This special episode of the Scouse Science podcast was held in conjunction with the Liverpool Literary Festival. This episode was the first in the series to take place in front of a live audience. Best selling authors; Dr Rachel Clarke and Dr Gavin Francis with Prof Tom Solomon explored the impact of the pandemic from an NHS front-line perspective including the harrowing impacts on public mental health but also how red tape and bureaucracy were by-passed to house the homeless in Edinburgh in 24 hours.