Tag: research

Study of UK dental professionals reveals extent of occupational risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection

A University of Birmingham-led study of over a thousand dental professionals has shown their increased occupational risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first wave of the pandemic in the UK.

The observational cohort study, published today (3 June 2021), in the Journal of Dental Research, involved 1,507 Midland dental care practitioners.  Blood samples were taken from the cohort at the start of the study in June 2020 to measure their levels of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The team found 16.3% of study participants – which included dentists, dental nurses and dental hygienists – had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, compared to just 6% of the general population at the time.  Meanwhile, the percentage of dental practice receptionists, who have no direct patient contact, with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was comparable to the general population, supporting the hypothesis that occupational risk arose from close exposure to patients.

The study also found ethnicity was also a significant risk factor for infection, with 35% of Black participants and 18.8% of Asian participants having SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, compared to 14.3% of white participants.

Blood samples were taken from participants three months later, in September 2020, when dental practices in England had re-opened with enhanced PPE and infection control measures in place, and once again in January 2021, six months after the start of the study, during the second wave of the pandemic when healthcare workers were being vaccinated.

The results showed that of those who had previous COVID-19 infection, over 70% continued to have SARS-CoV-2 antibodies both at three months and six months later, and they were at a 75% reduced risk of re-infection with the virus.

The study also demonstrated the immunological impact of COVID-19 vaccination, with 97.7% of those without previous infection developing an antibody response at least 12 days after their first Pfizer vaccine.  In those with evidence of previous infection, the antibody response was more rapid and higher in magnitude after a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Furthermore, none of the cohort with a level of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies greater than 147.6 IU/ml in their blood tested positive for COVID-19 throughout the six-month period from the first to the final blood tests.   

First author Dr Adrian Shields, of the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, said: “Understanding what an antibody test result means to an individual with respect to their risk of infection is essential to controlling the pandemic.

“Our study has taken the first steps in defining the level of antibody in a persons’ blood necessary to protect them from infection for six months. Furthermore, by comparing the antibody levels we have found in dentists to those contained in widely available reference material produced by the World Health Organization, we hope the protective level we found can be easily confirmed and compared by other laboratories.”

Corresponding author Professor Thomas Dietrich, of the University of Birmingham’s School of Dentistry, adds: “Critically, only 5.3% of the cohort developed an antibody response that exceeded this threshold of 147.6 IU/ml following the first wave of the UK pandemic.

“This suggests that natural infection alone is unlikely to generate meaningful, durable herd immunity.”

Co-corresponding author Iain Chapple, Professor of Periodontology at the University of Birmingham and Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust, adds: “Dental professionals are thought to be at high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 because they routinely operate within patients’ aerodigestive tract and regularly carry out aerosol-generating procedures that result in the production of airborne particles.

“Through our research, we have clearly shown that dental professionals were at increased occupational risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 prior to the new PHE guidance on PPE. The occupational health measures that have been put in place in general dental practice as a consequence of COVID-19 appear to remove that increased risk, however, this will need to be thoroughly investigated to see if they have successfully interrupted transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses.”

Co-corresponding author Professor Alex Richter, also of the University of Birmingham, said: “This is the first time the occupational risk of exposure to a potentially fatal respiratory virus has been studied in a large dental cohort.

“It is important that we now progress our research to ensure we have an understanding of how people are protected from re-infection with COVID-19 following natural infection and vaccination.

“The nature and duration of immunity in these cohorts will be critical to understand as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, particularly with respect to the efficacy of vaccination strategies -single-dose, multiple-doses, vaccine combinations – and in relation to novel viral variants of concern.”

Lothian MSP encourages capital residents to get involved with Covid-19 vaccination trials

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs is encouraging Edinburgh residents to get involved with Covid-19 vaccination trials.

Miles Briggs said: “Phase 3 of Valneva Covid-19 vaccination trials are pivotal for getting the new vaccinations into production.

