Modern Science

As lockdown restrictions are starting to lift, people and businesses are eagerly looking to begin a ‘new normal’ but with the threat of a second wave shadowing our every move, will life truly be as it was before? Photograph: Peter Byrne   One thing for certain is that we’ll be more ready. For nearly a decade, the government has viewed a pandemic as the highest risk to our society. Yet when the time came, PPE stockpiles were woefully unprepared and NHS staff weren’t issued the correct equipment recommended by the World Health Organisation. Many frontline staff resorted to community donated PPE or even plastic bags in an attempt to protect themselves. Despite the warning, our government delayed lockdown measures and this inaction has cost the lives of thousands. What’s more, only 32% approve of government performance – alluding to an increasing distrust of current officials that will no doubt spill into an era of further political unrest post Covid. The government will look to repl...

For the past couple of months, Covid-19 has brought the world to a standstill. Flights have been cancelled, visits have been postponed and people have kept themselves shut indoors. But with lockdown beginning to lift here in the UK, now is the time to reflect on the ethical strains that have been weighing on recent scientific and medical practices. Difficult Decisions. Imagine you are a doctor caring for two patients. They are both severely infected with Covid-19, developing pneumonia and need the assistance of a ventilator but, tragically, there is only enough medical equipment to save one. One patient is a middle-aged man who is otherwise healthy and has no family dependant on him. The other is a woman whose immune system is weakened by underlying health conditions and has two small children in her care. Who do you choose?  It’s a difficult decision yet, according to the World Health Organisation, around 1 in 5 of those who are infected with Covid-19 require hospital care. ...