Invisible Wars
Airborne Attack
Monday 5 April at 9.30pm
In March 2020 cities around the world fell silent. Empty streets echoed the return of a familiar (but forgotten) foe: a highly infectious respiratory virus for which there was no known cure. Airborne Attack is a gripping science thriller that reminds us that COVID-19 is just one in a series of deadly respiratory outbreaks that have wreaked havoc over the last 100 years. This illuminating one-hour episode uncovers vital clues from past outbreaks that can help us when the next deadly virus attacks.
This first episode in the Invisible Wars series, features specialists from the World Health Organization, as well as leading virologists, microbiologists and doctors based in the UK, Australia, Hong Kong and the USA.
These experts remind us that although COVID-19 has changed our world forever, this outbreak is nothing new. In fact, a hundred years ago a new strain of flu spilt-over from animals to humans with devastating consequences. It infected an astonishing one-third of the world’s population and killed over 50 million people. Airborne Attack shines a light on the fascinating parallels between the measures taken to combat Spanish Influenza and those used to fight a pandemic 100 years later.
By tracking respiratory outbreaks over time, this episode brings to life the enormous impact that seasonal influenza, Bird Flu and SARS have had on the globe. Airborne Attack charts the scientific breakthroughs that have kept our world safe when respiratory viruses have threatened our way of life.
Episode 2: Creatures of Contagion
Monday 12 April at 9.30pm
In late 2019, near Wuhan, China, a novel coronavirus jumped from an animal to humans. This event would spark the most disastrous pandemic in 100 years. Creatures of Contagion is an illuminating science documentary that shines a light on the close connection between animal and human health.
This one-hour episode takes a closer look at “spill-over” events, revealing that seventy-five per cent of new diseases are zoonotic, meaning they originate in animals. Many of these viruses include the deadliest microbes that have ever attacked humanity.
Creatures of Contagion tells the stories of scientists, doctors and public health experts as they’ve fought back against these deadly enemies by inventing miracle treatments and devising radical solutions that have saved millions. This emotionally gripping episode features scientists and doctors working at the frontlines to combat Zoonotic viruses such as Ebola, HIV, dengue and Zika.
Associate Professor Kamalini Lokuge paints a vivid picture of what it was like fighting Ebola in the 2014 West African Outbreak. She describes her work as a contact tracer, facing a virus that has the power to kill 90% of those it infects. Dr. Davey Smith, reveals what it was like as a gay-doctor in San Diego in the 90s treating patients infected with HIV. He describes the emotional experience of finally having access to ‘miracle’ drugs to treat his patients who he says “were just like me”. Finally, Professor Scott O’Neill explains how his ingenious disease-fighting mosquitoes are drastically reducing the destructive Dengue and Zika viruses around the world.