Coughs that last a long time this winter may be the result of people picking up one infection after another, a GP expert has said. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said doctors have noticed that the current round of respiratory infections seems to be lasting longer than usual. She said figures from the College's research and surveillance centre show that rates of lower and upper respiratory tract infections are well above the average usually seen so far in winter. This is echoed in weekly data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which has found high rates of flu and other respiratory viruses. Prof Hawthorne said: "It's not clear why some of the current respiratory infections going around do seem to be lasting longer than usual - this has been noticed by doctors as well as patients, but we are not entirely sure why this is happening. People are suffering from coughs for longer this winter ( Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto) … [Read more...] about Doctor explains why Brits are being plagued with never-ending coughs this winter
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Novak Djokovic’s controversies: Injury suspicions, expulsion and pretending to be Federer
Novak Djokovic's controversies include raising injury suspicions and expulsions (Image: GETTY) SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Novak Djokovic has never been far from controversy throughout his career. He has won 21 Grand Slams - and suffered some contentious moments along the way. In this Australian Open alone, the Serb has lost his cool with heckling fans, used bottles with secret notes from his coaches, been accused of exaggerating his injury and now seen his dad cause a stir for posing with Russian nationalists holding a flag with Vladimir Putin 's face on it. Here, Express Sport take a look back at the controversies in Djokovic's career so far. Related articles Becker says Djokovic 'thrives' on noise after Australian … [Read more...] about Novak Djokovic’s controversies: Injury suspicions, expulsion and pretending to be Federer
Sajid Javid’s plans to charge people for using the NHS slammed by readers
PMQs: Sunak and Starmer clash over NHS waiting times SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Former Health Secretary Sajid Javid has claimed NHS patients should be charged for attending GP appointments and Accident and Emergency departments. He said that “extending the contributory principle” could help improve the “unsustainable” healthcare system. However, a new Express.co.uk poll has found 82 per cent of readers do not support his idea. Related articles NHS fails to tackle racist discrimination as minority staff face abuse NHS to use robots to slash waiting lists In an opinion piece for The Times, the Tory MP said he wanted a “grown-up, hard-headed conversation” about the NHS. He said that … [Read more...] about Sajid Javid’s plans to charge people for using the NHS slammed by readers
Why the New Obesity Guidelines for Kids Terrify Me
This month, the American Academy of Pediatrics released its first comprehensive guidelines for evaluating and treating children and adolescents with obesity. The paper , co-written by 21 prominent doctors, health researchers and obesity experts, advises health care providers that they may refer children as young as 2 years old to “intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment” programs if they have a body mass index in the overweight or obese range. For children ages 12 and up with an obese B.M.I., doctors are encouraged to prescribe weight-loss medications and to offer those over age 13 with severe obesity a referral to a bariatric surgery center. The paper’s authors see this new guidance as a brave leap forward in the fight against childhood obesity, which they frame as a “complex and often persistent disease” requiring early and aggressive treatment. But the guidelines are rooted in a premise that should have been rejected long ago: that weight loss is the best path to … [Read more...] about Why the New Obesity Guidelines for Kids Terrify Me
One of America’s Most Seductive States Is Also One of Its Scariest
CLAYTON, N.C. — For a tidy snapshot of our messy country, you could do worse than North Carolina’s newly redrawn 13th Congressional District, where suburb yields to exurb and fields of tobacco and sweet potatoes somehow hold their ground. I had to drive only 15 miles of it to see two versions of America — and to see them at war. I began in Garner, on the edge of Raleigh, at the Full Bloom coffee shop. The barista had rainbow-colored hair. The menu advertised a vegan bagel sandwich and a “From the Hive” selection of drinks — an orange blossom latte, a lavender blossom latte — made with local honey. Garner is in Wake County, a Democratic stronghold, and I headed south and crossed into Johnston County, a Republican one. I passed lyrically named residential developments (Annandale, Avery Meadows) that had just gone up or were about to rise. I spotted the C3 megachurch (“real hope for real people in a real world”). And then, just beyond it, I saw the signs, a little thicket of them, … [Read more...] about One of America’s Most Seductive States Is Also One of Its Scariest
Vladimir Putin body double ‘spotted’ after viewers notice clue in his shoes
