logo
Pandemic losses remembered in Milton Keynes

Pandemic losses remembered in Milton Keynes

BBC News09-03-2025

A civic official said "terrible mistakes" made during the Covid-19 pandemic must not be repeated.Kurshida Mirza, the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, said society must learn from the experiences of the bereaved.She was speaking at an event staged in Milton Keynes to mark the fifth anniversary of the pandemic.About 100 people attended the "day of reflection" - one of many staged around Britain on Sunday.
'Tangible Actions"
"It's important that we learn from the experiences of the bereaved and that the terrible mistakes made during the pandemic are never repeated again," said Ms Mirza in an address at the event."The Covid inquiry has gone some way to documenting the pain of loss, it is, however, important that the learning and the evidence presented are translated into tangible actions."
The Covid-19 Day of Reflection was organised by Covid-19 Families UK.Charity founder, Deborah Lewis, whose father died during the pandemic, told the BBC that people were "still struggling" with grief.She added: "It is not only important to remember the losses, which is primarily what we do, but to remember that even though the pandemic has moved on, people are still struggling with grief."The Covid public inquiry is ongoing and earlier this month started four weeks of hearings, looking into the purchase and distribution of billions of pounds' worth of medical equipment during the pandemic.Bereaved people also reflected on the pandemic at events in Stevenage, Harlow, Peterborough and King's Lynn.
Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Morrisons & Sainsbury's told to make major change to stores as government warns supermarkets ‘stop promoting' product
Morrisons & Sainsbury's told to make major change to stores as government warns supermarkets ‘stop promoting' product

The Sun

time28 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Morrisons & Sainsbury's told to make major change to stores as government warns supermarkets ‘stop promoting' product

SAINSBURY'S and Morrisons have received a stern warning from the government in relation to a popular product. The two major chains have been instructed to stop 'promoting' the item as they could be in breach of the law. 2 2 According to the BBC, the two supermarkets received a letter instructing them to remove any adverts which displayed heated tobacco products. Heated tobacco differs from cigarettes and vapes as it uses an electrical current to directly warm up the tobacco. This produces a vapour which can be inhaled. Smoking advertisements were banned in 2002 by the then-Prime Minister Tony Blair. The ban covered any products which could be "smoked, sniffed, sucked or chewed". Since the heated tobacco products produce a vapour - not a smoke - advertising laws are much murkier. Speaking about the letter, a spokesperson for Sainsbury's said: 'We offer a range of age-restricted products under our strict Think25 policy, including this heated tobacco device which is advertised. 'This is an alternative to cigarettes and is fully compliant with current legislation. We recognise the deeply complex and emotive nature of this topic. 'We remain in close contact with the Government and industry partners and are planning our transition to ensure we also comply with planned incoming legislation." A spokesperson for Morrisons said: "We only received a letter at the end of May. "We are just in the process of reviewing it and will respond back to the Department for Health and Social Care in due course." The Department of Social Care have been approached for comment by The Sun. Starmer CONFIRMS smoking ban plan with cigarettes to be banished from pub gardens Previously, a Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spokesperson told the BBC: "In May, we wrote to supermarkets reiterating that the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002… applies to all tobacco products currently on the market, and formally requested they stop advertising and promoting heated tobacco products in stores. "All tobacco products are harmful to health." The proposed Tobacco and Vapes Bill will tighten existing advertisement laws and has received the backing of prominent Labour politicians, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Baroness Meron. So far, the bill has passed in the House of Commons and awaits the approval of the House of Lords. Another key component of the bill is a proposed ban on the sale of tobacco to people born on or after 1 January 2009. It is hoped that this will create a "smokefree generation', driving down cancer rates and other health problems. The move was aimed to prevent young people from buying the single-use devices and becoming addicted to tobacco. Traders who continue selling the product face a £200 fine and repeat offenders face prison time.

