The Ship 2020 - 2021 St Anne's College Record 2020 - 2021 Number 110 Annual Publication of the St Anne's Society - St Anne's College, Oxford
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The Ship 2020 – 2021 St Anne’s College Record 2020 – 2021 • Number 110 • Annual Publication of the St Anne’s Society
Contents
4 73
Editorial: Judith Vidal-Hall
From the Principal: Helen King 5 75
Steve Brooking: Stop press: Afghanistan 8 78
Russell Taylor: Alex speaks 10 81
Russell Taylor column 11 82
Diane Ackerley: Living with pandemics 13 85
Alastair Buchan: Oxford and Brexit 19 92
Ian Candy: Climate change 21 94
Penelope Farmer: Extinction Rebellion 25 95
Ruth Deech: The long struggle for childcare 27 96
Jay Gilbert: The nursery today 29 Rachel Bowden (Giles 1956)
Daria Luchinskaya: Careers Cathune (Catherine) Cape (Johnston)
32
Frances Dann (1962)
John Ford: Treasurer’s report 35
Gillian Mary Dawson (Rackham 1950)
Clare White: From the Librarian 37 Mary Forster (Passey 1948)
Edwin Drummond: From the Development Office 45 Yvonne Patricia Gaunt Fox (Gaunt 1934)
Oxford Letter: Steering the city through Covid 47
Jane Hatfield (1986)
St Anne’s College Record 2020-21 Bristol and West Branch – Eve Phillips Front cover: ©Jennifer Cassidy. The Andy Swiss: The day the sporting died James Hilton (1979)
50
Number 110 Annual Publication of the Cambridge Branch – Sarah Beeson-Jones willow tree brought down by a storm in Julie Howley (Linley 1979)
St Anne’s Society (formerly known as the London Branch – Clare Dryhurst Hilary 2021. Joan Marie Aubrey Jones (Godfrey-Isaacs 1938)
Association of Senior Members) Midlands Branch – Michele Gawthorpe UK UNITED?
Olave Cynthia Harvey King (Moore 1941)
North East Branch – David Royal Back cover: ©Helen King, the view from Frances Cairncross: UK United? Scotland 52 Winnifred Rose Marks (1944)
North West Branch – Lizzie Gent
Committee 2019-2020 the Principal’s Lodgings.
Oxford Branch – Hugh Sutherland Patrick Gaul: UK United? Ireland 57 Valerie Doreen Peaden (Morris 1945)
President – Stella Charman
South of England Branch – Stella Charman Gilia Slocock (Whitehead 1955)
Vice President – Hugh Sutherland Inside front cover: ©Naomi Hoodless. Wendy Mantle: UK United? Wales 60
Honorary Treasurer – Mary Martin Students having a socially-distanced meal Judith Louise Smith (Treseder 1958)
Honorary Editor – Judith Vidal-Hall in Hall, November 2020. Judy Symons (Davidson 1964)
Ex Officio – Helen King From the SAS President: Stella Charman 63
Jill Paton Walsh, Lady Hemmingford (Bliss 1956)
SAS Branch Reports 64 Sasha Elizabeth Wernberg Møller (Shibley 1953)
From the JCR: Sanaa Mughai 71
Donations 113
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w..sstt--aannnneess..ooxx..aacc..uukk 33
Editorial From the Principal
Plus ça change… Challenges and more
JUDITH VIDAL-HALL
HELEN KING
It seems, looking back over recent It’s almost exactly 300 years since Daniel But what strikes me this year, possibly
years, I have a tendency to repeat Defoe wrote his Journal of the Plague I am writing a day after this year’s A-level their workspace is subject to constant
more forcefully than ever, is the depth
myself. However, I shall spare our Year. Again, his last pages offer both results were released and, once again, interruptions or lack of broadband.
and diversity of skills among our alumnae
readers this year and leave this to prophecy and warning ‘to those who and their wide spread geographically. On
the figures show us that the pandemic
So, you will understand why the
the more measured discourse of our has been regressive in its impact on
might suffer a similar visitation in years the major issues of our day, from climate circumstances of every offer holder
contributors inequality measured by exam grade
to come…’ Those in authority in the UK change to the future of the United who missed their offer grades were
I want to begin by welcoming back two of appear to have taken little notice: human attainment. So, although over two thirds
Kingdom, from the UK’s experience in looked into individually, and the decision
our longest serving and most engaging nature changes little but thanks to of Oxford undergraduate UK offers
dealing with past pandemics to the global whether to admit them was made by the
contributors. Russell Taylor and his technology and the likes of those behind were made to state school pupils, only
challenges that lie ahead, we have our relevant subject tutors in close liaison
friend and creation Alex, have had a hard the Oxford-Astra Zeneca, the outlook for around 10 per cent of UK offer holders
alumnae on the spot. with the Department and Senior Tutor.
time this past year but in typical fashion the coming year looks more positive than who were not successful in achieving
Apart from the wider bad news, we Having admitted students whose sixth
have risen above it with their precious in the past 12 months. I’ll leave it to our the grades required for their offer were
can’t entirely avoid looking at a couple form education has been so significantly
combination of humour and spiked Principal and others to enlighten you on educated at fee paying schools. The
of domestic issues raised by alumnae: impacted by the pandemic, we have
comment. Interestingly, it’s not the Virus events in the past year. media have speculated about whether
in particular the future of our seemingly The absence of contact, been and will continue to be challenged
that is currently giving either of them teachers in these schools were put
Helen King, in her clear-sighted and direct diminishing local branches and more communication, conversation for a number of years by how we can
prime cause for concern. under more pressure by parents to
way does not hide the cost, but balances effective ways of keeping in touch with has been difficult, but there has best support this generation of students
award top grades, but what I think is
Steve Brooking wrote for us for a this with her thanks and congratulations a younger generation. And Simone also been a tangible sense of to succeed on the fast paced and
much clearer is the disparity in teaching
determination in overcoming this exacting Oxford courses they join.
