Hugh Pennington is Emeritus Professor of Bacteriology at the University of Aberdeen. He has worked for the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments as an expert on microbiology and food safety, and was a founder member of the World Food Programme Technical Advisory Group.

‘A great read, making science accessible to all and demonstrating how advances build on previous science investments in leaps and bounds.’Dame Sally Davies, Master, Trinity College Cambridge‘A scholarly and intellectually stimulating contribution which covers COVID-19 and sets this in the context of infectious diseases past and present. Pennington’s explanation of the molecular biological aspects of infectious diseases, which are of critical importance in diagnosis and vaccination, is a joy to read, even for those with limited experience.’Professor Jangu Banatvala, Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, King’s College London'informative'Nature

• AcknowledgementsForeword1 The Postgenomic Age; its antecedents2 Coronaviruses, the beginning3 COVID-19, the disease4 Origins. December 2019- January 20205 Fangcangs and Nightingales. February-April 20206 Test test test!    March 20207 The Epidemiologic Transition8 Outbreaks - learning in real time9 Whole Genome Sequencing10 Variants11 Vaccines12 Pandemics13 The FutureNotes

Hugh Pennington is Emeritus Professor of Bacteriology at the University of Aberdeen. He has worked for the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments as an expert on microbiology and food safety, and was a founder member of the World Food Programme Technical Advisory Group.

‘A great read, making science accessible to all and demonstrating how advances build on previous science investments in leaps and bounds.’Dame Sally Davies, Master, Trinity College Cambridge‘A scholarly and intellectually stimulating contribution which covers COVID-19 and sets this in the context of infectious diseases past and present. Pennington’s explanation of the molecular biological aspects of infectious diseases, which are of critical importance in diagnosis and vaccination, is a joy to read, even for those with limited experience.’Professor Jangu Banatvala, Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, King’s College London'informative'Nature

• AcknowledgementsForeword1 The Postgenomic Age; its antecedents2 Coronaviruses, the beginning3 COVID-19, the disease4 Origins. December 2019- January 20205 Fangcangs and Nightingales. February-April 20206 Test test test!    March 20207 The Epidemiologic Transition8 Outbreaks - learning in real time9 Whole Genome Sequencing10 Variants11 Vaccines12 Pandemics13 The FutureNotes

Hugh Pennington is Emeritus Professor of Bacteriology at the University of Aberdeen. He has worked for the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments as an expert on microbiology and food safety, and was a founder member of the World Food Programme Technical Advisory Group.

‘A great read, making science accessible to all and demonstrating how advances build on previous science investments in leaps and bounds.’Dame Sally Davies, Master, Trinity College Cambridge‘A scholarly and intellectually stimulating contribution which covers COVID-19 and sets this in the context of infectious diseases past and present. Pennington’s explanation of the molecular biological aspects of infectious diseases, which are of critical importance in diagnosis and vaccination, is a joy to read, even for those with limited experience.’Professor Jangu Banatvala, Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, King’s College London'informative'Nature

• AcknowledgementsForeword1 The Postgenomic Age; its antecedents2 Coronaviruses, the beginning3 COVID-19, the disease4 Origins. December 2019- January 20205 Fangcangs and Nightingales. February-April 20206 Test test test!    March 20207 The Epidemiologic Transition8 Outbreaks - learning in real time9 Whole Genome Sequencing10 Variants11 Vaccines12 Pandemics13 The FutureNotes