Podcast: Vaccine production, safety on public transport, and emerging economies

In this edition: How to make a billion COVID-19 vaccines, why women feel unsafe on public transport, and how emerging economies fare under COVID-19.

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News: Reacting to George Floyd’s death – We speak to Dr Sarah Essilfie-Quaye and Dr Wayne Mitchell from Imperial as One, an advisory group made up of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff, about the response to George Floyd’s death and what should be done to tackle racism.

You can also hear an extended version of this interview.

Scaling up vaccine production – Once a COVID-19 vaccine has been successful in clinical trials, how can we make more than a billion doses in a matter of months? We hear about the challenges and how we might overcome them.

This feature is an excerpt from 'Never Lick the Spoon' – a monthly podcast from Imperial's Institute for Molecular Science and Engineering.

How safe do you feel on public transport? – A new study shows how women are more likely to feel unsafe on public transport. The effect is not just simple fear but can affect their working lives and career opportunities; so how can we design safer transport systems? Laila Ait Bihi Ouali explains.

COVID-19’s impact on emerging economies – Emerging economies like India face different challenges in lockdowns, but also potentially have some real opportunities for recovery. We find out more with economics professor Tarun Ramadorai.

You can also listen to an extended version of this interview.

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The podcast is presented by Gareth Mitchell, a lecturer on Imperial's MSc Science Communication course and the presenter of Digital Planet on the BBC World Service, with contributions from our roving reporters in the Communications and Public Affairs Division.