number of years while serving in various to all who have stood up to events with Laubscher’s column on employment input different applicants have received.
and in continuing to deliver to all
capacities in that now devastated courage and fortitude. College officers prospects for the current crop of The ‘best’ (probably best-resourced?) I have previously written about
Afghanistan. As he says: from Development to Finance echo and graduates has a sense of realism lacking I do hope that this one hundred-and- schools quickly adapted their teaching Opportunity Oxford, the summer
expand in this area. Alastair Buchan, in what little media coverage of the issue tenth edition of The Ship finds you and to a full time, online, live format, with bridging programme for offer holders
The impending US exit from
previously Head of Brexit Strategy for there is. your loved ones well and thriving. staff and students all having dedicated from disadvantaged backgrounds. The
Afghanistan … is not just the end of
the University, reveals some interesting access to suitable technology and online component of this has been
a mission it is the end of an ideal. As ever, I owe thanks to so many: The Editor has asked us to share with
facts and figures on the joint impact undisturbed workspaces. Others left extended to an additional 300 freshers
The prognosis for Afghanistan is to Daniel Mercieca for securing the you an overview of the economic and
of the virus and Brexit, the impact of students to work on their own, with only this year as one way to help them make
bleak … the only area of the economy outstanding careers column above; to all social impact on St Anne’s of the last few
the latter to some extent obscured by email contact from teachers for periods up for lost schooling. At St Anne’s, tutors
that seems set to expand is drug our contributors in college and outside; years, the pandemic, and Brexit. The
preoccupation with the former. And of months. However talented and well- are very conscious of not assuming
production, again a growth industry. to Jess at Windrush, our printers, who College Treasurer, John Ford, has written
in our ‘Oxford Letter’ this year we are motivated a student is, it is difficult to all first years arrive with the same
has delivered on time and with style. And comprehensively and with great insight
No: not his current reflections but privileged to have the Lord Mayor of the imagine they can flourish academically knowledge and skills base. They identify
finally, my thanks to our Communications on the financial impact (pXX), so here I
his last piece for The Ship written in city looking at that world outside the in such circumstances, especially those with gaps and arrange additional
Manager Jay Gilbert, who has delivered will try to capture my, inevitably partial,
2012/13. From around 2009, when he University, often overlooked by those where their laptop or tablet has to be teaching, often providing additional paid
with good humour and commitment. impressions of some of the social
started to write for us, his words have an within. shared with other family members, and work to post docs or doctoral students
impacts.
uncomfortably prophetic feel. Judith Vidal-Hall (Bunting 1957)
4 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 5
From the Principal From the Principal
to take this on. We’re very grateful for a taste of in Michaelmas Term. This has The first year students are, like any educational needs and/or with partners as a result of the pandemic, others have increased sense of joy when we do meet,
the financial support from donors that affected all year groups and we have year group, hugely diverse in their fully occupied as key workers, including been kept from their families overseas whether by arrangement or accident.
has made this possible. seen a sharp increase in the number backgrounds, nationalities, interests in the NHS. In some cases, the juggling for many months – just as many of An unanticipated bonus has been the
of students seeking to suspend their and identities. What they share is that of family needs and the additional our international students have been. increased access to College events as
The academic impact of the pandemic
studies, and in those seeking support their life opportunities as young adults work involved with online or blended We have done our utmost to ensure members of St Anne’s across the world
has not just been gaps in schooling
from our welfare team, who have been have been limited by the pandemic. teaching across different time zones, everyone in need received personal and across generations have met online
or the move of University and College
working tremendously hard. Those who took gap years had their meant that teaching workloads had and professional help, including via the in higher numbers than ever before.
teaching to an online format. The latter,
plans for travel and adventure thwarted to be adjusted. Again, paying for extra employee assistance scheme funded by And what has been quite overwhelming
although not ideal in some respects, has Another common theme from my
and were more likely to have spent teaching resource was key to this. What the College. has been the near universal response
been largely successful. Many students meetings with first years was that they
their time working in Tesco’s or helping I fear proved impossible was enabling as new challenges have arisen. When
prefer online recorded lectures with the wanted to get to know more people at This overview, I realise, has focussed
siblings with home schooling. Those academics effectively to continue their told of difficulties, the JCR and MCR
ability to replay those bits they struggle St Anne’s, especially in their year group. on the challenges and difficulties we
who had turned 18 since March had no research at the usual levels of intensity, Committees, Governing Body Fellows,
to understand, or to pause to catch up Their first term had been subject to have experienced, which maybe are
experience of night clubs, music festivals and this undoubtedly will have had early-career academics, staff, our
with note taking. Tutorials, with their the legislative requirement only to mix not so different from those felt in
and many other ‘inductions’ to adult life. a disproportionate impact on the fantastic team of College Officers and
very small groups, have also translated indoors with other members of their every home and workplace. However,
We saw a divide between those eager publication records of those who are alumnae, all have simply responded by
fairly effectively to an online format, household. Consultation and common it would be an inaccurate account if I
to make up for lost time and those who parents and, if history is a predictor, of asking, ‘What can we do to help?’ That is
although tutors have found it harder to sense led to the Bursary ‘bubbling’ did not also highlight the selflessness,
wanted to manage the risks of Covid mothers in particular. what gives us confidence for the future,
fully engage students with whom they students as far as possible in subject hard work, creativity and strengthened
infection and isolation more cautiously. however shrouded in uncertainty it
had not already built a relationship. As a groups of no more than 8, so that they Domestic and administrative staff also sense of community that have grown
Occasionally, these different approaches seems. Whatever the longer term social,
result, many tutors reverted to in person could support each other academically experienced the impact of changed from tackling challenges and difficulties
within the same household bubble health and academic impacts of this
teaching wherever possible (including in as well as emotionally through their so- ways of working, with increased together. Many of these have been
required us to rearrange groupings, but period in the history of St Anne’s, our
the quad) in Trinity Term. important first term, which all too often workloads in some cases and the use of pandemic-related (eg moving outreach
largely they were resolved internally. values of being collaborative, down to
included one or more 14-day periods furlough in others where the absence and admissions activity online), but
However, what I have heard from I was particularly impressed by the earth, supportive and forward-looking
of isolation. Most households reported of students, conferences and events others have arisen from world events,
students more consistently is how maturity and sensitivity of some will make the difference to those most
close friendships and supportive meant their work was less. Knowing such as the murder of George Floyd,
many of them struggled with the lack of households who jointly resolved to limit affected now, and enable the community
environments, but as restrictions staff as individuals, managers were able which provoked an outpouring of strong
structure and extracurricular activities their interactions to protect the health to continue to build on our proud legacy
were lifted this in itself created real to work to support those who were feeling within the St Anne’s community
when working from home, as they nearly of members who chose to disclose their in the years to come.
