5 years after COVID, what did we learn? | Dr. Tim Spector

The COVID-19 pandemic is in the rear-view mirror, so what did we learn about mask wearing, vaccines and prevention? And how can you stay healthy to face a future pandemic?

Professor Tim Spector, one of the world’s top 100 most cited scientists, looks back on the pandemic and what we learnt about symptoms, transmission and vaccines in the early stages. We’ll reflect on ZOE’s role - collecting data from millions of people on their symptoms, identifying COVID hotspots and shaping public understanding of the virus.

Then we discuss the possibility of the next pandemic, and how we can individually protect ourselves against it. By the end of this episode, listeners feel more equipped to stay safe in the face of another global pandemic.

Timecodes
00:00 What did we learn from COVID?
01:44 Quickfire questions
04:22 ZOE's response to the pandemic
10:10 5 crucial days
14:06 How new symptoms were discovered
23:40 Did the virus come from a lab?
28:00 Were face masks worth it?
29:02 The data on lockdowns
36:01 The economic costs
37:50 Effectiveness of vaccines
40:04 Side effects of vaccines
46:10 Is there a cure for Long COVID?
48:39 The role of food choices
51:24 How to fight off infections
52:30 The risks of junk food

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Mentioned in today's episode

[AndrewNicholls]

Dont like the editing in the trailer re Tim's vaccinations. Click baiting reduces confidence imo and thats too precious to throw away in such a debate.

[dinapawlow]

Terrible intro, implying that Tim balked at vaccination. Which is not true. You wanted to create controversy and scepticism to increase views.

[sherrijennings]

during COVID my 90 year old grandfather said he wasn't worried about getting it because "you've got to die of something". He valued seeing his grandchildren more than living another year or two but a lonely existence.

[JMSsssssss]

I caught nothing during the entire pandemic. I'm a nurse in a hospital and I'm usually sick with something contagious at least twice a year. I didn't get sick until the masks came off. They worked.

[davidgriffiths]

I would like to see a debate between Prof Angus Dalgleish, Prof David C Anderson, Dr David Grimes and Prof Tim Spector regarding Vit D, Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine as there is so much conflicting evidence.

[LiLi-psvb]

Another problem was that so many people have unknown underlying health conditions, so many presumed healthy people fared poorly. So many have undiagnosed diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease and we now know those people fared the worst with Covid.

[Thylakoids-are-Go]

I had Long Covid for 16 months. Ultimately overhauled diet to wholefood, mostly plants, then a 5 day water fast. I was desperately ill and the fast was difficult but within days I had my life back. Find your path to enhance your health so your body can heal itself, it's miraculous and I wish everyone the same success ❤❤❤

[stringsandthreads]

Hi! I listen to your podcasts every week while driving!
After this one I just wanted to comment about the schools. I agree that it was bad for the kids that the schools closed, but it wasn’t as simple as them infecting grandparents. The schools aren’t children alone, there are adult teachers of all ages and risk levels, school secretaries, school nurses, administration etc. I’ve worked as a teacher for almost 30 years and kids have no problem coughing or sneezing in your face (by accident of course) when you get close to help them with their work, they don’t always wash their hands, and they touch everything! I don’t know what the right answer is for a pandemic as far as schools, but there is more to consider than the kids alone.
Thanks!!!
Heather

[hansmueller]

Can we please speak about ME? Myalgic Encephalomyelitis was known since the 1930. There were several epidemic, after which ME cases spiked. ME patients knew in the spring of 2020 that there will be many more cases with ME because of sars-cov-2.
This was no surprise but even now you only talk about long covid. ME is the worst form of long covid. Long covid is not a disease but just an umbrella term.

[rosefarquhar]

You are so lucky if you think it’s over. For those of us with an impaired immune system, such as people with blood cancer, it has never gone away. I’m still having to ‘shield’ and avoid any crowded places, as it is potentially life-threatening to me.

