Christmas. Usually heralded by snow on the ground, Christmas trees and Mariah Carey. And, it seems, a new Covid-19 variant. On this week's podcast, columnists Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan weigh in on the latest developments and tell us why they're confident festivities mustn't take a hit, despite some scientists acting as if the UK is in the eye of the pandemic storm.

Making her second trip to Planet Normal is revered Oxford University epidemiologist Professor Sunetra Gupta, who tells our co-pilots why we are ‘overplaying’ the hype around the new variant, whilst ‘undervaluing’ the power of natural immunity. And immediately Allison's blood pressure drops.

Plus our co-pilots unveil a surprising Planet Normal hero of the week.

Listen to the full interview with Professor Sunetra Gupta: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2021/12/02/planet-normal-shouldnt-have-panicked-omicron-ever |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Listen to Brian Moore's Full Contact: www.playpodca.st/fullcontact |

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