vivweb01blog

  The Polio virus is back – at least in our sewage system.  Does this mean we’re in for yet another another viral epidemic ? It could do, if we take no action – how then can we prevent it happening ? The reasons why polio virus has suddenly started to appear in our sewage system are not completely clear, given that no cases of active disease have been reported in UK so far. The most prevalent view amongst epidemiologists at present is that it has been imported by vaccinated individuals from areas of the world where vaccination is via the old-style oral attenuated live virus vaccine. This vaccine continues to be used in 3rd world countries because it is a) cheap and easy to administer and b) gives very good immune responses over a short period. It is the ideal rapid immunisation strategy in the few remaining areas of the world where the live virus is still endemic due to religious antipathy to vaccination (Afghanistan and Pakistan). It is also used as a rapid response tool to ta

  On present evidence, yes….. Those of us old enough to remember the excesses of the 1970s will recall one of the most notable of its meteorological ones - the ‘great drought’ of ’76. Contrary to popular belief, this was more extensive and prolonged than the current one, with both a dry autumn and winter in 1975 and a dry spring in 1976 contributing.   In June 1976 there was actually a period of two weeks where maximum temperatures in southern England never fell below 32oC. The prolonged nature of this heatwave, and the following dry, hot period which continued until early August, resulted in severe consequences for crops and domestic  water supplies, with taps in some areas actually running dry. This culminated in the Drought Act being rushed through parliament on 5 th August. This legislation   included more draconian water restrictions, installation of standpipes, water bowsers, etc. ….and the appointment of Dennis Howells as ‘Minister for Drought’ by the then PM, Jim Callagha