Inside Covid-19

In episode 59 of Inside Covid-19, we package highlights from some of today's top virus-related interviews that have relevance to South Africa headlined by a fascinating discussion with the US’s coronavirus doctor Anthony Fauci. There are two perspectives on last night’s controversial new regulations imposed by SA president Cyril Ramaphosa – researchers AskAfrica and the man representing 35,000 licenced taverners. And we take a look at the excruciating choice for parents on whether to send their children back to school. - Alec Hogg

In episode 58 of Inside Covid-19, we assess the anxiety about sending children back to school and media reports the coronavirus is now airborne; we revisit with two of our medical experts, forthright epidemiologist Dr Jo Barnes who sees a bright side for the nation after the very hard road ahead; and Stellenbosch University Prof Andreas Diacon who updates us on the BCG trial, for many a great hope in the fight against the coronavirus; we also get some insights from one of the first South Africans to contract the virus, Old Mutual executive Andrew McPherson; and hear from the Outsurance CEO why his company has broken with the industry norm and is actually paying up on Business Interruption claims. - Alec Hogg

In episode 57 of Inside Covid-19, South Africa’s healthcare system is holding up despite a surge in hospitalisations; the court rules against Guardrisk, with costs, after it is sued by a Cape Town restaurant demanding settlement on a Business Interruption insurance claim - but Santam still refuses to budge; and some in-depth perspectives on the Covid-19 experience in South Africa and elsewhere from UK-based Professor Alan Whiteside. - Alec Hogg

In episode 56 of Inside Covid-19, we get perspective on the surge in South African coronavirus infections and mortalities; take an in depth look at an existential battle between companies and their insurers both here in South Africa and the United States; and hear the sobering news that despite a $130bn direct cash injection for 5m businesses from the American Government, between 20% and 30% of them are still expected to go bankrupt. - Alec Hogg

In episode 55 of Inside Covid-19, global medical heavyweight UCT's Dr Linda-Gail Bekker shares her wisdom about the pandemic – and how little we still know; tobacco industry insider Azeem Carim exposes how cigarette manufacturers are making massive profits during SA’s Covid-19 inspired ban on legal sales; we hear from the Rockefeller Foundation’s MD of Pandemic Response on how the leaders should adjust their pandemic messaging to be better heard by an increasingly restive public; and with Gilead’s drug Remdesivir attracting a huge order from the US Government, Big Pharma is jumping on an opportunity to transform its profit gouging reputation. - Alec Hogg

In Episode 54 of Inside Covid-19, some expert insight (and good news) as SA hits number five among the world's new daily infection table; a global South African tech guru breaks new ground on the coronavirus with an agent-based artificial intelligence model; there’s bad news for restaurant owners worldwide as at least 25% are expected to never re-open; and another brilliant investigation by our partners at the Wall Street Journal – this time into why infections in the hard-hit USA are back at new record levels – and what other countries like South Africa can learn from it. - Alec Hogg

In episode 53 of Inside Covid-19, some surprising results of the swing to working from home as previously resistant older people are taking to tech as never before; we revisit the growing scandal around SA insurers refusing to honour Business Interruption cover with the owner of an 81 year old Drakensberg resort; SA can learn from a Seattle old age home on how to keep elderly patients safe; and a quite brilliant expose from our partners at the Wall Street Journal who have been digging deeply into what happened in New York, providing a case book of what NOT to do when dealing with a novel coronavirus. - Alec Hogg

In episode 52 of Inside Covid-19, you’ll notice a significant change as we’ve edited the interviews into highlights and with it shortened the length of the podcast. Interviews featured in this podcast are available in full separately via the Biznews.com website or App. In this episode, South Africa’s Supplementary Budget quantifies the cost to taxpayers of the pandemic at a net R341bn – we’ll examine the why, what and where to from here with contributions from finance minister Tito Mboweni; National Treasury director general Dondo Mogajane; and Stanlib chief economist Kevin Lings. Also in this episode, another kind of quantification, this time from Vitality’s wellness chief on how exercise habits have changed in lockdown, and we hear from the professor leading the local testing of Oxford University’s coronavirus vaccine. - Alec Hogg

In episode 51 of Inside Covid-19 there’s an update on South Africa’s war against the coronavirus from the country’s designated expert Dr Salim Abdul Karim; we hear about insurers that are refusing to settle billions in business interruption claims; there’s a look back to the Black Death and the Spanish Flu to try understand what the economy will look like after the pandemic; and we go inside the Oval Office with the exclusive interview our partners at the Wall Street Journal held with US president Donald Trump on the pandemic. - Alec Hogg

In episode 50 of Inside Covid-19, coronavirus-inspired South Africans seeking diversification abroad can now buy into portfolios run by the world’s biggest investment houses at a discounted exchange rate; we have a look at the lockdown inspired day trading boom in the US, and then consider its local implications with David Shapiro - including a five-fold surge in the Sasol share price; and end up going to Germany to discover how to spot a fake or shoddy Covid-19 protective mask. - Alec Hogg