We decided to try something slightly different on the podcast this week -in fact we hopped over to Twitter spaces to do a live stream following Daisy Cooper’s Parliamentary debate in which she asked the government to reconsider their position on Evusheld, a treatment that could help protect those who have been shielding for 2 1/2 years. It’s an unedited recording… just how it happened… with a fantastic panel of patients, campaigners and scientist.Hope you enjoy it!

Patients groups and

charities are leading the

charge to help support

the #forgotten500k -

long term shielders who

are still not protected

against

COVID.#Evusheld is

being rolled out in 30+

other nations. Why not here in the UK?

Episode three already and we concentrate on the health threat that keeps people shielding with Professor / clinician Alex Richter of Birmingham University. She’s well placed to see the plight of immune compromised patients and explains the science behind it all. And yes, there is a solution out there…

Lockdown isn’t over for the forgotten 500,000.They can’t risk going out and getting on with their daily lives And the stress of such isolation is enormous but it’s a shared stress - those caring for the shielders are paying a heavy price. In the second episode we hear from two of them and check in with Dr Jo Daniels -a clinical psychologist at Bath University who understands what they’re going through.

Back again with season three of Ripples , the podcast that looks at big decisions and major events that impact on our lives.This time the focus is back on Health and the Forgotten 500,000.These are the people who are still shielding as Covid casts it’s long shadow. When can they hope to resume their normal lives when they cannot rely on a vaccination to protect them? Is there another way solution?

In this ( possibly? ) final episode of Ripples#Student2020. Clare catches up with her friends in the final year at Glasgow University. How are they feeling about leaving their education behind and going into the world of work? And how have they assessed their time studying amidst the Covid pandemic?

The end of the academic year and our students are hoping to get home for Christmas.just one final hurdle to negotiate … covid tests- actually two of them! And if they do make it safely back home on time, what kind of Christmas do the students think awaits them ? Clare and Molly find out.

Great to be back with another episode of Ripples#Student2020- this time we are turning our attention to an overlooked section of student society… college students. They are struggling to continue their education amidst the Covid pandemic ... just like their university colleagues. Clare and Molly consider the challenges and hear from two students and a tutor from South Lanarkshire College.How are they coping and how do they feel about the quality of education being delivered?

As the pandemic persists, students are forced to keep themselves going with what ever means they have at their disposal… In normal times that might have meant taking part in team sports or any kind of activity.But with the current restrictions, none of this is possible.... so how are they coping? We have some new faces this week and a special guest… A former BBC sports colleague. Hope you enjoy the podcast!