At a glance
This second COVID-19 report from the Academy's Expert Advisory Group set out priorities for safeguarding the health and wellbeing of the UK population for winter 2021/22 and beyond.
Published: July 2021
Summary
Despite a highly successful vaccination campaign in the UK, COVID-19 infection rates continued to rise rapidly. This report called for a need for sustained efforts to limit the transmission and impacts of the virus, particularly for the most vulnerable, for the longer term. The report set out immediate priorities for summer 2021 to prepare for another winter under COVID-19 and beyond. These priorities were to maximise the speed and uptake of COVID-19 vaccination; increase the ability of people with COVID-19 to self-isolate; boost capacity in the NHS; and provide clear guidance on environmental and behavioural precautions.
The report identified key principles that would need to be applied when working towards these and future priorities to ensure the most successful and equitable outcomes. These principles were to reduce inequalities; engage and communicate effectively; and empower and resource local public health capacity.
The report outlined three key challenges that would be faced by the UK during winter 2021/22 and beyond: a resurgence of respiratory infectious diseases; wider health and wellbeing impacts of the pandemic; and continued disruption to health and social care service delivery. Additionally, ongoing uncertainties remained related to post-vaccination immunity, treatments and prophylaxis, new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants, and long COVID.
To address these challenges, the report called for a series of prevention and mitigation measures: vaccination to reduce severity and incidence of disease; behavioural and environmental interventions; measures to manage the wider health and wellbeing impacts of the pandemic; and support of health and social care settings to ensure that COVID-19 and routine care could take place in parallel.
The report emphasised the need to focus on promoting the resilience of communities, populations and the health and social care system. It highlighted that adaptable, evidence-based approaches co-developed with relevant communities would be vital for these measures to be effective,
What's happened since
This report proved highly influential. Keir Starmer, then Leader of the Opposition, waved it in the House of Commons during Prime Minister's Questions as he challenged then Prime Minister Boris Johnson whether he had read it and was making due preparations for winter 2021/2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the health and social care landscape. It formed a major focus of the Academy's work from 2020 to 2022. We became the 'go-to' source of information on COVID-related matters for Government, industry and the media.
Explore related work
- Read our first COVID-19 report: Preparing for a challenging winter 2020/2021.
- Read our report on the health and economic impact of disease prevention.
- Learn about our focus on prevention and earlier detection of diseases as part of our work on transforming health outcomes.
Work with us
We believe we achieve more when we collaborate with different sectors and communities. We invite stakeholders to work with us in our prevention programme. Your insights, expertise, and collaboration are vital in shaping our work to develop effective prevention and early detection strategies and to achieving meaningful improvements in population health. Please reach out to [email protected] to share your perspectives.
About the report
Following the 2020 report Preparing for a challenging winter 2020/2021, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser once again asked the Academy to establish an Expert Advisory Group chaired by Professor Stephen Holgate CBE FMedSci. The Group's remit was to explore the health and social care challenges presented by winter 2021/22; develop scenarios for winter 2021/22 and model health outcomes to inform planning; identify priority areas for action and likely most effective interventions; determine uncertainties to be further investigated ahead of winter; and explore the transition towards achieving lower circulation levels of SARS-CoV-2.
The report was informed by patients and carers; members of the public, including young adults, vulnerable people, their carers and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds; and the Royal Medical Colleges.
Fellows in the Expert Advisory Group
Professor Stephen Holgate CBE FMedSci (Chair)
Professor Chris Butler FMedSci
Professor Stuart Elborn CBE FMedSci
Professor Tamsin Ford CBE FMedSci
Professor Azra Ghani MBE FMedSci
Professor David Heymann FMedSci
Professor Dame Anne Johnson DBE PMedSci
Professor Kamlesh Khunti FMedSci
Professor Dame Theresa Marteau DBE FMedSci
Professor Peter Openshaw FMedSci
Professor Sharon Peacock CBE FMedSci
Professor Sir Simon Wessely FMedSci