The Briefing Room

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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

The Briefing Room: Covid - how worried should we be this time?

14/07/2022

Covid - how worried should we be this time?

BBC Radio 4 - The Briefing Room, Covid - how worried should we be this time?

Do need to worry about Coronavirus again?

Levels of Covid infections are up. The virus has mutated into new variants which can re-infect our bodies. Is it time to start worrying about Coronavirus again?

More than two years after the emergence of Covid, infection levels are high once again. The Office for National Statistics estimates that 2.7 million people, or 1 in 25 of us, have got Coronavirus.

There’s concern too about new Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 – mutations which help the virus re-infect our bodies.

But how worried should we actually be this time? Are the mutations normal or an alarming new development? And how much of a threat does Coronavirus still face to the NHS?

Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are:

James Gallagher, BBC Health and Science Correspondent
Gideon Skinner, Head of Politics Research in Public Affairs at Ipsos
Miriam Deakin, Director of Policy and Stategy of NHS Providers
Meaghan Kall, Epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency
Neil Ferguson, Head of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College, London.

Producers: Tim Mansel, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Richard Vadon. Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross

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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