Final Covid spring booster sessions for Isle of Man vulnerable
Manx Care said no appointments were needed for either of the sessions.Calling for those eligible to take up the offer, the health care provider has urged people to "stop by and get vaccinated" to "protect yourself and your loved ones".
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Reuters
34 minutes ago
- Reuters
One in four US adults with diabetes used a GLP-1 drug last year, survey finds
Aug 14 (Reuters) - More than one in four U.S. adults with diabetes used one of the injectable medicines that target the GLP-1 protein last year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday. The wildly popular and effective GLP-1 drugs Mounjaro from Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab and Ozempic from Novo Nordisk ( opens new tab are approved in the United States for treating type 2 diabetes. They are sold as Zepbound and Wegovy, respectively, for weight loss and are being tested for other conditions. Use of the injectable drugs was highest among adults with diabetes aged 50–64 at 33.3%, reflecting the more significant disease burden in this group, the report said. A quarter or 25.3% of adults with diabetes aged 18 to 34 reported using a GLP-1 drug, while the adoption rate was 20.8% among those 65 and older. The data are from a nationally representative annual survey of U.S. adults aged 18 and older that was conducted in person and with follow-up by phone in 2024. In 2024, for the first time, participants in the annual survey who had diabetes were asked if they were using the Lilly or Novo blockbusters or other GLP-1 drugs to lower blood sugar or lose weight. The drugs mimic the activity of a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, slows digestion and helps people feel full for longer. Drugmakers Lilly and Novo have faced criticism about the cost of the treatments, which carry a list price of about $1,000 for a month's supply. Roughly 31% of survey participants who reported using insulin also reported using GLP-1 drugs, as did about 28% of patients who were using oral drugs to control their blood sugar, according to the report, indicating that these treatments are being integrated into combination regimens. Hispanic adults with diabetes had the highest rate of GLP-1 use, at 31.3%, followed by Black non-Hispanic and White non-Hispanic adults, at 26.5% and 26.2%, respectively, the survey found. Only 12.1% of Asian non-Hispanic adults with diabetes used the drugs, which may reflect disparities in access or adoption of the therapies.
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
‘Severe' staff shortages at US veterans' hospitals, watchdog finds
The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is experiencing 'severe' staff shortages at all its hospitals, with the number of shortages increasing by 50% this fiscal year, according to a new report from the agency's independent watchdog. The report, released on Tuesday, came a day after the Guardian revealed the department had lost thousands of healthcare professionals deemed 'core' to the system under Donald Trump, without which, the agency said, 'mission-critical work cannot be completed'. The inspector general found 94% of VA facilities faced a 'severe' shortage of doctors, while 79% faced a severe shortage of nurses. Psychology was 'the most frequently reported clinical occupational staffing shortage'. A majority of VA facilities also reported severe shortages of police officers, who keep veteran patients and staff safe. The VA operates the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States, serving 9 million veterans annually. The report is required under two laws, one signed by Trump in 2017, which require the agency's inspector general annually to determine the extent of staffing shortages within each medical center. In a statement, Congressman Mark Takano of California, the ranking Democrat on the House committee on veterans' affairs, said the report 'confirms our fears' that shortages of medical staff were leading to 'decreased access and choice for veterans'. The VA press secretary, Peter Kasperowicz, told the Guardian the congressionally mandated watchdog report was 'not a reliable indicator of staffing shortages' and that it was 'completely subjective, not standardized and unreliable'. The report is based on a survey of VA medical centers in April. Since then, a Guardian review of agency staffing records found, the VA has continued to lose doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers and other frontline medical professionals. Kasperowicz did not dispute the fact that the agency had lost thousands of 'mission-critical' healthcare workers under Trump – including after the watchdog's survey period concluded. The VA is in the midst of a department-wide reduction of 30,000 workers, which the secretary of veterans affairs, Doug Collins, said could be accomplished by September through a combination of attrition, a hiring freeze and deferred resignation program. The staff cuts, Collins said, would not affect patient care, but were 'centered on reducing bureaucracy and improving services to veterans'. In May, the Guardian reported that staff losses at the VA had led to unit closures, reduced hours of operations and exam backlogs across the hospital system.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
UK cases of mosquito-borne chikungunya virus more than double
There has been a significant increase in the number of UK cases of a mosquito-borne virus that can cause sudden fever and joint pain and is normally only found in Africa and southern UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says more than 70 cases of the chikungunya virus were reported in the first six months of this year, more than double than in the same period last year – all of them linked to while rarely fatal, can leave people experiencing joint pain for UKHSA is warning travellers to take precautions against mosquito bites. In most cases, people recover fully within a couple of weeks, but for some, pain can persist for months or even years. In very rare cases it can be fatal. While the 73 infections seen in the UK in the first six months of this year is not a huge number, it is more than double the 27 cases over the same period last year. An outbreak of the virus is under way in the Indian Ocean region, and almost all of the infections were linked to travel in India, Sri Lanka and Mauritius. Chikungunya is spread by two types of mosquito, neither of which are present in the UK, so there is no risk on onward infection. But Dr Philip Veal, Consultant in Public Health at UKHSA, says it is a warning to travellers to make sure they take precautions against mosquito bites."Chikungunya can be a nasty disease and we're seeing a worrying increase in cases among travellers returning to the UK. "It is essential to take precautions against mosquito bites when travelling. "Simple steps, such as using insect repellent, covering up your skin and sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets can greatly reduce the risk. "Before you travel, check the Travel Health Pro Website for the latest advice on your destination. "A chikungunya vaccine may also be considered for those travelling to higher-risk regions." The same report also says the first ever UK cases of Oropouche virus, normally only found in Central and South America and the Caribbean, have also been detected in travellers returning from Brazil. This virus is predominantly spread by midge bites rather than mosquitos, with the main type of midge involved in transmission not found in Europe or the include high fever, chills, headache, joint pain and muscle UKHSA warns of a rise in Oropouche virus infections globally since 2024, and says pregnant travellers should take particular care following some concerns about the impact the virus can cause during pregnancy.
