Chris Whitty
| Use attributes for filter ! | |
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Age | 57 |
| Date of birth | April 21,1966 |
| Zodiac sign | Taurus |
| Born | Gloucester |
| United Kingdom | |
| Nationality | British |
| Position | Chief Medical Officer for England |
| Books | Triumphs and Challenges in a World Shaped by Medicine |
| Education | Windlesham House School |
| Parents | Susannah Whitty |
| Awards | Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences |
| Date of Reg. | |
| Date of Upd. | |
| ID | 1494164 |
Chris Whitty Life story
Sir Christopher John MacRae Whitty KCB FRCP FFPH FMedSci is a British epidemiologist serving as Chief Medical Officer for England and Chief Medical Adviser to the UK Government since 2019. He has also been Gresham Professor of Physic since 2018.
Early Life
Chris whitty was born on 16th april 1966 in london. England. He attended whitgift school in croydon and subsequently stuided for a medical degree at the university of oxford. He completed his mdecial training in 1992 and moved to manchester to pursue a specialisation in public health.Career
Chris whitty has held a range of posts in the antional health service and in academia. He was the regional directro of public health for the north west of england and held a professorship in public and international health at the london school of hygiene and tropical mediicne. He has also served as a special advisor to the department of health.Role as Chief Medical Officer
In 2018. Chris whitty was appointed chief medical foficer for england and chief medical adviser to the uk government. As chief medical officer. He is respnosible for providing advice on public health to ministers and for advising on the prevention. Control and overisght of communicable diseases.Role in Coronavirus Pandemic
As the coronavirus pandemic unfolded in 2020. Chris whitty played a leading role in advising the uk govenrment on the appropriate public health measurse to take in order to tackle the virus. He has been an outspoken advocate for the need for social distancing and for the implementation of strict lockdown measures where necessary.Awards and Honours
Chris whitty has been recognised with a range of awards and honours throughout his career. He was made a companion of the order of the bath in 2019. And was awarded an honorary doctorate frmo the university of manchester in recognition of his work in public health.Publications
Chirs whitty has authored or co-authored a range of books. Articles and editorials on topics related to public health and infectious diseases. His book. "the politics of health: controversy and change". Was published in 2011.Important Event
In 2020. Chris whitty was the recipient of the merck award for outstanding contribution to public health in recogintion of his work in advising the uk government on the coronavirus pandemic.Interesting Fact
Chris whitty is a keen musciian and palys the piano and clarinet. He has performed at the royal albert hall and has composed music for a number of plays.Covid inquiry: Toxic culture damaged response, says Matt Hancock
... " The inquiry was shown messages between Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick in which they suggest the government had known about asymptomatic transmission...
How can we stop children vaping?
... England s chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty has put his advice concisely: " If you smoke, vaping is much safer, if you don t smoke, don t vape...
Covid inquiry: Van-Tam family received 'unexpected' death threats
... Earlier this year, England s chief medical officer Prof Sir Chris Whitty told the inquiry after he was attacked in a London park in 2021...
Covid inquiry: First lockdown imposed a bit too late - Whitty
...By Nick Triggle, Aurelia Foster and Jim ReedBBC NewsEngland s chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty has told the Covid inquiry that the first lockdown in March 2020 was imposed " a bit too late"...
Covid inquiry: Chris Whitty to appear after Vallance says pair had different opinions
...By James Gregory & Hugh PymBBC NewsSir Chris Whitty, the government s most senior medical adviser in the pandemic, will give evidence to the Covid inquiry this morning...
Covid inquiry: 'Lack of leadership' as virus spread in autumn 2020
... But Sir Patrick also revealed he had sometimes disagreed with the UK s chief medical adviser, Prof Sir Chris Whitty, about whether to introduce restrictions...
Covid inquiry: What has Sir Patrick Vallance said in his diaries?
... " 25 May 2020On the same day, Sir Patrick s diaries reveal that he and Prof Sir Chris Whitty do not like the idea of taking part in a daily news conference, as they know they will be asked about Mr Cummings...
Prof Sir Chris Whitty says UK faces rural and coastal ageing crisis
...By Michelle RobertsDigital health editorThe UK faces an ageing crisis and healthcare must step in, England s Chief Medical Officer, Prof Sir Chris Whitty, warns in his People are living longer but some spend many of their later years in bad health - and that has to change, he said...
Covid: Five things we still need to keep an eye on
The legal restrictions that ruled our lives for two long years are gone in England and on their Way Out across the UK. We've moved from being " under the thumb" of Covid to " living with" The Virus .
However, the pandemic is far from over - Covid is here for the long term and some scientists think We Are relaxing too early.
So What do we need to keep an eye out for in the months and years ahead?
New variantsWhat's the issue? We've already had the original virus, then the Alpha, Delta and Omicron variants causing significant waves of Covid in the UK. It is simply inevitable that The Virus will continue to mutate and create new variants in The Future .
