COVID-19: YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST

As an Oxbridge graduate scientist, professionally qualified and a musician, I took an active interest in how we could get musical activities re-opened after we went into lockdown back in March.

It soon became apparent that playing music or attending concerts, gigs and festivals were some of the most difficult activities to re-open.  Re-open those and the whole economy would be re-opened.

Over the months there are a number of occasions where anybody following this blog (see "Subscribe by eMail" to the right) would likely find out about something important before seeing it anywhere else.  "You Heard It Here First".  Here are just a few examples, which also display the range of topics I have written about.

1 August 2020:  LONGCOVID & COMPARING COVID-19 TO FLU

I had mentioned LongCOVID before August.  This was a blogpost focusing on it and why it is such an important reason COVID-19 is so much worse than Influenza.

 

7 August 2020:  COVID-19: TESTING, TESTING, 1-2-3

All the latest developments in "Got it" and "How it" testing.  Included the NudgeBox for faster results in hospitals and the LamPORE tests now being trialled in Salford, as announced by PM Johnson as the first phase of "Operation Moonshot".

7 August 2020:  COVID-19: TEST TRACE AND ISOLATE (A CRITIQUE)

"At the national level, NHS Test and Trace is clearly a waste of money, with little chance of getting better the way it is currently organised." So it has proved.

 

11 August 2020:  COVID-19: CROSS-IMMUNITY - A GAME-CHANGER?

New research suggesting that previous infection by a different type of corona virus can provide immunity.  Not from antibodies, but by T cells.  Potentially the basis for a different type of vaccine.

 

18 August 2020:  COVID-19: THE SIDE-EFFECTS OF LOCKDOWNS

Now a second lockdown is back on the cards, people are highlighting the downside 'side-effects' of lockdowns.  I started talking about these months ago, and summarised them in this blogpost.

23 August 2020: COVID-19: WHY ARE WE BEING SO RUDDY CAUTIOUS?

My explanation to anyone talking about letting us make our own decisions about what restrictions to follow, now resurfacing.

 

14 September 2020:  COVID-19: SO WHY IS IT WORTH GETTING A 'FLU JAB?

My jab is booked for this coming Tuesday.

16 September 2020:  COVID-19: ESSENCE AND BENEFITS OF A #NEARZERO STRATEGY

Finding a suitable strategy for the UK given its geographical position and interaction with other countries, whilst allowing musical activities and the economy to re-open.

1 October 2020:  COVID-19: ARE YOU SELF-EMPLOYED? IS THIS THE DEATH OF SEISS? 

A look at the replacement for the Furlough scheme for employees, and the knock-on changes to support for the self-employed.  The new JSS+ support announced by Rishi Sunak on 9 October is little better.

8 October 2020:  COVID-19: MASS SIMULTANEOUS SELF-ISOLATION plus

10 October 2020: COVID-19: CREATING A "FIRE BREAK" BY USING A MASS-SIM SELF-ISOLATION

A different way of approaching the winter and getting the economy open.

9 October 2020:  COVID-19: ANOTHER APPEARANCE ON THE BBC

I've also talked recently on BBC Radio about several other topics, including an assessment of the new NHS COVID-19 app (not fit for purpose), and the new COVID Secure wardens.