COVID-19 Healthcare Challenge – video on "Facemasks" from Dr Felix Jackson in our July summary
10th August 2020 by Anne Sakoane
When medDigital shared one of our first articles in the
COVID-19 blog series about digital
innovations being used in the wake of the emerging novel coronavirus, we
didn’t anticipate we would be reading about the use of robots in the fight against
COVID-19 within a few months. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported on the 1st
of August that Rwandan healthcare professionals have begun using human-sized
robots in the fight against COVID-19. The robots are programmed to perform
temperature screening, read vital signs, deliver video messages and broadcast
instructions on how to properly wear facemasks, which is just one
of the many digital initiatives that are changing the future of healthcare during
this pandemic.
READ MORE about the robots fighting COVID-19 on the WHO Africa website
Our first article on facemasks
has been edited for accuracy twice since its publication, as so much of what health experts have
advised regarding the use of face coverings in public spaces has changed in
the UK over the past month alone. Our founder and Medical Director, Dr Felix
Jackson, gives a breakdown of what the situation is, how face coverings can
help slow viral spread, especially among asymptomatic
carriers, and where we are expected to wear them.
WATCH THE VIDEO on our
VIMEO channel and below:
Note: The information in this video was correct at the time of recording on the 6th July 2020. At the time of publication, it is currently a recommendation, but will become law on 8th August for face coverings to be worn in enclosed public spaces in England including shops supermarkets, shopping centres, banks, railway stations, airports and on public transport. Failure to do so could result in a £100 fine, or £50 if paid within 14 days. The rules will be enforced by the police, not shop workers.
Our testing blog has been one of the most popular of the COVID-19 series so far, and it
has been repeatedly advised that a robust, widely-used testing and tracing
system is currently the most effective way the government can evaluate the rate
of spread to help decide where to enforce effective local
lockdowns if required.
On the 3rd of August, the UK government announced
the roll out of 90-minute swab tests for COVID-19, that can also detect other
viruses such as seasonal flu. Millions of these tests will support an effective
testing strategy in the coming winter months, especially in care homes and NHS
hospitals, where flattening
the curve remains a priority. Whilst the accuracy of the new tests has not yet
been supported by publicly available data, we will keep our eye on updates on
the new rapid swab tests.
READ MORE about the rapid swab tests on the UK government website
medDigital will continue our exploration of the science and facts behind big COVID-19 topics in the next article in this series, coming soon. Stay tuned to our social media channels for updates!