“Two thirds of adults have had their first dose of a vaccine and a third their first dose, but booster doses will likely be required later in the year.

“The distribution of vaccines to other countries across Europe and globally will also be important, with most countries being behind Scotland and the UK in their vaccine rollout.

“I would encourage anyone over 18 who is interested in being involved with the Valneva vaccine trial to sign up at ukcovid19study.com”

In January 2021 we started commercial manufacturing of our COVID-19 vaccine at our site in Livingston, which is a globally qualified manufacturing site for viral vaccines.

We are producing our COVID-19 vaccine on our established Vero-cell platform – leveraging the manufacturing technology for our licensed Japanese Encephalitis vaccine. This video provides a snapshot of manufacturing at our site in Scotland. 

We are also significantly expanding our facilities at Livingston to increase vaccine manufacturing capacity, which is creating new jobs in the area.  

Last month we reported positive data from the Phase 1/2 trial of our inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, which found that it was well tolerated, with no safety concerns identified, and highly immunogenic. 

Alongside NIHR and NHS Research Scotland, we have now initiated a pivotal Phase 3 trial at around 25 sites, including the Western General in Edinburgh.

Unlike earlier COVID-19 vaccine trials, which involved a placebo dose, everyone involved in this trial will receive two active vaccine doses.

Even as existing vaccines are rolled out, there is an ongoing need for people to volunteer for vaccine research.

If you’re over 18 and haven’t had a #vaccine yet, you could be eligible to take part in the Phase 3 trial of Valneva’s inactivated #COVID19 vaccine. Find out more at: ukcovid19study.com #BePartofResearch

The #Valneva vaccine being manufactured in Livingston is the only inactivated #COVID19 vaccine in development in Europe and it’s now being trialled in #Edinburgh.

To find out about the #vaccine and getting vaccinated, take a look at: ukcovid19study.com

As we roll out existing #COVID19 vaccines, experts are working on new ones & boosters to protect us over time. Crucially, volunteers are still needed for trials.

To find out about the Valneva #vaccine trial, taking place in Edinburgh, visit: ukcovid19study.com

Applications open for Woodland Trust’s research programme

With clear evidence that we must act now to protect, create and restore UK woods and trees, the Woodland Trust is inviting applications for research projects that will address its priority areas within the next two years.

The 2021 Spring Research Grant Call will award funding of £5,000 – £20,000 for projects that align to the Trust’s recently published State of the UK’s Woods and Trees report. The report highlighted a barrage of compounding threats that pose catastrophic consequences for the country’s woods and trees.  

Woodland Trust head of conservation outcomes and evidence Dr Hazel Jackson said: “Scientific evidence underpins all the Woodland Trust’s conservation activities. We are constantly looking for effective, credible solutions to deal with the challenges facing trees and woods in the UK.

“The warning signs in our recent State of the UK’s Woods and Trees report are loud and clear. If we don’t tackle the threats facing our woods and trees, we will severely damage the UK’s ability to address the climate and nature crises. Our wildlife havens are suffering, and we are storing up problems for future generations.  

“Knowledge is the key to ensuring we can engage people and inspire support, as well as develop and advocate strong, effective conservation techniques and we hope to see a range of strong applications to further enhance the evidence that feeds directly into our practice as well as our policy.”

The Trust particularly encourages applications from minority groups and early career researchers to increase the diversity of scientists in the conservation sector so they can gain experience in leading applied research projects and working with a practitioner non-government organisation.

Themes the Trust is looking for research to address are as follows:

Woodland extent, condition, and wildlife value

Projects are expected to illustrate how new and existing methodologies can be used to monitor the wildlife value of UK trees and woods and assess ecological condition. We are particularly interested in gaining new insights into the extent, condition, and wildlife value of ancient woodland, trees outside of woods, wood pasture and parkland, ancient and veteran trees, urban trees and community woodlands.

