February 7, 2020

Coronavirus – where are we now?

With numbers of cases of the novel coronavirus still increasing in China, cases now having been reported in at least 24 other countries, and the latest advice from the Foreign Office recommending that British Nationals who are able to leave China do so, we gathered a panel of experts to answer journalists questions on the outbreak.  Two panellists are currently working to develop a vaccine.

Journalists came to the SMC to hear experts discuss issues such as:

– why is this not yet a pandemic?

– where are we in the outbreak in terms of the peak in cases, and what might happen next?

– what have we learned so far about this virus and what do we still not know?

– do we know what might happen in the UK and how many more cases we might get?

– how much difference are measures like limiting travel to China, and general public information campaigns, likely to help limit spread?

– which groups in the UK are working on a vaccine and when might we have one?

Speakers included:

Prof David Heymann, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Dr Gail Carson, Director of Network Development at ISARIC (International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium), and Consultant in Infectious Diseases, University of Oxford 

Prof Robin Shattock, Professor of Mucosal Infection and Immunity, Imperial College London

Prof Sarah Gilbert, Professor of Vaccinology, University of Oxford

Prof Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine, UEA 

Prof John Edmunds, Professor in the Centre for the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine