South Africa did not respond quick enough to secure Covid-19 vaccines in 2020 during the global pandemic. These are among the revelations in Professor Salim Abdool Karim's debut novel, Standing Up for Science. The world renowned clinical infectious diseases epidemiologist, based at the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in Durban, is also a Special Adviser on pandemics to the Director-General of the World Health Organisation. The novel is Abdool Karim's personal account from the frontlines of the Covid-10 pandemic, with lessons for future scientists. Minoshni Pillay caught up with Abdool Karim on science, Sir Isaac Newton and family and filed this report...