Russia begins invasion of Ukraine
On the 24th of February, Russian forces began a major military attack on Ukraine, bombing military airfields, an airport and other infrastructure near major cities. At least 18 people are thought to have been killed by a missile attack near the port of Odessa, and over 30 total Ukrainian civilian casualties thus far. Ukrainians’ have begun fleeing the capital Kyiv but have been hindered by large roadblocks and a lack of aircraft entering Ukrainian airspace.
The UK, EU and other Western allies such as the US have vowed to impose a group of tough sanctions to punish Russia, including freezing Russian assets in the EU and preventing Russian banks from accessing the European financial market, with the aim of crippling its economy and eroding its industrial basis. However, they have noticeably not pledged troops to help defend Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Legal requirement to self-isolate ends in England
All legal Covid-19 restrictions will be removed in England from the 24th of February, almost 2 years after rules were first introduced back in March 2020. This rollback is part of the Prime Minister’s aim to transition Britain back to a pre-Covid society. All restrictions have also been removed in Northern Ireland, while Wales and Scotland are easing rules more cautiously. While the Prime Minister has claimed this change will prevent “restricting the liberties of the British people for a long time”, critics have pointed out that the end of Covid restrictions have also ended self-isolation support payments, which will disproportionately impact vulnerable low-income households. Free testing will continue until the 1st of April, after which people will pay an estimated £2 – £5 for a lateral flow test. However, hospital patients and other vulnerable groups will still be able to access free tests if they develop symptoms.
Queen tests positive for Covid-19
Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for Covid on Sunday 20th, just 10 days after Prince Charles confirmed he was infected with the virus. The palace reported she is feeling “mild cold-like symptoms” but expects to continue “light duties” from Windsor. However, the Queen has since postponed engagements twice this week following her positive test, though she still had her weekly telephone audience with Boris Johnson this Wednesday. While this announcement has created panic for some over the state of her health, royal correspondent Jonny Dymond pointed out that “because it is so rare that this kind of thing happens… many might have forgotten that the Queen is 95 years old”.
New Sickle cell treatment
A new treatment for sickle cell disease has been given to patients in for the first time in England, over 20 years after the last treatment for the blood disorder was devised. Sickle cell disease affects around 15,000 people in the UK and covers a group of inherited health conditions which affect red blood cells, the most serious of which is sickle cell anaemia. People with the disease produce strangely shaped red blood cells which have a shorter lifespan than healthy red blood cells. These blood cells are also sticky, and so can block blood vessels and oxygen supply around the body. The drug, Crizanlizumab, prevents blood cells from clumping, and is used to reduce the frequency of vaso-occlusive crises, and is given as a monthly infusion. It is thought that it will cut visits to A&E by sickle cell patients by 40%. A vial of the drug usually costs one-thousand pounds, but NHS England has been successful in negotiating a discount and hopes to treat nearly 5,000 patients with sickle cell disease over the next 3 years.
