In the news: Coronavirus

Researcher in lab at St Mary's

Last updated: Friday 13 March

With the emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), researchers at the Department of Infectious Disease have been providing commentary and advice on the outbreak in both the UK and international media, as well as sharing updates about the work that they are doing to better understand and tackle the virus’ spread.

Here, we have summarised the Department’s coronavirus media activity from the past month and will continue to update this list on a regular basis.

If you would like to submit an addition to this roundup, please contact infectiousdisease.comms@imperial.ac.uk.

Helpful links

Date Featured researcher(s) Outlet Article / segment title or description
12 Mar 2020 Dr Nathalie MacDermott BBC News (Discussing how the virus transmits)
12 Mar 2020 Professor Richard Tedder The Times Coronavirus pandemic: Travellers waiting two weeks for check after returning with fevers
12 Mar 2020 Professor Robin Shattock The Telegraph How long will we have to wait for a coronavirus vaccine?
8 Mar 2020 Dr Mike Skinner The Telegraph Coronavirus: why a warm spring could stop the virus in its tracks
8 Mar 2020 Dr Mike Skinner The Times Coronavirus: how to protect yourself and your family
7 Mar 2020 Professor Robin Shattock The Times Coronavirus: reliance on foreign vaccines ‘is a risk to national security’
4 Mar 2020 Professor Robin Shattock Daily Mail Human trials of coronavirus vaccines could start next MONTH
4 Mar 2020 Professor Robin Shattock The Telegraph Human trials on coronavirus vaccine to begin in April
2 Mar 2020 Professor Paul Kellam Bloomberg Surveillance Coronavirus: The Long, Slow Process to Finding a Vaccine
2 Mar 2020 Professor Wendy Barlcay BBC Radio 4 – The World at One (Discussing the potential for widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the UK)
2 Mar 2020 Dr Mike Skinner Daily Mail Can VITAMIN C beat coronavirus?
29 Feb 2020 Dr Mike Skinner The Telegraph Coronavirus could become seasonal infection that returns each winter, experts warn
25 Feb 2020 Dr Mike Skinner Express Coronavirus vaccine may take ’18 months or longer’ says expert
20 Feb 2020 Dr Mike Skinner Daily Mail China announces just 394 new cases of the killer coronavirus
19 Feb 2020 Dr Paul McKay, Dr Kai Hu BBC World Service – World Business Report The search for a COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine
19 Feb 2020 Professor Robin Shattock CGTN Scientists race to create a vaccine for COVID-19
17 Feb 2020 Dr Mike Skinner Express Coronavirus: Expert discusses likelihood of outbreak in London
16 Feb 2020 Professor Robin Shattock Channel 4 Coronavirus: Is Britain Ready?
11 Feb 2020 Professor Robin Shattock CNBC UK scientist working on a coronavirus vaccine says fast-tracking still means at least one year
11 Feb 2020 Dr Paul McKay Agence France Presse (AFP) Inside the lab leading the race to get a coronavirus vaccine
11 Feb 2020 Dr John Tregoning BBC Radio London – Vanessa Feltz (Discussion of headlines/stories surrounding outbreak and the scientific evidence behind them)
9 Feb 2020 Professor Richard Tedder The Telegraph Wuhan evacuees arrive in UK for two-week isolation as two more Britons test positive for coronavirus
9 Feb 2020 Professor Richard Tedder The Telegraph Pressure on health chiefs over British coronavirus ‘super spreader’
6 Feb 2020 Professor Robin Shattock The Times British labs go head to head for coronavirus cure
6 Feb 2020 Professor Robin Shattock BBC World Service Coronavirus: How is research into the vaccine progressing?
5 Feb 2020 Professor Robin Shattock Sky News Coronavirus: ‘Significant breakthrough’ in race for vaccine made by UK scientists
3 Feb 2020 Professor Robin Shattock Daily Mail Britain’s £20 million cash injection for Coronavirus vaccine
2 Feb 2020 Professor Paul Kellam Mirror Coronavirus: Dettol ‘warns there is no evidence its spray can kill the deadly virus’
29 Jan 2020 Dr Stathis Giotis CNN Bats, the source of so many viruses, could be the origin of Wuhan coronavirus, say experts
29 Jan 2020 Professor Wendy Barlcay BBC World Service – Health Check Latest on the Chinese coronavirus
28 Jan 2020 Professor Robin Shattock inews China coronavirus: Vaccine being developed in the UK has a ‘very good chance’ of being effective
28 Jan 2020 Professor Paul Kellam Daily Mail Killer coronavirus could be spread through the eyes
27 Jan 2020 Professor Robin Shattock Sky News – Kay Burley (Discussion of vaccine development process)
27 Jan 2020 Dr John Tregoning Bloomberg Coronavirus Vaccines Won’t Be Online for 5 or 6 Months: Scientist
23 Jan 2020 Dr Nathalie MacDermott BBC Radio 4 – The Briefing Room How dangerous is the coronavirus?