Select Committee · Science and Technology Committee
The science of COVID-19
Status: Closed
Opened: 7 May 2020
Closed: 2 Mar 2021
Inquiry scope
This inquiry will investigate the scientific and technological aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the nature of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, its transmission and spread, the development of vaccines and treatments, and how digital technologies can be used for tracking and modelling. The inquiry aims to help Government and society learn from the pandemic and better prepare for future epidemics.Oral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Sep 2020 | Caroline Abrahams · Age UK, Dr Michael Bloomfield · University College London, Dr Nichola Rooney · British Psychological Society, Dr Tamsin Ford CBE · University of Cambridge, Professor Matthew Hotopf CBE · King's College London, Professor Sonia Johnson · University College London | View ↗ |
| 15 Sep 2020 | Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan · Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, Professor Chris Brightling · University of Leicester, Professor Donal O'Donoghue · Royal College of Physicians, Professor Kamlesh Khunti · University of Leicester, Professor Sebastian Brandner · Royal College of Pathologists, Professor Tom Solomon · University of Liverpool | View ↗ |
| 21 Jul 2020 | Professor Baron Peter Piot KCMG · London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Professor Dame Anne Johnson · University College London, Professor Sir Venki Ramakrishnan · Royal Society, Sir Paul Nurse · The Francis Crick Institute | View ↗ |
| 17 Jul 2020 | Professor Chris Whitty · Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Professor Nick Phin · Public Health England, Sir Patrick Vallance · Government Office for Science | View ↗ |
| 6 Jul 2020 | Dr Michael Veale · UCL, Hugh Whittall · Nuffield Council on Bioethics, Iain Bell · Office for National Statistics, Simon Thompson · Department of Health and Social Care, The Baroness Harding of Winscombe · NHS Improvement | View ↗ |
| 29 Jun 2020 | Dr Sheuli Porkess · Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, Dr Sir Michael Jacobs · Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, Professor Allyson Pollock · Newcastle University, Professor Christophe Fraser · University of Oxford, Professor Noel McCarthy · University of Warwick, Professor Peter Horby · University of Oxford | View ↗ |
| 23 Jun 2020 | Dr Ian Gray · Sanofi Pasteur, Professor Arne Akbar · UCL, Professor Peter Openshaw · Imperial College London, Professor Robin Shattock · Imperial College London, Professor Sarah Gilbert · University of Oxford, Professor Ultan Power · Queen's University Belfast | View ↗ |
| 15 Jun 2020 | Dr Elizabeth Whittaker · St Mary's Hospital NHS Trust, Dr Manu Shankar-Hari · King's College London, Professor Adrian Hayday · King's College London, Professor Beverley Hunt OBE · Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Professor Massimo Palmarini · MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Professor Mauro Giacca · King's College London, Professor Sir John Bell · Oxford University | View ↗ |
| 9 Jun 2020 | Professor Andrew Hayward · UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, Professor David Halpern · Behavioural Insights Team, Professor Jon Deeks · University of Birmingham, Professor Lucy Yardley · University of Southampton, Professor Sheila Bird · College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Professor Sir John Burn · Newcastle University, Professor Susan Michie · University College London | View ↗ |
| 2 Jun 2020 | Dr Adam Kucharski · London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Dr Ellen Brooks Pollock · University of Bristol, Dr Paul Birrell · University of Cambridge, Professor Mark Woolhouse OBE · University of Edinburgh, Professor Matt Keeling · University of Warwick, Professor Neil Ferguson OBE · Imperial College London | View ↗ |
| 19 May 2020 | Dr Rosalind Eggo · London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Dr Samantha Lycett · University of Edinburgh, Professor Danny Altmann · Imperial College London, Professor David Robertson · University of Glasgow, Professor John Edmunds OBE · London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Professor Jonathan Ball · University of Nottingham | View ↗ |
Who gave evidence
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| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Caroline Abrahams · Charity Director | Age UK | 1 |
| Dr Adam Kucharski · Associate Professor, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine | 1 |
| Dr Elizabeth Whittaker · Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases | St Mary's Hospital NHS Trust | 1 |
| Dr Ellen Brooks Pollock · Lecturer in Infectious Disease Mathematical Modelling | University of Bristol | 1 |
| Dr Ian Gray · Head of Medical (UK & Ireland) | Sanofi Pasteur | 1 |
| Dr Manu Shankar-Hari · NIHR Clinician Scientist, Reader and Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine | King's College London | 1 |
| Dr Michael Bloomfield · Head of Translational Psychiatry Research Group | University College London | 1 |
| Dr Michael Veale · Lecturer in Digital Rights and Regulation | UCL | 1 |
| Dr Nichola Rooney · Northern Ireland Chair of Division of Clinical Psychology | British Psychological Society | 1 |
| Dr Paul Birrell · Postdoctoral Researcher, Medical Research Council (MRC) Biostatistics Unit | University of Cambridge | 1 |
| Dr Rosalind Eggo · Assistant Professor | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine | 1 |
| Dr Samantha Lycett · Group Leader in the Infection and Immunity Division of the Roslin Institute | University of Edinburgh | 1 |
| Dr Sheuli Porkess · Executive Director, Research, Medical and Innovation | Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry | 1 |
