A forthcoming podcast that will cover Ireland's response to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Confronting Coronavirus: Forthcoming from The Irish Times

Irish Times deputy editor Deirdre Veldon talks to health editor Paul Cullen.

- Children are off school, but how much freedom should they have? 
- A case from the US that tells us a lot about how the virus spreads.
- How the government is reallocating resources to deal with the expected increase in cases over the coming weeks.

Confronting Coronavirus: The Latest Updates

First: Cliff Taylor on measures announced today by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe. 

Then: Denis Staunton on the UK's confused and confusing response to the outbreak.

Why was the UK's response so different?

In this episode, we hear from Irish Times digital journalist Glen Murphy who tested positive for Covid-19 just two weeks ago. This was the first case of coronavirus within The Irish Times and led to a complete closure of the office, with all staff asked to work remotely. Despite developing a high fever, persistent cough and a splitting headache, Glen was deemed a “low risk case” and found it difficult to secure a test from the HSE. His parents, who are symptomatic, await test results eight days on. Here, he speaks to Deirdre Veldon about his close contacts who are still awaiting tests and what it’s like being a "statistic in a global pandemic".

Coronavirus: a recovered Irish Times journalist's experience

Yesterday the government announced new restrictions on personal movement and businesses, and also gave details of new measures to help those left out of pocket by the outbreak.  What does it all mean for you? We ask Conor Pope.

What do the new restrictions mean for you?

In this episode, Science and Environment Editor Kevin O’Sullivan brings us up to speed on the latest developments of the coronavirus vaccine. As Covid-19 spreads rapidly across the world, research is taking place at breakneck speed. It is a global effort involving many different countries, institutions and individual researchers, all facing huge challenges along the way. So who is making the most progress and when will we see a vaccine made available to the public?

Coronavirus Vaccine: How far have we come?

In today’s episode we speak with Dr. Oisin O’Connell, a respiratory consultant at the Bons Secours hospital in Cork. Dr. O’Connell and his colleagues have been in regular conversation with medical professionals in Italy and China, in a bid to stem the outbreak here in Ireland. So what have they learned from their counterparts in Wuhan and Lombardy? And how have these interactions prepared our healthcare system for what is to come? Despite the government's relatively quick action on social distancing and school closures, Dr O’Connell explains “We’re still going to get a surge and that surge is going to hurt”.

Coronavirus: a respiratory consultant’s insights

As India begins a second week under complete lockdown, we hear from Rahul Bedi, an Irish Times contributor based in New Delhi. Last week, In his address to the nation, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned that if action was not taken over these 21 days of lockdown, “it would set India back 21 years”. However, these restrictive measures remain a significant challenge as hundreds of millions of citizens live in extreme poverty or in packed urban areas with poor sanitation and little access to public health care.

Coronavirus in India: 1.3 Billion on Lockdown

Dr Jack Lambert is a consultant in infectious disease at the Mater Hospital. In this in-depth conversation about Ireland's approach to the coronavirus outbreak, Dr Lambert tells Irish Times deputy editor Deirdre Veldon that testing in Ireland at its current rate won't be sufficient to "flatten the curve", and identifies other problems, too.

"Our rates of testing will not flatten the curve" - a doctor speaks

In this episode, we hear from Mary Leahy, the National Coordinator for Nurse/Midwife Safety, Health and Wellbeing. Mary has been instrumental in raising funds for much needed personal protection equipment for health care workers in Ireland.  She recently set up the 'Heroes Aid' Go Fund Me Campaign which has raised over €55,000 for PPE and other resources to keep healthcare workers safe. The money will also be used to provide psychological and practical supports for those workers negatively impacted by Covid-19. Mary also explains the innovative ways Irish companies are working together to design and produce protective equipment to fight the outbreak.

The physical and mental challenges facing our health care professionals

A recent study from the US has shown that countries with high BCG vaccination rates have fewer coronavirus deaths. This may be due to the known immunological benefits of the vaccine. Trials have now begun in Australia and The Netherlands to test whether the vaccination can prevent thousands of healthcare workers from becoming infected. To understand this study and the potential behind the findings, we spoke with Luke O'Neill, an immunologist and Professor of Biochemistry at Trinity College.

