i'm joined via webcam by oksana pyzik, who is a senior teaching fellow and public health specialist aton. i'm alsojoined by the news editor of the new scientist magazine, penny sarchet. thanks both of you for being with us. straight to the questions. ox anna, first to you. i like to volunteer, says rachel, to support the nhs. how will launchers be protected from the risk of contracting covid—19? —— volunteers be protected? this is a very good question. i think it is amazing that afforded 5000 people have volunteered. the way people can volunteered, some of these options are volunteered, some of these options a re less volunteered, some of these options are less contact oriented. there is are less contact oriented. there is a chat volunteer for people who are lonely and in isolation as well as to support transporting patients, as well as essential supplies, so in terms of the question itself. even with all of these environments, pharmacies, or some of this support work is going to take place, every possible protocol around safety will be supported. so in terms of ensuring where it is po

i'm joined by oksana pyzik, who leads the outbreak educational programme on infectious disease and globaliversity college london. thank you forjoining us. world health organisation has now finally declared this as a pandemic, what does that mean? said the terminology pandemic should not be taken lightly and the whl has done this taking into consideration the form of transmission that is currently occurring. there are over 114 countries i currently have cases like coronavirus, with four of those being in china, south korea, iran... when people hear this news what does that mean for them? the advice does not change and it is a pandemic now because people are bringing it and 01’ because people are bringing it and ora because people are bringing it and or a local transmission within the community. we knew that, didn't we? the word is so potent, people who hear it become quite panicked and there is a lot of fear. we have already seen that it read topic and markets. does the declaration change any governance behaviour is around the world is yellow the current advice stands around containment an