Explore this section of Nursing Times for the latest news on the novel coronavirus outbreak, or Covid-19, plus opinion and FAQs.
The NHS is facing a mass legal challenge from potentially hundreds of health workers with long Covid across England and Wales, including nurses. The health workers are claiming that their employers failed to provide them with sufficient protection to stop them from catching Covid-19 at work. “I hope this progress…
On 23 March 2020, then prime minister Boris Johnson announced the first national lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. “I have one message for you,” Mr Johnson told the country. “Stay at home.” Millions watched this broadcast from their homes and proceeded to do just that, while nurses and…
Nurses are among almost 70 health workers with long Covid who are jointly taking their case for compensation to the High Court. They are seeking a group litigation against the NHS and other employers as they are all claiming that they were not provided with enough protection from Covid-19 at…
A new Covid-19 booster vaccination programme for those most at risk of serious illness from the virus is expected to begin in the coming months. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) published advice last week to the UK Government, and the devolved governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern…
Traumatised nurses and other care home staff were afraid for the safety of the people in their care during the early stage of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new study has found. Between 2 March and 12 June 2020, more than 66,000 care home residents in England and Wales died. Nearly…
Eating a predominantly plant-based or vegetarian diet is linked to 39% lower odds of being infected with Covid-19, according to researchers in Brazil. Based on their findings, they suggested that a diet high in vegetables, legumes, and nuts, and low in dairy products and meat may help to ward off…
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has called for a return to universal mask wearing and improvements to ventilation in UK health settings after the World Health Organization (WHO) designated a new Covid-19 variant of interest. Earlier this week, WHO identified the JN.1 variant to be rising in prevalence across…
Nursing and doctor unions have again urged the UK Government to recognise long Covid as an occupational disease for healthcare workers. In a letter to the Department for Welfare and Pensions (DWP), Royal College of Nursing (RCN) chief nurse Professor Nicola Ranger and British Medical Association (BMA) council chair Professor…
The government has considered reducing the number of years that nurses spend in training, to try and meet its 50,000 additional nurses target, evidence from the UK Covid-19 Inquiry has revealed. Nurse leaders have responded to the revelation with concern, and have urged the government to confirm that plans to…
A general practice nurse has been struck off after she gave spare Covid-19 vaccine doses to friends during the coronavirus pandemic, even though they were not eligible at the time. Diana Mary Morris, a registered nurse since 1986, was working at a GP surgery in Gloucestershire when she administered spare…