Benefits for people

Woods and trees benefit people in a whole host of ways including flood risk management, pollination, carbon sequestration and storage, recreation, public health and the cultural, spiritual and intrinsic values we place on them. Proposals examining how these benefits can be promoted at the site and landscape scale and the relative trade-offs when different objectives are prioritised, are encouraged under this theme.

Threats and drivers of change

Proposals under this theme should aim to inform protection of new and existing woods and trees from the huge array of threats, enhancing resilience and ecological integrity at site and landscape scale.

Restoration, creation and management

This theme aims to improve and refine practical conservation delivery by focusing on the development of novel, efficient and cost-effective approaches. Research topics in this theme may include intervention trials to provide evidence for the effectiveness of management or restoration.

It may include research into innovative techniques and methods for creating new native woodland for different objectives. This includes effectiveness for biodiversity and people but also the economics and cost-effectiveness of different approaches.

Landscape scale research

The Trust is particularly interested in applied, interdisciplinary research projects addressing issues with landscape-scale significance. It will encourage research which integrates woods and trees across other appropriate aspects of conservation, and other land uses that traditionally do not feature trees and integration into society more widely.

Further details about how to apply and topics of interest under each theme can be found at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/grants.

The deadline for applications is Thursday 1 July at 4pm.

Scottish Covid-19 study launched

A study into the long term effects of COVID-19 on the people of Scotland

A major study into the effects of Covid on the health of Scotland’s population has been launched.

The Covid in Scotland Study aims to identify the effects of Covid-19 on the health of people in Scotland. We want to find out how many people continue to be unwell after having Covid-19, what their symptoms are, and how it affects their lives.

Why is the study being done?

Most people with Covid-19 recover within three weeks. Some people don’t because they get ‘long Covid.’ We need to understand the long-term effects of Covid-19, the number of people who have long-term problems and the nature and impact of these.

Hasn’t this already been done?

There have been some other studies looking at long Covid but they have been done on particular groups, such as people who were admitted to hospital. In the Covid in Scotland Study, we are contacting everyone in Scotland who had a positive Covid-19 test as well as a comparison group of people who tested negative.

How will this study help people with long Covid?

Our study aims to help health and social care services make informed decisions about treating and supporting people with long Covid.

How can people take part

We are sending invitations via SMS to all adults in Scotland who have had a positive Covid-19 test and a sample of people who have only had a negative test(s). These messages are automated. We don’t have names, phone numbers or other identifiable information.

Are people who have had Covid-19 involved in designing and running the study?

Yes. People who have had Covid-19 symptoms are on the study steering group. They are providing advice throughout the study, helping to develop the information material and will help to share the findings.

Who is funding the study?

The study is funded by the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office.

Where will the study be published?

Our results will be shared with the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and patient groups. The results will be published in a medical journal and shared through social media and a press release.

Charity funds first study into long-term impact of Covid-19 on stroke

The Stroke Association is funding the world’s first study to determine the long-term impact of Covid-19 on stroke survivors. 

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic there have been widespread reports of adults with the virus also having strokes. The charity announces this new study today, amid concerns that the virus may be causing more severe strokes in patients whom doctors are struggling to treat.  

It is thought that the virus could be increasing the chance of blood clots forming in the brain and blocking blood flow.

The Stroke Association is funding this vital research to investigate the difference the virus could make to stroke recoveries, which are already at risk due to disruption to stroke services caused by the pandemic.  

The study will establish which differences in patients with and without the virus may influence their needs for treatment and care, including how to avoid the risk of having further strokes. 

Researchers at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) led by Dr Richard Perry will follow up to 4,000 stroke survivors, with and without Covid-19 from across 13 emergency stroke units. 

Stroke recovery, rehabilitation and health will be tracked for up to 18 months after their stroke. Researchers will collect and assess comprehensive, specialist medical information from stroke patients, including brain scans, blood samples and measures of disability. 

The findings will help to understand how Covid-19 impacts stroke recovery and which treatments might best support survivors’ recoveries. 