'My 30k steps a day at Amazon delivery job led to successful IVF at 44'
'My 30k steps a day at Amazon delivery job led to successful IVF at 44'

Daily Record

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Record

'My 30k steps a day at Amazon delivery job led to successful IVF at 44'

The couple began the process to freeze embryos and start IVF - but as lockdown hit, they were forced to pause their plans. A first-time mum has credited walking 30,000 steps a day for her Amazon delivery job for successful IVF at the age of 44. Joanna Forrester first heard about freezing her eggs years ago - but it wasn't until moving to the USA for work at age 33 that she began to consider the idea seriously. ‌ After four years in the States, where she met her partner Sindre, from Norway, Joanna moved back to the UK in 2019 and began to research egg freezing. ‌ But after an initial consultation with Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine (BCRM), she was told that due to her age and egg reserve, she would have more success freezing embryos instead. The couple began the process to freeze embryos and start IVF - but as lockdown hit, they were forced to pause their plans. Despite the stress of living in separate countries - with Joanna in England and Sindre in Norway - she pushed through, taking up a delivery job that had her walking 30,000 steps per day. And Joanna, an offshore helicopter pilot from Aberdeen, said this kept her in excellent physical health before being able to continue their IVF journey in the summer of 2020. "My mum had said to me at one point that I should freeze my eggs - and I thought it was a bit too "Hollywood," said Joanna. "But when I was in the States, I was out there for a lot longer than I planned to initially, and I started to think she had a good point. "I went to a clinic, and found that sadly, I'd missed my opportunity. BCRM said that there wasn't really much point in freezing my eggs, because there weren't many left at that stage - but they said they could possibly freeze embryos. "This was tricky because my partner Sindre and I weren't sure what the future held for us as we had both just moved back from the US, me to the UK and him to Norway," said Joanna. ‌ "But he was incredibly supportive and agreed to donate sperm to fertilise my eggs, and I began the necessary drugs and had two eggs removed on my first cycle. "The first cycle we went through failed - we collected two eggs from that and neither of them fertilised. I was in a stressful place at the time, and I wasn't enormously fit. ‌ "During COVID, we couldn't do another cycle anyway - and I needed a job to pay the bills. Amazon was the only job that fitted the bill because my parents were elderly and shielding, so I wanted something where I wasn't going to be in much contact with people. "With Amazon, delivering is crazy - I was doing around 30,000 steps per day, plus I had a very active Labrador. I would get up early, walk the dog, do a full day of deliveries, come back to walk the dog again - and then do some yoga because I was so sore from getting in and out of the van all day. "I was eating much healthier - I would have to prep things in advance to take with me, because when you're working for Amazon, you don't get time to stop for food. I was probably the fittest I've ever been in my entire life." ‌ When treatment restarted in the summer of 2020, Joanna had a second cycle which resulted in one embryo for freezing, and in September she had a third cycle. "After a little while, when the fertility clinics were able to offer treatment again, the next cycle was better. The next cycle after that was better still - although I don't know whether my fitness was a factor or not!" she said. "After the third cycle of treatment the BCRM team retrieved six eggs, which resulted in another three fertilised embryos. ‌ "With four frozen embryos now available to us - not a huge number, but not bad - I felt I had done all I could to protect my chances of eventually becoming a mother, and in August 2021 I relocated to take up a new flying job in Aberdeen." When COVID restrictions were in place Sindre was living and working in his native Norway and the couple were unable to see each other for 18 months due to border closures and rules requiring three weeks of quarantine, which was not possible to manage alongside work. ‌ Despite the odds, Joanna and Sindre's relationship flourished and at the end of 2022 he joined her in Aberdeen. Once settled, the couple decided it was time to try for a baby, and with no natural conception occurring due to her low ovarian reserve, Joanna contacted BCRM again. While her first embryo transfer didn't result in pregnancy, the second did, but although the eight-week scan revealed a heartbeat, there was none at the 12-week scan which Joanna said was heartbreaking. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. However, in May 2024 she had the third of her four frozen embryos transferred with a successful result and at the end of February 2025, Joanna and Sindre were delighted to welcome daughter Alia into the world. Once Joanna had checked there was no reason not to travel with a newborn, she flew her down for a surprise visit to meet her maternal grandparents in Surrey, and then over to Stavanger in Norway shortly after to visit her Norwegian grandparents. "She is proving to be a very sweet, happy baby and so far a chilled traveller," said Joanna. ‌ "The name Alia was one Sindre and I first heard when living in Hawaii, and loved as we felt it was simple yet pretty, so that was the name we kept coming back to even though it is unusual in the UK and Norway. "When visiting the hospital for a check-up, they mistakenly had her on their system as 'Alan' which we found entertaining so that might stick as a nickname." ‌ Joanna and Sindre are thrilled to have become parents - and Joanna is eager to share her story in the hopes of encouraging women to explore the fertility options available to them. "I wanted to share my story so that other women in my position might be encouraged by what is possible," said Joanna. "I think, had I realised how hard it was going to be, I would have prioritised it more when I was younger. I think the only thing I would do differently is that if I could speak to my 30-year-old self, I would have frozen eggs a lot younger to give myself more options. "Now, becoming a new mama at 44 marks such an exciting new chapter in my life, and we are over the moon to have our beautiful little daughter."

