Salim Abdool Karim wins 2020 John Maddox Prize for Covid-19 work

The man at the vanguard of SA's Covid-19 strategy, Dr Salim Abdool Karim, has been awarded the 2020 John Maddox Prize for standing up for science during the coronavirus pandemic. He shares the award with Dr Anthony Fauci, the United States' director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

Professor Salim Abdool Karim

The award recognises "their work as prominent government advisors on health during the Covid-19 pandemic, and their exceptional communication of the science behind Covid-19 to the public and policymakers".

Karim has a reputation for clear and honest communication, something that has allowed him to generate public trust in fast-moving science. Respected for his international science advocacy, engaging with the media and the public has become integral to his role as a scientist. The enormous achievements of Karim and Fauci call back to their work tackling Aids. Over 30 years ago, Fauci oversaw much of the US government’s medical response to the Aids crisis, while in the early 2000s Karim was one of one of the scientists who spoke out against Aids denialism, the citation says.

I am grateful to be a co-recipient of the 2020 John Maddox prize and honored to share it with my long-standing colleague and friend, Anthony Fauci. It is our duty as scientists to speak with integrity, be guided by the evidence and inform the public honestly. pic.twitter.com/kcqMcapGHT
— Salim Abdool Karim (@ProfAbdoolKarim) December 14, 2020