Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert comments on food packaging and how well the SARS-CoV-2 virus survives on surfaces
There have been suggestions that the new domestic COVID-19 cases in New Zealand were the result of samples of the … read more
expert reaction to France and other countries being added to those needing 2-week self-isolation on return to the UK
The UK government have announced* that France and several other countries have been added to the list of countries from … read more
expert reaction to government’s in-principle agreements for 60 million doses of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine and 30 million doses of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, and to support clinical trials
The UK government have announced* that they have made in-principle agreements to buy 60 million doses of Novavax COVID-19 vaccine … read more
expert reaction to preprint (not a published paper) looking at modelling city versus rural susceptibility to a second wave of COVID-19
A preprint from the University of Sussex, uploaded to medRxiv*, has modelled the susceptibility to a second wave of COVID-19 … read more
expert reaction to new PHE findings on excess mortality in England
Public Health England (PHE) have published new reports with data detailing excess mortality in the UK between 20th March and … read more
expert reaction to DHSC press release on Test & Trace app
The Department of Health and Social Care have announced* that the new NHS Test and Trace app is to begin … read more
expert reaction to latest weekly NHS Test & Trace statistics (30 July – 5 August)
The government have released the latest NHS Test and Trace statistics for England between the 30th July and 5th August … read more
expert reaction to results from the REACT-2 home antibody testing programme for COVID-19
Some papers detailing the results from the REACT-2 home antibody testing programme have been published. Some are currently in preprint … read more
REACT-2 study on COVID-19 home antibody test surveillance
The REACT-2 programme led by scientists at Imperial College London is a series of studies assessing a number of antibody … read more
expert reaction to ONS analysis on air pollution and risk of dying from COVID-19
The ONS (Office for National Statistics) have published* some analysis on a potential link between exposure to air pollution and … read more
expert reaction to study looking at COVID-19 cases in children in the first wave in England
Research, published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, looked at COVID-19 cases in children in the first wave of … read more
expert reaction to study looking at breast screening women in their 40s and cancer deaths
A study, published in the Lancet Oncology, looked at breast screening women in their 40s and cancer deaths. Dr Imogen … read more
expert reaction to updated PHE measures to record COVID-19 deaths
Public Health England (PHE) have updated they way that they record COVID-19 deaths. Prof Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine, … read more
expert reaction to train derailment near Stonehaven
A passenger train has derailed in Aberdeenshire, resulting in the deaths of at least three people. Prof Roderick Smith … read more
expert reaction to State of the Climate in 2019 report
The report, published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, looked at the world climate in 2019. Professor … read more
expert reaction to a commentary on herd immunity in Sweden
A commentary piece, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, discusses COVID-19 herd immunity in Sweden. … read more
expert reaction to a study looking at the presence of antibodies in staff from two London hospital maternity units
Research, published in the journal Anaesthesia, looked at the presence of COVID-19 antibodies in staff from two London hospital maternity … read more
expert reaction to a study looking at converting bricks to energy storage units
A study, published in Nature Communications, looked at converting bricks to energy storage units. Prof Richard McMahon, Professor of … read more
expert reaction to youth vaping and COVID-19
A study, published in Journal of Adolescent Health, has looked at possible associations between smoking, e-cigarette use and COVID-19. Prof Peter … read more
expert reaction to Russia’s approval of a COVID-19 vaccine
The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has announced that Russia has registered a vaccine for COVID-19. Prof Jonathan Ball, Professor … read more