Can the BCG vaccination protect you from Covid-19?

Pete Lunn, a behavioural economist with the Economic and Social Research Institute, talks about what will drive people to abide by, or break, the social distancing and stay-at-home rules in the weeks ahead. But first health editor Paul Cullen on the state of play in the nation's efforts to overcome the outbreak.

Can we keep this up? A behavioural economist says yes

Over the last week, small protests have been popping up across the US demanding the reopening of the country and its economy. Exasperated Americans took to the streets with signs and flags, with some holding rifles. Trump has handed control over to each state governor to implement a phased reopening, when the time is right. Suzanne Lynch is the Irish Times Washington correspondent and she speaks to Deirdre Veldon about the latest events and an uncertain election on the horizon.

Anti-quarantine protests and phased reopening: all the latest from the US

Coronavirus has put airlines and travel firms under unprecedented strain and consumers are baring the brunt of it. Airlines are holding back on refunds and pressing customers to take vouchers instead. The whole affair calls into question public confidence in airlines, which may have an impact on their very uncertain future. Irish Times consumer affairs editor Conor Pope speaks to Deirdre Veldon about how Ryan Air have handled the crisis and what the future of airline travel might look like.

How will the global airline industry recover from Covid-19?

In today's episode Deirdre Veldon speaks to Irish Times political correspondent Jennifer Bray and Health Editor Paul Cullen about the roadmap for reopening Ireland as announced by Leo Varadkar on Friday evening. Most of the current restrictions will remain in place until May 18th and will be eased in stages, three weeks at a time. Finally psychotherapist and advice columnist Trish Murphy has some helpful tips for coping with the extended period of lockdown

The reopening of Ireland - a phased approach

As the world continues to fight against the spread of coronavirus, testing remains one of the key ways to keep infection under control. But how can we reach a level of testing which will allow the public to return to their daily lives while preventing a second wave of the disease? In today’s episode, we hear from Peter Fraizer, a professor of Operations Research at Cornell University in New York. Together with his colleagues, Fraizer has devised a group testing protocol, which he claims, if implemented, would see over 90% of Americans returning to work in just one month.

Could group testing for Covid-19 contain the virus in just one month?

Professor Sam McConkey has been one of the most prominent communicators of the science behind the pandemic response in Ireland. Here he talks to Irish Times deputy editor Deirdre Veldon about how we will live with Covid-19 in the months and years ahead, affecting how our businesses work, making smaller school class sizes necessary, and creating a new global divide between nations on top of the virus and those where it remains widespread.

Professor McConkey is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of International Health and Tropical Medicine at the RCSI.

"The world will divide in two": Professor Sam McConkey on living with Covid-19 in the years ahead

Yesterday some retailers reopened in phase one of the easing of lockdown. Conor Pope went out to meet shoppers and see whether their behaviour had changed (and to pick up some lavender and compost). He tells Deirdre Veldon what he saw, and some ways he thinks retail will be different from here on.

The return of retail shows just how much things have changed - with Conor Pope

Political correspondent Harry McGee tells Deirdre Veldon about the news that Ireland will begin a programme of testing for Covid-19 antibodies in the population next month. How does this test differ to how we are already testing, and what benefits will it bring?

Ireland to start antibody testing next month: what that means and how it will help

Among the people most affected by this crisis are children and especially teenagers. Lockdown has put an abrupt stop to their education and their social lives. In today's podcast Deirdre Veldon speaks to psychotherapist and Irish Times columnist John Sharry about the developmental impacts the lockdown will have on young people and how parents can prepare for the weeks and months ahead.

The Impact of Covid-19 on the young with psychotherapist John Sharry

Margaret Heffernan is a businesswoman and author who writes about leadership and strategic thinking. Her latest book Uncharted: How to Map the Future is about the pitfalls of relying too much on forecasting and predictions, and the benefits of a different kind of readiness. In the book, which was published back in February, Margaret presciently writes about pandemics as an example of the uncertainty and unpredictability of complex events.

