Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Ask Me Anything

Ask a disease control expert anything about the UK’s rise of Covid cases

Dr Bharat Pankhania will be on hand to answer your questions about the current spike in Covid infections being seen across the UK

Friday 22 October 2021 10:07 BST
Comments
(REUTERS)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Covid infections are on the rise and causing concern among scientists and clinicians alike who want to see restrictions being reintroduced to curb the spread of the virus.

As the numbers verge on 50,000 new daily infections suggestions of a fourth lockdown being implemented have been circulating.

However, the government so far are firmly sticking to their ‘Plan A’ approach which heavily relies on the effectiveness of the vaccine booster programme.

But Labour has warned the government’s crucial Covid booster jab programme won’t be completed until March 2022 on current trends as cases of the virus climb.

The situation is leaving many questions open as to how we should be currently going about our day to day lives.

Should we be wearing masks in all public settings? Should we be working from home again? Should we be reducing contact with friends and family?

All these questions are difficult to answer and so to help put some clarity on the situation for us we have an expert in the field of disease management on hand.

Dr Bharat Pankhania, a senior clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter, who is a former Public Health England consultant on communicable disease control.

Dr Pankhania will be live on this page answering your questions about the current situation we are facing in the fight against Covid and what precautions we should be taking.

The ‘ask me anything’ event will take place on Friday, 22 October from 10am until 11am.

Register to submit your question in the comments box below. If you’re not already a member, click “sign up” in the comments section to leave your question.

Don’t worry if you can’t see your question – they will be hidden until Dr Pankhania joins the conversation to answer them.

Then join us live on this page from 10-11am, as he tackles as many questions as he can within an hour.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in