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The Story

Tom Whipple’s year in Covid: from Wuhan to lockdown to vaccine

The Story

The Times

Politics, Uk News, News, Long-form Audio, Global News, In-depth Journalism, Daily News, Exclusive Interviews, Audio Storytelling, News Analysis, Current Affairs, Investigative Reporting, Daily News Podcast

3.91.6K Ratings

🗓️ 28 December 2020

⏱️ 33 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

All this week we look back at the biggest stories of the year. Today: Coronavirus. How should we separate the science from the conspiracy theories? What have we actually learnt about the virus? And is there now light at the end of the tunnel?


This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.


Guest:

Tom Whipple, Science Editor for The Times.


Host: Manveen Rana.


Clips: Sky News, Talkradio, France 24, Euronews, BBC, ITV, CNA, CNA2.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Attention at all passengers. You can now book your train tickets on Uber and get 10% back in Uber credits to spend on your next train journey.

0:11.0

So no excuses not to visit your in-laws this Christmas.

0:16.5

Trains now on Uber. T's and C's apply check the Uber app. This week we're re-examining the big stories of 2020.

0:27.0

This week we're re-examining the big stories of 2020.

0:34.8

So much has happened on the world stage, in politics and the economy, but underneath it all,

0:41.8

there's only really been one story in town.

0:45.0

Chinese health authorities are still working to identify the virus behind a pneumonia outbreak in the central city of Wuhan.

0:52.0

And on Thursday, Chinese researchers said investigations showed a new type of coronavirus was to blame.

0:59.0

And now, with a new mutation raising more questions about the virus we speak to the Times

1:05.6

Science Editor Tom Whipple who spent all year doing his utmost to dispel misinformation.

1:12.3

If I'm the science correspondent I am the reality. most to dispel misinformation.

1:13.0

If I'm the science correspondent, I am the reality correspondent.

1:16.0

That is what science is and we just abandoned reality.

1:20.0

We separate the science from the conspiracy theories.

1:24.0

We've had a very strange year. It had always been this continual sort of whacker mole of bullshit.

1:32.0

What... sort of whack-a-mole of bullshit. What have we actually learned about the virus,

1:37.0

and is there now light at the end of the tunnel?

1:40.0

What can we expect in 2021?

1:45.0

You're listening to stories of our times from the Times and the Sunday Times.

1:50.0

I'm Man v. Rana.

1:51.0

Today, 2020. Lessons from a global pandemic. The ministers revealed that a new variant of the virus has been seen in the UK.

2:18.0

Ministers said a new variant of coronavirus is out of control.

...

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