or imagined barriers to forming new anxious about coming onto the College as elsewhere
all did in Trinity ‘20 and Hilary Term vulnerabilities.
friendships across the year group and site, and those who felt isolated working Thank you for your unwavering support
‘21. As I met the first years in a small The absence of informal contact and
subjects. The newly-elected first year Of course, students are not the only from home. When the furlough scheme of St Anne’s. We look forward to a year
open-sided marquee last term, so many conversation, over lunch, or coffee,
JCR Committee members worked hard members of College to be affected. was changed nationally to allow for that continues to renew and strengthen
told me that they had found it hard in or seeing people in the corridor, or
towards the end of Trinity Term to try to Fellows, tutors, and staff are all more flexibility, this was tremendously the College’s connection with its
Hilary Term to motivate themselves to at lectures and events has, of course,
break down these barriers with a range social beings too. The pressures on helpful in being able to maintain better members past and present.
work (or even get out of bed) when they been difficult, but there has also been
of activities, and we will continue to parents with school-age children were contact with all staff, if more complex
woke day after day in their childhood a tangible sense of determination Helen King Principal
encourage this year group to mix freely particularly acute, especially for tutors for accurate record keeping by HR and
bedroom with few opportunities to live and solidarity in continuing to deliver
in the way that previous years have. who are single parents or with multiple Treasury. We have definitely seen the
the University life they had experienced our purpose as a community, and an
children, including some with special mental health of some staff deteriorate
6 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 7
Stop press: Afghanistan Stop press: Afghanistan
In Memoriam? Afghanistan 2001-2021 troops, plus over 10,000 contractors
and some airpower, they could prevent
recognition, and the concomitant aid
and development money, as important
to a neighbouring country, only for it to
be rejected with the comment that the
STEVE BROOKING a Taliban takeover. Biden, however, and worth making some concessions to gardener wanted a visa for the United
was adamant he did not want a ‘forever achieve; others want a ‘pure Islamic’ form States. The poorly-managed evacuation
Could it all have been managed Could it all have been managed a lot moves to reach out to the conservative war’. Costs and casualties were now of government and see any concessions has undoubtedly airlifted many people
a lot better? Would it all have better? For sure. Would it all have religious elements, particularly southern manageable in the view of the military on human rights – including democracy, who were at zero risk, some of whom
ended differently? Was it a failed ended differently? Up to a point. Was it Pashtuns, who felt marginalised by the (indeed the 13 military killed in one day women’s rights, minority rights etc – as a may even pose a threat to wherever they
experiment in ‘state-building’? Our a failed experiment in ‘state-building’? new government; tribal rivalries in the in the evacuation were the most military sell-out. To that extent it is ‘wait and see’ end up, and left behind a few in genuine
Afghan correspondent has some Yes: because it was never consistently south served only to accentuate the lives lost in one month since 2013) and time. danger. It should not have been so.
interesting answers approached with that aim in mind. We differences. With US eyes ‘off the ball’ with 38,000 troops remaining in South
also have to ask can one impose a certain in Afghanistan and focused on Iraq, the However, it is worth remembering that And what of my own future? That is also
Past readers of The Ship will be aware that Korea since the Armistice there in 1953,
(western) set of values on a culture that Taliban, with some external help, were not ‘all the gains of the past 20 years’ unclear. I was out of the country at the
I have spent most of the past 20 years some have questioned the notion of what
may not be completely willing to accept able to rebuild and regroup. Failures in much touted by western policy makers time the capital fell and am writing this
in Afghanistan; sadly Kabul holds the counts as ‘forever’…
them? state-building, massive corruption, poor and politicians, are actually completely from Pakistan, waiting to go back into
dubious distinction of the being the city The sudden collapse of the Afghan Armed true. More girls were in education and
governance, insensitive foreign dealings Kabul when the first flight happens or
in which I have lived the longest period of In the past few weeks, even though forces was a surprise even to those who poverty had reduced during the first
led to a rise in their support across the maybe even by road. Both the Taliban
my life. I was the first British official into the direction in which the ‘Republic’ had foreseen that they were never going decade after 2001, but those figures were
country. and United Nations have asked me to
Afghanistan post ‘9/11’ and stayed in a was heading was already clear, I had to hold out for very long, but the Afghans already in decline in more recent years. go back to help with liaison and I will
variety of roles from UK Government to been discussing with various Afghans In the more recent past, a key moment have long had a tradition, exploited by US Some Afghans became incredibly rich, do so. In the longer term there will
private business to Afghan Government – Government, Taliban and others – was when the US opted to de-link their money in Autumn 2001, of siding with the but many became poorer. There were certainly be a UN presence, as there
to the United Nations. For most of the the question: ‘At what point did failure agreement with the Taliban from any likely winner. Switches in allegiances were more freedoms for women and girls in was in the 1990s when the Taliban ran
past six years I have been the main become inevitable?’ There was no one intra-Afghan negotiations and settlement. thus common. The soldiers were certainly some parts of the country, but by no the country. The UN is committed to
point of contact between the UN and the point of failure, no one pivotal moment. They had initially taken the line that undermined by some of their leaders, means all, and gender-based violence a policy of ‘stay and deliver’ and the
Taliban Political Commission based in Many people pointed to the failure to ‘nothing is agreed until everything including the Commander in Chief and and discrimination was widespread current problems are only exacerbating
Doha during negotiations there. include the Taliban into the negotiations is agreed’ but then President Trump President, who suddenly fled the country and with impunity, as were other the existing humanitarian crisis in the