How to be ready for an unpredictable future - with author Margaret Heffernan

Coronavirus has presented a huge challenge for our health services, especially in our nursing homes. The devastating death toll in these settings has come under the spotlight this week for the Dáil's Covid-19 committee. On Tuesday, the committee heard from Tadgh Daly, the head of Nursing Homes Ireland who claimed the sector was left “abandoned and isolated”. Hundreds of pages of newly released documentation, reveal a  timeline of correspondence which suggests it took more than a month for a specific plan for nursing homes to be put in place. Jennifer Bray is political reporter with The Irish Times and has been looking into these exchanges between Nursing Homes Ireland and Key State Organisations. In this episode, we also hear from Health Editor Paul Cullen who reflects on the state response to the issues raised by nursing homes.

Why did it take so long for a nursing home plan to be put in place?

Should all retailers, restaurants and tourism be allowed to open sooner? Business affairs correspondent and columnist Mark Paul has been arguing for an accelerated easing of restrictions on businesses, especially for the sake of our small and medium sized enterprises, "the lifeblood of our economy". He tells Deirdre Veldon that no-one seems to be fighting their corner, and that the balance of risks to our society is skewed.

"It's callous to leave businesses closed if they don't need to be"

Next week, Ireland will enter phase two of the roadmap out of lockdown. We’ll be able to travel 20km from our homes and visit another household while maintaining social distancing. Street level shops will open and some sporting and fitness activities will begin again. But will this taste of freedom mean people will push the boundaries even more? Large crowds flocked to beauty spots over the long weekend, while thousands gathered in close proximity at a Black Lives Matter protest earlier this week. In today’s episode, Deirdre Veldon speaks to Pete Lunn a behavioural economist with the Economic and Social Research Institute. With community transmission quite low, Lunn explains how this may affect willingness to comply to ongoing restrictions.

"Compliance is not as good on the way down as it was on the way up"

Conor Pope has been looking at how Ireland is reopening this week, in shops and other public places. His assessment: it's going quite well, but many small problems remain, from queuing to distancing and the wearing of masks. And as more restrictions are eased, more such problems will crop up for Irish consumers and businesses.

Lockdown is lifting, but new rules cause many conundrums - with Conor Pope

In this episode, Irish Times Features Writer Patrick Freyne brings us back to the year 2011 and the release of the scientific thriller movie Contagion. Starring Matt Damon, Contagion tells the story of a deadly virus which explodes into a global pandemic, bringing society to its knees. Nine years on, in the midst of our own virus outbreak, it all feels eerily familiar. Freyne catches up with Contagion’s screenwriter Scott Z. Burns and the virologist who advised the script and plotline for the movie, Dr Ian Lipkin. The pair explain how their working relationship began over a couple of cocktails in a Manhattan bar and was sealed on the agreement that this pandemic movie would be grounded in science rather than blockbuster action. So, nine years on from its release, what it is like looking back on Contagion for Burns and Lipkin? Has the pandemic played out like they expected both scientifically and politically?

How Contagion predicted a pandemic - with screenwriter Scott Z. Burns and Dr Ian Lipkin

This week the Irish Prison Service put forward a paper to the World Health Organisation as a model of best practices for keeping Covid-19 out of it’s settings. With 3,738 prisoners nationwide and zero positive cases, there is a lot to be learned from their management of the virus. In this episode, Deirdre Veldon speaks to Irish Times Crime Correspondent Conor Gallagher about the quick action and careful planning which shaped their successful handling of the outbreak. They also discuss the overall impact the pandemic has had on crime levels and how the Irish court system has been coping with virtual hearings and socially distanced court rooms.

"There's remarkable buy-in from prisoners" - How the Irish Prison System kept Covid-19 Out

The return of restrictions on life in Beijing comes as over a hundred new cases are linked to a huge food market. Peter Goff explains  what's happening in Beijing, how the city is handling it and why the outbreak is a major blow to the efforts of China, and the world, to control the virus and reopen economies. Plus, a deadly skirmish on the India-China border.

A coronavirus surge shocks Beijing - with Peter Goff

Ireland is approaching Phase 3 of the Roadmap for Reopening Business and Society. In this episode, Conor Pope talks us through some of the changes that will be coming into place as the country continues to ease lockdown restrictions.

Lifting the lockdown: What can I do in Phase 3?

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.

“We must demand equal access to future vaccines”

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

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

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

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

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

Confronting Coronavirus

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