A new podcast by Times of Malta will take a closer look at the news stories making headlines on Malta's most popular website and newspaper. 

#TimesTalk launches on Wednesday with an episode focusing on the coronavirus and Robert Abela's first 100 days in office. 

Prof Neville Calleja warns of opening Malta too quickly after COVID19 PHOTO: Chris Sant Fournier

Times of Malta journalist and presenter Vanessa Conneely speaks to one of the country's leading infectious disease specialists, who warns that Malta could face disastrous consequences if COVID-19 restrictions are lifted too early. 

"If people relax, the numbers can go up. It's like sitting on a spring, if you release the pressure it will go up. It's as simple as that," explains epidemiologist Neville Calleja. 

As governments in Europe and elsewhere try and decide when to allow people to leave their homes, experts such as Calleja are warning that patience is crucial.

Times of Malta Editor Herman Grech speaking on new podcast PHOTO: Chris Sant Fournier

"If people get restless and go out, we have two scenarios in Malta, both tragic. The first is that if very few people 'let go' then we will still get a reproductive number that is higher than 1, so then it takes us ages to get rid of the epidemic. If lots of people come out, we can make the epidemic be over quicker, but at a very high cost in terms of loss of life. We've already seen this is Italy, the UK and the US."

In the second half of the #TimesTalk episode, Times of Malta's editor-in-chief Herman Grech discusses Prime Minister Robert Abela's first 100 days as leader.  

Subscribe to #TimesTalk on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple iTunes, Castbox or your favourite podcast app.