Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
0 stretches that ange ife
COMMUNITY CORNER
Best for… Relaxation
1
In a seated position on the floor, extend one leg straight and as wide as is comfortable while keeping your back straight and the sole of your foot facing your inner thigh.
2
Place a cushion under your bottom to elevate yourself slightly to help take pressure off the hips.
3
Now lengthen your right arm over your head and reach sideways. Make sure your shoulders remain upright and keep your chest out. Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.
Best for… Sore back
1
Grab a yoga strap, belt or small towel. In a seated position, extend one leg straight as wide as comfortable while your back is straight. Ensure your other leg is bent and the sole of your foot is facing the inner thigh.
2
Place a cushion under your bottom to elevate yourself slightly to help with the stretch.
3
Take your belt or alternative and place it over your right foot. Exhale and lean forward, keeping your back as straight as possible so you feel a stretch up the back of your leg. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Best for... Sofa lovers
1
Sit forward on the edge of your chair and make sure your back is neutral.
2
Centre your ribcage over your hips. Flex your right foot and put it on the opposite knee.
3
Try to keep your knee and leg as flat as possible. Think about folding your chest or heart towards your thighs and hold for 30 to 60 seconds. You should feel a slight stretch in the muscles of your outer hip. Repeat on the other side.
Best for... Phone addicts
1
Hold the edge of your chair seat with your right hand. Place your other hand on your head near your temple and gently pull your head to the side until you feel a gentle stretch in your neck.
2
Hold for 30 to 60 seconds before switching sides and repeating.
Some of my friends have been asking me if they can have the Covid vaccination if they have allergies like hayfever. The answer is, yes, they can, despite concerns being raised when two healthcare workers had reactions to the jab in December.
However, both had a history of severe allergies and even carried Epipens for emergencies.
At the end of December, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency issued a statement after reviewing more than a million doses here and in North America. It said there was no evidence of an increased risk of an allergic reaction to the Pfizer vaccine, the only preclusion being people who are allergic to vaccines themselves.
I cannot stress strongly enough that allergy doesn’t prohibit vaccination unless that allergy is to a vaccine or to its ingredients.
As Rebecca E Glover and colleagues from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UCLH London and Harvard Medical School, US, say in the BMJ, the reporting of any allergy as a reason to not vaccinate would be concerning because 20-40% of the population in the UK and US has at least one form of allergy. That includes hayfever, conjunctivitis, allergic asthma, eczema and contact dermatitis, food allergy, and urticaria caused by food.
Another concern is that the public’s acceptance of a Covid-19 vaccine seems to be waning. Initially acceptance ranged up 90% but it had dipped to 64% by July 2020.
Most worrying of all, vaccine hesitancy seems to be highest in ethnic minority communities, the most vulnerable to Covid. It seems to me we have to be transparent with everyone about the science behind allergies and vaccination because, in general, it’s reassuring.
The important message is having a severe allergy doesn’t preclude vaccination unless that allergy is to the vaccine itself or its components.
It’s crucial this message gets out clearly and openly as a first step in approaching vaccine hesitancy. The public could gain in confidence if vaccinators were prepared to be open, explain the difference between severe, moderate and mild allergies, and clarify MHRA’S decision-making.
A worry is that people’s views about Covid vaccines may transfer to other vaccines like childhood immunisation, so it’s essential to keep the lines of communication open, and if vaccination is declined, there’s no place for coercion. People should be reassured they can return.
The good news is it may be possible to vaccinate people with allergies to vaccine components. Allergists can assess patients with an allergy to a vaccine and judge if they can be vaccinated with a routine 15 or 30 minutes of observation or they can have a skin test before vaccination.
We have to be transparent about the science – it is reassuring
Ding ding! The bell’s gone for homeschool to start again. I think this morning we should all start classes by getting out our folder of good intentions – and sticking it straight in the bin.
Everyone’s tired and grumpy, and over the next few weeks we’re going to feel even more like cattle who’ve been kept in sheds all winter before being released into the fields.
To keep me going I’ve been working on what I want to do when lockdown is over and, yes, it does include dismantling the home printer and burying parts of it all over the garden like an office equipment serial killer.