Hay fever tablets: The common medicines you should never mix with antihistamines
Hay fever tablets: The common medicines you should never mix with antihistamines

Scotsman

time5 hours ago

  • Scotsman

Hay fever tablets: The common medicines you should never mix with antihistamines

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. The pollen count has been rising across the UK this week 🤧 Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... An estimated 26% of adults in the UK have hay fever, according to Allergy UK. Symptoms of hay fever can include a runny nose, sore throat or congestion, which can be similar to the cold. Many people treat their hay fever with over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines. However, there are some medications you should never mix with hay fever tablets. Hay fever season is in full swing, with the pollen count staying high across the UK. An estimated 26% of adults and 15% of children suffer from hay fever, according to Allergy UK. Symptoms can include a runny nose, congestion or sore throat, with many people turning to over-the-counter remedies and medications to help. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Met Office have issued 'high' pollen counts across England and Wales this weekend, however, before you reach for your antihistamines, did you know that there are some medications you shouldn't mix with hay fever tablets? Here's everything you need to know about the symptoms of hay fever and what medications you shouldn't take alongside hay fever tablets. There are some medications that you should not take if you are taking hay fever tablets. | Pexels, Edward Jenner What are the symptoms of hay fever? Hay fever is a seasonal allergy caused by pollen grains released during the pollen season. Symptoms tend to be worse between March and November, especially when it's warm and humid. Symptoms of hay fever can include: sneezing and coughing a runny or blocked nose itchy, red or watery eyes itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears loss of smell pain around the sides of your head and your forehead headache feeling tired Hay fever can last for weeks or months, it cannot be cured but there are some treatments and medications that can help ease symptoms. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 🧪 Boots COVID-19 Test Kits While free testing is no longer widely available, Boots continues to offer a range of COVID-19 lateral flow kits for home use, with results in under 30 minutes. They're available individually or in multipacks, with options for general use, travel, or workplace settings. What are the side effects of antihistamines? Antihistamines are medications that are commonly taken to offer relief for hay fever symptoms, but like all tablets they can cause some side effects. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Some antihistamines can make you drowsy, causing sleepiness, reduced co-ordination, reaction speed and judgement - you should not drive or use machinery after taking antihistamines that can make you feel drowsy. Other side effects of drowsy antihistamines can include: dry mouth, blurred vision or difficulty peeing. Side effects of non-drowsy antihistamines according to the NHS can include: headache dry mouth feeling sick drowsiness – this is less common with non-drowsy antihistamines but is still possible What medications should you never take with hay fever tablets? There are some medications that the NHS advise that could cause problems if you take them alongside antihistamines, they include: Antidepressants Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad If you take antidepressant medications, consult with a pharmacist or your GP before taking antihistamines as drowsiness can be a side effect of both medications. Stomach ulcer or indigestion medicines If you take stomach ulcer or indigestion medications, consult with a pharmacist or GP before taking antihistamines, as taking both medications may cause a potential interaction. Cough and cold remedies that also contain an antihistamine If you are already taking cough and cold remedies that contain an antihistamine, you should not take any additional medications that contain antihistamines, as this could potentially lead to serious side effects. If you are taking other medications and plan to take an antihistamine, speak to a pharmacist or your GP before taking antihistamines to rule out any possible interactions. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's also recommended that you do not drink alcohol if you are taking antihistamines, especially if you are taking hay fever tablets that can make you drowsy as alcohol can increase the chance of experiencing this.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store