Latest news with #NicolaBrink
BBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Channel Islanders reminded of MMR vaccination following UK death
Parents and carers in the Channel Islands are being asked to protect themselves and their children with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) reminder comes following the death of a child in the UK over the weekend who contracted early signs of measles are similar to those of many common childhood illnesses. Jersey's government said to look our for cold-like symptoms, sore, red eyes, a high temperature and a red blotchy Health Protection Nurse Advisor Emma Baker said the MMR vaccine was "the safest and most effective way to protect yourself". She said: "While Jersey has reassuring MMR vaccination coverage, we know a small number of islanders have not had both doses. "This puts them at risk, so I encourage all islanders to make sure that they and their children are fully vaccinated."Ms Baker added: "Measles is circulating in parts of the UK and Europe, so please before you travel, we are calling all parents and guardians to make sure their children are up to date with their two MMR doses." Vaccine 'strongly encouraged' The States of Guernsey said it was aware of high measles cases in parts of the UK and in said the disease could cause serious problems if it spread to other parts of the body, including pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures. Dr Nicola Brink, Director of Public Health, said the MMR vaccine was available free of charge for those up to the age of said: "Our data demonstrates that the number of children receiving two doses of a measles containing vaccine is reassuringly high. "However, we know that some families have chosen not to have their children vaccinated against measles and we would like to take this opportunity to strongly encourage them to take up this offer. "This is particularly important with the circulation of measles in neighbouring jurisdictions, and the possibility that many people are travelling over the summer break."
Daily Maverick
23-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
After the Bell: No, you're not alone; the world is a mess
As the world teeters on the brink of chaos, with everything from geopolitical conflicts to the unpredictable whims of Donald Trump stirring the pot, one can't help but wonder if we've traded a pandemic for a global financial cocktail of uncertainty that feels even more volatile than before. I hope I'm not the only one who feels the world is incredibly uncertain at the moment. And in fact I almost feel less certain than I did during Covid. At least then I felt that we were all facing the same problem. It would appear that some senior figures in the South African Reserve Bank agree. On Friday the head of the bank's financial stability project, Nicola Brink, stated during a Monetary Policy Review that 'During the review period, the global financial system e xperienced a degree of uncertainty and volatility that is similar to and in some respects worse than… at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic'. President Cyril Ramaphosa seems to agree with the bank. He said today at the Constitutional Court that 'the world has become a very dangerous place now, with all of these conflicts that are flaring up'. It may seem strange to compare anything in recent times with Covid. I mean, during that time it felt like we were facing financial Armageddon. Stock markets around the world fell dramatically, at one point the oil prices turned negative (because oil tanks were full, people were paying customers to take the stuff). But actually, the bank is probably right. This is because the sheer number of elements that lead to instability is so high now. Then it was just one thing. And the whole world was facing it at the same time, if not exactly united. Also, it was clear pretty early on that Covid was not going to last. It was not going to be with us for a decade, it was going to end. Covid is a great example of another dynamic in global markets. That in real terms, nothing ever happens. Considering how much time, thought and sheer energy is put into trying to work out how markets will react to global events, this is incredibly surprising. But it does appear to be true. Research shows that actually while markets do react to shocks in the short-term, they tend to recover quite quickly. There is an important reason for this. As The Economist put it, 'The momentum of markets can be relentless. Shares tend to grind higher over time as consumers spend, entrepreneurs innovate and companies grow.' It would take something messing with this dynamic to stop this growth from continuing. But until around 10 years ago, I had also been told that property prices always went up. That if I bought a house it would become more valuable over time. That has not been my experience. Instead, because I bought in Joburg, values are going backwards. So the same can happen to markets. And I do worry that the sheer number of elements that are creating instability in our world may be taking us closer to some kind of greater life-changing market event than at any time since World War 2. Consider the sheer number of ingredients we are dealing with. In South Africa, the biggest variable is probably still whether the coalition government survives after Ramaphosa goes. But the rest of the world is a disaster. Israel is bombing Iran, which may or may not have nuclear weapons; Iran is responding. Meanwhile Israel is using tanks to shoot crowds of people who are starving in Gaza, creating more trouble for the region. Russia has invaded Ukraine and may well threaten other countries in Europe. China now has a leader who has almost absolute power and does not appear to have groomed a successor. Sudan's civil war continues with no sign of an end, and hundreds of thousands of people are running out of food. But the biggest agent of instability is, of course, Donald Trump. Because of his position and the power of both the weapons and the economy he commands, he is easily the most important ingredient in this toxic cocktail. But this also underscores how quickly the world has changed in the last six years. Before Covid the global economy felt like it was doing okay, and we expected our economy to grow as we put State Capture behind us. Instead the world feels like it is on fire. I do think we have to be conscious of our own journey through time though. As I have got older, so the world in which I grew up has receded. As it becomes more and more different to what I grew up in (so often for the better), so it may be harder to understand. A friend said to me once that he gets really irritated that the rugby authorities change the laws every season because that makes it more and more different from the game that many people now watching used to play when they were younger. I think that's a good way of understanding how the world changes us. It also means that probably everyone around you feels the same way. But for the moment, I think there is good reason to feel uncertain.
BBC News
17-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Guernsey sexual health plan to include remote consultations
An updated sexual health strategy for Guernsey and Alderney is intended to build on the achievements of the first plan, say said there had been a reduction in under-18 conception rates, the rollout of HIV prevention, free cervical screening and the modernisation of the Bailiwick's abortion law. The new strategy will continue to focus on those areas while introducing initiatives such as remote consultations and enhanced digital services, said Dr Jenny Rivers-Moore, associate specialist in sexual and reproductive health."This strategy recognises that sexual health is not only about disease or infection but also about promoting positive sexual health and wellbeing," she said. Dr Nicola Brink, director of public health, said: "Guernsey is ahead of many countries in already having a sexual and reproductive health strategy in place. "This refresh updates our current strategy to account for new data and emerging trends."Deputy Al Brouard, president of the committee for health and social care, said: "We need to continually work towards improving sexual and reproductive health services and create an environment where all people can enjoy good sexual and reproductive health."
BBC News
27-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Private school pupils 70% less likely to be overweight
Children at Guernsey's fee-paying schools are 70% less likely to be unhealthily overweight than their contemporaries from States-run schools, according to a new Guernsey Child Measurement Programme report found nearly 29% of children in States-run schools were either overweight or obese, compared to fewer than 17% of those from private Nicola Brink, director of public health, said the States needed to "focus more" on "health inequality".Dr Brink said previous studies had shown "the cost and time needed to prepare healthy foods" were barriers to healthy eating so "healthy choices are not always easy or possible for some islanders". The study used for the latest States' report, examined data from children in year one (five to six year olds) and year five (nine to ten year olds).It found more than one in four of Guernsey's year five children had "unhealthy levels of excess weight", with 11.1% overweight and 17.2% classed as year ones, the figure dropped to one in five, with 10.4% Cataroche, head of health intelligence, said: "While the absolute levels of excess weight among primary school-aged children are still concerning, the change over time, the stabilisation and reduction which we are currently seeing is positive."