Dr Terry Quinn at the University of Glasgow works with the UCLH team on their Covid-19 and stroke research. Hhe said: “Research that compares stroke in patients with and without Covid-19 is essential to understand if Covid-19 results in more severe strokes, where survivors will need more support to recover from its devastating effects. 

“From the beginning of the pandemic, I would see patients admitted with unusual strokes, who would then go on to have a positive Covid-19 test. This vital research will help us understand why this happens.  

“The findings from this year-long study will inform decisions about the most effective treatment and the rehabilitation needs of this group of patients, including prevention of recurrent stroke. We already know that from the moment a person has a stroke or mini-stroke they are at substantial increased risk of further strokes. 

“We’ve come a long way since the start of the pandemic. In the early days of the pandemic, stroke teams from across the UK came together to share their experiences and data. I was part of this collaborative activity and the exchange of information was crucial for delivering the best possible stroke care.

“This work had no external support and was reliant on busy clinicians giving up their time.  Stroke clinicians will continue to engage with the new project, but the Stroke Association funding will allow us to achieve things that would not be possible without this support.” 

Stroke is a sudden brain attack, stroke strikes every five minutes in the UK, and there are more than 128,000 stroke survivors living in Scotland. It’s estimated there will be around 173,000 by 2035.  

Dr Rubina Ahmed, Research Director at the Stroke Association, said: “Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability in the UK and the second biggest killer in the world. It’s extremely concerning that we’re seeing strokes happening in ways we have not seen before.

“This research is absolutely critical in understanding and treating stroke after Covid-19, to help reduce the devastating effects and ultimately improve lives. Covid-19 is here to stay, so it’s vital we can prevent and treat strokes linked with the virus. 

“The pandemic has shattered our fundraised income and is threatening research that drives life-changing breakthroughs in stroke care. As a result of the pandemic, we have had to halve our budget for stroke research. 

“Research improves treatment and care for people affected by stroke so they can live their best lives possible, and that’s why stroke research is worth saving. Now more than ever, we need the public’s support. If you can, please help us find a way through the research funding crisis by donating today, so that we can fund more life-saving research.”  

In February, the Stroke Association announced the world’s largest study to confirm if Covid-19 increases the risk of stroke and by how much. Together with the new research announced today, the two studies will help doctors to prevent and best treat Covid-19 strokes in the people who are most at risk.  

Over the past 30 years the Stroke Association has played a crucial role in supporting stroke research in the UK. Research helps stroke survivors rebuild their lives, but the pandemic has hit research hard. By saving stroke research, more sure stroke survivors can live life to the full. 

Find out how stroke research helps rebuild lives at stroke.org.uk/rebuildinglives or to donate, please visit: stroke.org.uk/saveresearch 

North and Midlands leads UK’s jobs recovery

  • Nine out of 63 cities and large towns have recovered to their pre-pandemic level of job postings, with the North and Midlands outperforming the South and South East
  • Barnsley, Mansfield and Stoke recorded strongest job posting recovery to date; Aberdeen, Belfast and Crawley experienced the weakest
  • Areas with high claimant counts and slow recovery in job opportunities in greatest need of policy support, according to new research by global job site Indeed and the Centre for Cities 

Britain’s resurgent jobs market is being led by cities and towns in the North and Midlands, according to new research by global job site Indeed and the Centre for Cities think tank.

Hiring gathered pace after the UK Government’s reopening roadmap was announced on 22 February but new analysis shows job growth is unevenly spread across the country.

Indeed and the Centre for Cities analysed job vacancies in 63 cities and large towns and found that in some parts of the country job postings now exceed their pre-pandemic level with those in the North and Midlands having so far witnessed the strongest recovery in job postings.

In total, nine cities or towns – led byBarnsley (+21%), Mansfield (20%) and Stoke (17%) – now have more job postings than before the pandemic started.

In contrast, Aberdeen (-53%), Belfast (-39%) and Crawley (-39%) are the three places where job postings have recovered the least, together with other cities and large towns predominantly in the South East of England.

