Explainers
JUNIPER is very pleased to collaborate with the fantastic team at Plus Magazine. Articles and podcasts produced by Rachel Thomas and Marianne Freiberger at Plus provide an explainer on the key mathematical modelling work done by JUNIPER members to a general audience. On this page you will find explainers to key epidemic modelling concepts as well as areas of current research. Full details of all content produced with Plus is available here.
Joining forces to fight COVID-19
Plus is proud to join forces with leading epidemiologists from the JUNIPER consortium.
Careful with your Christmas b(a)ubbles
Modelling shows that your choice of how many households you bubble with this Christmas can make a real difference to the spread COVID-19.
The COVID-19 vaccines: Your questions answered
Are they safe? Are they effective? Will they stop the pandemic? Find out with our FAQ informed by experts.
How long until it's all over?
We can't say for sure, but everything depends on how many people agree to be vaccinated.
Who should be vaccinated first?
Modelling shows that old and vulnerable people should be prioritised.
How were the vaccines tested?
Like any medical drug, vaccines are tested in large-scale randomised controlled trials.
How effective are the vaccines — and how do we know this?
The efficacy of vaccines is estimated from trials, using statistical techniques.
Since herd immunity will protect us all, why do I need to get vaccinated?
Because the vaccine may not stop transmission of the virus.
Are the vaccines safe?
Yes the approved vaccines are safe. If you balance the risks, then taking the vaccine is much safer than taking your chances with COVID-19.
What's the price for relaxing the rules?
We are all longing to go into a lower tier, but this can come at a high price later on.