At least two schools have now been fully closed in #Scotland due to an increase in absences of staff and pupils. These have come amid a surge in covid cases of a more transmissible #Omicron variant. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla…

A minor injury unit in #Staffordshire has closed due to staff absences from #Covid, with people being redirected to a walk-in center at Haywood Hospital. This closure to a medical building highlights the vital importance of the Spring Booster programme. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan…

Mask and isolation rules may be extended in #Wales due to the rising #Covid cases and hospital admissions. Current laws are scheduled to expire at the end of March, however ministers now face a difficult decision. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-…

New Zealand has had some of the toughest covid #restrictions in the world, which lead to #protests outside parliament, with some turning violent. These rules are set to be significantly eased in April, including the scrapping of outdoor masking. bbc.co.uk/news/world-asi…

A mental health specialist, Professor Siobhan O'Neill, has stated that young people have been severely impacted by the #pandemic, with Special Educational Needs children possibly having long-lasting and severe effects from #covid and #restrictions. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northe…

#NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are dealing with rising numbers of #Covid patients accompanied with high staff absent rates. #Scotland hospitals are almost at capacity, with the deputy medical director asking the public to only come to A&E if urgent. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla…

Welsh ministers have decided to proceed with the removal of most of their #restrictions, with #mask wearing and self-isolation coming to an end on Monday. Face coverings will still be legally required in #health and #social care. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-…

#Covid cases in the #UK have climbed by a million in a week, with swab tests suggesting that one in 16 people are infected. This comes as the #Omicron variant and its subvariant BA.2, which are both extremely #transmissible, continue to spread. bbc.co.uk/news/health-60…

In a continuation of China's zero-Covid policy Shanghai is in lockdown. Over 25 million people will now be mass tested over the coming days in a bid to curb rising infection rates. With the rest of the world living with the virus, will this strategy continue for much longer?

As the spring booster programme gets underway across the UK for over 75s and vulnerable individuals, this is a positive finding. With rising cases due to a more transmissible sub-variant of Omicron, BA.2, and waning immunity, the booster programme is vital.jpost.com/health-and-wel…

An interesting comment on a zero-Covid strategy. At first criticised and deemed only possible in authoritarian states, the zero-Covid strategy is shifting towards mitigation strategies. Yet with Covid cases soaring, this is proving somewhat difficult. theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

In a further move to live with the virus, an end to free lateral flow tests is soon to be in place in England. This comes as case rates are rising sharply, with over 1m confirmed cases last week and a suspected 1 in 16 people testing positive in England. news.sky.com/story/covid-19…

A study by the UN Children's Fund has found that over 400m pupils are still affected by #COVID19 caused closures, with 147m missing at least half of their in person teaching. This is just one of the many long lasting impacts of the #pandemic. bbc.co.uk/news/education…

As free testing come to an end in England this week, people with #COVID19 symptoms will no longer be required to take a test. With case rates as high as ever, this policy comes with risks. The next month will be crucial as we live with the virus. thetimes.co.uk/article/free-t…

With cases rises, the occurrence of breakthrough cases has increased. Since the Omicron variant, more and more people have reported contracting #COVID19 more than once. With fading immunity and evolving variants instances of repeat infection will incease. bbc.co.uk/news/health-60…

Health advisors have suggested that Ireland should re-introduce masks indoors as hospitals are struggling with the rise in case numbers and subsequent hospitalisations. Mask wearing is a simple measure that can help reduce the spread of the #virus. bbc.co.uk/news/world-eur…

We are pleased to advise that Inspira Pharmaceuticals has been selected for residency at the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst @SteBioCat "Lab Hotel" to continue the development of our IPX enzyme technology #antiviral #biotech inspiraph.com/_files/ugd/bac…

We’re super excited to be unwrapping our brand new Telstar freeze dryer! We’ll be using this to develop powdered IPA formulations, run additional experiments and isolate molecules of interest. Thank you Cambridge Life Sciences clsdiagnostics.com and Telstar