Top UK researcher quits advisory role and more concerns about Covid-tracker apps
Focus: In the past three months, Covid-19 has fundamentally altered global politics. And the pandemic response is national, open and led by China, say Daniel Hook and Simon Porter.
Full article: How Covid-19 is changing research culture
Europe
Medicines agencies around the world have agreed they must better align their pre- and post-authorisation regulatory requirements so that decentralised trials of Covid-19 treatments can progress at top speed.
In France, a group of 155 researchers has published a petition voicing concern over the government’s plans to track the movements of citizens.
UK
Imperial College epidemiologist Neil Ferguson has quit his role as a government adviser on coronavirus after a woman reportedly visited his home twice during lockdown. The government’s chief scientist has said the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies may add a specialist economics subgroup to help it deal with the coronavirus crisis.
Universities could be asked to withdraw unconditional offers and be hit with fines where students have already accepted places under the Office for Students’ emergency condition of registration. The Scottish government has announced a £75 million funding package for Scotland’s universities to help protect their research during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Australia
The Trump administration is trying to “drive a wedge” between United States allies and China over the Covid-19 pandemic, and Australia must not get caught up in this divisive strategy, a political science academic has warned.
New Zealand
Companies will need to redesign workspaces to reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection among staff, and this may mean the end of the open plan office, an Auckland business academic has said. And a low-cost thermal imaging camera system developed to track New Zealand’s wildlife predators is being adapted by a group of mechanical engineers to scan crowds for symptoms of Covid-19.