UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced an ambitious “moonshot” plan to roll out mass population testing for COVID-19. Johnson said that, under the plan, the UK would process millions of tests a day, allowing those who test negative to resume their normal lives. The programme will cost around £100Continue Reading
We’re healthier and live longer than our ancestors, yet we’re constantly reminded of deaths caused by war, terrorism and natural disasters. As terrible as these events are, they accounted for less than 1% of the 56 million worldwide deaths in 2017. Another colossal distraction is the focus on lifestyle asContinue Reading
F8 studio/Shutterstock The much-anticipated phase 3 trial of the University of Oxford’s coronavirus vaccine has been paused following a suspected adverse reaction in one of its participants. As developing a successful vaccine has been widely touted as a way to end the pandemic, this will feel like a blow forContinue Reading
Endurance athletes are most at risk. AstroStar/ Shutterstock There’s a thin line between working hard enough and working too hard. Pushing your body to reach new levels of fitness requires commitment, effort and a willingness to put yourself through intense, challenging workouts on a regular basis. But more isn’t alwaysContinue Reading
More than 600 nurses worldwide have died from COVID-19 during the pandemic. This should not be a surprise: we are the largest group of healthcare workers in the world, dedicated to preventing the spread of coronavirus, and we are also engaged in caring for those who are suffering. But althoughContinue Reading
Yuganov Konstantin/Shutterstock Nine months after the coronavirus emerged, there’s still a remarkable lack of understanding about why the severity and course of COVID-19 vary for different people. Part of the problem is that we haven’t prioritised gathering and reporting data in enough detail. Most countries just report the age andContinue Reading
Whether tracking macros or counting calories, you'll need to get used to recording everything you eat and drink daily. Pormezz/ Shutterstock While reducing calorie intake is a proven way to reduce your weight, there’s no shortage of diets promising the same results but with more flexibility. One such popular dietContinue Reading
Of the hundreds of potential COVID-19 vaccines in development, six are in the final stages of testing, known as phase three clinical trials. One of these – ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 – is the vaccine we’re developing at the University of Oxford. To be approved, vaccines need to go through multiple roundsContinue Reading
Many lifestyle factors and chronic conditions affect our life expectancy. imtmphoto/ Shutterstock Would knowing the date of your death influence your actions? It did for Tiberius Caesar. Convinced by the court astrologer Thrasyllus that he had many years of life ahead of him, the paranoid old emperor chose to postponeContinue Reading
Darren Baker/Shutterstock Every year, around US$200 billion (£150 billion) is spent globally on health research. Meanwhile, millions of people volunteer their time to be participants in health studies. Despite all the resources that go into creating medical research, though, there is a glaring issue – almost all of that timeContinue Reading
