Why did mask-wearing become political? In the first episode of The Trust Race, we explore the complex public response to mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic. We speak with science journalist Alok Jha about how our understanding of masks as a way to reduce infection evolved over time, and we speak with philosopher Professor Heather Douglas about how and why mask-wearing became politicised. 

Presented by Shane Bergin, produced by Shaun and Maurice, the podcasts are an output of the Horizon 2020 project PERITIA.

This podcast has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 870883. The information and opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Commission.