Covid-19

The University of Edinburgh continues to contribute across a number of different research areas to the fight against Covid-19.

Since the start of the pandemic, University of Edinburgh researchers have submitted 250 applications (£81.5M) and been awarded £24m in research funding.

Projects include a study of the effectiveness of the Scottish vaccine rollout and the identification of potential treatments after the discovery of five genes associated with the most severe form of the disease. The findings suggest that people who wear a face mask significantly lower the risk of spreading Covid-19 to others through speaking and coughing. 

The Usher Institute led the first national study to confirm that vaccination was linked to a substantial reduction in the risk of Covid-19 admissions to Scotland’s hospitals. The research, led by Professor Aziz Sheikh, showed that by the fourth week after receiving the initial dose of the Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, risk of hospitalisation was reduced by up to 85 per cent and 94 per cent, respectively. 

Edinburgh Innovations conducted the Rapid Response initiative, a fast-track funding route supporting Edinburgh researchers to partner with organisations and tackle challenges triggered by the Covid-19 outbreak.

The lighter funding criteria, in combination with a swift application review process, meant that viable projects could start immediately on award of funding. A project that developed a rechargeable, portable handwash station using heat storage technology, to facilitate a safe return to public spaces and workplaces that cannot otherwise provide handwashing facilities, is just one example. 

Covid-19 Response