The Daily Dive

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WEEKEND EDITION- Why We Can't Make Vaccines Faster, WHO Looks at Two Animals in the Origin of COVID-19, Senate Hearings on Capital Security Failures Feb 27, 2021

Show notes

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Novavax Vaccine Could Be a Game Changer and the Rise of Ghost Restaurants Feb 26, 2021

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More vaccines could be approved very soon. One from Johnson & Johnson and another from a company called Novavax. If authorized, this vaccine could be one of the most potent weapons against the pandemic. Early data shows that it could be the first shot to slow down asymptomatic spread and potentially provide longer-lasting protection. The other part of this story is the company itself, Novavax was a small biotech company that had tried to develop an approved vaccine with no success. Gregory Zuckerman, special writer at the WSJ, joins us for how Novavax turned its company around to make and effective Covid vaccine.

Next, ghost kitchens or virtual restaurants have taken over America’s restaurants. The new world is search optimized and data-driven. Often these restaurants have no storefront and no place to dine-in. Instead, they can be found on food delivery apps like Uber Eats and GrubHub. Some experts say that these virtual restaurants will be a $1 trillion industry in the next ten years. At a time when restaurants are struggling due to the pandemic, this expansion can be a lifeline for many. Adam Chandler, contributor to Marker, joins us for the rise of ghost kitchens.

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FDA Scientists Say Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Is Safe and Effective, Could Be Approved Soon Feb 25, 2021

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FDA scientists have given their stamp of approval and said that Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is safe and effective in fighting Covid-19. This could lead to its emergency-use authorization very soon. The vaccine reduced moderate to severe cases by 66%, does not require cold storage and is most importantly only a single shot. Matthew Herper, senior writer at STAT News, joins us for more on the J&J vaccine which can also help protect against new variants.

Next, the latest Gallup poll shows that adults who identify as LGBTQ has risen about one percentage point since the last update we got in 2017. 5.6% of adults identify this way with 1 in 6 adults in Generation Z considering themselves LGBTQ. The majority of LGBT Americans also say they are bisexual. Jeffrey Jones, senior editor at Gallup, joins us for more.

Finally, a team of scientists with the WHO are exploring the origins of Covid-19 and are focusing on two animal types for possible vectors where the illness jumped to humans. Investigators say that ferret badgers and rabbits, which were sold at the Wuhan market could have played a role in the spread. Drew Hinshaw, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more on the WHO investigation into Covid-19.

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Pfizer and Moderna to Boost Deliveries of Vaccine Doses, but Why Can't We Make Them Any Faster? Feb 24, 2021

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Drug companies Pfizer and Moderna have pledged to boost the doses of vaccines delivered after solving some manufacturing issues they had. While they are stepping up production many ask, why can’t we make these doses any faster? Much of the answer in that lies in the very specialized process and raw materials that go into making them. Isaac Arnsdorf, reporter at ProPublica, joins us for more.

Next, security officials that were in charge during the assault on the Capitol on January 6 were testifying before Congress and offered their account of how things went south. There were concerns of “optics” and a mess of conflicting orders that led to hours long delays in mobilizing the National Guard. Anita Kumar, White House correspondent and associate editor at Politico, joins us for more on the Capitol Hill security failures.

Finally, a case in which an organ transplant patient has died after receiving lungs infected with Covid. Initial tests on the donor and lungs came back negative, but after the transplant, the patient fell ill with fever and showed signs of lung infection. Her condition deteriorated and then tests came back positive, she died 61 days after the transplant. JoNel Aleccia, senior correspondent at Kaiser Health News, joins us for this rare and tragic story.

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Some Texas Residents That Kept Their Power on During Last Week's Outages Are Now Being Charged Thousands of Dollars Feb 23, 2021

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Texas continues its recovery from the winter storm that took down their power grid. And while millions of people were left without power, some still had the lights on and are now being hit with bills in the thousands of dollars. One man was hit with a bill at almost $17,000. For those that did not have fixed electricity prices, the cost of their power went up with demand. Ivan Penn, energy correspondent at the NY Times, joins us for why some Texas electric bills skyrocketed.

