The UK must stick to the two-metre social distancing rule as reducing it to one-metre could increase the risk of infection tenfold, Government advisers have been warned. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing calls to halve the recommended contact distance in order to allow businesses such as pubs and restaurants to reopen. However, the Environmental … Read more
The official list of COVID symptoms has been branded ‘dodgy’ and ‘inadequate’ by a top scientific advisor. Dr Nick Summerton called for tiredness, breathlessness and loss of appetite to be included in key symptom list. Currently the NHS only notes a persistent cough and fever as the main signs, and says these are the only … Read more
Former chief scientific adviser sets up rival to Sage in wake of secrecy row to offer alternative advice that Britons can follow on YouTube Sir David King was chief scientific adviser under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown Concerns have been raised about a lack of transparency within Sage Sir David was scathing about Dominic Cumming’s … Read more
A top Google executive specialising in artificial intelligence joined the Government’s science experts at a top-level coronavirus meeting, it was revealed today. Demis Hassabis, the founder and chief executive of the tech giant’s DeepMind operation, sat in on a meeting of Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) last month. His attendance at the invitation of … Read more
Top Tories have joined calls to ban Dominic Cummings from coronavirus scientific briefings. The former Brexit secretary David Davis is among those pushing for Cummings and Ben Warner, an adviser who ran the Tories’ private election computer model, to be prevented from attending future meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage). Davis said that … Read more
Don’t rely on a vaccine to end coronavirus crisis because it is a ‘long shot’ and will ‘take time’, Chief Scientific Officer Sir Patrick Vallance warns Sir Patrick Vallance has said that ensuring the Covid-19 jab is safe may take time There is some concern that a vaccine could dangerously alter immune systems It comes … Read more
China clamps down on research into the origins of coronavirus as officials demand the right to vet scientific papers Two websites for Chinese universities allegedly put up and removed notices Notices said research papers would have to undergo special government checks Director of SOAS China Institute said China wants to ‘control the narrative’ Learn more … Read more
A furious row broke out among Government scientists tonight over whether they raised the alarm early enough over just how deadly coronavirus could be. A devastating Reuters investigation published today suggested that the scientific committees that advised Boris Johnson didn’t study, until mid-March, the option of a stringent lockdown. However, the chief scientific adviser Sir … Read more
The row over Britain’s coronavirus lockdown intensified last night after a Government scientific adviser said the country ‘cannot hide away forever’ from the disease. Rupert Shute, the deputy scientific adviser at the Home Office, predicted that 80 per cent of people would get the disease anyway. Speaking to passport officials in an attempt to urge … Read more
Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser, said statistics are starting to show the ‘beginning of change’ and that Britain’s coronavirus crisis did not appear to be accelerating The UK’s top scientist today offered the public a glimmer of hope that the strict coronavirus shutdown is having an effect after official statistics revealed the … Read more