Overview

On 11 March 2020, the WHO declared we were in a pandemic. Covid-19 was tearing through the world at an alarming rate and little was actually known about it, let alone how to treat it. The majority of us had paid little attention to the development of a new strain of coronavirus in China earlier on in the year; however, on 4 January 2020 Justin Stebbing, Professor of Cancer Medicine and Oncology at Imperial College London, wrote an email to Niall Ferguson mentioning stories he had heard of strange cases of pneumonia emanating from Wuhan, China. He then began writing daily notes. In Witness to Covid: 2020, Professor Justin Stebbing tracks the development of Covid-19 over the course of this unforgettable year, navigating his way through the infodemic of misinformation regarding the virus. From the early onset of this novel coronavirus when he tracked its spread and tried to learn more about it, the impact on individual countries and the search for treatment, through to the development of vaccines, their clinical trials and eventual rollout, and the emergence of newly developing variants. This book takes a unique look at a truly unique year.

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9781398112674

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Reviews

'A tour-de-force from the brilliant mind of Dr Justin Stebbing' -- David Sinclair, Harvard professor and author of Lifespan 'An extraordinary piece of research, tense, exciting, a vivid account of the most important and thrilling story of our time. It's an exemplar of humanity at its worst but, thank the lord, scientific collaboration at its best.' -- Sir Michael Parkinson CBE 'No one can have followed the Covid-19 pandemic more closely than Justin Stebbing, who absorbs scientific research the way the rest of us inhale air. His diary of the plague year is a gripping illustration of how scientific knowledge is really acquired.' -- Niall Ferguson, Milbank Family Senior Fellow, the Hoover Institution, Stanford 'A startling and thought-provoking journey into the greatest health emergency of our time.' -- Baroness Joanna Shields, CEO of BenevolentAI 'Justin's ability to go deep on the science AND to connect the dots at an incredible speed gives him a unique viewpoint. Our frequent discussions on SARS-CoV-2 were always insightful. His daily updates were part of my daily routine to keep learning about the virus and Covid-19 disease.' -- Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna

No one can have followed the COVID-19 pandemic more closely than Justin Stebbing, who absorbs scientific research the way the rest of us inhale air. His diary of the plague year is a gripping illustration of how scientific knowledge is really acquired -- in a relentless, daily process of study, questioning and recalibration. -- Niall Ferguson, Milbank Family Senior Fellow, the Hoover Institution, Stanford

Author Information

Justin Stebbing is a Professor of Cancer Medicine and Oncology at Imperial College, London, and Editor-in-Chief of Oncogene. He sits on a wide variety of scientific advisory boards, and has published over 600 papers. His treatment of cancer patients and his attempt to extend the quality and quantity of life has been called ‘life-changing’. At the start of the pandemic, with his medical work restricted, he turned to working on SARS-CoV-2. His first paper on the dual anti-cytokine and anti-viral properties of baricitinib was accepted by the Lancet within 3 minutes and published on the same day. Since mid-January 2020 he has written a daily Covid blog. Siddhartha Mukherjee is the author of the Pulitzer-winning The Emperor of All Maladies.

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