The Briefing Room

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BBC Radio 4 FM

BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

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David Aaronovitch presents in-depth explainers on big issues in the news.

David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news.

David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news

BBC Radio 4 LW

The Briefing Room: Living in a Variant World

02/12/2021

Living in a Variant World

BBC Radio 4 - The Briefing Room, Living in a Variant World

Where do Covid variants like Omicron come from? And what makes a variant dangerous?

Omicron is the latest Sars-Cov-2 variant. What are variants, where do they come from, how do they develop and what makes one dominant? David Aaronovitch asks the experts.

What are variants? Where do they come from? Why do they develop and how do they take over?
Currently Delta is the dominant variant in the UK and across much of the world; but now Omicron, first identified in South Africa, looks like it could take over. How does that happen? And what can we do about variants?

Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are:

Emma Thomson, Professor of infectious diseases at the University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research. 
Dr. Jeff Barrett, Director of the Covid-19 genomics initiative at the Wellcome Sanger Institute.
Dr. Charlotte Houldcroft, virologist from the University of Cambridge.

Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight
Studio Manager: Graham Puddifoot
Editor: Richard Vadon

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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