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Singapore's Virus Detectives

From Singapore, America, Britain, Germany and Antarctica, our correspondents reflect on the Coronavirus; its victims, those who are fighting it and how it is changing our world.

Singapore has been praised for its management of the pandemic with border controls, testing and tracing of known carriers. But while government measures to keep the virus from spreading have so far proved effective, they have also raised questions about the invasiveness of the state says Karishma Vaswani.

Our correspondents are seeing the effect of Covid-19 worldwide with millions confined indoors but what if you have no home to go to? Michelle Quinn of Voice of America shines a spotlight on California. The Golden State may boast the world's fifth biggest economy but it has the worst homelessness problem in the country.

Zeinab Badawi mourns a doctor and family member who, like her, was born in Sudan but has spent most of his life in the UK. He was at the frontline of the National Health Service and died of the coronavirus while trying to protect others.

Damien McGuinness reflects on the mood in Berlin where the throbbing techno dance clubs have fallen silent.

Antarctica is the only continent that has not yet confirmed a case of the coronavirus. Justin Rowlatt underwent some very intensive medical checks before he was allowed to travel there. Now that he is back in the UK and like the rest of us confined to his home, he reflects on what he has learned about isolation at the icy bottom of the world.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Sat 28 Mar 2020 11:30

Broadcast

  • Sat 28 Mar 2020 11:30