back in Bonn in December 2001, a point decided that their own troop withdrawal without allowing the possibility of a criminal activities such as narcotics and country. The World Food Programme,
Now all the plans for a negotiated and
also subsequently made by the then UN- should not be conditional on the Afghans transition, but many had been unpaid corruption. UNICEF, WHO, and the agencies dealing
stable transition to a more inclusive
lead negotiator Lakhdar Brahimi. But in reaching, or even starting to reach, an and under-resourced for months because with issues such as displaced people
government have unravelled at an Most of those fleeing the Taliban
December 2001 there was still fighting agreement on sharing power. This meant of corruption and bad practices. and refugees, have not stopped working
unforeseen speed. As I write this, at the claiming they will be persecuted and
and the Taliban, although clearly about to that the Taliban knew that time was and will be even busier for the next few
end of August, we are seeing scenes of Are the Afghans right to fear the Taliban killed are really seeking better economic
lose, had no clear leadership that could on their side and they could slow-roll months; irrespective of who is running
chaos and death at Kabul Airport and and to be fleeing, or trying to flee, the opportunities and a better life outside
have been invited. It was also clear that their negotiations with the government the country, the UN and many NGOs and
also at some land border-crossings as country? Only time will tell. What is clear Afghanistan and one cannot blame
the United States was opposed to their until the foreign troops had left. Once charities will be trying to help the most
Afghans scramble to leave the country, is that there are different factions in the them for that. Some people are certainly
inclusion: this was to be a ‘victory’ and a newly-elected President Biden made the needy Afghan people.
fearful of what the future holds and in Taliban who hold differing views on the at risk, but many not so. One regional
political settlement that gave the spoils withdrawal timetable explicit, the Taliban
search of a better life abroad.
of victory to the winners. Even in the knew they had basically won. American future of the country. How their internal Ambassador told me even his gardener Steve Brooking (1982) returned to
following months and years, the US and generals, however, remained convinced discussions play out will be key. There are had claimed his life was in danger so Afghanistan in August as liaison with the
their close allies in Afghanistan opposed that with only a couple of thousand US some who see continued international he had arranged for him to get a visa Taliban
8 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 9 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 9
Russell Taylor: Alex speaks Russell Taylor column
I am Sixty, Going on Seventy
RUSSELL TAYLOR
We welcome back our own when he delivered me to 4 Bevington I mention all this age-obsessive stuff
cartoonist-columnist with a Road back in 1979 and it seemed an because last year I turned 60 (which is
surprising confession: I have impossibly ancient and remote age to the new 50 etc. etc.). Yet this was far
several reasons to thank Covid. me back then, but today it doesn’t seem from the traumatic experience I had
In my day job as a newspaper so old. Fifty is the new 40, which in turn expected, for which I have Covid-19 to
cartoonist the pandemic has been a is the new 30, which means that if you thank. Actually I have several reasons
godsend. Just as Brexit had played continue the regression you can be to thank Covid. In my day job as a
itself out and there seemed nothing pretty much any age you like. newspaper cartoonist the pandemic
on the satirical horizon, along came has been a godsend. Just as Brexit had
Roger Crisp, whom I remember as a
an absolute gift to writers like me played itself out and there seemed
fellow undergraduate in the first year
nothing on the satirical horizon, along
A few years ago (in fact, come to think of of male admissions to the college (now
came an absolute gift to writers like me.
it about a dozen years ago: time passes that’s another story for another edition
The professional middle class people
quickly these days) I attended my first, of The Ship) hosted the dinner. He is
whose lifestyles I parody for a living were
and to date only, gaudy at the college, now, apparently, Professor of Moral
suddenly forced to work from home,
a thirtieth anniversary reunion dinner Philosophy at the college. You can tell
fighting with their Fortnite-addicted kids
for those of us who had matriculated in you’re getting old when Professors of
for the home broadband and pissing
1979. I was a little apprehensive about Moral Philosophy start to look young.
off their wives just by being around the
attending the event and had parked The lady who taught the subject to me
house.
my wife and daughter in an Italian back in the early-1980s certainly didn’t
restaurant in Summertown, telling them resemble him, and I’m sure she didn’t But Covid drives a hard bargain. In return
to save a place for me in case I needed to play guitar in a R&B band when she was for selling my soul in exchange for a
beat a rapid retreat. But the gaudy bash an undergraduate. Having presided few easy gags I got the disease. Not the
was a surprisingly pleasant occasion: all affably over the evening Roger left us version whereby you feel a bit under the
my contemporaries had aged reasonably with some chilling parting words, words weather for a week or so and tell your
well and were still recognisable as their that are still etched in my brain today. He friends about how you’re sure you must
undergraduate selves. Most had had said: ‘Don’t let’s leave it another 30 years have had it, but it was a while back and
children and careers, but no one seemed or we’ll all be 80.’ Eighty... Now that was you didn’t get tested at the time. No,
to have got stratospherically rich (which a scary thought. ‘How terribly strange to this was the real McCoy. I spent four-
was gratifying). It being 30 years since be 70,’ wrote the 26-year-old Paul Simon and-a-half weeks in hospital, which was
© Charles Peattie and Russell
matriculation we were all about to turn in his song Old Friends back in 1968. He not a fun experience, not least because
Taylor. This cartoon appeared in
The Daily Telegraph 50. Fifty was exactly how old my dad was will be 80 in October this year. the ward was in lockdown and I wasn’t
10 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 11
Russell Taylor column Living with pandemics
allowed any visitors. The only people Covid that I had was so unusual (to the contemporaries seem not to have got
I saw for a month were nurses and
the occasional doctor. Not that I have
extent that the doctors had any idea
what was usual and unusual about
round to. I suspect they are in denial.
