Episode description

On 26 November Omicron was declared a Covid-19 variant of concern by the World Health Organisation. With Omicron now detected in more than 20 countries, governments across the world are acting to limit its spread. Emily Tamkin in Washington, DC, Alix Kroeger in London and Ido Vock in Berlin discuss the politics of travel bans and vaccine inequity.

On 24 November, at least 27 people died trying to reach the UK by boat, in the biggest recorded single loss of migrants' lives in the English Channel. Ido speaks about reporting from Calais, where migrants remain undeterred from making the treacherous journey. 

Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks if Éric Zemmour has a realistic chance of reaching the French presidential election run-off or if he is more likely to split the far-right vote and lead to a more moderate candidate.

Further reading:

Ido Vock on why travel bans won’t defeat Omicron

Laura Spinney on the global race to contain Omicron

Ido Vock, a dispatch: migrants in Calais are still determined to cross the Channel

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