TRACK THE VAX

Latest Episodes:

S02-15: COVID-19 Vaccines: What Does the Future Hold? Jan 04, 2022

Show notes

We did it all. We social distanced, masked, got vaccinated, masked some more, and got boosted. But still, with Omicron -- a much more contagious variant spreading like wildfire -- infections are at an all-time high. There remain more than 100 different vaccines in human trials and development for COVID-19, from protein subunits to inactivated coronavirus vaccines, as well as another 70-plus in animal trials. So, is boosting with our existing authorized vaccines going to be our "new normal?" Or, are there new vaccines still in development that would allow us to truly be "one and done." On this week's episode, Dial Hewlett Jr., MD, the medical director for Westchester County, New York, and deputy to the commissioner for the Westchester County Department of Health, joins us to explain what future vaccines are coming down the pike and where research will lead us.

S02-14: How Do We Treat Long COVID? Dec 28, 2021

Show notes

Millions of Americans are experiencing chronic, lingering, and debilitating symptoms months after recovering from COVID-19. The symptoms of so-called long COVID range from breathing problems to memory impairment, making it difficult for clinicians to pinpoint the syndrome and who may be at highest risk. The NIH has directed $1 billion toward studying the syndrome, and some hospitals, including pediatric hospitals, have opened centers to research and care for patients experiencing long COVID. On this week's episode, Jonathan Whiteson, MD, medical director of cardiac and pulmonary rehab at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, and spokesperson for the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, joins us to explain how long COVID is being detected and treated, and the new guidance for physicians.

S02-13: Under the Microscope: How Sequencing Plays Pandemic Detective Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

The longer the COVID-19 epidemic persists the more likely we are to see more super-spreader events, even among those vaccinated, and possibly by variants not yet identified. Health experts have already worked to help prevent and treat COVID – but say there's more we need to do to track individual cases and community spread. On this week's episode, John Connor, MD, an associate professor and researcher at the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories at Boston University, joins us to explain how they track the introduction of COVID and remnants of COVID infections over time.

S02-12: What to Expect When We're Expecting More Omicron Cases Dec 14, 2021

Show notes

Omicron has reached the U.S., and widespread vaccination may not be enough to keep the new variant from spreading. The variant is expected to outpace Delta in the coming weeks, with more than 30 states having now reported a case. On this week's episode, Abraar Karan, MD, MPH, an infectious disease physician at Stanford University, joins us to explain all we know -- and still don't -- when it comes to this new variant.

S02-11: Psychological Barriers May Lead to COVID Vaccine Refusal Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

wo years into the COVID-19 pandemic -- and 1 year after vaccines first became available -- there are still those who are opting out of getting vaccinated. Deep distrust in government and science are among the reasons that some are continuing to hold out on the shots. But experts suggest that there are psychological barriers that may have nothing to do with mistrust. To understand all of the factors at play, we need to first recognize how the mind processes the act of making a decision -- whether it is to opt in or out. On this week's episode, Gretchen Chapman, PhD, department head of social and decision sciences at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, joins us to help us understand the psychology behind COVID vaccine refusal.

S02-10: Does a Past COVID Infection Protect Just as Well as Vaccines? Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

COVID booster shots are now recommended for millions of Americans, prompting questions on why immunity acquired from the vaccines is waning so soon. Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has hinted that periodic booster shots against COVID are likely here to stay, and may redefine what it means to be "fully vaccinated." While natural immunity from previous COVID infection is of scientific interest, it's also a political talking point that some have seized on to sidestep vaccination. What does the science show when it comes to the duration of natural immunity? And how does natural immunity compare to vaccine-acquired immunity? On this week's episode, Bob Wachter, MD, of the University of California San Francisco, answers questions about immunity and how to stay protected.

S02-9: What Do We Know About Breakthrough Cases, and How Can We Prevent Them? Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

While the CDC initially recommended COVID-19 booster shots for a limited swath of Americans, last week they updated their guidance to allow all adults 18 and up to receive a booster. Data have pointed to breakthroughs among the earliest vaccine recipients, as well as older individuals and those with pre-existing conditions. On this week's episode, Katelyn Jetelina, PhD, MPH, an epidemiologist at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Dallas, walks us through what to watch for when it comes to breakthroughs, as more Americans travel this holiday season than since the start of the pandemic.

S02-8: How Do We Handle Compassion Fatigue Toward the Unvaccinated? Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

As COVID-19 vaccines become available to more age groups, will fatigue from the pandemic subside? Or will it create a greater disconnect between the healthcare workers struggling to provide consistent and compassionate care, and the people sick with COVID who need treatment due to resistance to protective health measures? Oftentimes, it can feel like you're doing all the right things -- getting vaccinated, wearing masks, social distancing -- while others are opting out, which can lead to compassion fatigue, a mental health condition that differs from burnout, and is hitting those on the front lines the hardest. On this week's episode, Jessica Gold, MD, MS, of the department of psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, joins us to explain how healthcare professionals can move past the fatigue and care for themselves.

S02-7: COVID Vax Now Widely Available for Young Kids -- Will Parents Consent? Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

Twenty-eight million American children ages 5 to 11 are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. Within hours of the emergency use authorization, vaccine distribution mechanisms kicked into high gear, allowing for kids to roll up their sleeves without having to go too far. Vaccines are now being distributed in pediatrician offices, pharmacies, and schools, as a strategy to eliminate any logistical barriers that kids may face in getting vaccinated. But many parents, who are the key decision makers, remain skeptical that kids need the shot. After all, COVID cases among children have been more mild, with fewer hospitalizations and deaths compared with adults. An October poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 30% of parents of kids in this newly authorized age group will "definitely not" vaccinate them. So what does this mean for classrooms and masking? And what does the science say when it comes to the need to vaccinate kids? On this week's episode, Paul Offit, MD, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and a member of the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, joins us to discuss how vaccinating kids may be the key to returning to a "new normal."

S02-6: What Do We Know About the Rare COVID-19 Vaccine Complications? Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

Side effects from the COVID-19 vaccines -- such as soreness and fever -- are quite common, but the more serious complications are among the top reasons why many may still be hesitant to get vaccinated. Now that hundreds of millions of people have gotten the shots, the FDA and CDC -- through their Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) -- are getting a clearer picture of how frequently more serious side effects occur. On this week's episode, Peter Marks, MD, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, joins us to offer insights into the data on adverse events and the questions that still remain.

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