In this recording of a live Zoom conversation, Prof Ed Feil, Dr Andy Preston and Prof Stuart Reynolds (all University of Bath) talk about the science behind the Covid-19 pandemic. They address the following questions:

1. Covid-19 has turned out to be more than just “a little flu”. Do we now understand the biomedical reasons for this?
2. To what extent have the social distancing and other measures meant to slow the spread of the virus been successful? What have we learned?
3. Testing and tracing have been the subject of much effort and expenditure in the UK yet also much criticised. Why?
4. By contrast, it looks as though the worldwide race to make a Covid-19 vaccine has been exceptionally successful. Novel biotechnology has played a part in this. What can we say we have learned, and are we now able to relax and say “job done”? If not, why not?
5. What are the lessons for the next pandemic?