Dr Jamie Lopez BernalRegulator
Consultant Epidemiologist – Immunisations (COVID-19, Influenza and other respiratory viruses)
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is based in Hendon (London)
Cited in UK press coverage of health & social care
2 citations
Across 1 topic, first on 27 Aug 2026.
Biography
Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal is a Consultant Epidemiologist in the Immunisation and Vaccine-preventable Diseases Division at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), based in Colindale, London. He leads UKHSA's work on real-world evaluation of COVID-19 vaccines and is a regular public voice on seasonal flu and COVID-19 surveillance. He trained at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and has held previous roles at Public Health England and as a Visiting Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School. He is lead or senior author on multiple peer-reviewed papers in the New England Journal of Medicine, the BMJ, Nature Medicine, and The Lancet Infectious Diseases, and is recognised as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher. His research focuses on vaccine effectiveness methodology, immunisation surveillance, and respiratory virus epidemiology.
References
- 1.Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal – British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy speaker profile — Confirms role as Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA leading on COVID vaccines and real-world vaccine evaluation
- 2.Latest UKHSA surveillance data shows flu and COVID-19 are on the rise – UKHSA Newsroom — Press quote confirming current title (Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA) and role as public spokesperson on flu and COVID-19 surveillance (2025)
- 3.James Lopez Bernal – UKHSA Research Portal — Confirms affiliation with UKHSA and lists peer-reviewed research output
- 4.Effectiveness of Covid-19 Vaccines against the B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant – PubMed / NEJM — Confirms lead authorship of landmark NEJM Delta vaccine effectiveness paper (2021)
- 5.Effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines on covid-19 related symptoms, hospital admissions, and mortality in older adults in England – PubMed / BMJ
Expertise
Cited on
Stated areas of expertise
- COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness
- Influenza surveillance and vaccine effectiveness
- Immunisation and vaccine-preventable diseases
- Real-world epidemiology methods
- Respiratory virus epidemiology
- Public health surveillance
Notable achievements
- Lead author of the landmark New England Journal of Medicine study (2021) on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, one of the most-cited COVID vaccine papers globally. Source ↗
- Lead author on the BMJ test-negative case-control study of Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine effectiveness on COVID-19 symptoms, hospital admissions, and mortality in older adults in England (BMJ 2021;373:n1088). Source ↗
- Recognised as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher, as noted on his LinkedIn profile. Source ↗
- Senior author on UKHSA early-season flu vaccine effectiveness study (2025/26) showing 70–75% effectiveness in children and 30–40% in adults, published as a GOV.UK press release. Source ↗
What they’ve said
“If you have flu-like symptoms such as a high temperature, cough or are feeling tired and achy – try to limit contact with others, especially those at higher risk. Wash your hands regularly, keep indoor spaces well-ventilated, and if you need to go out while unwell, consider wearing a face mask.”
Consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · Should people wear a mask in public if they feel unwell with flu? ↗
“if someone had flu-like symptoms and needed to go out while unwell, they could 'consider wearing a face mask'.”
consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · Health experts criticise NHS chief’s remarks that people with flu symptoms ‘must wear face masks’ ↗
Source references
- Should people wear a mask in public if they feel unwell with flu?theguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
- Health experts criticise NHS chief’s remarks that people with flu symptoms ‘must wear face masks’theguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
Contact & links
- Staff pagehttps://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/author/jamie-lopez-bernal/
- Staff pagehttps://researchportal.ukhsa.gov.uk/en/persons/james-lopez-bernal/
- ORCIDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1301-5653
- Websitehttps://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=Mvx5vy4AAAAJ&hl=en
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