Health
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We’re just the same as you – only more famous
In a real crisis, do celebrities help? Some have been praised for leading by example during the pandemic, but many have shown an extraordinary inability to relate to ordinary people.
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We are what we eat – and what we mistreat
Did our cruel treatment of animals lead to the coronavirus? Experts tell us that the conditions leading to new infectious diseases are the same ones that inflict horrific harms on animals.
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UK may be worst-affected country in Europe
Should Britain’s virus response get the wooden spoon? A government advisor warns that, despite its famed National Health Service, it could be a case study for poor public health management.
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Stricken Boris Johnson in intensive care
Can government carry on with a sick leader? The tradition of covering up and carrying on is tenacious. But history shows that there is little to fear from a period of illness at the top.
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Coronavirus, capitalism, and the cure business
Are the giant drug companies the solution not the problem? Multinational pharmaceutical companies want to make money from the pandemic, but their research may be essential to finding a vaccine.
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‘The reckoning’: China and the virus blame game
Does China deserve to be blamed for Covid-19? As Western nations are brought to their knees, recriminations are mounting. The Chinese government is under fire as never before.
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Experts: ‘avoid vicious cycles of anxiety’
Do we all have an extra responsibility to look after our mental health? During this eerie quarantine, experts have launched an appeal for us to look after our minds as well as our bodies.
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BBC predicts explosion of creativity and art
Could the virus spark an artistic renaissance? As lockdowns come into force and people around the world face lonely weeks ahead, the stage is set for a huge flowering of modern genius.
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Do not lose hope: we can defeat the virus
Should the media publish more good news? The Covid-19 outbreak is frightening and deserves our attention. But amidst all the doom and gloom, there are hundreds of encouraging developments.
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Experts praise power of positive thinking
Can positive thinking help? The coronavirus epidemic is an enormous challenge for the whole world – but many people are saying we should focus on the rich benefits it might bring us.
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Coronavirus catastrophe closes in on Africa
Could Africa see the worst outbreak yet? As the virus begins to spread across the world’s poorest continent, experts warn the impact could be much more severe than in Europe and Asia.
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Social life cancelled in coronavirus lockdown
Is it morally wrong to socialise? Boris Johnson has followed other countries in recommending strict social distancing to lessen the impact of Covid-19 – but will people put it into practice?
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We may not like who we are about to become
What do the classics teach us? As we enter the dark tunnel of the 2020 pandemic, we will face hard questions. Take comfort that some of our greatest writers have struggled with them before.
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Virus may last a year and put 8m in hospital
Are you a delayer or a container? What’s your pandemic strategy? As Europe launches a wartime clampdown, the UK’s more relaxed coronavirus strategy is under fire from some scientists.
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Trump’s ‘delusional’ microbe meltdown
Could the virus topple Trump? With the financial markets crashing, US coronavirus tests hard to find, and a rising number of infections – the US president is facing an unprecedented challenge.