Apart, together
Authors: Andrea Stephens
Journal: Trends in Ecology & Evolution (2021)

December 2021 marks 2 years since the first reports of an outbreak were covered by a handful of international media outlets. Few could have envisioned what would transpire over the coming months. No one can accurately predict how things will unfold in the years to come. The pandemic continues, diminished in some places, unabated in others, and periodically re-emerging throughout. Although the future remains uncertain, we have chosen to use this anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on the indelible aspects of this uniquely difficult epoch and our hopes for the future. As the COVID-19 outbreak rapidly evolved into a global pandemic, phrases based on scientific principles such as 'flatten the curve', 'herd immunity', '6 feet apart', and 'hotspots' assumed unprecedented importance in everyday life. The phrase 'follow the science' was transformed into a trending tagline and the status of scientists elevated to that of celebrities. Some medics and frontline workers were featured on covers of fashion magazinesi, an unusual recognition of their vital contributions to the broader community. Yet, despite the esteem and accomplishments, scientists and clinicians are human and vulnerable to the same virus they have fought against. As part of this reflection, the Trends team recognises the scientists, researchers, and healthcare workers who lost their lives to COVID-19, whether directly or indirectly. These include individuals who succumbed to complications arising from SARS-CoV-2 infections, including those whose deaths reflect the growing mental health toll of the pandemic. Still others suffered delayed diagnosis and treatment for chronic illnesses and diseases because of overburdened, nearly broken healthcare systems. Disruption to vaccination programmes, screening tests and the like will lead to more indirect deaths. These are sobering reminders of the sacrifices that have been made by so many and the magnitude of the loss endured by our community and countless others. Of all the phrases that have become a part of our collective vocabulary during the pandemic, one became a global rallying cry as we faced a common threat that forced us to distance ourselves from each other: 'All in this together'. The scientific community has embraced this call for collective action, sustaining an unparalleled pace of progress and discovery over the past 2 years, even in the face of significant setbacks. With lockdowns in place worldwide, laboratory closures and restrictions limited research globally. In some institutions, scientists and clinicians were required or encouraged to stop their research to instead help control COVID-19 by processing tests, formulating sanitisers, donating equipment, and/or working on the frontlinesii,iii [1.Dove A. Pandemic pivot: how scientists answered the call for diagnostic tests.Science. 2021; 371: 427-429Google Scholar]. Across academia, laboratory heads scrambled to sustain research and keep their teams safe; many struggled to obtain basic supplies, keep animals and plants alive in laboratories and greenhouses, and maintain field experiments. Some universities faced additional threats, as they grappled with declining student enrolment and the challenges of remote learning. Under these circumstances, some researchers have lost their jobs. Those who remain face an exceptionally fraught path for navigating even standard career milestones such as preparing grants and tenure packages. Increasingly, there is strong evidence that this path is more fraught for women, researchers with children, and early-career researchersiv–vi [2.Wadman M. Pandemic scientists fight burnout.Science. 2021; 372: 13-14Crossref PubMed Scopus (20) Google Scholar, 3.Woolston C. 'Less pipetting and more thinking': scientists carry on through the pandemic.Nature. 2021; 592: 806Crossref Scopus (14) Google Scholar, 4.Colins C. Productivity in a pandemic.Science. 2020; 369: 603Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar, 5.Carr R.M. et al.Academic careers and the COVID-19 pandemic: reversing the tide.Sci. Transl. Med. 2021; 13eabe7189Crossref PubMed Scopus (67) Google Scholar, 6.Myers K.R. et al.Unequal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on scientists.Nat. Hum. Behav. 2020; 4: 880-883Crossref PubMed Scopus (472) Google Scholar]. Undeniably, the pandemic has also taken a significant toll on the mental well-being of researchers and students alike; individuals have coped and dealt with the severe restrictions and isolation with varying levels of success that frankly depends on the day, month, and season. The wounds inflicted by the pandemic on the scientific community run deep and will certainly take time to heal. Many people had a new-found appreciation of the natural world and reports from across the globe suggested that the reduction in human activity allowed wildlife to flourish. Science continues, despite everything, because of the compassion, sacrifice, and endurance of our communities. Those with access to their laboratories worked gruelling hours to advance coronavirus research, while those barred from their space embraced creative approaches to continue their own, still vital, research. Group meetings and departmental visits through virtual platforms ensured that past connections were maintained, while still providing a path forward for forging new links. Institutions and grant agencies stepped in to provide tenure extensions and funding resources to ease the crises. Meetings and conferences turned virtual, providing access to many who would not have otherwise been able to attend. The pandemic has captured the public's attention and interest and, in response, scientists have used social media to discuss COVID-19 with the public directly. These discussions cover all aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as conspiracies on the origin of the virus, the effects and myths of vaccination, basic immunological concepts with easy-to-follow animations, and the science behind the effectiveness of wearing a mask, to name but a fewvii [7.Editorial Scientists, keep an open line of communication with the public.Nat. Med. 2020; 26: 1495Crossref PubMed Scopus (24) Google Scholar]. We hope that scientists continue these successful public outreach efforts, and the public and politicians keep listening, even after we emerge from this pandemic. Together, these efforts have led, and continue to lead, to astounding achievements. From sequencing the SARS-CoV-2 genome and sharing it with the world, to unearthing host factors involved in viral entry, characterising the methods of transmission and spread of the virus, developing epidemiological models to predict spread and impact of interventions, and continued genomic surveillance of new viral variants, the scientific community is working tirelessly and collaboratively to develop and deploy tools to combat the pandemic. Nations with the means to do so are investing an incredible amount of funding into COVID-19 research, helping streamline clinical trials and expedite approvals for life-saving therapies and vaccines. The collective effort, unity, and collaboration on a global scale makes it possible to move therapies from bench to bedside and is the ultimate reminder that we are 'all in this together'. As the pandemic continues to run its uncertain course, we will all remember what we have experienced over these past 2 years, whether together or apart. iwww.vogue.co.uk/news/article/keyworkers-july-2020-issue-british-vogue iiwww.gov.uk/government/news/ukaeas-helping-hand-for-the-nhs iiihttps://cen.acs.org/safety/lab-safety/Getting-back-lab-during-COVID-19/98/i19 ivwww.bordertelegraph.com/news/national/18826659.pandemic-threatens-research-early-career-scientists-look-leave/ vhttps://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/18/health/coronavirus-research-gender-bias-scn/index.html viwww.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2021/04/02/struggles-for-working-parents-are-likely-to-remain-post-pandemic/?sh=437133ed6856 viiwww.the-scientist.com/careers/science-and-policy-collide-during-the-pandemic-67882