Advertise on podcast: “Antibodies are driving a lot of the protection, but it's not the whole story”: A conversation with

Ms. Ana Claudia Chacin talks about the challenges she and other journalists have faced in accessing and reporting accurate COVID-19 data in Florida. We discuss the role of media in informing the public and influencing decision-making in Florida.

Dr. David Benkeser talks about analyses of COVID-19 vaccine trials data on the immune response to those vaccines. We also discuss fluctuations in antibody levels and the potential for the trial data analyses to inform decisions on additional vaccine doses.

Dr. Maria Sundaram talks about loosening COVID-19 restrictions and traveling safely during the ongoing pandemic. We also discuss the potential for authorization of the Moderna vaccine for 12-15 year-olds and the return to school in the Fall.

Dr. Bob Bednarczyk talks about COVID-19 vaccination efforts and inequities in vaccine uptake across the United States. We discuss reasons why certain communities are lagging behind vaccination goals and innovative approaches to increasing vaccination rates in those communities.

Katie Kirkpatrick, the president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, talks about the ramifications of COVID-19 in the business community, from issues ranging to supply chain management to staff and customer safety, to the new MAC initiative, the Task Force to Restore Georgia's Economy.

Dr. Allison Chamberlain talks about blending public health academia and practice, and how institutions like Emory can step up during the pandemic to put the skills of their faculty to use. We also discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic may change public health education forever, thinking about the communication and other skills students will need to combat current and future public health threats.

Dr. Robert Breiman talks about where different SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are in development and clinical trials, and considerations for production and distribution related to logistics and equity. How might vaccines be allocated fairly, both in consideration of essential workers and those at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 outcomes?

Dr. Vincent Marconi talks about the state of research around baricitinib, a JAK-STAT inhibitor that reduces inflammation and may reduce viral replication, and has played an important role in treating patients with severe Covid-19. We discuss the current state of research and considerations around underlying conditions and health equity.

Dr. Nneka Sederstrom discusses how Covid-19 has brought issues of structural racism in medicine to the forefront of clinical ethics and pandemic response conversations. We talk about how the process of change is accelerating as people are forced to have difficult but necessary reckonings with racism in medicine.

Dr. Monroe tells us about the lessons she learned about leadership and community partnerships during pandemics based on her experience as State Health Commissioner of Indiana during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. We talk about new initiatives the CDC Foundation is spearheading or partnering with to address health equity: gathering accurate data, engaging underserved communities, working on communications campaigns, and supporting virus hotspots with needed response personnel. 

Considering health equity and disparity, how will the pandemic progress? What is our current strategy? What can be and needs to be done to change the course of the pandemic? Listen to what Dr. Carlos Del Rio has to say.