Original version

BBC World Service

BBC World Service Radio

World Service Radio

Health Check

Factual: Health & Wellbeing

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

Health issues and medical breakthroughs from around the world.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

Health Check: Covid-19 sniffer dogs being trained

Magazines & Reviews

Medical Detection Dog

2020/09/02 GMT

Covid-19 sniffer dogs being trained

BBC World Service - Health Check, Covid-19 sniffer dogs being trained

How a smelly t-shirt could help dogs sniff out coronavirus

Sniffer dogs trained to spot Covid-19; India overtakes USA in number of Covid cases; the American University which is testing all its students to keep Covid-19 at bay

Doctors and patients say they have noticed a distinctive smell when someone is infected with Covid-19. And now scientists in the UK are asking people who are being tested for the virus to wear a t-shirt, mask and socks - and then send them back in the post to help train special sniffer dogs. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine hope that dogs can learn to spot Covid-19 – as well as conditions like Parkinson’s Disease and some cancers. 

In our weekly Covid roundup: India has overtaken the USA in the greatest number of Covid cases per day; an international survey indicates that three quarters of people would be happy to be given a Covid vaccine once it’s available. 

Our studio guest, New Scientist magazine’s Clare Wilson, talks about face masks and Covid, the eradication of wild polio in Africa, how tricky it is to lose those few extra pounds gained during lockdown – and how mindfulness doesn’t help everyone who tries it. 

As students around the world return to their studies, one American university is testing them all every few days for the coronavirus. Boston University (Claudia teaches psychology students at their London base) has re-purposed some of its labs to carry out 6,000 Covid tests a day. They already quarantined some students on campus who tested positive. 

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Paula McGrath

(Picture: A medical detection dog training. Photo credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images.)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Health Check

Covid-19 sniffer dogs being trained

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service

About BBC World Service