London too is among the places with the slowest recovery: job postings in the capital are still 26% below their level before the pandemic, making it the 11th city with the slowest recovery.

Pace of job posting recovery varies

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The improving jobs landscape in the North and Midlands is partly driven by the mix of available jobs.

Recoveries have been strongest in areas with a greater pre-pandemic share of postings in occupations related to the production and distribution of goods, such as manufacturing, driving and loading & stocking, as well as essential services like healthcare, social care and education.

On the other hand, places with a higher share of pre-pandemic job opportunities in food & beverage service and hospitality & tourism are lagging behind.

Production and distribution hubs lead job postings recovery

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New analysis of claimant counts and job vacancies points to which jobs markets were hardest hit by Covid-19 and might take longest to return to their February 2020 level.

Places with high claimant count and low job postings include Brighton, Crawley, Slough as well as London in the south and Blackpool and Manchester in the north. These cities and large towns — which have a dependency on tourism and bustling workplaces — are the hardest hit by the pandemic as recruitment activity is lagging and more people are looking for jobs.

In contrast, places with low claimant count rates and whose job postings have mostly recovered to their pre-pandemic level – such as Mansfield, Swansea and Warrington – appeared to have been relatively sheltered from the economic impact of Covid-19.

Pawel Adrjan, head of EMEA research at the global job site Indeed, comments: “As hiring activity picks up across the country it’s clear there is a two-step jobs recovery underway in Britain.

“Cities and towns in the North and Midlands that have been buoyed by rising manufacturing, distribution, healthcare and education jobs but at the same time areas reliant on hospitality, tourism and higher paying jobs that can be performed from home have seen only sluggish growth.

“Just nine urban areas out of 63 have back above their pre-pandemic level and while the partial reopening of the economy earlier this month rode to the rescue of many businesses and workers our research shows that it alone was not enough to lift ailing area’s jobs levels significantly.

“We’ve seen how quickly the jobs market reacts to policy and public health announcements and policy makers will hope the eventual unwinding of Covid-19 restrictions will help level up the jobs recovery.”

Elena Magrini, senior analyst at the Centre for Cities, said: “Not everywhere is seeing yet the beginnings of post-pandemic recovery. Places reliant on tourism, aviation and office workers have been particularly hard hit and still have high shares of people who are unemployed or on furlough.

“Despite this, we have reasons to be optimistic, particularly given the pace of the recovery in the North and Midlands. Once we have reopened the economy, policy makers need to focus on building back better – growing the economy by creating better paid, higher skilled jobs for people right across the country.”

Project investigating the effects of COVID-19 on blood vessels and blood pressure receives Heart Research UK grant

A University of Glasgow project that is aiming to better understand the effects that COVID-19 infection has on blood vessels and blood pressure has received a grant of £250,000 from Heart Research UK.

Research has shown that people who are older, obese, male or those who have other medical problems including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or chronic lung conditions, have a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is very common with more than one quarter of adults in the UK affected.

The virus causing COVID-19 enters the body’s cells through a receptor called ACE2 which is found in the lungs, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, liver, and bowel. ACE2 is very important for maintaining many of the body’s important processes including blood pressure, inflammation, and wound healing.

COVID-19 can also cause damage to the walls of the blood vessels which makes the risk of blood clots higher and this has been seen more often in people with high blood pressure. The reasons for this are not yet known which is why we need to understand more about the links between COVID-19 and high blood pressure.

This study, which will be led by Professor Sandosh Padmanabhan, Professor of Cardiovascular Genomics and Therapeutics, aims to answer whether:

  • High blood pressure makes COVID-19 infection worse and if so, why.
  • COVID-19 infection makes high blood pressure worse and if so, why.
  • Monitoring and management of high blood pressure needs to be a greater priority during the pandemic.

The study will look at routinely collected health records for people in the West of Scotland who attended hospital or had a positive test for COVID-19 between April 2020 and April 2021. This will be compared to the records of patients who attended hospital during 2019, for another reason. They will also look in detail at a group of people with high blood pressure.