Next, it seems counterintuitive, but some Covid tests can’t pick up on certain variants in their results, and labs are using those very same tests to help flag if you might have the U.K. variant. If tests come back positive for Covid-19, but fail a specific section of the test, that could be an indicator that someone is infected with the U.K. strain. Brianna Abbott, health reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how some tests are being used to flag different Covid variants.

Finally, you’ve heard of lab-grown meat, now get ready for lab-grown wood that potentially could be grown into any shape. Scientists at MIT have a very early proof of concept that allowed them to grow plant tissue with cells, no seeds, soil, or sunlight needed. Keith Gillogly, contributing writer at Wired, joins us for more on this new tech.

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Texas Is Still Trying to Recover While President Biden Declares Major Disaster There Feb 22, 2021

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Texas is still trying to recover from a winter storm that left millions without power for days. The efforts are now focused on getting people food and water while President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster there freeing up more federal funding to help out. At the same time, Sen. Ted Cruz is still trying to smooth over the PR disaster from his trip to Cancun. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us to break it all down.

Next, the pace of vaccinations in the U.S. is starting to pick up, but many distribution sites are still recovering from an initial botched rollout. Many local health departments and hospitals were in the dark about how many doses they were getting and when they would be delivered. Officials overestimated how many doses to set aside for nursing homes, and reporting from states was also uneven. Sarah Krouse, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for vaccine distribution problems.

Finally, the pandemic has forced one of the fastest and most sweeping shifts in human behavior in modern history. At one point, almost half of the population was spending more than 18 hours a day in their homes with their family. According to the data of how families were spending their time, television won big time. People also devoted more time to working and taking care of their children. Andrew Van Dam, reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for how we all spent our time.

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WEEKEND EDITION- Perseverance Rover Lands on Mars, DHS Shifting Focus to Domestic Terrorism Feb 21, 2021

Show notes

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WEEKEND EDITION- Texas Power Failure, How to Master Vaccine Appointment Sites, Why COVID Numbers Are Getting Better Feb 20, 2021

Show notes

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extreme Weather and Power Grid Failures Cause Millions in Texas to Lose Power, Here's What Went Wrong Feb 19, 2021

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Texas has been the story of the week… battered by a winter storm that left millions without power. While much of the power has been restored after days in freezing temperatures, there is still a food and water crisis there. It has also exposed huge flaws in the Texas power grid when it comes to extreme weather events. Josh Lederman, correspondent at NBC News, joins us for how huge demand for power and power plants that failed to produce that power led to a power grid failure.

Next, the latest data from Pfizer shows that its vaccine is less effective against the South African variant of coronavirus. While clinical trials have not been done, lab experiments show that there is about a two-thirds drop in the neutralization powers against this variant. Andrew Joseph, reporter at STAT News, joins us for what this means for the current batch of vaccines we have.

Finally, while the main concern with variants right now are those from the U.K. and South Africa, scientists are finding at least seven variants that originated here. More concerning is that they are all evolving in the same way, potentially becoming more contagious. These other strains are not as prevalent yet, but it makes the case for better surveillance on how the virus is changing in the population. Carl Zimmer, columnist at the NY Times, joins us for more.

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Millions of Jobs Lost to Pandemic Might Not Come Back, Time to Start Retraining Workers Feb 18, 2021

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We are recovering from the pandemic, but to a different economy. According to a new report, millions of jobs that have been affected by the pandemic are unlikely to come back as increased automation takes hold, more people work from home, and business travel not expected to rebound so quickly. Heather Long, economics correspondent at The Washington Post, joins us for why we need to invest more in retraining workers.

Next, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has seen his profile rise within the Republican Party. His record on vaccinations, unemployment, and pro-business attitude during the pandemic has raised chatter about a potential run in 2024. His clashes with the media have also animated conservatives. Marc Caputo, national political reporter at Politico, joins us how Ron DeSantis is becoming ‘top tier’.

Finally, beware of hidden Covid surcharges. Some companies have been charging extra fees to make up for lost profits, cleaning costs, and PPE. These charges are being seen in places like dentist offices, senior living facilities, and restaurants. It’s hard to tell how widespread this is, but Attorneys General in some states have sent out warnings to consumers. Hannah Denham, business reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for what to watch out for.

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