Could the common cold give children immunity against COVID? Our research offers clues
Why children are less likely to become severely ill with COVID compared with adults is not clear. Some have suggested…
COVID origins debate: what to make of new findings linking the virus to raccoon dogs
The origin of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, has long been a topic of heated debate. While many believe…
COVID, bird flu, mpox – a virologist on why we’re seeing so many viruses emerge
From the widespread outbreak of mpox (formerly called monkeypox) in 2022, to the evolving bird flu situation, to recent cases…
How much immunity do we get from a COVID infection? Large study offers new clues
After a COVID infection, whether it’s a first, second, or even a third, many of us wonder how long we…
COVID vaccines: why the UK needs to rethink its decision to stop boosters for young and healthy people
The UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recently recommended that the current autumn booster campaign, offering additional COVID…
Genetics might explain why some people have never had COVID – but we shouldn’t be too focused on finding out
It’s been over three years since the first known COVID infection. Since then, we’ve seen hundreds of millions of cases…
Human challenge studies: what we’ve learned from intentionally infecting people with COVID
When COVID began to spread rapidly in 2020, sending the UK and other countries into lockdowns, many people asked what…
We tested the wastewater from planes to detect COVID among travellers – here’s what we found
Small traces of many pathogens, such as viruses we may be infected with, are excreted when we go to the…
Does COVID really damage your immune system and make you more vulnerable to infections? The evidence is lacking
The northern hemisphere has seen a surge in winter viruses. Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock Over the past month or two, many northern…
The ‘kraken’ COVID variant XBB.1.5 is rising quickly in the US – here’s what it could mean for the UK
The heavily mutated omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, was first detected in late 2021. Due to…
Bivalent COVID vaccines have now been in use for a few months – here’s how they’re stacking up against omicron
Bivalent vaccines target omicron alongside the original strain of COVID. Lithiumphoto/Shutterstock Vaccines have played a major role in mitigating the…
Where is the next COVID variant, pi? A virologist explains why omicron is continuing to dominate
The omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has now been around for more than a year. Before…