In today's episode, Tom tries something different. Instead of a guest interview, this is the first in a series of short essays, just Tom, in his own words, reflecting on issues that matter.

Essay #1 marks Long Covid Awareness Day 2026. Six years after lockdown began, an estimated two million people in the UK are still living with Long Covid, and most of us have moved on as if the pandemic is over. Tom argues it isn't.

Drawing on his own experiences of the pandemic and conversations with Long Covid sufferers from previous episodes, Tom reflects on the heroes we celebrated and then forgot, the chasm the pandemic widened between the privileged and the vulnerable, and what we can all do at a personal and political level to support those still suffering.

This essay references Tom's three Long Covid episodes from 2025, and one focused on young people whose education was impacted by the wider pandemic. You can find them here:

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