What you need to know about the coronavirus on Tuesday, January 19

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Fazilah, an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse at a central London hospital, told CNN that during the first wave of the pandemic, she was surrounded by a wave of depression for months, but she was too busy saving other people’s lives. to be able to do that. identify or process it. Now she’s working through another nightmare.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week warned that the country’s hospitals are at significant risk of being overwhelmed if the number of cases continues to increase. According to Our World in Data, the country had the highest death rate in the world last week. There are currently more than 37,400 Covid-19 patients in UK hospitals.

ICU nurses working for the UK National Health Service (NHS) are the hardest hit by this wave. A number of ICU employees who spoke to CNN said they have been forced to “tone down” the level of care due to the spike in admissions and in some cases say they are treating as many as eight patients at a time – much higher than the “safe” NHS recommended ICU nurse to patient ratio from 1: 1 to 1: 2.

While the NHS did not respond to CNN’s request for comment, NHS CEO Simon Stevens told the BBC on Sunday that the nurse-patient ratio between hospitals ranged from 1: 1 to 1: 2 to 1: 3, and that it staff at work is “dynamic adjustments in real time.”

It’s a situation that not only endangers the level of care for the sick, but also adds to the stress and well-being of the caregivers who provide it, Ameera Sheikh, an ICU nurse and Unite union representative told a report. London hospital. CNN. Even on days off, it is almost impossible to switch off. “Guilt comes in suddenly because you’re not working to help,” she said.

And when a patient dies, there is often little time to grieve before the next patient arrives. “It’s like you’re constantly in a carousel and you can’t get out,” Fazilah said.

YOU ASKED. WE ANSWER

Ask: How do I find out if my age group is eligible for a Covid-19 vaccination in the US?

A: First, start with a phone call to your doctor. They can confirm what stage you should be in – definitions may change from state to state – and give you an idea of ​​when vaccinations are expected to begin in your local health and hospital systems.

Next, check the Covid-19 vaccination page on your national health department website. Most have links to county level appointment sites where you can sign up, and emails where you can ask questions.

For those less knowledgeable about the Internet, each state also provides a phone number. Be patient, experts suggest, as the lines are often busy. To help, CNN has created a list of vaccination information pages for all 50 states and territories here:
Send your questions here. Are you a health professional fighting Covid-19? Send us a message on WhatsApp about the challenges you are facing: + 1347-322-0415.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TODAY

China returns to criticism of its vaccines with a dangerous disinformation campaign

Now that Chinese medical company Sinovac has questions about the effectiveness of its coronavirus injection, the Chinese propaganda machine has chosen to attack other vaccines. It’s a dangerous gamble that could undermine general confidence in mass vaccinations, just as the world desperately needs people to get vaccinated, James Griffiths reports.

For example, the state-run tabloid Global Times has taken the lead in defending vaccines made in China, not by establishing their effectiveness, but by trying to take down the reputation of other candidates – particularly that of the American company Pfizer.

Trump removes some travel restrictions from US Covid-19 despite Biden opposing the order

Days before Joe Biden will take over the presidency, US President Donald Trump has lifted travel restrictions related to the coronavirus for much of Europe, the UK and Brazil, effective January 26.

Biden’s government has pledged to block the move out of concerns about “more contagious variants popping up around the world,” Biden’s incoming press secretary Jen Psaki said on Twitter.

While new cases in the US are on a downward trend since they peaked last week, experts are urging Americans not to be wary.

The country, which exceeded 24 million cases on Monday, has counted an average of 207,000 new cases per day for the past seven days – with California becoming the first state with more than 3 million cases. Meanwhile, health officials in the hard-hit state have told medical providers not to administer doses of one batch of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine – which contains more than 330,000 doses – while investigating possible serious allergic reactions last week.

The unrest at the Australian Open raises questions for the Olympic Games in Tokyo

The controversy over the Australian Open, where 72 players have been placed under strict hotel quarantine, has raised questions about whether large-scale international sporting events can take place in the midst of a pandemic and could provide a preview of the difficulties facing this summer. Tokyo Olympics, Helen Regan, Paul Devitt and Angus Watson.
Serbian Novak Djokovic stands on the balcony of his Adelaide accommodation.

ON OUR RADAR

  • Biden and his government pledge to ensure that black and brown people have equal access to the Covid-19 vaccine through mobile clinics, vaccination centers and partnerships with local communities.
  • China and the World Health Organization could have acted faster and more forcefully to stem the onset of the coronavirus outbreak, an independent review panel said Monday.
  • Singapore Airlines hopes to become the world’s first airline to vaccinate all of its crew members.
  • If Kim Jong-un destroys the North Korean economy to keep Covid-19 out, will sanctions ever be enough to stop him with nuclear weapons?

TOP TIP

Those already exhausted by 2021 – and well, all of 2020 – can get some relief by calling a hotline and shouting down the line. Just Scream !, a hotline created by elementary school teacher Chris Gollmar, aims to reduce tension for those who need an outlet. All you have to do is call and shout as loud as you want for as long as you want – then hang up.

TODAY’S PODCAST

“For the vast majority of Americans, the testing program they’re selling is … just an illusion of public health.” – Dr. Michael Mina, assistant professor of epidemiology at Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health.

In today’s episode, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta with Mina on the groundbreaking potential of affordable home rapid tests. Listen now.

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