3 Nov 2026
Jonathan Van-Tam served as England’s deputy chief medical officer during the COVID pandemic.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam will be headlining at BVA Congress.
A human health expert who helped lead the UK’s response to COVID will headline BVA Congress at this year’s London Vet Show.
Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, who served as England’s deputy chief medical officer between 2017 and 2022, will deliver the prestigious Wooldridge Memorial Lecture in the BVA Congress Theatre at London Vet Show from 11am to 12pm on Friday 20 November.
In “Is the UK ready for major disease outbreak: Lessons in science, politics and leadership from COVID-19”, the infectious disease, epidemiology, vaccinology and pandemic preparedness expert will offer insight into how the Government and the veterinary profession can respond effectively to the next major animal disease outbreak.
Prof Van-Tam said: “SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) was the largest global public health crisis in the last 100 years.
“It has changed the interaction between scientists, politicians and the public forever.
“As humans encroach further on the animal kingdom, future pandemics of zoonotic origin are inevitable; therefore it is important we learn the lesson from 2020 to apply to the future.”
Prof Van-Tam, emeritus professor of health protection at the University of Nottingham, has advised the World Health Organization on influenza since 2004.
He also chaired the UK’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) from 2014 to 2017.
Gwen Rees, who is prioritising disease resilience during her year in the BVA presidential hotseat, added: “The COVID-19 pandemic and following years proved incredibly challenging for everyone, including vets and with ongoing outbreaks of devastating animal diseases like bluetongue and avian flu, it is essential that as a country and as a profession we are ready for the next major pandemic.
“Professor Van-Tam is uniquely positioned to provide incredible insight and we’re so lucky that he can join us and share his experience.”
The full BVA Congress programme can be found at the London Vet Show website.