Exact temperature to wash bedding and banish bed bugs as cases soar in May
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
6 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Grandad stuck in holiday destination as dream Greece trip takes nightmare turn
Alan Kirby, 67, a car valeter, from Marston Magna, Somerset, thought the pain in his side at dinner was from throwing his stepdaughter's children around in the sea in Zante A British holidaymaker is trapped in Greece on a ventilator, facing a £14,000 hospital bill due to an error with his travel insurance. Alan Kirby, 67, a car valet from Marston Magna, Somerset, initially believed the pain in his side was a result of playing with his stepdaughter's children in the sea in Zante. However, when he woke up struggling for breath, he sought medical advice and doctors recommended he return to the UK for a biopsy on a lung mass they feared could be cancerous. Before Alan could return home, his health worsened and he was placed on a ventilator, preventing him from taking a commercial flight back to the UK. He was subsequently airlifted to a private hospital in Athens. Alan's health battles come as travel experts Brits to claim a card that delivers free healthcare in 34 different countries. Have you had a holiday go wrong? If you'd like to tell your story, email webtravel@ Hospital officials contacted Alan's insurance company, which revealed that the Brit was aware of the mass - something he claims British doctors had identified as benign fatty tissue and told him not to worry about. This classified it as a pre-existing medical condition, which he had not declared to his insurers, thus invalidating his cover and leaving the family with a £14,000 bill. Alan is currently on a ventilator in a hospital covered by his Global Health Insurance Card, and is too ill to fly home on a standard flight. However, he lacks the insurance to cover a £45,000 private medical flight home. His family are uncertain if he has cancer, or if his symptoms are due to pneumonia, which he is now fighting. His distraught family are fundraising to cover the cost of the ambulance flight home, and are speaking out to raise awareness of potential holiday insurance mistakes. Alan's stepdaughter Liza Whitemore, 40, a private care assistant from Wincanton, Somerset, said: "We know we've made the mistake [with the insurance] - that's the problem. "My mum had gone into the bank that she had insurance with and they said, 'just go on holiday, you don't have to do anything'. They didn't know about the mass. And he was well before - he was working as a car valeter the day before the holiday. "He's still on a ventilator. There's a talk about him going into a coma, but we don't know if it's cancer or pneumonia doing the damage. He's fine, then he's not, he's fine then he's not. He's really breathless - on the phone he can't say more than a few sentences. We're just desperate to get him home." Alan was three days into his break with his partner Helen Whitemore, 62, Liza and her three daughters, when he became unwell on July 5. He appeared "dreadful, grey and pale" during a family meal in Tsilivi, so returned to the hotel. "At dinner he had aching pain all down the right side of his torso. He thought it was from throwing my kids while playing in the sea earlier in the day," Liza continued. He awoke feeling breathless and visited a local clinic in the morning, and after thorough testing was transferred to a nearby hospital. The pair say they believed he had a chest infection and required antibiotics. "But the doctor, who must have had the clinic's test results, said, 'antibiotics won't cure cancer'," said Liza. "Everyone was petrified, nobody knew what was going on. After five hours, they told my mum she needed to go back to England for a biopsy, because they couldn't tell from the X-ray if Alan had cancer." The hospital had discovered a growth in Alan's right lung, which he was already aware of, but claims British medics had informed him was a harmless fatty tissue mass in December 2024. Two days later Alan was "fitting" in his hospital bed, confused and dehydrated with oxygen levels of just 36%. "They placed him on a non-invasive ventilator and there was discussion that evening of putting him in a coma but then they said he might not wake up because of his lungs," said Liza. The insurance firm agreed to transport Alan to a private hospital in Athens via a helicopter ambulance. He was unable to fly to the UK because it was too lengthy a journey and he was required to stay on a ventilator. However, when Alan reached Athens, the insurance company contacted Lisa to say they were examining Alan's pre-existing conditions. The investigations took five days and the insurance company requested Alan's UK GP records - and uncovered Alan's 'pre-existing condition', the growth in his lung. Now, the insurance company has informed Alan's family they will cover Alan's care up until the investigations began - five days of private hospital care costing £14,000. Alan was transferred to Athens' General Hospital, where his care is covered by his GHIC card, and he continues to receive treatment with a ventilator and antibiotics. Back in Somerset, Alan's family are now striving to raise the £45,000 needed to bring him home via air ambulance.
