News and Happenings

Dr. Bob talks with journalist Vidya Krishnan about India’s devastating COVID surge. As India’s health system collapses, Vidya says this global health crisis has been exacerbated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and, as she calls it, the “moral malnutrition of the rich.” Plus, the lessons she wants the US to take from this unfolding tragedy.

Dr. Bob has two conversations about the work being done to get vaccines to Latino and Black communities. First, Jon Jacobo and Diane Havlir talk about the Latino Task Force, which is testing and vaccinating people in San Francisco’s Mission District. Then, Rhea Boyd breaks down the things that are preventing a lot of Black people from getting vaccinated. Spoiler alert: It’s not about attitudes. It’s about access.

Dr. Bob talks with John Halamka, President of Mayo Clinic Platform, about how COVID has forced medicine to embrace technology at a blistering pace. They discuss what changed, what will stick around post-COVID, and why a computer will never be able to fully replace your doctor. But, are we close to having Alexa diagnose your illnesses?

Dr. Bob calls up Nicole Lurie from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to talk about the state of COVID-19 vaccinations around the globe. They cover COVAX, vaccine nationalism, how vaccine hesitancy is playing out in different countries, and the biggest barriers to vaccinating the world. Plus, the lessons she’s taking away from COVID for the next global health crisis.

Dr. Bob calls up Weill Cornell immunologist John Moore to figure out what you need to know about the pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. They discuss why this extremely rare side effect is showing up in J&J and AstraZeneca but not Moderna or Pfizer, how people who have received the J&J vaccine should be thinking about it, and how they think this will get resolved. Plus, John’s thoughts on how the vaccines will hold up against the various variants circulating right now.

Is it safe to go on vacation this summer? Can I send my kids to camp? Should I invite unvaccinated family members to my summer wedding? Drs. Caitlin Rivers and Farzad Mostashari join Dr. Bob to answer all this and more on this special, summer edition of Safe or Not Safe.

Dr. Bob calls up author John Barry and TIME Magazine’s Jeffrey Kluger to talk about what the 1918 flu pandemic and the American polio epidemic can illuminate about COVID-19. In addition to the historical similarities and differences, they discuss what “the end” looked like and what, if anything, that means for us today. Plus, find out which of the three men was a Polio Pioneer! And get Dr. Bob’s take on the joint CDC and FDA decision to pause use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Dr. Bob calls up University of Florida biostatistician Natalie Dean to ask whether or not we’ve hit the fourth wave. They discuss where cases are surging, why it’s regional as opposed to national, and what role the vaccines will play in keeping this wave smaller than the previous three. Plus, how she’s using Legos to help the masses better understand vaccine efficacy.

Dr. Bob is joined by Paul Offit, pediatrician and Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, to answer your questions about kids and the vaccines. This Toolkit is your one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about vaccinating kids against COVID-19: what ages will be eligible, when it’ll happen, how to know it’s safe, and much more.

Dr. Bob calls up Monica Gandhi, infectious diseases and HIV doctor at UCSF, to talk about why she’s feeling optimistic at this moment in the pandemic. They discuss why her optimism hasn’t waned despite the fourth wave, the variants, and the CDC Director’s feeling of “impending doom.” Plus, why it’s so hard for places like the CDC to balance optimism and caution in how they advise the public.