But more than that, I’ve been thinking about what I want to change in the future about me and my daughter’s life. I want to be less busy and spend more time with her, use the car less and walk more, get off our screens and phones, and be with people who make us happy.
The Dark Lord’s going to blow a gasket when she hears her screen time is going to be cut in half, but social media and gaming hasn’t made her happy – it’s just filled her life with pointless drivel and people who post “be kind” slogans yet don’t have a single decent thing to say.
And I’m not the only one who feels this way – we all feel the need for change.
Over half the people surveyed by Bayfields Opticians, as part of its We See You Community Champion Awards, said they want to be more spontaneous and have more experiences in life once lockdown is over.
Almost two-thirds questioned said they now value experiences more than material objects
(bye bye, evil printer), and that the pandemic has made them appreciate spending quality time with family and friends.
So yep, while we’re all looking forward to going to the pub, what the survey also revealed was that at the very top of the list, what we really all want is a big hug. And possibly a good haircut.
Email me at siobhan.mcnally@mirror.co.uk or write to Community Corner, PO Box 791, Winchester SO23 3RP.
Dear Coleen
I’ve got myself into a situation that I don’t know how to get out of. I never thought I’d be the kind of person to have an affair, but here I am.
The guy in question is the husband of a friend. We became close because we take our dogs for walks at the same place and kept bumping into each other getting takeaway coffees.
His wife and my husband were working from home at the time.
Then one day we ended up kissing – he initiated it – and things progressed to having sex in his car.
I’m not proud of this, but I’ve got to be honest, it was hot and it’s happened several times since.
I feel like a different person these days. This affair has made me happier and woken me up from my mundane routine. But what do I do?
We’re both married and both have kids and, although I know I should break it off, I feel addicted to seeing this man.
Can you talk some sense into me before it all goes wrong?
Coleen says
Leaving aside the obvious fact that we’re in the middle of a pandemic, of course what you’re doing is risky and, if you get caught, lots of people will get hurt. But I’m sure you know that.
I think the longer it goes on and the deeper you get into it, the harder it’s going to be to break it off. And you’ll also have to deal with the guilt and the stress of keeping this secret.
I’ve spoken to many people over the years who’ve cheated and pretty much all wished they could turn the clock back and make different decisions.
Affairs are exciting and addictive, but you have to force yourself to look at the bigger picture and imagine what your life would be like if this became public knowledge. How would it affect your marriage, your children, even your friendships?
You do know how to get yourself out of it – next time you see him, tell him it’s over. Then turn your focus to your marriage and think about what you want to do. Things can’t be great if you’re willing to risk it all with an affair.
Talk to your husband and tell him you feel things have become mundane and routine. Listen to what he has to say and discuss what you do about it.
I’m not proud of this, but to be honest it was hot
TEEN FIRST DATES
DON’T be scared – this may be a teenage version of the nation’s favourite dating show, but these novice daters are not so cool once Cupid has slid into their Doc Martens.
It’s a daunting time for these over-16s, who have to contend with teeth braces and spots as well as studying and staying on trend as they look for love.
What happens when your debit card is declined because your mum didn’t transfer the cash?
Or when your relationship history consists only of dating a girl for a week in Year 8? What even is Year 8? Maybe Fred Sirieix knows.
First to arrive is 19-year-old art student Archie, a lover of camp culture who is looking for a muse.
Rocking a bright red sweater tank top, he makes an entrance, teaching Fred what a slut drop is. Yes, older viewers, you may learn something new tonight.
His date is 19-year-old musician Eden who wants break-up trauma to inspire her songwriting. At least she’ll have something to write about if the date doesn’t go well.
Next in is sporty 17-year-old Denzel who is looking for an athletic, family-focused girl.
When fellow-basketball player Mariam, 16, arrives, Denzel’s chiselled jaw gets a slam-dunk.
Meanwhile, self-confessed ladette Maddison, 18, is “one of the boys” but wants a boy of her own. Will bricklaying apprentice Jacob, 17, win her over?
And 18-year-old Dom hopes that fate will seal the deal with his date, also called Dom.
His parents met on a blind date and got engaged on their second… so no pressure then.