Prof Jonathan Van-Tam's colourful metaphors were often a highlight of the Downing Street coronaviruses briefings, turning him into something of a household name, and winning praise for the way they translated scientific concepts into lay people's language.
He was a season ticket holder for Boston United and often used sport and football in his analogies. Here are some of his most famous quotes.
The development of the Pfizer vaccine was discussed in November 2020.
This is similar to the end of the play-off final. The first player to score the goal goes up. You haven't won the cup yet, but it tells you that the goalkeeper can be beaten.
Plans for the vaccine roll out, November 2020 press briefing.
I think we are on the glide path to landing. I do. Is it possible to have a side wind on the glide path, and the landing is not completely textbook? I do.
The Pfizer vaccine was approved by the MHRA.
The train slowed down. It stopped at the station. The doors have been opened after the MHRA's approval. We need people to get on that train and travel safely.
The vaccine roll out, December 2020.
The away team gave us a battering in the first half, and in the 70th minute we got an equalizing goal. We have to hold our nerve and see if we can get another goal.
The December 2020 press briefing on storing the Pfizer vaccine.
This product is complex. It is not possible to take yogurt out of the fridge and put it back in multiple times.
The need for booster jabs was discussed in a November press briefing.
Omicron is picking up yellow cards to key players. If we go down to 10 players, we need everyone on the pitch to up their game, because we are starting to feel at risk. We are going to act now, we are not going to wait for the red card to happen.
The vaccine effects in the sun.
We are in the middle of the race, like in the Grand National. We just have a few more fences, we have to stick with it.
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