Prof Padmanabhan’s team will also study a group of people that have recovered from COVID-19 infection. They will undergo blood pressure monitoring, and tests of heart and blood vessel health. These tests will be repeated after 12 and 18 months to see if there have been any changes. They will be compared to a group of people who have not had COVID-19.

Finally, the study will look at markers in the blood (biomarkers) with the aim of identifying any which are linked with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or death in COVID-19.

This study will give us a better understanding of the links between COVID-19 infection and high blood pressure, and help to improve the long-term outcomes for survivors of COVID-19. Also, the findings may lead to recommendations on the monitoring and management of blood pressure during the pandemic.

Prof Padmanabhan said: “The current COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has exposed unexpected cardiovascular vulnerabilities at all stages of the disease.

“The mechanism by which the SARS-CoV-2 virus causes infection is believed to directly and indirectly affect the cardiovascular system potentially resulting in new-onset hypertension, heart failure and stroke and represents an insidious feature of long-COVID.

“The burden of hypertension as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic is unknown, but given the scale of the infection especially among the young this will be a major concern for the future. In this project, we plan to generate valuable evidence that will inform hypertension management strategies and reduce cardiovascular risk for survivors of COVID-19.”

Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive of Heart Research UK, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the work of ProfessorPadmanabhan and his team, who are conducting vital research into one of the biggest medical challenges the world has ever faced.

“We have known for some time that those with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions are more susceptible to developing severe complications from COVID-19. We hope that this research will help to explain why this is the case, reduce the risk for this vulnerable group and, ultimately, help to save more lives.

“Our grants are all about helping patients. They aim to bring the latest developments to those who need them as soon as possible.

“The dedication we see from UK researchers is both encouraging and inspiring, and we at Heart Research UK are proud to be part of it.”

Almost two fifths of workers given less than a week’s notice of shifts

Close to two-fifths (37%) of UK workers in full or part-time employment are given less than a week’s notice of their shifts or work patterns, according to new research conducted by the Living Wage Foundation. 

The research – based on two surveys, of over 2,000 UK adults in each case – addresses a gap in the UK’s labour market data and understanding of hours insecurity, being the first recent study to assess notice periods for work schedules across the workforce.

The study found that among the 59% of workers whose job involves variable hours or shift work, over three-fifths (62%) reported having less than a week’s notice of their work schedules. At the extreme, 12% of this group – amounting to 7% all working adults – had less than 24 hours’ notice.  

While short notice periods affect workers throughout the UK, they are particularly common in London, where  almost half (48%) of all workers received less than a week’s notice of work schedules. Scotland (35%), the South of England excluding London (34%), and the North of England (33%)  are areas where short notice periods were less common.  

A second survey conducted by the Living Wage Foundation homed in on the experience of full-time, low-paid workers, finding that they were particularly hard hit by short notice of working hours.

Of those working full time and paid below the real Living Wage of £10.85 in London and £9.50 in the rest of the UK, more than half (55%) had less than a week’s notice of work schedules, with 15% having less than 24 hours’ notice. 

Low-paid, full-time workers from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds (68% of whom had less than a week’s notice of work patterns) and those with children (64%) were also disproportionately affected. 

Despite this, and the challenges facing many employees and businesses, some employers are stepping up to commit to stronger standards on shift patterns to better support workers and families. 

This includes Scottish energy provider SSE, which has today been announced as an accredited Living Hours Employer, joining, amongst others, Aviva and Standard Life Aberdeen as employers committing to provide workers with secure, guaranteed working hours.  

The Living Hours programme requires employers to both pay a real Living Wage and commit to provide at least 4 weeks’ notice for every shift, with guaranteed payment if shifts are cancelled within this notice period. 

Living Hours employers also provide a guaranteed minimum of 16 working hours every week (unless the worker requests otherwise), and a contract that accurately reflects hours worked. 

The Foundation’s research shows that currently just 10% of workers who have variable working hours or conduct shift work received at least four weeks’ notice of shift patterns.  