Some of them have recently started
A Tale of Two Pandemics
anything against nurses and doctors. this disease they’d never seen before) walking everywhere, supposedly for the DIANE ACKERLEY
They are for the most part charming, that my specialist told me that one day health benefits, or for environmental ‘It was the spring of hope, it was
knowledgeable, dedicated and worthy medical papers would be written about reasons, or perhaps because they are the winter of despair’
people, but you can have too much me. Oddly I wasn’t that excited about fearful of taking public transport while
Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities,
of their company. Plus they were all this (presumably posthumous) honour. the pandemic lasts. But I wonder if it isn’t Recalled to Life.
wearing masks. The respiratory specialist Probably to their disappointment an excuse to avoid getting their free bus
who looked after me actually gave me I managed to pull through, but pass (‘I walk everywhere, I don’t need AIDS started as a disease of minority
a sheet of laminated A4 with photos of getting myself discharged wasn’t one’) and having to tacitly admit their groups and now infects millions of
herself and her colleagues unmasked, straightforward. Hospitals are very easy age. They probably imagine that when people globally. Covid-19 arrived less
just so I could know what they looked places to get into, but very difficult to get you tap your card against the reader on than two years ago. Both diseases
like in real life. out of. With my sixtieth birthday rapidly the bus or at the tube station a klaxon are viral pandemics, but why are their
approaching I pleaded compassion and will go off and a large sign will illuminate effects so different?
The intensive care people hung around
mercy. I couldn’t face the thought of above your head with flashing arrows AIDS was first described in June 1981,
the ward like vultures trying to tempt
spending it on the ward. I was finally pointing at you saying ‘old person’. the year I qualified as a doctor. New
me into their lair: selling ICU to me
allowed to check out the day before my cases peaked in the late-1990s at 3
as if it were an upmarket hotel (you Of course what I hadn’t reckoned with
Big Day. million per year and it currently infects
get more dedicated staff care, more in getting my travel pass was that due
comfortable beds etc). I think their This is why my sixtieth was not the to a combination of Long Covid (yes, I’ve 1/150 people in the world: 76 million
having to tout for business was just traumatic experience it could otherwise got it, but that’s definitely something have been infected of whom 33 million
because the NHS had over-prepared have been. Firstly, I was thankful just for a future edition of The Ship) and have died. Many of those who die are
for a tsunami of Coronavirus infections to be alive. The nominal tally of how ongoing lockdowns, I wouldn’t have any working age adults or young children.
that didn’t quite materialize. The Covid many years I’d been around for seemed opportunity to go anywhere and use HIV passed to humans from chimps in
ward I was in was half empty and many immaterial in comparison. I’d be happy the blasted thing. But I’m hoping it’ll Africa in the early 1920s.
of the nurses had been commandeered to clock up as many more as possible. come in handy one day. If Covid, climate Covid-19 was first described in 1/1,500 people are currently known to spreads in the air – it’s exhaled by the
from other departments and were now Secondly, I was relieved not to be in the change and any other cataclysms that December 2019 in China, where a be infected. infected person and inhaled by the
starting to drift back to dermatology hospital. Having a bunch of bemasked might come along in the meantime virus originating in bats had passed new host. You need only to share the
TRANSMISSION
and paediatrics. Medical students had medics singing Happy Birthday with spare humanity – and presuming I’m still to humans that autumn. As I write same space and not even at the same
Viruses need host cells to reproduce.
been allowed to bypass their finals and a candle atop an NHS sandwich just around – I’ll definitely use my card to get in August 2021 there have been 200 time: one person exhaling a lot of virus
They can survive for some time in the
were thrown straight onto the wards. wouldn’t have been the same. along to that 2039 gaudy, when I (and million known cases of which 4.25 particles can infect many others within a
environment, but to replicate they need
(Great, I thought, so not only do I have hopefully Roger) will be about to turn 80. million (c1/2,000 of world population) short period.
The first thing I did on my sixtieth to hijack the machinery of a host’s cell.
an unknown disease, but I’m going to be Anyone else up for it? have died. Death rates are much higher
birthday was to apply for my PREVENTION OF TRANSMISSION
treated by an unqualified doctor). HIV passes from human to human in
Senior Citizens Travel Card. Now Russell Taylor MBE (1979) in older people. There are about half The physical methods of preventing
fluids – there has to be close physical
To make things worse the version of this is something that many of my a million new cases a day at present – HIV transmission are condoms, clean
contact or an injection. SARS-CoV-2
12 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 13
Living with pandemics Living with pandemics
needles/syringes and voluntary male in the host cell – each step is a target with SARS-CoV-2 and pass it to other
medical circumcision. For SARS- for a different drug. Anti-Retroviral people, though this is less likely to
CoV-2 prevention calls for ventilation, Treatment (ART) prevents infection happen than in the unvaccinated.
masks to catch exhaled virus, PPE to before (PrEP) or after exposure (PEP)
THE MECHANICS OF INFECTION AND
protect carers, surface cleaning and to HIV. Women treated with ART during
EFFECTS ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
hand washing to stop the virus being pregnancy and breast-feeding will not
HIV enters the immune cells where it
transferred from objects to the nose, pass HIV to their child.
replicates sending a DNA copy of its
mouth and eyes.
People living with HIV treated with long- RNA genome to integrate into the host’s
People living with HIV/AIDS can move term ART, who have undetectable levels DNA where it will remain for the rest of
freely in society without infecting others. of virus in their blood, are not infectious that cell’s life. Patients with HIV become
People suffering from Covid-19 need to when having sex (U=U: Undetectable is infectious to others a few weeks after
be in isolation for about ten days to halt Untransmittable). infection, and remain infectious whether
viral spread. they have symptoms or not. It takes
People who have been fully vaccinated
about ten years to develop symptoms.
