February 9, 2021

PHE background briefing on SARS-CoV-2 variants

PHE asked us to host a background briefing with Dr Susan Hopkins, Strategic Response Director to Public Health England; Professor Nick Loman, Professor of Microbial Genomics and Bioinformatics, Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham; and Mark Hewlett, Chief Operating Officer for Testing at NHS Test and Trace.

The briefing provided journalists with further details about variant strains currently being monitored in the UK; outlining what PHE are doing to track them, and explaining some of the science behind how variants and mutations develop, and what the implications might be for public health as a result.

Speakers included:

Dr Susan Hopkins, Strategic Response Director to Public Health England

Prof Nick Loman, Professor of Microbial Genomics and Bioinformatics, Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham

Mark Hewlett, Chief Operating Officer for Testing at NHS Test and Trace