Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert comment on public trust in government and compliance and public health
In light of of news reports about a Downing Street Party in May 2020, here is a comment from Dr … read more
expert reaction to new papers on permafrost thawing
Several papers on permafrost thawing have been published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. Comment below mainly refers to … read more
expert reaction to pig heart transplant
In a first-of-its-kind surgery by the University of Maryland Medicine a 57-year-old patient with terminal heart disease has received a … read more
expert reaction to study looking at second hand nicotine vaping in the home and respiratory symptoms in young adults
A study published in Thorax looks at second hand nicotine vaping at home and respiratory symptoms in young adults. … read more
expert reaction to a Doctor challenging the health secretary Sajid Javid on compulsory vaccination at King’s College Hospital
A Sky News report from Saturday showed the interaction between the consultant anaesthetist and the Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid … read more
expert reaction to reports of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that combines characteristics of the delta and omicron variants
There have been reports of a delta and omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant hybrid detected in Cyprus. Dr Jeffrey Barrett, Director … read more
expert reaction to data on global temperature and CO2/methane
The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service has published new data on global temperatures, and carbon dioxide and methane concentrations. … read more
Alternative Proteins – what does the science say?
There is growing interest in alternative proteins, both in their source, use and nutritional profiles, and whether they can provide … read more
expert reaction to study looking at cross reactivity of T cells from common colds and protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection
A study published in Nature Communications looks at cross-reactive memory T cells associated with protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Prof … read more
expert reaction to latest data from the ONS COVID-19 Infection Survey
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have released the latest data from their COVID-19 Infection Survey. Prof James Naismith, Director of … read more
expert reaction to forecasts of global prevalence of dementia by 2050
An analysis published in The Lancet Public Health provides an estimation of the global prevalence of dementia in 2019 and … read more
expert reaction to study looking at what the COVID-19 pandemic did to death rates in adults in the first wave in the UK
A study published in PLOS Medicine looks at factors associated with excess all-cause mortality in the first wave of the … read more
expert reaction to ‘Evidence Summary: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the use of face coverings in education settings’
A report on the use of face coverings in education settings has been published by the Department for Education. … read more
expert reaction to preprint looking at lateral flow tests used in the US, PCR tests, omicron and infectiousness
A preprint, an unpublished non-peer reviewed study, describes the discordance in saliva SARS-CoV-2 PCR and nasal lateral flow antigen test … read more
expert reaction to Novak Djokovic situation in Australia (re COVID-19 vaccination status and medical exemption)
A few journalists have asked us about this today, so here is a comment from Professor Jonathan Ives in case … read more
expert reaction to person with bird flu
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed a case of avian influenza in a person in the South West … read more
expert reaction to latest ONS data on prevalence of ongoing symptoms following COVID-19 infection in the UK: 6 January 2022
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have released the latest estimates of the prevalence people with self-reported ‘long COVID’ using data from … read more
expert reaction to new government schemes for land-use change and habitat restoration
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has revealed new plans to restore 300,000 hectares of habitat across … read more
expert reaction to headline results from the ONS COVID-19 Infection Survey
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have released the headline results from their COVID-19 Infection Survey. Prof Sheila Bird, formerly … read more
expert reaction to changes to the COVID testing rules meaning those who test positive on lateral flow tests will no longer need a confirmatory PCR test if they do not have symptoms
Several media reports suggested that changes to COVID-19 testing rules were to be announced by the government, which has now … read more