The Sun
6 minutes ago
- The Sun
I've tried hundreds of sunscreens as a beauty editor – here's the very best budget SPFs to protect your skin this summer
WE should all be wearing SPF every day - but a quick poll of the office reveals most of us don't. The number one reason we skip sun protection? Texture. 7 It's not just the Fabulous office who struggles with the stickiness, according to a recent NIVEA survey, 69% of Brits say texture is important when choosing a sunscreen. Shockingly, 1 in 4 Brits even go to the extreme of avoiding sunscreen all together due to disliking its texture - with greasy and sticky formulas bring the top major turn-offs. The good news? There's hoards of non-sticky, non-greasy, non-tacky options now available, and you don't have to spend shedloads to find the perfect formula. As well as advising using an SPF of 30+ year round, every dermatologist I've ever spoken to has conceded that the best sunscreen is the one you will use. Spending loads on high-tech products that promise the earth is useless if you don't like the feel of them on your skin. 'The price of sunscreen does not always determine its effectiveness. More expensive sunscreens may use higher-quality ingredients or offer additional benefits such as anti-ageing properties. However, budget options can still provide adequate protection if they have an SPF of 30 or higher and 4-star UVA protection or higher,' explains consultant dermatologist Dr Thivi Maruthappu, author of Skin Food: Your 4 Step Solution To Healthy, Happy Skin. "A product's UVA protection can be checked by looking at either its star rating (look for 4-5 starts) or the term 'broad spectrum cover," she adds. I've put hundreds of SPFs to the test over the last few months, from super-luxury options to bargain basement formulas. It wasn't all pretty - some left awful white residue behind, others broke me out or left my eyes watering from the scent. In the past, I've been some-what of an SPF snob. With pretty much any sunscreen I want at my fingertips, you won't be surprised to hear that I gravitate towards the spenny options. I have acne-prone skin that's oilier than most but also easily irritated, plus I have super sensitive eyes. Premium brands have previously been the ones to cater to my needs, but this summer things have changed, and these are the very best budget options - ringing in at £16 or less. You might be wondering how I've tested them - don't worry, I've taken it very seriously. I've used them all for at least a week each, and have kept my skincare and make-up the same throughout the process, to make sure every single SPF was measured against the same goal posts. I've been on a couple of holidays too, where they've been road tested at the beach and by the pool, as well as day to day in London, which is arguably the biggest test of all - think sweaty tube rides, the dry air of office air con, under warm studio lights, and long days full of events that have me running around the city - so you can trust they've been put through their paces. BEST AFFORDABLE SENSITIVE SKIN SPF Byoma Ultralight Face Fluid SPF50 £15 Confession time - when Byoma launched their first SPF a couple of years ago, I wasn't a massive fan. You can imagine, then, that I had low expectations for this SPF - although the packaging did intrigue me, as it's similar to a couple of brands that cost three times as much. Thankfully, the inside did not disappoint. It has the same consistency as a lightweight moisturiser, which makes sense given it contains Byoma's signature barrier boosting complex that nourishes skin. On application, it takes a couple of minutes to absorb, and remains glowy in that time - which makes it a great hydrating primer for make-up. If you don't love glow, it dries down quickly and doesn't block bores, which is perfect if you have acne-prone skin like me! BEST AFFORDABLE GLOW BOOSTING SPF Simple Glow+ SPF50 Invisible UV Fluid, £12.99 BUY NOW Simple launched not one, but three new SPF's last month, and this is my personal favourite of the trio. It somehow strikes the perfect combination of radiant but not at all sticky thanks to the water consistency and skin-loving niacinamide, which helps reduce redness, balance oil production and moisturise skin. It goes on white, but quickly disappears, so it doesn't leave a cast behind. It's also fragrance-free, which I prefer as anything too perfumed can irritate my eyes. BEST AFFORDABLE TINTED SPF Garnier Vitamin C Daily UV Brightening Fluid Glow SPF 50+, £12.99 BUY NOW You really can't go far wrong with Garnier's sun protection products - and across the board they're some of the cheapest on the market. This tinted formula is no different - it's lightweight, hydrating and not at all gloopy, which is a common complaint when it comes to SPFs with added colour. If you're looking for something full coverage, this isnt it - the tint is barely there, which is just as well as they only have one shade (do better!) but it helps make sure there's no grey or white pigment residue left on skin to leave skin ghoulsih. BEST AFFORDABLE HYDRATING SPF HABI Sunny Shield SPF40 Lotion, £7 If you've not met HABI yet, it's the latest own brand offering from Boots, designed to cut through social media hype and instill good beauty and wellness habits with a range of hard-working staples. As the cheapest