Loss of smell is a recognised symptom of COVID-19 in the UK. However, it was only added to the official list of symptoms on May 18, a full month after the World Health Organization recognised it as a symptom. Before this time, any member of NHS staff reporting a lossContinue Reading
Living under lockdown and the uncertainty that COVID-19 has brought to our lives has been difficult for everyone. We have all welcomed the opportunity to return to a more normal way of life. But a resurgence in cases after the easing of lockdown in many countries shows us that thisContinue Reading
Artazum/Shutterstock Over 200 scientists, including myself, signed a letter that was published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases on July 6 2020 saying that COVID is not only spread by touch and droplets sprayed from the mouth and nose but, importantly, via a third route too. The third infection pathwayContinue Reading
The pandemic is affecting everyone, but it has been particularly tough for visually impaired people. A report by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) notes that two-thirds of visually impaired individuals feel they have become less independent since the start of lockdown. This could have a negative impactContinue Reading
sergio souza/Unsplash, FAL While the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are still unclear, it is certain that they are a profound shock to the systems underpinning contemporary life. The World Bank estimates that global growth will contract by between 5% and 8% globally in 2020, and that COVID-19 will pushContinue Reading
The rapid spread of COVID-19 across developing countries has led to a devastating loss of life and livelihoods. The pandemic is having both immediate economic effects and long-lasting consequences on development. This is because developing economies are less able to handle shocks than advanced ones. Around 80% of workers inContinue Reading
Feline under the weather? Viacheslav Rubel/Shutterstock Since the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, the potential role of animals in catching and spreading the disease has been closely examined by scientists. This is because the virus that causes COVID-19 belongs to the family of coronaviruses that cause disease in a varietyContinue Reading
English physician and scientist, who was the pioneer of smallpox vaccine, Edward Jenner sees off the anti-vaccinators. Wikimedia/Wellcome Collection There is hope a coronavirus vaccine might be ready by the end of the year. But for it to eliminate COVID-19 a critical mass of people must be vaccinated. And ifContinue Reading
Daria Nipot/Shutterstock Lockdowns are seemingly vital for controlling COVID-19. Early evidence suggests they have a big effect on preventing deaths. But if we’re to keep using them, we also need to know their broader impacts. Many people are worried about lockdowns also having a negative effect on mental health. Indeed,Continue Reading
Any approach to controlling an infectious disease has one of three broad aims: suppressing, eliminating or eradicating it. The UK’s strategy so far has seemed to focus on suppressing the virus, trying to limit its spread, but we need to think about whether this is the best course of action.Continue Reading
