8 minute read
Who will you Zoom this Christmas?
As we enter this Christmas season - a special time of celebration, thanksgiving and time spent with loved ones and friends - let’s remember those who will be alone and those who can’t wait to say farewell to what may have been a year of huge challenges. The last thing they will want to do is to celebrate Christmas without any human connection.
So why not reach out to someone who might be lonely over the Christmas? More than ever before, we need to connect with one another. We all have it in our power to reduce loneliness for at least one person, whether that’s through making a phone call, sending a Christmas card or connecting with them using an online video platform such as Zoom.
If you’re planning to use Zoom to connect with someone, I would like to share some tips and tricks to help you get started.
First, head over to www.zoom.us in your browser. The platform is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, but the layout may be slightly different depending on whether you are on desktop or mobile.
If you click on the ‘Plans & Pricing’ tab, then you will see the different plans available. Feel free to sign up to the Basic (free) plan that will provide you with virtual meetings for up to 40 minutes. You can have up to 100 participants, 1-on-1 meetings and meetings with multiple participants. When your time is up, you can simply restart a meeting if need be. The free option also includes private and group chats.
You can also sign up to Zoom’s Pro package for a small monthly fee that will unlock additional features, including an increase in meeting duration limits, cloud recording, storage and much more. Now you are ready to start. On the www.zoom.us click on ‘Your Account’ (top right) to manage your profile. You can change details under the ‘Profile’, such as your name, picture, default meeting ID, password and time zone. Next, click on ‘Settings’. Here, you can adjust settings implemented by default, including whether you want the waiting room (whether participants can join a scheduled meeting before the host arrives) to be enabled or whether video or audio are automatically enabled when you or participants join a meeting.
In the interests of security, you should make sure you use strong passwords.
Zoom video tutorials can be located at https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us, but to help
Paul Morrison shares how to utilise Zoom to connect with someone over the Christmas season
you set up your first get-together, I have included some basics instructions below.
How to schedule your first get-together
1. Sign in to your Zoom web portal 2. Click Meetings 3. Click Schedule a Meeting 4. Choose the date and time for your meeting 5. (Optional) Select any other settings you would like to use 6. Click Save
How to start a test meeting
You can join a test Zoom meeting to familiarise yourself with the Zoom and test your microphone/ speakers before joining a Zoom meeting. Visit zoom.us/test and click Join.
How to start your first get-together as the host
As the meeting host, there are several ways you can start your meeting. Your upcoming meetings will be listed in the ‘Meetings’ tab of your Zoom desktop or mobile app. You can click Start by the meeting name. You can also start your get-together from the Zoom web portal. 1. Sign in to your Zoom web portal 2. Click Meetings 3. Under Upcoming, click Start (next to the meeting you want to start) 4. The Zoom client should launch automatically to start the meeting
What can I do in a meeting?
Once you have started or joined a meeting, you can perform the following actions from the menu bar. • Invite more friends and family to join by email, IM, SMS (mobile users) or meeting ID • Screen-share your desktop to show family photos and video clips • Have a private or group chat • Host controls • Mute/unmute audio • Stop/start video • Leave or end the video get-together I hope this will give you enough information to help you set up your online get-together with someone this Christmas.
Remember that Jesus came down from heaven to be with you. That is the true meaning of Christmas. Love so great that it knows no bounds or distance.
May the light of faith illuminate our hearts and shine in all our words and deeds, through Him who is Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
Paul Morrison, a global award-winner, is the UK education lead at Zoom. He is founder of idare2inspire and chair of the professional advisory board at the University of West Scotland.
This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Doctor Bakare urges the Black community to recognise lung cancer symptoms
•Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in England with around 39,990 cases diagnosed each year •Around 89% of those diagnosed with lung cancer are aged 60 and over •In 2019, lung cancer accounted for 12% of all cancer diagnoses in
England and 20% of all cancer deaths •Over 60% of those diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer have a five-year survival rate compared to just 4% for those diagnosed later.
Lung cancer referrals were slow to recover since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, despite being a leading cause of cancer death. A GP is speaking out, during Lung Cancer Awareness Month, as new data shows that xx% of Black people do not know that a persistent cough for over three weeks could be a sign of the deadly disease. Dr Seun Bakare, GP Clinical Lead for Urgent Care, who is supporting the NHS lung cancer campaign, is passionate about changing attitudes within the Black community, which can keep people from contacting their GP practice and delaying medical help. “Some of us are apprehensive about seeing our GP if we think something is wrong, but if you or a loved one has had a cough for over three weeks, it’s time to make an appointment with your GP,” says Dr Bakare. Dr Bakare understands that many people in the Black community believe suspected health problems, such as a cough, may work themselves out on their own and do not want to burden loved ones or seek advice before seeing their GP. “We’re here to help, but we can only do that when you come into the GP surgery,” says Dr Bakare. “As the weather becomes colder, it’s quite normal to experience a cough or a cold. But a cough lasting more than three weeks could be a sign of lung cancer, so don’t wait around for it to disappear. It’s probably nothing to worry about, but if it is cancer, finding it early will make it easier to treat.”
Here, Dr Bakare answers some of the most common questions about lung cancer:
I thought only people who smoked who got lung cancer?
No. While smoking is a leading risk factor for lung cancer, it can also occur in people who have never smoked or stopped smoking.
Who can get lung cancer?
Anyone can get lung cancer - there is no single cause. People of any age and background can be diagnosed with the disease but it’s more likely to affect people over the age of 60.
What are the common symptoms of lung cancer?
As well as a persistent cough for more than three weeks, you should be on the lookout for coughing up blood, feeling out of breath when doing normal tasks and any aches or pain when breathing or coughing. Unexpected tiredness and weight loss are also common symptoms. If you or your loved one has any of these symptoms, please contact your GP right away.
What should I do if I’ve been coughing for more than three weeks?
Definitely make an appointment to see your GP as soon as you can. Your GP will ask about your general health and symptoms. They may examine you and ask you to breathe into a device called a spirometer, which measures how much air you breathe in and out. You may also be asked to have a blood test to rule out other possible causes, such as a chest infection.
What are the common causes of lung cancer?
As well as smoking, there are many risk factors because we are constantly inhaling chemicals from our environment. This could be in your workplace, air pollution or exposure to radon gas. Your risk may also be higher if you’ve had a lung disease before or if there’s a family history of lung cancer.
If you get an early diagnosis, what happens?
The GP will arrange for further tests to investigate the issue. This could be a chest x-ray, CT scan or bronchoscopy. The earlier you see your GP and a diagnosis is made, the earlier treatment can start - increasing the likelihood of survival. About 1 in 3 people with the condition live for at least 1 year after they’re diagnosed and about 1 in 20 people live at least 10 years. However survival rates vary widely, depending on how far the cancer has spread at the time of diagnosis. Early diagnosis can make a big difference.
Where can I find more information?
For more information, visit
www.nhs.uk/cancersymptoms
