Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to update to the HadCRUT global temperature data set, announced by The Met Office and the University of East Anglia
The Met Office and the University of East Anglia have announced a major update to key global warming temperature data … read more
expert reaction to editorial from the BMJ and Health Service Journal (HSJ) entitled ‘Covid 19: Christmas relaxation will overwhelm services’
An editorial from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and Health Service Journal (HSJ) asks the UK government to abandon plans … read more
expert reaction to ONS stats on deaths registered in England and Wales, provisional: week ending 4 December 2020
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have released provisional counts of the number of deaths registered in England and Wales in the … read more
expert reaction to editorial on global COVID-19 vaccination program by Jeremy Farrar and Tim Cook
An editorial published in Anaesthesia looks at the global COVID-19 vaccination program. Dr Andrew Garrett, Executive Vice President of … 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 7 of their study looking at virus prevalence … read more
expert reaction to preprint giving the final results from round 7 of the REACT-1 study on COVID-19 prevalence across 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A preprint, an unpublished non-peer reviewed study, reports on the latest data from the REACT-1 study on COVID-19 spread across … read more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 London, South Essex, and South Hertfordshire to move into tier 3
It has been announced that London, South Essex, and South Hertfordshire are to move into tier 3 from the beginning … read more
expert reaction to the new variant of SARS-CoV-2
Matt Hancock announced that a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 has been identified in his speech to the House of Commons. … read more
expert reaction to preprint from the RECOVERY trial on the antibiotic azithromycin in patients hospitalised with COVID-19, reporting no benefit
A preprint, an unpublished non-peer reviewed study, from the RECOVERY trial, reports no benefit from azithromycin, a widely used antibiotic, … read more
expert reaction to Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine by the FDA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, allowing it … read more
expert reaction to latest COVID-19 nowcast and forecast from the MRC Biostatistics Unit at the University of Cambridge
The MRC Biostatistics Unit at the University of Cambridge have released their latest nowcast and forecast of COVID-19. Prof … read more
expert reaction to paper presenting preliminary data on accuracy of the Innova Lateral Flow SARS-CoV-2 Antigen test in the Liverpool pilot
A paper prepared by scientists at the University of Liverpool and published by SAGE presents preliminary data on the accuracy … read more
expert reaction to study looking into genetic mechanisms of critical illness with COVID-19
A study published in Nature looks at genetic variants linked to the development of life-threatening illness in patients with COVID-19. … read more
genetic links to critical illness caused by COVID-19 identified
Researchers have studied 2,244 critically ill patients with COVID-19, comparing their genetic make up to a control group, to see … read more
expert reaction to AstraZeneca announcing clinical trial programme to assess combination of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine and the Sputnik V vaccine
AstraZeneca have announced a clinical trial programme to assess safety and immunogenicity of a combination of AZD1222, developed by AstraZeneca … read more
expert reaction to latest R number and growth rate estimates published by the government
The government have released the latest estimates for the COVID-19 growth rate and R value. Prof Kevin McConway, Emeritus … read more
expert reaction to latest ONS COVID-19 Infection Survey data
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 phase 3 results for the Pfizer/ BioNTech BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine
The results of the phase 3 clinical trials of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine candidate have been published in NEJM. … read more
expert reaction to period of self-isolation for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus to be shortened from 14 to 10 days across the UK from Monday
Starting from Monday 14 December, the self-isolation period for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus will be reduced from 14 … read more
expert reaction to Sanofi and GSK delaying their adjuvanted recombinant protein-based COVID-19 vaccine programme due to insufficient immune response in older adults
Sanofi and GSK have announced a delay in their adjuvanted recombinant protein-based COVID-19 vaccine programme to improve immune response in … read more