Manal Abdelmalek joins the Surfers to consider the three most important COVID-19 stories today.
The conversation focuses on the British variant, the new vaccines, and the physical and emotional toll the pandemic continues to take on front-line physicians and other healthcare workers. Stephen and Manal each have a sibling who works as an ER physician and they provide heart-wrenching stories on how tough the front lines are. Louise discusses how Britain is reacting to government policy designed to contain the new, more contagious COVID-19 variant. Roger discusses possible epidemiological trends and explains why the US may eventually follow the UK policy of delivering the first doses of the vaccine as quickly as possible. Thought-provoking in its own right, the discussion helps frame treatment and policy choices as well as the rest of this episode.