Inside Covid-19

In this episode of the BizNews podcast dedicated to uncovering all the important news and views on the biggest public health crisis in living memory, we hear from Dr Simone Donati, who is among a team of scientists in Italy, about what medical experts have discovered on how the coronavirus goes easily undetected in normal Covid-19 tests by entering the human body through the eyes. We take an in-depth look at the latest developments on vaccine roll-out in South Africa, with an update on the government deals to secure jabs. You will also hear from CEO Stephen Saad about how South Africa's largest pharmaceuticals company, JSE-listed Aspen Pharmacare, has ramped up efforts to start rolling out J&J Covid-19 vaccines to South Africa and the rest of Africa within weeks. Later in the show, we share an update from Discovery Vitality about how novel measures to improve mental health as the pandemic takes its toll on our emotional wellbeing. Plus, the main Covid-19 news making world headlines this week - including more bad news for AstraZeneca.

When the Covid-19 pandemic first swept across the globe and governments instituted lockdowns, many people thought the crisis would be over in a few months. But a year later, many countries are still under lockdown rules, even as vaccinations are rolled out. In a powerful, in-depth report from Bloomberg, we hear how people in the world's richest nation have been coping - and failing to cope - with the new world order in the era of Covid-19. Also in this episode, we share an update on the role of Ivermectin in treating Covid-19, including from lawyer Bonani Luthuli of Bonani Khanyile ka Luthuli Attorneys who has been involved in taking the South African regulatory authority to court in a battle to legalise the use of Ivermectin specifically for Covid-19. - Jackie Cameron

A year ago, the coronavirus pandemic struck, turning people's lives upside down and transforming the way we work and do business. In this episode of Inside Covid-19, we hear from Discovery Insurance Chief Operating Officer Lana Ross about innovations in cover for restaurants - which have been hit particularly hard by lockdown measures. And, we hear insights on how Israel has had one of the world's most successful vaccination efforts yet. First the Covid-19 news making world headlines.

South Africa was the first country to roll out the Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Earlier this week, President Cyril Ramaphosa said 80,000 J&J vaccines have arrived as the mass vaccination programme gets underway. The single-dose vaccine has shown to be effective in preventing moderate and severe disease from South Africa's dominant coronavirus variant with an efficacy of 57% in trials conducted in South Africa. We hear from Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky about the J&J vaccine which has been cleared by regulators in the US and is working on ramping up production to boost global supplies. Also coming up, we hear fascinating insights on the pandemic from the inside of Discovery Life, with CEO Riaan van Reenen. He shares what Discovery's data on claims tells us about the real rate of Covid-19 and what the Life assurer's actuaries have forecast if there is a third wave at Easter. MUST LISTEN!

In this episode of Inside Covid-19, we hear from Professor Eli Schwarz. Professor Schwarz is an Israeli tropical disease expert, who says he has new proof that a drug used to fight parasites in third world countries, could help reduce the length of infection for people who contract the coronavirus. Professor Schwartz, founder of the Centre for Travel Medicine and Tropical disease, has completed a clinical trial of the FDA-approved ivermectin. We hear from our partners at Bloomberg, about how the spread of Covid-19 appears to be slowing as vaccine rollout ramps up around the world Also in the show, we hear from Discovery’s Head of Legal Services, Harry Joffe, about how Covid-19 is changing attitudes to wills and life cover. He tells us about an estate preserver that has been launched to cover the costs associated with dying, including the expenses of setting up trusts to safeguard and manage finances for beneficiaries.

In this episode of Inside Covid-19, we speak to Sandile Cele, a 32-year-old researcher at the Durban-based African Health Research Institute who has made global headlines for an important breakthrough in the fight against Covid-19. Cele found a new way to grow the 501.V2 variant and in so doing, reports the Financial Times, helped show scientists that the variant can escape antibodies and lead to reinfection. Also in this episode, an update from Discovery founder Adrian Gore on the group's role in procuring vaccines and what is happening behind-the-scenes to help medical scheme members. We also hear how pharma companies are racing to retool their vaccine strategies as fast-spreading and potentially dangerous mutations of the virus emerge. Plus, the main Covid-19 stories making world headlines.

In an important scientific breakthrough in the early treatment of Covid-19, medical experts have discovered that an inhaled corticosteroid is effective. Hear from Professor Mona Bafadhel of the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Medicine about how this medication commonly used to treat asthma appears to significantly reduce the need for urgent care and hospitalisation in people with Covid-19. Ivermectin is being developed into a form that is easily dissolved on the tongue or injected; and hear about an app that can use a person’s voice to detect early symptoms of Covid-19. Dr Davd Liu, CEO of Sonde Health, shares what vocal biomarkers can tell us about respiratory illness. Plus the Covid-19 news making world headlines.

Around 65% of people with coronavirus lose their sense of smell and taste and it's estimated that about 10% of those go on to develop rare conditions that create havoc. Parosmia means you can find human waste smells like food and vice versa, the smell of water can make you feel sick and coffee can make you vomit if you get so much of a whiff. Even your partner can become unbearably smelly. So what causes parosmia? Can you treat it? We spoke to Reading University flavour scientist Dr Jane Parker who is undertaking in-depth research on Covid-19 and parosmia. Also coming up in this programme: the long term effects of Covid-19 on the travel and tourism industries, with warnings that life may only return to normal in 7 years at today’s vaccine rates. Christopher Nassetta, President & CEO, Hilton shares his outlook for the hotel industry in 2021. - Jackie Cameron

Have governments gone too far in imposing lockdowns to curb the spread of Covid-19? Why did governments use this strategy? Is the original Covid-19 still circulating - or did it die out in June? We speak to Brian Pottinger, South African author and former Sunday Times journalist who has undertaken an in-depth investigation into these issues, for his new book: 'States of Panic: Covid-19 and the new medieval'. And, we hear from our partners a Bloomberg about the new response - and mistakes - to Covid-19 by US President Joe Biden, starting with his appointment of Rochelle Walensky to head the country’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As South African billionaire Johann Rupert makes world headlines for getting a vaccine shot in December in Switzerland, we explore how global collaboration to mass vaccinate the world is being jeopardised - at the expense of the developing world. We speak to Theo Murphy, European Council on Foreign Relations, for an overview of the geopolitical dynamics and how these impact on countries like South Africa. This debate is not just about access to vaccines but access to the most potent vaccines, as we hear from our partners at Bloomberg. Also in this episode: another breakthrough in treating Covid-19, vaccine pricing and more from the pandemic news making headlines.