Laura Gardiner, Director, Living Wage Foundation, said: “Without clear notice of shift patterns provided in good time, millions of workers have had to make impossible choices on childcare, transport and other important aspects of family life.

“Low-paid workers have been particularly hard hit during the pandemic, with millions struggling to plan their lives due to the double whammy of changing restrictions on economic activity and insufficient notice of work schedules from employers. 

“Despite this, and the challenges many employers have faced, some have stepped up during this crisis and committed to provide workers with secure, guaranteed hours and notice of shift patterns. These are the businesses that will help us rebuild and recover, and we encourage more employers to follow their example.” 

John Stewart, SSE HR Director, said: “The real Living Wage movement has been an incredible phenomenon, championing the fundamental truth that people should be able earn enough to live a decent life. 

“Living Hours is the other side of that coin. The amount of pay employees take home can be affected by irregular and unpredictable hours. The majority of our direct employees are already on contracts which meet the Living Hours requirements, but it is right that a company like SSE, headquartered in the UK and delivering some of the biggest projects in the fight against climate change, should guarantee higher standards for workers.

“This is fundamental to ensuring there is a fair and just transition to net zero. Like with our Living Wage accreditation, the most important impact of Living Hours is that, in time, it will flow through our supply chain activities and benefit those working regularly on our behalf too.

“It is the right thing to do and we are very proud to have achieved this accreditation and hope it will help show others the way.” 

Stepping back into Hemingway’s world

Associate Professor in Journalism lands major research grant

AN Edinburgh Napier academic has received a prestigious research award to provide fresh insights into the life of celebrated American novelist and journalist Ernest Hemingway.

Dr Eamonn O’Neill aims to shed new light on the writer’s time in World War Two London after being named as a recipient of the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum Foundation’s Ernest Hemingway Research Grant.

The award will give Dr O’Neill access to the famous Boston institution’s Hemingway Collection and cover costs of up to $5000 as he delves into a fascinating period which saw A Farewell to Arms writer Hemingway stay at the Dorchester, drink at The Savoy and hang out with children’s author Roald Dahl.

The first recipient of the award in the UK, Dr O’Neill, 54 – an Associate Professor in Journalism at Edinburgh Napier – aims to produce both scholarly research articles and a book for a wider readership.

He said: “The library has been in lockdown since the pandemic struck and my research has been deferred, but I hope to hit the ground running in Boston as soon as is feasible.

“The grant covers research costs and travel, but for me its real value is in allowing me to gain access to original material from the narrow, previously hidden, period I am covering.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity. Hemingway’s work has influenced and fascinated me since I was an undergraduate. I am a committed member of the US-based Hemingway Society and I have been reading, teaching, and studying him since the beginning of my academic career at Strathclyde University two decades ago.”

Hemingway (1899-1961), whose most popular works include For Whom the Bell Tolls and The Sun Also Rises, is famed for his lean writing style and thirst for adventure, but his time in England is less well-known than his escapades in France, Spain and Cuba.

Dr O’Neill’s research award will give him the chance to scrutinise the writer’s time in Europe between May 1944 and March 1945 via the biggest repository of Hemingway papers, archives and personal belongings in the world.

The former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy secured the collection as part of her late husband’s Presidential Library and Museum directly from Hemingway’s fourth wife Mary Welsh Hemingway as the JFK Library was being established.

The John F Kennedy Library Foundation provides funds to scholars interested in researching the Ernest Hemingway Collection, with grant applications evaluated on the basis of the expected use of the Collection, the proposal’s contribution to Hemingway studies and the applicant’s qualifications.

Dr O’Neill said: “Hemingway was quite a phenomenon in 1944, a one-man global industry, with big-screen Hollywood film adaptations of his books playing in the London cinemas he walked past.

“He literally had the world at his fingertips, yet in the period I am researching he was also a human wrecking-ball, destroying his marriage to fellow journalist Martha Gellhorn, drinking morning, noon, and night, and yet still able to charm anyone who crossed his path. One minute he was staying in the White House with President Roosevelt, the next he was being spied on by the FBI.

