This week the Northern Ireland Executive published plans for easing out of lockdown, going against Boris Johnsons 'Stay Alert' exit strategy. The five stage plan revealed by Stormont is subject to change and will be guided by science and not by the calendar. In today's episode, Deirdre Veldon speaks to Dr Lindsay Broadbent, a virologist at Queens University Belfast about the easing of restrictions, a realistic time frame for a vaccine and the search for a drug treatment for Covid-19.

Guided by science and not by the calendar: How the North will exit lockdown

A news podcast from The Irish Times that covers Ireland's response to the Coronavirus outbreak. New episodes will be published each weekday. 888821

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This is the final instalment of the Confronting Coronavirus podcast series. For part two of the final two-part episode, we’ve asked a handful of Irish Times journalists to reflect on the last couple of months and how the pandemic has played out. Today, we’ll hear from Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary, sports reporter Malachy Clerkin and health editor Paul Cullen.

The biggest story of our lives, part two

This is the final instalment of the Confronting Coronavirus podcast series. For the final two-part episode, we’ve asked a handful of Irish Times journalists to reflect on the last couple of months and how the pandemic has played out. Today, we’ll hear from Public Affairs Editor Simon Carswell and our Political reporter Jennifer Bray.

The biggest story of our lives, part one

Traditionally, one in five of the population experience mental health challenges. In the coming year there will be many more. In today’s episode, Clinical Psychologist Tony Bates speaks to Deirdre Veldon about the emotional impact of the pandemic and how different sections of society will be affected in the weeks and months ahead.

The emotional impact of Covid-19 with Clinical Psychologist Tony Bates

In today’s episode, we hear from Irish Times journalist Sally Hayden, who has been living in lockdown in Northern Uganda for the past three months. 

In March, during the onset of the pandemic, Hayden travelled across the border from Rwanda into Gulu, a city at the epicentre of a two decade long civil war which ended in 2006. Hayden speaks to Deirdre Veldon about the impact of lockdown restrictions on the people of Gulu, in a country with no social protections and where aid is politics.

“Aid is politics” - lockdown in Uganda with Sally Hayden

As the global race to find a vaccine for Covid-19 continues, the question of how it will eventually be supplied and distributed is now under the spotlight. 

Billions of euro have been donated by governments and philanthropic organisations to pharmaceutical companies for research and development of vital Covid-19 vaccines. However, in most cases, few if any conditions for access or affordability have been included as a precondition to any of this funding. In today’s episode we hear from Kate Elder, Senior Vaccines Policy Advisor for Médecins Sans Frontières Access. MSF is calling for authorities to ensure any future vaccines are sold at cost and are universally accessible to all.

Guided by science and not by the calendar: How the North will exit lockdown

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