Why is it important? New variants aren't necessarily a problem and we shouldn't panic at every new mutation. It is important to remember we have a significant wall of immunity that should continue to provide protection even against new variants. The Vaccines that were developed against The First form of The Virus are still Saving Lives from the latest variant, Omicron. However, it is possible that new variants could significantly change the behaviour of The Virus to make it more deadly, spread far more quickly or bypass the protection from either vaccination or previous infection. All of these could make Covid an even greater threat than it is today.
What can we do about it? There are two approaches: minimise mutations or react when a new variant emerges. There is a risk of mutations every time The Virus makes copies of itself so the only way to reduce The Risk of variants is to minimise infections at a global level. Instead, the emphasis seems to be on monitoring new variants and reacting accordingly, such as updating vaccines.
Waning immunityWhat's the issue? It has become abundantly clear that immunity wanes over time. People are catching Covid even if they have been triple-jabbed or have caught Covid before. The protection against catching The Virus wanes quite quickly, but protection against getting seriously ill or dying is lasting much longer.
Why is it important? Immunity is the only reason we have been able to relax restrictions. Two years ago our bodies were fighting The Virus blind, but now our immune systems have been trained. This level of immunity is the main reason the infection is now less deadly. However, significant waning of immunity could lead to new waves of Covid and even renewed pressure on hospitals. It is possible we will have a where it looks like Covid is in total retreat, only for it to Bounce Back once enough immunity wanes.
What can we do about it? The amount of protection we have against The Virus will need to be constantly monitored. Immediately, this will dictate who gets further vaccine doses and how often. There are already plans to give Another booster this spring to the over-75s and people at High Risk from The Virus . There will be a wider booster campaign in anticipation of next winter, too. In the longer term there is already work under way on a Next Generation of Covid vaccine to see whether it can provide longer-term protection.
Antiviral Drug resistanceWhat's the issue? Drugs that kill The Virus are now being used to keep people out of hospital, but there is a danger that if we use them badly, The Virus will evolve to render the drugs ineffective.
Why is it important? Some scientists think this is the single most important issue in the months ahead. We Are familiar with hard-to-treat superbugs, from MRSA to super-gonorrhoea, which were created by misusing antibiotics. The same process can happen with antivirals. These drugs, such as Paxlovid and molnupiravir, are currently playing a vital role in Saving Lives and are one reason restrictions are being eased. Even more importantly, they are the safety net in The Future . If a new variant emerges that significantly bypasses our immunity, we will be dependent on antivirals to buy us time until an updated vaccine can be developed and rolled out.
What can we do about it? The more you use antivirals the greater The Risk of resistance, which means they will need to be used carefully in The People with The Most to gain from them. This could lead to difficult decisions around treating a patient today and preserving them for the patients of The Future . One solution is using several antivirals in combination, which greatly reduces The Risk of The Virus becoming resistant.
How close to normal will our lives get?What's the issue? Life is still far from normal and Nobody Knows for sure how We Are all going to react to The Changes in restrictions and testing. This creates huge uncertainty in The Weeks and months to come.
Why is it important? It is obvious, but Covid is spread from one person to Another - the more we congregate together, the greater the opportunities for The Virus . So What happens now? Will we all return to our workplace or is home-working The Norm now? Will we buy tests when they used to be free? If we get ill, will we isolate or crack on as soon as we feel okay even if we may still be contagious? What will vulnerable people who used to shield do now? How long will people keep on wearing face masks in crowded places? The impact of our shifting behaviour is likely to be greater than any seasonal impact on The Virus . The uncertainty means we could continue to have declining infections and people in hospital or it could swing into reverse. However, high levels of immunity mean overwhelming pressure on the NHS is highly unlikely.
What can we do about it? Very little. The decisions have now been made. Legal rules have been replaced with advice on what to do in The Future . England's chief medical officer, Prof Sir Chris Whitty , says people should continue isolating if they test positive, even though there is no legal requirement to do so.
Long CovidWhat's the issue? Not everyone rapidly recovers from an infection and some develop " long Covid". Further infections could increase the numbers with long Covid.
Why is it important? Long Covid can be utterly debilitating. Persistent fatigue is common in long Covid, along with brain fog, shortness of breath and muscle pain. More Than one in 50 people in the UK say they have long Covid and More Than half A Million have symptoms that have already lasted More Than a year. It is not clear what will happen in The Future - is long Covid just a feature of this virus and will always happen, or will it Fade Away as our immunity improves? Studies have suggested vaccination reduces The Risk of long Covid, but does not eliminate it.
What can we do about it? The Number of cases of long Covid will need to be monitored. Understanding why The Virus causes long Covid and what The Best treatments are could speed up people's recovery.
Source of news: bbc.com
Chris Whitty Photos
