laws on air, water and Critics fear ministers may coun- echoed by Dr Stephanie Wray
LEVELS of protective antibod- so far. waste would be policed by an inde- sel the OEP against taking the from the environmental consul-
ies in people wane "quite rapidly" In the first round of testing, at pendent Office for Environmental government to court if it breaches tancy RSK.
after coronavirus infection, say re- the end of June and the beginning Protection (OEP). laws. She told BBC News: “The gov-
searchers. of July, about 60 in 1,000 people Previously, these laws were en- A spokesperson said; “The Envi- ernment says the OEP should fo-
Antibodies are a key part of our had detectable antibodies. forced by European courts, which ronment Secretary will not be able cus resources on the most serious
immune defences and stop the vi- But in the latest set of tests, in prosecuted EU governments that to intervene in decision-making cases. But this assumes that it is
rus from getting inside the body's September, only 44 per 1,000 peo- breached green rules. about specific or individual cases.
cells. ple were positive. Ministers promised the OEP “The Bill will also ensure the new only big, high-profile cases that
The Imperial College London It suggests the number of people would be similarly independent. body will have the power to scruti- seriously affect the environment.
team found the number of people with antibodies fell by more than a
testing positive for antibodies has quarter between summer and au-
fallen by 26% between June and tumn.
September. "Immunity is waning quite rap-
They say immunity appears to be idly, we're only three months after
fading and there is a risk of catch- our first [round of tests] and we're
ing the virus multiple times. already showing a 26% decline in
The news comes as figures from antibodies," said Prof Helen Ward,
the Office for National Statistics one of the researchers.
show that the number of Covid-19 The fall was greater in those
deaths in the UK rose by 60% in over 65, compared with younger
the week of 16 October. age groups, and in those without
The ONS figures suggest there symptoms compared with those
have now been more than 60,000 with full-blown Covid-19.
deaths involving Covid-19 in the The number of healthcare work-
UK. ers with antibodies remained rela-
More than 350,000 people in tively high, which the researchers
England have taken an antibody suggest may be due to regular ex-
test as part of the REACT-2 study posure to the virus.