National Aspergillosis Centre (NAC) Patient & Carer Support meeting: June 2021

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Our support meetings are informal and designed to provide participants to chat, to ask questions and to listen to some expert opinions on a variety of subjects related to aspergillosis in some way - you can often ask questions too. No one need go away without their questions having an answer from the NAC team.

This month we had a talk from National Aspergillosis Centre Team's Graham Atherton with an update on the COVID pandemic and its implications for aspergillosis patients in the UK, Beth Bradshaw of NAC talks about lung function tests and Chris Harris gives us our weekly exercises for 10 mins.

View full Video here
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by GAtherton

COVID Vaccination Side Effects

[et_pb_section fb_built="1" admin_label="section" _builder_version="4.16" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" custom_padding="7px||7px||true|false"][et_pb_row admin_label="row" _builder_version="4.16" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" custom_padding="|||" global_colors_info="{}" custom_padding__hover="|||" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" _builder_version="4.16" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"]Now that the rollout of the second COVID vaccination (using the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines) are well underway in the UK attention in our aspergillosis patient communities has turned to the potential for side effects caused by these medications.

Most people suffer few or no side effects from either vaccine other than having a slightly sore arm for a day or two or feeling a few aches. Doctors are recommending that we take paracetamol to relieve those symptoms.

The UK government has now published more detailed information on side effects and all three vaccinations currently in use in the UK (a third vaccine named Moderna has recently started to be used). You can read this information at the links below:

AstraZeneca

Pfizer/BioNTech

Moderna

You can also report any suspected side effect.

Full details of the UK COVID-19 vaccine program are given here.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

by GAtherton

COVID Vaccination - hesitating?

It is becoming clear that there are a small number of people in all walks of life who are hesitating before having a COVID vaccine - even if they have high-risk jobs! One common reason for this seems to be that they are concerned that the available vaccines have been developed too quickly and therefore must be less safe in some way.
This is actually incorrect. In the past, we would have had to go through many more steps (eg isolate active virus, grow it in the lab, both of which could take years) that we no longer have to because of the new science we are following. Because we no longer have to go through those steps we save all that time - and the vaccines are safer to produce and use because we no longer use active virus so more time is saved.
The 'new science' isn't actually that new either - this type of vaccine has been in development for decades in preparation for exactly this type of pandemic.
Read more about why we have been able to produce these highly effective vaccines so quickly, yet do it safely here https://www.theguardian.com/.../ten-reasons-we-got-covid...
The message is clear - the risk to your health caused by not being vaccinated for COVID-19 far exceeds any risk to your health that may be caused by being vaccinated. This situation is likely to be true for years ahead, the problem won't go away if you are not vaccinated as there will likely be variants circulating for some time yet, and there is already talk of an annual booster vaccination to protect us from those as well. Get yourself protected!

by GAtherton

Aspergillosis Monthly Patient & Carer Meeting

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[et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text"]Aspergillosis meeting. Image of a silver computer with a virtual meeting taking place. There are a number of people on the computer screen, and a mug to the left of the image.

Aspergillosis patient and carers meeting, today (Friday, 5 February) at 1 pm.

We understand how difficult it is at the moment with the ongoing national lockdown and this is part of the National Aspergillosis Centre's efforts to provide ongoing support for all patients (not just those of the National Aspergillosis Centre) and carers with aspergillosis.

This month we will be talking about:

  • Sars-cov-2 (Covid-19) vaccines and the recent developments
  • Immunodeficiency
  • Recapping on the global success of World Aspergillosis Day which took place on Monday 1 February
  • The importance of getting any new lumps, bumps or ongoing symptoms checked in support of World Cancer Day
  • There will also be time for general chat and questions.

The meeting is run by the National Aspergillosis Centre (NAC) staff. It is a great opportunity for any patients and their carers, family or friends to come along, ask questions and talk to other patients and NAC staff.

You can join the meeting for free on Zoom by clicking here, or using the meeting ID: 811 3773 5608.

The code to join is 784131. 

Or you can watch it live on Facebook.

If you want to know more about aspergillosis, the symptoms and who is at risk, click here:[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column]
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by GAtherton