News | Infectious diseases

Feature

Can antiviral drugs turn the tide on COVID-19?

In this episode, we discuss how the novel COVID-19 oral antivirals work and answer questions about them from readers.…

Published: 3 February 2022

News

Government to consult on scrapping mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for frontline NHS staff

The government has proposed removing the requirement for frontline NHS staff in England to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as the Omicron variant presents lower risks of hospitalisation and mortality.…

Published: 1 February 2022

News

High-risk adults can now book their fourth COVID-19 jab

All eligible patients will be able to book a fourth vaccination through the online system, as opposed to previous rounds when they waited to be invited.…

Published: 1 February 2022

News

Government recommends Paxlovid as first-line treatment for eligible COVID-19 patients

New guidance advises that patients who test positive for COVID-19 following their admission to hospital should be offered Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir + ritonavir) first.…

Published: 28 January 2022

News

Around 5,000 courses of molnupiravir dispensed in England in first month of use

A further 5,000 vials of the monoclonal antibody sotrovimab have been dispensed for the treatment of COVID-19, up to 16 January 2022.…

Published: 25 January 2022

News

World Health Organization recommends JAK inhibitor for treatment of severe or critical COVID-19

The monoclonal antibody sotrovimab has also been conditionally recommended for treating mild or moderate COVID-19 in patients who are at high risk of hospitalisation.…

Published: 17 January 2022

News

High-risk COVID-19 patients may need to seek out own referral for community-based treatment after ‘data mismatch’

Patients eligible for COVID-19 medicines delivery unit treatment are advised to contact their GP or NHS 111 for a referral if they have not been contacted within 24 hours of their positive test result.…

Published: 7 January 2022

News

Pfizer COVID-19 antiviral paxlovid authorised by MHRA

Paxlovid is the second oral antiviral to be approved for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in high-risk adults, after molnupiravir.…

Published: 4 January 2022

Opinion

Hear it here first: a year of the PJ Pod

During our first full year of The PJ Pod, we explored a range of topics including mental health in the face of COVID-19, hidden disabilities in pharmacy and a closer look at the diversity of the MPharm degree.…

Published: 30 December 2021

News

Government advisers recommend COVID-19 vaccines for clinically vulnerable children aged 5 to 11 years

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that children aged 5 to 11 years who are in a clinical risk group, or who are household contacts of anyone who is immunosuppressed, should be offered the vaccine.…

Published: 22 December 2021