It’s almost time for our #FrankinLecture featuring Sarah Gilbert – Professor of Vaccinology & Oxford Project Leader for the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine – & award-winning journalist @SamiraAhmedUK. We’ll start at 7pm & live-tweet. Stay tuned. #IWD2021
humanism.org.uk/2021/02/10/vac…
humanism.org.uk/2021/02/10/vac…
Our 2021 #FranklinLecture has started! A quick #Census2021 message from our Chief Executive, @andrewcopson, before we hear from our speakers. If you're not religious, say so! #TickNoReligion in the #Census2021! humanism.org.uk/census-2021/
Almost 2000 people are watching, amazing! 'No issue has quite gripped the whole world like coronavirus' says @andrewcopson, 'and few may turn out to be more central to our escape than tonight's speaker.'
Chair @SamiraAhmedUK introduces the #FranklinLecture. ‘Marking #IWD21, the #FranklinLecture explores and celebrates the contributions of women towards the promotion and advancement of aspects of humanism in the UK and around the world.’
‘The lecture and medal are named for Rosalind Franklin, humanist and scientist, whose contribution to science for many years went unacknowledged on account of her sex but who is today rightly celebrated.’ @SamiraAhmedUK #FranklinLecture
An intro to our wonderful speaker tonight: Sarah Gilbert is the Professor of Vaccinology in the Nuffield Department of Medicine @NDMOxford. She's the Oxford Project Leader for ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, a vaccine which has been used to vaccinate millions of British adults. #FranklinLecture
Professor Gilbert has begun her presentation 'Racing against the virus'. First, a background on where viruses come from. Emerging infection diseases are mainly zoonotic. 
Most of the outbreaks before have been in rural areas where people are in close proximity to animals, says Sarah. Previously this made them easier to contain. Many will remember the Ebola epidemic. Sarah covers her vast experience in vaccine development to stop its acceleration.
Fascinating to see the rapid timeline for the clinical trials for Ebola vaccines & the declining cases that it was responsible for. Outbreaks had been contained - but was also due to contact tracing systems. All of this proved to be essential info going forward. #FranklinLecture
In response to people who don't want vaccines because they don't want something 'foreign' in their bodies, Sarah says 'Our immune systems are highly evolved... if it wasn't foreign, it wouldn't work. Vaccines train our immune system to find foreign bodies and destroy them.'
To people who do not want to be vaccinated against Covid, Sarah says: 'Not taking a vaccine is like doing a marathon without doing the training.' We can train the body to fight viruses with vaccines. #FranklinLecture
Sarah Gilbert covers the history of various vaccines against emerging viruses from the past decade, and how the various approaches and data has informed research going forward. There's so much scientific evidence and knowledge to draw upon to rapidly combat Covid.
It's so encouraging to hear the science behind the coronavirus vaccines, and the efficiency with which it has been implemented. We're seeing 'vaccine effectiveness data' now millions of people are vaccinated. 'This is real world data,' says Prof. Gilbert #FranklinLecture
'We can't make all the doses in the Europe, the UK, and the U.S.' says Prof Gilbert. Here's the established supply capacity to enable access towards 3bn doses worldwide. #FranklinLecture
'In the first few months it was really difficult to get the project moving', says Sarah on the Covid vaccines. We were trying to convince people that we could do the work while doing the work... ' It's absolutely incredible now looking at Sarah's achievements.
Anything that increases contact between wildlife and human beings is going to increase viruses. If we have deforestation, for example, this will increase the likelihood of future viruses – says Sarah. #FranklinLecture
Reactions after vaccination vary greatly between people, says Sarah. It doesn't necessarily have any bearing on the effectiveness of your immune system. #FranklinLecture.
Q&A: Will we need annual jabs in the future?
It's unlikely we will need to vaccinate young adults, says Sarah. We could end up with a situation that older, more vulnerable people may require future vaccinations. #FranklinLecture
It's unlikely we will need to vaccinate young adults, says Sarah. We could end up with a situation that older, more vulnerable people may require future vaccinations. #FranklinLecture
Q&A: When we have an in dispute cause of the virus?
It's unlikely that this information will ever come to light, says Sarah. 'The most important thing right is to protect everyone around the world against the virus.'
It's unlikely that this information will ever come to light, says Sarah. 'The most important thing right is to protect everyone around the world against the virus.'
Q&A: After the adult population has been vaccinated twice, will be approaching herd immunity?
Sarah: 'If we really want herd immunity, we need to vaccinate children... We know if you protect children from Flu... it protects the wider community.' #FranklinLecture
Sarah: 'If we really want herd immunity, we need to vaccinate children... We know if you protect children from Flu... it protects the wider community.' #FranklinLecture
Thank you to @SamiraAhmedUK, all our attendees, & to our new #FranklinLecture medallist Professor Gilbert! In light of tonight’s talk, there’s never been a more fitting time to end on the following humanist sentiment: ‘Think for yourself, act for everyone.’
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