Horizon scanning
Use of digital technologies to tackle pandemics
Many innovations have improved the COVID-19 response and could be key for future-proofing against pandemics. What are the governance and privacy concerns?
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Horizon scanning
Physical threats to infrastructure
Climate change and decarbonisation efforts are impacting infrastructure. How might these changes intersect with protections against malicious attacks?
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Horizon scanning
Soil as an essential national asset
Climate change and poor management pose significant threats to soils and the services they provide; appropriate baselines and data need to be identified to assess changes in soil health.
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Horizon scanning
Political polarisation and participation
Political polarisation could affect political participation. How do inequality and socioeconomic factors intersect with extremism?
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Horizon scanning
The impact of early childhood education and care on children’s outcomes, and the sustainability of the sector
Early education and care can have positive and long-lasting impacts on children’s outcomes. What are the impact of changes in Government policy and COVID-19?
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POSTnote
Sustainable cooling
Cooling is a process used across many areas of society. It is important for buildings, industrial processes and the supply of food and medicines. It is also needed for sustainable development. Yet some cooling applications contribute to climate change and the demand for cooling is rising. This POSTnote looks at UK and global demand for cooling. It highlights ways of meeting this demand that are more sustainable than conventional practices. It also outlines technology and policy options to promote these.
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POSTnote
Living organ donation
This POSTnote describes the scale and nature of living donation in the UK, its regulatory framework and the ethical considerations around this highly regulated procedure. It also analyses challenges within living organ donation, and the strategies implemented to address them.
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Rapid response
COVID-19 vaccine misinformation
There have been large volumes of inaccurate information about COVID-19 circulating since the beginning of the pandemic, including misinformation about vaccinations against the infection. This article looks at the types and sources of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and its public health impact. It also looks at the different approaches being used to fight COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, such as social media content moderation and guidance for the public.
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Rapid response
Which SARS-CoV-2 variants reduce the effectiveness of vaccines?
New SARS-CoV-2 variants identified around the world could have an impact on current vaccination programmes. What is the latest evidence on the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines used in the UK on new variants? How quickly can these vaccines be updated and approved? What alternative strategies can be used?
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POSTnote
Childhood Obesity
In 2019, the UK Government called childhood obesity “one of the biggest health challenges this country faces”. Childhood obesity contributes to a range of physical and mental health conditions. This POSTnote outlines current trends in childhood obesity, the impacts on children’s health and access to support. It also covers key risk factors for childhood obesity and evidence on the effectiveness of policies to address it.
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POSTnote
Distance learning
Distance learning is a way of studying without the learner being physically present in a classroom. It can be fully remote or ‘blended’ with in-person learning and is now usually underpinned by the use of digital technologies and resources. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rapid switch to distance learning. This POSTnote provides an overview of current trends in distance learning, evidence on key challenges and opportunities and potential future developments.
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Rapid response
COVID-19 vaccines and virus transmission
COVID-19 vaccines have been deployed in the UK since December 2020. This article examines the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on transmission of the virus. It also considers the potential implications of vaccine-induced protection for easing lockdown restrictions and debate about potential introduction of immunity certification or a vaccine passport scheme.
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Rapid response
Latest evidence on impacts of COVID-19 in children: March 2021
How does COVID-19 affect children? Will children be vaccinated against the disease? This article summarises the latest findings from research and highlights where more research can explore some of the remaining uncertainties.
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Rapid response
Changing the UK COVID-19 vaccine dosing schedule
On December 31, 2020 the four UK Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) published a statement announcing changes to the dosing schedule for the second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech and University of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines. It stated that the interval between the first and second dose should be extended from 3–4 weeks to up to 12 weeks. This rapid response examines the evidence behind this decision.
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Rapid response
COVID-19 in pregnant women and newborn babies
The body of research investigating the effects of Coronavirus infection on pregnancy is growing. What is the available evidence? How does COVID-19 affect pregnant women and their babies? Is the virus transmitted between mothers and babies? Are some women and babies at greater risk than others?
Total results (page 23 of 73)