[LaurieB]

I think Tim's views on the vaccines greatly undermine his credibility. Adverse reactions in the population were not properly recorded. I had an adverse reaction to my first jab and it took months to even get acknowledged by doctors as I was dismissed by doctors because 'the science' said adverse reactions were very rare. For the vast majority of healthy people I believe the risks of the experimental jabs were far greater than from the virus. I don't think this video or opinion will age well.

[candyboyer]

Doesn't seem to be discussing the mRNA factor vs standard vaccines, does he? I will not take another mRNA shot of any kind. I took the initial jab because we work in a funeral home and were constantly bombarded with infected people. We did not take any boosters at all. Caught COVID once in Dec 2021. Have never had a problem again with it. Upped our zinc & D3 instead and it seemed to work fine

[angelapluess]

Thank you again for the Zoe Covid App which was such a support throughout those awful months. We both got covid before the vaccination came along and my husband was hospitalised in ICU. I was completing the app for both of us each day and it was reassuring to know we were both part of something positive that was making a difference - not just to us, but to a better understanding of this horrible and almost certainly man-made virus. He survived but suffered from long covid for a number of years, but is now almost back to where he was before, and a lot of that is down to nutrition, rest and appropriate walking in the fresh air. Thank you Zoe Team.

[johnC]

Not once in this video did I hear the mention of Excess DEATHS due to mRNA gene therapy carried out in covid vacinations

[SuzanneU]

I'm in my fourth year of long covid. I aced a fitness evaluation in January, then got covid in March. My symptoms were very mild. Two weeks after my fever broke I was wrecked - couldn't get one flight of stairs without help, totally out of breath from the exertion of getting dressed, feeling like my arm was about to drop off while brushing my teeth...brain fog that prevented me from being able to understand printed words...I was forced to retire early because I could no longer work.

I'm very grateful that rigorous testing proved that I didn't have anything nasty like cancer.

I've had some recovery, I'd say to about 50% of my previous wellness. Yes, I've had the vaccine, four doses now, and will continue getting it along with my flu vaccine.

[nicksquire]

It would be very interesting to know the numbers of people with long COVID who have been vaccinated multiple times, versus people who have it that are unvaccinated, or had say the initial 3

[MarysiaDembinski]

Very grateful for your amazing work on reporting the changing covid symptoms. I got the Zoe app at the very beginning and was duly reporting daily for at least two years. In November 2020 I didn’t feel well at work. No cough or shortness of breath, but a very slightly raised temperature and achy bones. I reported that on Zoe. Next day I was advised to go for a test. It turned out to be positive!. Three days later, I lost my sense of taste and smell. All came back after two weeks and I recovered quickly. Had it not been for Zoe, I wouldn’t have gone for a test and would have gone back to work in my school. Thank you for offering me, and many others, a covid test immediately.

[debsalvesalve]

I have long Covid for 1 year now since my third Covid infection Oct/23 😢it is terrible! I hope more studies are devoted to long Covid.

[janet]

I lost my job as a nurse because I made a choice. 42 years rgn. But I was ridiculed for wanting a mask to wear. March 23rd 2020. I was reported to a top manager for not Turning up for my shift. Yet I was extremely anxious even panicking because I was feeling so protective towards my immediate family...

I had been watching the news and was extremely concerned as my 90 year old mum lived with me and so too was my husband with chronic respiratory disease still being monitored by a specialist.
I did not want to contract covid myself as an asthmatic nor pass it on to my mum and husband who were extremely vulnerable.
My career nose dived
Our income as a family vanished
I have then Iived with feelings of Gratitude for making the right decision but this is over shadowed with sadness at the loss of a career I loved. Plus I have lost mum now following a major stroke. She was discharged to my care at at 02.00hrs a d was nursed to her daily dying for another 3 months

[elainee]

I had 2 lots of jabs then developed heart problems soon after never again will i have the jabs again
And still had covid twice