nicko31
Well-known member
Lots of good news today:
A new study shows the*rate of coronavirus infections in England significantly reduced*before lockdown eased in May.
The government-commissioned research by Imperial College showed there were on average 13 positive cases for every 10,000 people and the reproduction number - or R - was 0.57.
At the time, the R number had been estimated to be between 0.7 and 1.
The study of 120,000 volunteers suggested young adults aged 18 to 24 and people of Asian ethnicity were more likely to test positive.
Researchers also found care home workers were at greater risk of being infected during lockdown than the general population.
And the study showed 69% of those who did test positive reported no symptoms on the day of their test or the previous week, though they may have developed symptoms later.
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More than one million people in the UK have*given up smoking since the pandemic hit,*a survey for charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) suggests.
Of those who quit in the previous four months, 41% said it was in direct response to coronavirus.
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US infectious disease chief Dr Anthony Fauci has welcomed the news a vaccine trial is about to enter its final phase.
The vaccine, developed by the US pharmaceutical company Moderna, has already proved safe and provoked immune responses in all 45 volunteers in phase-one trials.
The last stage of the trials is expected to begin later this month and will involve recruiting 30,000 participants in the US.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-53413107
Probably the best news day we've had since March...