No-one can deny the whirlwind of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has revolutionised so much of our professional and personal world. The general media has, of course, been at the forefront of disseminating information, but many in the clinical and scientific sphere regard many of their messages as unhelpful, incorrect and (in the worse cases) scare-mongering.

Although many books are available on this topic, none have provided an objective and thoroughly scientific approach to the subject. This book provides that measured and rational explanation of the pandemic and its effects, based on hard published clinical research.

A full understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes (COVID-19) demands knowledge of the history of infectious diseases, and of immunology and virology, which are the subject of early chapters of the book. Subsequent chapters look at the development and spread of the pandemic from China to the UK, followed by the diagnosis and management of COVID-19 in the UK. Closing chapters consider vaccination, variants, long-COVID, and the legacy of the pandemic for the NHS.

The book, summarising the first two years of COVID-19, has been written as a valuable resource for a broad range of health care workers, both in clinical practice (nurses, scientists, pharmacists) but also for administrators and other professional groups. It will also be useful tool for Lecturers in Higher and Further Education, such as in undergraduate courses or in professional development.