sunscreen on my list, it's certainly ticking all of those boxes. The formula is on the thicker end of the spectrum - so much so, I almost wrote it off the first time I tried it, however it still sat really nicely under make-up, didn't cause me to become an oil slick by lunch or irritate my skin, which is the most important part. Because of the richer consistency, it would be especially good for anyone with dry or dehydragted skin, but frankly it's great for all skin types - just expect something that gives a bit more slip akin to a moisturiser, rather than a weightless SPF. BEST AFFORDABLE SHINE-REDUCING SPF BUY NOW This is as much a primer as it is an SPF, thanks to the serious blurring power that helps disguise texture - which is ideal as I have quite a few spot scars on my face, but it would also help redice the appearance of large pores and fine lines. It has a velvety texture that doesn't feel too heavy or mask-like on skin, but helps absorb oil and sweat so that they don't break through and cause make-up to separate. Plus, thanks to glycerin, vitamin E and niacinamide it helps improve the look and feel of uneven skin texture and tone over time - win win! BEST AFFORDABLE LIGHTWEIGHT SPF Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh Rice + B5 SPF50+, £15.50 BUY NOW Hands down, this is the most lightweight SPF I've ever used. I've tried SPF's that cost upwards of £80, and not one of them can rival this formula. It's completely invisible on skin - sinking within seconds so there's no residue left behind at all, just skin that feels like skin. I was sceptical about how much protection it would provide given the invisible formula, but it withstood a day snorkelling in the Maldives, and a 20k-step day in Lisbon with barely a hint of a tan, never mind sunburn. It doesn't pill, doesn't sting my eyes, and doesn't cause me to break out. I defy anyone who thinks they hate all SPF's to try it - you'll be converted I'm sure. The Importance of SPF WITH summer finally here, here's everything you need to know about SPF. 1. Protects Against UV Radiation: SPF shields your skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, specifically UVA and UVB rays, which can cause sunburn, premature aging, and increase the risk of skin cancer. 2. Reduces Risk of Skin Cancer: Regular use of SPF can significantly lower the risk of developing various types of skin cancer, including melanoma, which is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. 3. Prevents Premature Aging: UV exposure accelerates the aging process, leading to wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots. SPF helps maintain youthful skin by blocking these aging effects. 4. Maintains Even Skin Tone: Sun exposure can cause hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone. Using SPF regularly can help prevent these issues, leading to a more even and radiant complexion. 5. Essential for All Skin Types: Regardless of skin type or tone, everyone is susceptible to UV damage. SPF is crucial for all skin types to maintain healthy skin and prevent damage. 6. Everyday Necessity: UV rays can penetrate through clouds and windows, making daily SPF application essential, even on cloudy days or when indoors.
The Independent
29 minutes ago
- The Independent
World-first gonorrhoea vaccine rolled out across UK amid record levels of infection
England has launched a world-first gonorrhoea vaccination programme, aimed at curbing soaring infection rates and tackling the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant strains. The initiative comes after cases of the sexually transmitted infection (STI) in England reached a record 85,000 in 2023, the highest since records began in 1918. Available free of charge from Monday at sexual health clinics, the jab is being offered to those at highest risk. This includes gay and bisexual men with a recent history of multiple sexual partners or a bacterial STI. The vaccine, an existing jab known as 4CMenB, is currently used to protect against meningococcal B disease, which can cause meningitis and sepsis. It is used in the routine childhood programme and given to babies at eight weeks, 16 weeks and one year. Officials anticipate the programme will save the NHS £7.9 million over the next decade. The programme could prevent up to 100,000 cases of gonorrhoea, according to doctors. The STI disproportionately impacts specific communities, such as those in deprived areas, people of black Caribbean ethnicity, and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, according to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Patients getting the gonorrhoea vaccine will also be offered jabs for mpox, human papillomavirus (HPV), and hepatitis A and B at their appointment. 'Rolling out this world-leading gonorrhoea vaccination programme in sexual health clinics in England represents a major breakthrough in preventing an infection that has reached record levels,' Ashley Dalton, the minister for public health and prevention, said. 'This government's world-first vaccination programme will help turn the tide on infections, as well as tackling head-on the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. 'I strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to come forward for vaccination, to protect not only yourselves but also your sexual partners.'
