Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to latest data from the ONS Infection Survey
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have released the latest data from their COVID-19 Infection Survey. Prof Kevin McConway, Emeritus Professor … read more
expert reaction to latest R number and growth rates estimates, published by the government
The government have released the latest estimates for the COVID-19 R value and growth rates. Prof Kevin McConway, Emeritus … read more
expert reaction to a paper suggesting that gene drives could be used to help control grey squirrel numbers in the UK
A paper published in Scientific Reports looks at a novel combination of CRISPR‑based gene drives to control invasive grey squirrel in … read more
Brain Prize 2021 – announcement of winners
Four neuroscientists working at universities in UK, Europe and USA will be awarded the world’s most valuable prize for brain … read more
Food Standards Agency background briefing on food safety in the UK after Brexit
As the UK forges new trade relationships, how can we be sure that the standard of our food will be … read more
updated latest results from the REACT-1 study on COVID-19 prevalence across England
We recently heard from the REACT-1 scientists with interim results from round 9 of their study looking at virus prevalence … read more
expert reaction to preprint giving the final results from round 9 of the REACT-1 study on COVID-19 prevalence in England
A preprint, an unpublished non-peer reviewed study, reports on the latest data from the REACT-1 study on COVID-19 spread across … read more
expert reaction to the 2021 Spring Budget
The Chancellor Rishi Sunak has today announced the Spring Budget for 2021. On science in general: Prof Dame Anne … read more
fossil CO2 emissions in the post-COVID era
Five years after the adoption of the Paris Agreement on climate change, growth in global CO2 emissions has begun to … read more
expert reaction to study on fossil CO2 emissions
A study published in Nature Climate Change looks at Fossil CO2 emissions in the post COVID-19 era. This Roundup accompanied … read more
expert reaction to preprint assessing the effectiveness of the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in prevention of hospitalisations in elderly and frail adults
A preprint, an unpublished non-peer reviewed study, assesses the effectiveness of one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines … read more
more evidence on whether the COVID vaccines work
The AvonCAP study from Bristol is a prospective test negative case control study of pneumonia in adults admitted to two … read more
expert comment on latest NHS England hospital death numbers
Deaths of patients who have died in hospitals in England and had either tested positive for COVID-19 or where COVID-19 … read more
new guidance from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) – Perplexing Presentations (PP) and Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) in Children
Fabricated or induced illness by carers (FII) is a clinical situation in which a child is, or likely to be, … read more
expert comment on variants of SARS-CoV-2
A general comment from Dr Jeffrey Barrett on what we know about the different SARS-CoV-2 variants variants (including the South … read more
expert reaction to latest ONS data on deaths registered; and on antibodies from the ONS Infection Survey
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have released provisional counts of the number of deaths registered in England and Wales in the … read more
the Brazil SARS-CoV-2 variant (Lineage P.1) – what we know so far
The emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern Lineage P.1 is growing rapidly in Brazil, and several cases have now also been … read more
expert reaction to study on ‘smartphone addiction’ and sleep
A study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry looks at association between ‘smartphone addiction’ and sleep in the UK. Dr … read more
expert reaction to study looking at birthweight, circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in adulthood and type 2 diabetes
A study published in the BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care looks at birthweight, adulthood levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 … read more
expert reaction to a preprint looking at the early effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination with the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on symptomatic disease, hospitalisations and mortality in older adults in the UK
A preprint, an unpublished non-peer reviewed study, suggests both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines reduce severe COVID-19 in older adults. … read more