HIV has a complex replication pathway against Covid-19 can become infected
Without treatment, the mortality from
AIDS would be almost 100 per cent:
over time, HIV infection destroys the
immune cells leading to diseases that
flourish without a functioning immune
system such as certain cancers, unusual
infections and tuberculosis. TB has been
infecting humans for at least 10,000
years. It is the leading cause of death
by infection, killing 1.4 million people
worldwide each year of whom about 1/7 This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (round gold objects) emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. SARS-
were also infected with HIV. CoV-2, also known as 2019-nCoV, is the virus that causes COVID-19. The virus shown was isolated from a patient in the USA.
©National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
SARS-CoV-2 latches onto to ACE2
receptors that are widely distributed
SARS-CoV-2 – the most infectious two weeks. Those with more severe dexamethasone, which dampens down
on cells in the body. Initially, the virus
period is around the time when the first illness need oxygen for lung damage the immune system, helps to reduce
enters cells of the respiratory tract,
symptoms develop. Some people have and anticoagulants to reduce clotting in death rates in the severely ill. With
replicates and then travels around the
no symptoms but the majority have a the small blood vessels. Some patients treatment overall mortality is less than 1
body. SARS-CoV-2 also has an RNA
mild or moderate illness. A few become then go on to develop an overreaction per cent.
genome but it doesn’t make a DNA
very ill, but all who recover clear the of the immune system – the cytokine
copy. Patients are infectious to others About one tenth of people who have had
virus from their system, usually within storm. The use of the strong steroid
from a few days after they contract Covid-19 develop long Covid, symptoms
14 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 15
Living with pandemics Living with pandemics
which continue beyond the initial illness. nose and sore throat. This may not be the drug no longer works. Hence ART is
Some of these will have persistent organ recognised as Covid-19, which used to always given as a combination of drugs.
damage from the virus, others seem to present with fever, cough and loss of
VACCINES
have an unhelpful immune response smell.
We have a fine selection of Covid-19
that causes further symptoms. This
SARS-CoV-2 has evolved to be more of a vaccines, all of which reduce the chances
disease is not yet two years old and
threat to humans, not less. As the host of severe illness and death. All vaccines
there is still much to understand about
is most infectious just as the symptoms carry a risk but the risk of the vaccine
the long-term effects of Covid-19.
are starting, the mutant virus is easily causing illness is much less than the risk
MUTATIONS AND VARIANTS passed on. There is no need for the virus from Covid-19. Vaccines are designed to
A mutation occurs when the RNA to make itself less deadly – it has passed induce a long-lasting immune response
copying enzyme makes an error. Many to a new host long before death occurs. that will recognise the virus and mount
mutations make no difference or harm a rapid and effective reaction to prevent
There was a pandemic of a severe
the virus but a few will make a change the virus causing illness. Vaccines cannot
respiratory disease characterised by loss
in the RNA that generates a change in prevent the virus coming into the body.
of smell from 1889 to 1895 that killed
the protein that the RNA codes for which
1 million people worldwide, 1/1,500 of There are a few people for whom
makes that protein more effective –
world population – it is likely that the vaccines do not work well, often those
perhaps better at infecting cells or faster
cause was a coronavirus originally found with weakened immune systems due
at replicating. The mutated virus will
in cattle, which now causes a common to age, disease or medication. Trials are
then become dominant in that person,
cold. This example shows that with time underway to see if vaccine boosters will
and better at replicating in the next host
this particular coronavirus did become help, or whether protection can be given
too.
less virulent. Possibly the virus changed, with man-made antibodies. A scanning electron micrograph of an HIV-infected CD4 cell. Computer colorization helps differentiate the budding HIV virions (in yellow) as they
RNA from a selection of Covid-19 tests is certainly humans would have developed emerge from the infected cell (in green and turquoise). ©National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
As yet there is no successful vaccine
sequenced – when mutations are seen some immunity.
for HIV/AIDS. However, early diagnosis
the behaviour of that variant of the virus when ART works very well to prevent infection and RNA remnants can be The long-term memory is held in special
In July in England, when half the and lifelong treatment with ARTs offers
is assessed. The Delta variant appeared not only damage to the immune system detected by PCR long after whole viruses immune cells which are much more
population was fully vaccinated, about a near normal lifespan. One third of
in India in late-2020. In the UK it went but also infection of others. Easy to use have been eliminated. Lateral flow tests difficult to test. With a disease that is
1/65 people tested positive for Covid-19. people living with HIV do not access
from 1/1,000 cases in April to 994/1,000 home antibody test kits are available to can also detect the RNA. They are less less than two years old we don’t know
High levels of infection make it more treatment.
in July 2021, outperforming the Alpha encourage self-testing. sensitive because they need more virus how long immunity will last. Currently
likely that a vaccine resistant mutation
variant, which had already displaced the TESTING to give a positive test: a poorly taken confirmed reinfections are few.
will occur and flourish. For Covid-19 there are gold standard
previous variant. Darwinian evolution in Some diseases can be diagnosed swab or someone with a low viral load
action. HIV also generates mutations but the clinically, but both HIV/AIDS and PCR swabs that detect viral RNA – these EFFECTS ON SOCIETY
may give a false negative result. Covid-19
implications are for the individual Covid-19 need tests to confirm the are antigen tests. They are very sensitive Viruses are only visible with an electron
Delta is more transmissible, has a antibody testing looks for evidence that
patient. If a mutation occurs that makes diagnosis. For HIV/AIDS antibody testing and very specific. However, the RNA microscope. People need to understand
shorter incubation time and may the person has generated antibodies to
the drug less effective, that variant allows diagnosis during the ten-year- itself is not infectious: RNA must be how to protect themselves and others.
infect children more easily. Common SARS-CoV-2. The antibody levels wane
becomes dominant in that patient and long infectious asymptomatic phase packed in its viral coat to cause an Information and instructions have to
symptoms of Delta are headache, runny with time after vaccination or infection.
