Jonathan Van-Tam
British influenza researcher (born 1964)
Sir Jonathan Stafford Nguyen-Van-Tam MBE FRCPath FRSB FMedSci (born 2 February 1964), also known by his nickname JVT is a British healthcare professional and academic specializing in epidemiology, transmission, vaccinology, and antiviral drugs. During the Covid-19 pandemic he was a Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England and one a the team briefing the public on the pandemic on behalf of the British Government. He became known through these briefings and particularly for his use of metaphors in the explanations.
Quotes
edit- Nothing reduces the risks to zero other than standing in a meadow completely on your own ad infinitum with nobody coming within three metres of you.
- Blackall, Molly (13 January 2022). 10 of Jonathan Van-Tam’s best quotes, metaphors and analogies as he quits as Deputy Chief Medical Officer. inews.co.uk.
- Quote from part of a Downing Street press conference.
- So this is like… getting to the end of the play-off final, it's gone to penalties, the first player goes up and scores a goal ... You haven't won the cup yet, but what it does is, it tells you that the goalkeeper can be beaten.
- Morton, Becky (3 December 2020). Jonathan Van-Tam's best analogies: Penalties, equalisers & yoghurts. bbc.co.uk.
- JVT giving a football analogy to news that results from some early vaccine trials in the Covid-19 pandemic and that there were now indications that the Covid-19 could be beaten.