Extraordinary new claims were made today that a major Vladimir Putin outing this week involved a body double and not the real president. The warlord was pictured wearing heeled shoes to bolster his 5ft 7in height during a meeting with Moscow State University students on Wednesday. But his smiling façade contrasts with a video from the day before when the glum 70-year-old dictator’s right hand was concealed from view. The latest claim of a doppelgänger came from Telegram channel General SVR. It suggested Putin’s “main double” - one of an alleged team of actors who have undergone plastic surgery to emulate a sickly and often-absent Putin - was deployed on this week’s university visit marking Russian Student Day. It's been claimed the man meeting Moscow students was actually one of three doppelgangers used by the Russian leader ( Image: Maksim Mishin/AP/REX/Shutterstock) “During a public meeting with students…many noticed some oddities and physiological features … [Read more...] about Vladimir Putin body double ‘spotted’ after viewers notice clue in his shoes
Farmer pays strangers’ pharmacy bills without them knowing for 10 years
A farmer spent his hard-earned money secretly subsidising his community's medical costs on a monthly basis - and kept it all under wraps until shortly before his death. Hody Childress would visit Geraldine Drugs in Geraldine, Alabama, every four weeks to drop off $100 (£80.82) to help those struggling to pay for their pharmacy bills. But he ordered the pharmacist to keep it a secret because he didn't want anybody to know what he was doing - not even his family. The truth only came out shortly before his death on January 1 when the 80-year-old asked his daughter, Tania Nix, to make the donation on his behalf as he was too weak to visit the drug store himself. Hody passed away at aged 80 on January 5 He helped many people live a little longer His other loved ones - and those he helped throughout the years - learned about his donations at his funeral on January 5. It is thought he donated around $12,000 (£9,697) over a 10 year period, starting his tradition in 2012. … [Read more...] about Farmer pays strangers’ pharmacy bills without them knowing for 10 years
Bank of England may enact ‘aggressive’ interest rate hikes – ‘boost’ due for pensioners
Suren Thiru discusses the rise in interest rates SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Interest rates have continued to remain high as a result of swelling levels of inflation. However, with inflation seemingly having reached its peak, some are hopeful interest rates will begin to decrease. Related articles Cold Weather Payments - Full list of postcodes eligible for support Coventry Building Society launches ISA with 3.80% interest rate A decision on the matter will be announced next week by the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which has previously been somewhat split on the best approach to take. Laith Khalaf, head of investment analysis at AJ Bell, looked into whether the … [Read more...] about Bank of England may enact ‘aggressive’ interest rate hikes – ‘boost’ due for pensioners
Costa is adding three new drinks to its menu and made with an iconic chocolate bar – fans will love it
COSTA has launched a new range of drinks and they all feature an iconic chocolate bar flavour. The coffee chain has teamed up with Rolo to launch its chocolate caramel drinks range. It includes a Rolo caramel hot chocolate and Rolo caramel milkshake. Both drinks will be available to buy in-store nationwide from February 2 until February 15 and prices start from £3.90. Plus, there's the Rolo hot chocolate drink which is available to buy from now until March 8 with prices starting from £3. The Rolo hot chocolate drink is only available at Costa Express machines though. The machines can be found at Shell garages. Read more in Costa CASH BOOST 5 energy suppliers giving out free credit to millions of customers worth £250 FRYING SHAME Toby Carvery has made a major change to its menu and fans will be disappointed Customers looking to try one of the new items from the couch can order online through Uber Eats , … [Read more...] about Costa is adding three new drinks to its menu and made with an iconic chocolate bar – fans will love it
Pharmacist shares food to avoid if you have a headache – as it could make pain worse
With many people set to go out and celebrate New Year's Eve in style, it's likely a number of them will paying for the fun tomorrow, with hangovers and headaches after drinking a little too much. And there's nothing worse than being struck down with a headache when you've got a day off work as it can leave you struggling to see straight and wanting nothing more than to be curled up in bed. Many of us might instantly reach for whatever painkillers we have to hand, be it ibuprofen or paracetamol, but it turns out we need to be a bit pickier with what we take. And according to an expert, we also need to take a closer look at the food and drink we consume when we have a headache, or we could inadvertently make ourselves feel worse. This is according to Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist at Chemist Click , who spoke to The Mirror about the best ways to treat a headache and triggers to avoid. Certain foods can make your headache worse (stock photo) ( Image: Getty Images) He … [Read more...] about Pharmacist shares food to avoid if you have a headache – as it could make pain worse