16 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 17
Living with pandemics Oxford and Brexit
be clear and consistent. Society has In both pandemics health care workers with its short incubation period and
to decide how to balance the physical,
social, psychological and economic
have reported how hard they have
found it professionally and personally
airborne transmission. Both can be
transmitted by asymptomatic hosts.
Look to the future: it’s only just begun
consequences of the responses to a to treat patients with a disease they ALASTAIR BUCHAN
Individuals can choose not to transmit
pandemic. HIV/AIDS has less impact on didn’t understand, which was rapidly Covid and Brexit between them least for the foreseeable future. we, as a sector, as disposable as fishing,
a virus by how they behave, and to be
society in the UK where treatment is killing their patients and colleagues. constitute the main challenges farming, the performing arts or finance
vaccinated to protect themselves and Covid, of course, has proved a serious
free and prevalence is low, but a huge After the first wave in 2020, mental to Oxford over the past year and are turning out to be? As an aside, it
their community. and deadly distraction from the business
influence in high prevalence and less health concerns in NHS staff increased more. The full impact of the latter is worth noting that Oxford was able
resource-rich countries such as Eswatini, fourfold. Social care workers, including Our leaders have to make choices about has, to a significant extent, been of national government (as of University
to develop the Astra Zeneca vaccine
where a quarter of the population is those working in residential care homes, the best way forward and how best to obscured by the extreme demands and college administration), and it is
because of research underpinned by EU
infected. In the UK, Covid-19 restrictions were not only at higher risk of death share information and advice with the of the virus fair – I think – to say that Covid and
funding. Many of the Oxford researchers
have had large effects on those least themselves but also saw 26,000 excess population. And about how to manage Brexit have between them formed the
It’s hard to believe that a full five who worked on the vaccine are originally
at risk. For example, young people are deaths in their residents in the first pandemics globally – wherever there are core preoccupations of Her Majesty’s
years have passed since the second from the European Union.
very unlikely to die from Covid-19 but wave. Four out of five reported that their people, there will be viruses. Government, to the detriment of almost
referendum on continuing membership
have had significant disruption to their job had left them feeling ‘tense, uneasy all other aspects of national and political During the run-up to the referendum,
Viruses don’t make choices: it’s the of the EU took place in June 2016 (older
education. At the same time, working- or worried’. life. The UK’s HE sector was recently universities in the UK were often
humans who host them who make readers will of course recall the first
age adults from lower socio-economic estimated to have lost out on £1.5Bn of criticised for not doing their best to get
It’s a human instinct to go to those you choices and the consequences of those one in 1975) and it’s a measure of the
groups, who are relatively more at risk EU research funding over the past five the message of the dangers of Brexit
know when they are ill and especially choices surround us today all around extent of our deep ties with Europe that
of severe disease and death than their years. At the time of writing it is not clear sufficiently into the public domain, or at
when you know they are dying. At the the world. it has taken almost that length of time to
more fortunate peers, are also least able whether the UK will have any access least not getting them sufficiently well
start of the AIDS pandemic, patients actually leave.
to protect themselves and their families Dr Diane Ackerley (1975) to the recently announced pandemic comprehended. My own view is that the
were unnecessarily isolated and visiting Oxford, both as an academic community recovery funding of €35Bn being made debate over continued membership of
by social distancing techniques. It’s very See also The Ship 2019-2020
restricted. In the Covid pandemic, and as a vibrant, international and lively available by the EU, almost half of it for the EU was so visceral, so steeped in the
hard to isolate effectively in a crowded www.exovent.org
visiting has been restricted for all city leaned heavily towards the Remain Europe’s universities. It seems unlikely. past century of European and British
multi-generational household, especially ‘In remembrance of many public
patients in healthcare settings and side of the national debate over Brexit. history, so bound up in our political
if the economically active members of services and private kindnesses.’ But what of the wider impact for Oxford?
residents in care homes have been And Oxford being Oxford, it has, after divides and cultural battles, that there
the household cannot work from home It is still – arguably, depending on which
subject to prolonged bans on leaving Dedication from A Tale of Two Cities the initial trauma of the referendum
or are on zero hours contracts. was little that British universities could
their home, sometimes their room, league table one consults – the best
vote, shaken itself off and got on with have done to influence the outcome
MENTAL HEALTH and visitors were not allowed for long university in the world. Is that going to
what it does best: teaching, researching, of the referendum. And we know what
People who have HIV/AIDS and Covid-19 periods. change? Will we still win research funding
innovating, albeit with a profound the last five years or so have brought:
suffer significantly increased levels at the levels we have enjoyed? Will we
Covid abruptly emptied the streets and melancholy at losing all the advantages a country and its people embattled
of anxiety, depression and PTSD. still admit the ablest students? Will
markets, and changed everyday life for that membership of the European Union and embittered, split – politically and
People living with HIV/AIDS also report we still attract the most accomplished
many in the world. HIV/AIDS has slowly bestowed. We seem to have become culturally – along the fault lines of Brexit.
higher levels of shame, stigma and international colleagues from Europe,
changed the demographic structure of adept at not mentioning the loss of so
discrimination. Coping with these or from around the word? Where does So what is to become of us? Well, we
some severely affected countries. HIV is many talented and brilliant colleagues
feelings while social and physical contact higher education sit in the UK’s national are still recruiting students from the UK,
a slow-burn pandemic, Covid devastates and students who have either left the UK,
is reduced is difficult. priorities? Are we even a priority? Are from Europe, and from elsewhere in
or won’t be coming to Oxford at all, at
18 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 19Oxford and Brexit Climate change
the world, and our income from tuition pandemic, it’s been a deeply interesting as well as with colleagues at the Einstein
fees is more or less unchanged. We are
unsure precisely how associated country
and, on the whole, enjoyable few years,
two of which I spent in Germany as
Foundation, which will be supporting
several major research initiatives in the
Is it because of us?