| Dr Sir Michael Jacobs · Clinical Director of Infection | Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust | 1 |
| Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan · Consultant Cardiologist | Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust | 1 |
| Dr Tamsin Ford CBE · Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry | University of Cambridge | 1 |
| Hugh Whittall · Director | Nuffield Council on Bioethics | 1 |
| Iain Bell · Deputy National Statistician and Director of Population and Public Policy | Office for National Statistics | 1 |
| Professor Adrian Hayday · Chair, Department of Immunobiology | King's College London | 1 |
| Professor Allyson Pollock · Clinical Professor of Public Health | Newcastle University | 1 |
| Professor Andrew Hayward · Director | UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care | 1 |
| Professor Arne Akbar · Professor of Immunology, UCL Division of Infection and Immunity | UCL | 1 |
| Professor Baron Peter Piot KCMG · Director | London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine | 1 |
| Professor Beverley Hunt OBE · Consultant in Thrombosis and Haemostasis | Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust | 1 |
| Professor Chris Brightling · NIHR Senior Investigator and Clinical Professor in Respiratory Medicine | University of Leicester | 1 |
| Professor Chris Whitty · Chief Medical Officer | Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) | 1 |
| Professor Christophe Fraser · Professor of Pathogen Dynamics | University of Oxford | 1 |
| Professor Dame Anne Johnson · Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology | University College London | 1 |
| Professor Danny Altmann · Professor of Immunology | Imperial College London | 1 |
| Professor David Halpern · Chief Executive | Behavioural Insights Team | 1 |
| Professor David Robertson · Head of Viral Genomics and Bioinformations | University of Glasgow | 1 |
| Professor Donal O'Donoghue · Registrar | Royal College of Physicians | 1 |
| Professor John Edmunds OBE · Professor | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine | 1 |
| Professor Jon Deeks · Professor of Clinical Genetics | University of Birmingham | 1 |
| Professor Jonathan Ball · Professor of Molecular Virology | University of Nottingham | 1 |
| Professor Kamlesh Khunti · Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine | University of Leicester | 1 |
| Professor Lucy Yardley · Professor of Health Psychology | University of Southampton | 1 |
| Professor Mark Woolhouse OBE · Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology | University of Edinburgh | 1 |
| Professor Massimo Palmarini · Chair of Virology and Director | MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow | 1 |
| Professor Matt Keeling · Professor of Mathematics and Life Sciences | University of Warwick | 1 |
| Professor Matthew Hotopf CBE · Vice Dean of Research at the Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience | King's College London | 1 |
| Professor Mauro Giacca · Professor of Cardiovascular Sciences | King's College London | 1 |
| Professor Neil Ferguson OBE · Professor of Mathematical Biology | Imperial College London | 1 |
| Professor Nick Phin · Deputy Director of National Infections Service | Public Health England | 1 |
| Professor Noel McCarthy · Professor of Epidemiology | University of Warwick | 1 |
| Professor Peter Horby · Professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Global Health | University of Oxford | 1 |
| Professor Peter Openshaw | Imperial College London | 1 |
| Professor Robin Shattock · Chair in Mucosal Infection and Immunity | Imperial College London | 1 |
| Professor Sarah Gilbert · Professor of Vaccinology | University of Oxford | 1 |
| Professor Sebastian Brandner · Fellow | Royal College of Pathologists | 1 |
| Professor Sheila Bird · Honorary Professor | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh | 1 |
| Professor Sir John Bell · Regius Professor of Medicine | Oxford University | 1 |
| Professor Sir John Burn · Professor of Clinical Genetics | Newcastle University | 1 |
| Professor Sir Venki Ramakrishnan · President | Royal Society | 1 |
| Professor Sonia Johnson · Professor of Social and Community Psychiatry | University College London | 1 |
| Professor Susan Michie · Professor of Health Psychology | University College London | 1 |
| Professor Tom Solomon · Chair of Neurology and Director of the National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections | University of Liverpool | 1 |
| Professor Ultan Power · Professor of Molecular Virology | Queen's University Belfast | 1 |
| Simon Thompson · Managing Director of the NHS COVID-19 App, NHS Test and Trace | Department of Health and Social Care | 1 |
| Sir Patrick Vallance · Government Chief Scientific Adviser | Government Office for Science | 1 |
| Sir Paul Nurse · Director | The Francis Crick Institute | 1 |
| The Baroness Harding of Winscombe · Chair | NHS Improvement | 1 |
Correspondence
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| Published | Direction | Letter |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Nov 2020 | To committee | 9 October 2020 - Letter from the Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, Prime Minister to Lord Patel, ref COVID-19 pandemic: preparing for winter |
| 24 Jul 2020 | To committee | 23 July 2020 - Letter from Lord Patel to Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, Prime Minister, ref COVID-19 pandemic: preparing for winter |
Meetings & visits
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| Date | Type | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Mar 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 8 Sep 2020 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 12 May 2020 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting |