“What this pandemic has shown us is that these pathogens are formidable” and in some sense they are in control. If we want to regain that control, “we have to be rapid, urgent and smart”. Prof Linda-Gail Bekker (Director: Desmond Tutu HIV Centre) goes into detail about where we are on HIV vaccination trials – what has been working and what hasn’t. Bekker also describes just how HIV is able to disguise itself from our immune systems.