“It’s that shadowy world, that nexus of a complex man who lived a very public life but retreated daily into his secret places, often hidden from even those closest to him, that fascinates me and which I hope to reveal in my work.

“There are few academics in the UK doing serious work on Hemingway but if the intense interest, even at this stage, from publishers and documentary and film production companies is anything to go by, it seems there’s already a massive audience ready to step into his world again.”

Ground-breaking COVID study – ‘pop up’ blood donation centres to open in Edinburgh and Glasgow

National ‘pop up’ blood donation centres launched to help ground-breaking COVID study

– ‘pop up’ blood donation sites for COVID research study begins nationwide roll out

– urgent appeal for volunteers to help researchers identify new virus treatments

– project open to anyone who caught COVID but experienced mild or no symptoms

– local Muslim leaders enthusiastically back scheme

A scheme to roll out ‘pop up’ blood donation centres across Scotland to help support a unique COVID-19 research study has been launched – and the plan has already won the enthusiastic support of the country’s Muslim leaders.

From Friday (March 5th), eligible volunteers will be able to donate a blood sample at temporary, COVID-secure centres at Mercure Glasgow City Hotel in Ingram Street – participants in Edinburgh can donate at the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton Hotel on North Bridge.

If they don’t wish to travel, the scheme also offers volunteers the option of making an appointment for a nurse to visit their home.

Local Muslim communities have enthusiastically backed the scheme, with leaders in both cities helping distribute thousands of information leaflets and posters – translated into Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati, and Punjabi – to its members.

They took the decision to get involved after researchers in the ground-breaking medical study issued an urgent cry for help to the country’s ethnic and minority communities.

“Tragically, the pandemic’s effect has been more widely felt among all ethnic communities – including some who worship here – so it’s important we help those who are making such an important contribution in the fight against COVID,” said Irfan Razzaq, General Secretary at Glasgow Central Mosque.

“The results from the study will not only help us here in Scotland, they’ll be shared internationally and offer more protection to some of the most vulnerable groups of people around the world.”

The unique GenOMICC COVID-19 Study analyses the genes of people who have had the virus to discover why some experienced no symptoms while others became extremely ill.

The study is  already contributing to the fight again COVID, with preliminary results helping identify possible new treatments.

However, for the study to continue to make progress and generate meaningful results, the scientists urgently need to recruit more people from all backgrounds across Scotland – but are especially seeking the help of members of Scotland’s South Asian and Pakistani communities.  

“We’re issuing an urgent appeal for more volunteers from all walks of life – and in particular for people from South Asian and Pakistani communities – to come forward and register as soon as possible,” explains Dr Kenneth Baillie, the study’s Chief Investigator.

“We need to find people who tested positive for COVID but experienced either mild or no symptoms and didn’t require hospital treatment. For comparison purposes, it’s important that these volunteers are similar in age, gender and ethnicity of those people who were severely affected and hospitalised.

“Through my work as a consultant in intensive care in Edinburgh, I’ve met many patients and their families who have agreed to participate in this research to help others, at one of the most difficult times in their lives. Many of these patients were from South Asian and Pakistani backgrounds – that’s why we urgently need suitable people from these communities to join the study to provide a comparison.”

“The quicker this research can be completed, the faster we can solve the COVID puzzle and protect  vulnerable people,” said Professor Sir Mark Caulfied, Chief Scientist at Genomics England. “Genetic research into COVID-19 is now playing an increasingly important role in our fight against the virus, enabling us to identify new forms of the virus and develop treatments.

“The findings from the GenOMICC COVID-19 Study will improve the treatment, care and outcome for those most at risk, as well as helping to prioritise future vaccinations and lower the number of deaths.”

The research project is open to anyone who tested positive to COVID but experienced mild or no symptoms and didn’t require hospital treatment – volunteers can register online here.

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