The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new conversation among scientists, policy makers, politicians and the public. It has also emphasised the role of science and innovation in addressing global challenges. The COVID-19 response has seen innovation in vaccine technology, rapid diagnostics and new means of preventing disease transmission, including interventions, legislation and human behaviour. Success has been a result of an integrated, multidisciplinary, and funded approach, focussed on populations of people. Infectious disease has been a major focus of livestock scientists over many decades and longer, and novel vaccines, diagnostic testing and disease control programmes, including nutrition, management and breeding have been successfully developed and applied to herds, flocks and populations of animals. This has underpinned much success in preventing, reducing and controlling disease which has resulted in i) improved animal health and welfare, ii) better biological efficiency and reduced waste, thus contributing to Net Zero initiatives, and iii) food...