status for EU research funding will work Founding Director of Oxford in Berlin, coming years. IAN CANDY
out in practice, although on the face with a concurrent fellowship at the Why are scientists so convinced that
Why Berlin and not other major cities climates were cooler, glaciers in the Alps When you lay out the history of climate
of it, Oxford and other UK universities Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin. During current climate change is because
or universities within the EU? It seemed and Scandinavia were more extensive change like that it is no wonder that
have access to most Horizon Europe 2018 and 2019, the five partners have of humans? It doesn’t really matter
to us that our partners in Berlin offered than they are now and many European debates about the role of humans on
programmes, although, not, alas, to between them supported about 40 whether you are talking about the
many advantages in terms of research rivers, such as the Thames, routinely climate change have raged for decades.
Erasmus+ (which benefited the UK in so workshops, involving some 1,200 faculty last 100 years, the last 1,000 years
excellence, comprehensive disciplinary froze over in winter allowing fairs to I mean if vines can be grown in northern
many more ways than simple student members, researchers and students, as or the last 100,000 years, the only
scope and a local administration that be held on them. This period is often Britain 1000 years ago and Hippos
exchange). well as funded 57 research projects, to climate driver that can explain the
was willing and able to help us. Berlin warming of the past 150 years is known as the Little Ice Age. could live in the Thames 125,000 years
the total tune of almost €1.2M. Several
At the beginning of 2017, I took up has considerable convening power in rising greenhouse gas levels and the ago, both of which occurred before
of those projects have gone on to gain Go back a little further still and we
the role of the University’s Pro-Vice- science and research (just ask the Gates only viable explanation for this is us largescale fossil fuel consumption was
larger research grants from the EU or come to the Mediaeval Warm Period,
Chancellor with responsibility for Brexit Foundation, or the Wellcome Trust, or a ‘thing’, why should we worry about
other European funding agencies. Weather and climate stations from around 900 to 1200 AD, and the Roman
Strategy (Ship 2017-2018). And while the World Health Organisation). And, the warming that has occurred over
around the world show that the Earth’s Warm Period, around 250 BC to 400
I discovered that there was little that A little over two years ago we established of course, Berlin is at the heart of the the twentieth century? It could just
climate has warmed by more than 1oC AD. During these periods it is often
Oxford individually, or UK universities a University subsidiary company, entitled European Union that the UK has just be another climate cycle, right? Well
since 1900. Should this be a surprise? If highlighted that the climate of Europe,
collectively could do to mitigate the worst Oxford in Berlin. We have a centre hosted left. For decades, Oxford has benefited unfortunately it isn’t as straightforward
there is one thing that stands out when particularly Britain, was warm enough
policy failures of a government intent at Berlin’s Natural History Museum enormously from the presence of as that. Scientists have been studying
you look at the past it is this: climate is to allow wine cultivation at a large scale
on taking us out of the EU, there was that can provide Oxford visitors with European staff and students, some of the the causes of climate change for almost
always changing, climate is never static. across many parts of the country. If we
something that Oxford, as one of the workspace when they are in town and, very best of whom are from Germany. two centuries and because of their work
It doesn’t really matter whether you are jump back even further, some 20,000
world’s leading research universities, did aside from our main relationship with the And while Oxford is being forced to leave we now have a pretty good handle on
talking about the last 100 years, the last years ago, the world was in a global
have the power to do. Berlin University Alliance (BUA), as our Europe, we believe that through an entity when and why climates change.
1000 years or the last 100,000 years, ice age, northern Britain was buried
first four partners are now known, we such as Oxford in Berlin we shall not
At the end of 2017, Oxford signed a it is climate stability that is unusual, beneath an ice sheet and southern For example, the major ice age cycles,
have flourishing links with several other only keep our highly beneficial European
memorandum of understanding with not climate change. If we think of the Britain was an arctic desert. Finally, go both the intense cold of the last ice age
of the research institutions within Berlin- academic and research links, but also
four of the leading research-intensive British Isles we can find evidence for this back 125,000 years and the world was in 20,000 years ago and the enhanced
Brandenburg. With the BUA we have restate Oxford’s identity as a leading
institutions in Berlin: the Freie Universität change in a range of different locations an interglacial (a warm period between warmth of the last interglacial 125,000
jointly established a virtual Oxford-Berlin European university.
Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, from historical documents through to two ice ages). Britain at that time was years ago, were driven by long-term
Centre for Advanced Studies, whose
Technische Universität Berlin and the Alastair Buchan is Professor of Stroke the sediments and fossils beneath our probably a degree or two warmer than cyclic changes in the Earth’s orbit. The
first thematic research programmes
Charité – Universitätmedizin Berlin. The Medicine at the Radcliffe Department feet. To get an idea about the sort of the present day, certainly in summer, gravitational pull of the other planets in
have focussed on Social Cohesion
MoU covered a range of possibilities, of Medicine and Founding Director of climate changes we are thinking about and hippos lived in most British river the solar system along with the moon
and Global Health. It will have made
including the intensifying of research Oxford in Berlin. In 2017 and 2018 he let us consider some of the key time systems (excavations for foundations stretch the pathway of the Earth’s orbit
awards of a further €1.2M by the end
links as well as the establishment of served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head periods in recent (recent in a geological in Trafalgar Square often dig up their and push and pull the tilt of the Earth’s
of 2021. And we are working together
an Oxford Research Centre in Berlin. of Brexit Strategy for the University of sense) climate history. In Britain and remains and the teeth of hippos are axis and this changes the amount and
on mobility programmes and visiting
Despite the frustrations arising from the Oxford Europe around 200-300 years ago pretty distinctive). distribution of energy we receive from
fellowships between Oxford and Berlin,
20 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 21You can also read
