PublicHealthMatters

With the support of partners and the public, we have made good progress tackling monkeypox in the UK since the outbreak was first identified in May 2022. The number of new cases per day peaked at 350 per week in July but has now reduced significantly to 13 per week on 17 October, with the … Read more

As this is the first winter without pandemic restrictions in two years, you and your children may be more susceptible to the usual winter bugs and viruses this year.  Winter bugs and viruses are usually mild, but can sometimes become more serious, particularly in younger children or if an infection spreads to a vulnerable family … Read more

What is health equity? The World Health Organisation defines health equity as “the absence of unfair and avoidable or remediable differences in health among population groups defined socially, economically, demographically or geographically.” Crucial to this definition is that the differences are unfair and avoidable. This means that there are things we can do to achieve … Read more

There is no doubt that our changing climate is a growing health security concern. During unprecedented high temperatures and hot weather this summer there were an estimated 2,803 excess deaths in England amongst those aged over 65. Looking forward it’s projected that numbers of heat related deaths will triple by 2050, with the hottest summers … Read more

This winter, both COVID-19 and flu may circulate at high levels, potentially at the same time. Ahead of what could be a difficult season, millions of people are being offered vaccination to help protect them over the coming months. There is evidence to show that if you get flu and COVID-19 at the same time … Read more

What is an STI? Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites that can be passed from one person to another during sex or intimate contact and most STIs are passed between sexual partners through oral, vaginal or anal sex – especially if you don’t use a condom. If you are diagnosed … Read more

In 2021 a total of 311,604 new STIs were diagnosed in England, an increase of 1,683 compared to 2020. While still lower than pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, the overall number of STIs newly diagnosed in England remains high, so it’s important to get tested and prescribed effective treatment if needed. Ignoring STIs can lead to long … Read more

At this time of year most of us look forward to a bright blue sky with the sun shining. Being able to enjoy warm weather with friends and family and spending time outdoors. It makes a huge difference to what can feel like a long, cold winter – and after the pandemic we need a … Read more

This summer the West Midlands is hosting the Commonwealth Games. Preparing for and managing the Games is a massive undertaking involving a diverse range of agencies from across the UK and the Commonwealth. One of the most important tasks partners have is keeping the 6,600 competitors and their teams from 72 nations, around 40,000 volunteers, … Read more

Since the onset of the pandemic scientists and researchers, aided and supported by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and DHSC, have mobilised to create surveillance systems that have infinitely improved our understanding of COVID-19. These systems help us track prevalence of the virus across the United Kingdom, detect new variants and in turn analyse … Read more