Medical Realism

The COVID-19 origins story nobody wanted to entertain. An apparently plausible hypothesis has caused reactions ranging from summary dismissal to vehement attack, but one thing’s for sure: lots of folks are acting lots of cagey. This episode, however, is politics-free, and outlines the relevant science and facts of the case.

There’s been lots of judgment flying around about various nations’ interventions and citizen response to the pandemic — who was disciplined, who was lax. But it may be the factors most responsible for how COVID-19 affected a nation are demographic. Those with populations skewing younger and less obese were less affected. Oh, and living onContinue reading "Ep. 6: The Covid-19 Obesity Connection"

The SARS CoV-2 variants cropping up around the world are more transmissible, but how? More spike proteins is one factor. But what if it takes longer from exposure to notice symptoms, or if one becomes infectious more quickly after exposure?

Regarding efficacy claims of 95 percent: Were the control groups and treatment groups tested equally for infection after vaccination? Neither Pfizer nor Moderna are saying.

Doctors across the country are being asked if they want the vaccine, and they're not all giving the same answer. Joe explains why, and talks about how the vaccine could be rolled out to protect the most people. Dan touches on the difficulties and fears of communicating complex messages to the public. This one is quick, clear, and useful.

The Biden-Harris Plan to Beat COVID-19 (https://buildbackbetter.gov/priorities/covid-19/) is an actual plan! Well, it's more a list of wants that represent the kinds of minimum requirements one should expect from a government. But nowadays, that means progress! Some gems here from Joe about vaccine monitoring and firefighters and/or military as contact tracers, and Dan gives the darkest joke of the week.

"Flatten the curve" is the ubiquitous phrase presented by health authorities and media as the common goal for controlling the spread of COVID-19. It is a fallacy, and does not get us out of the crisis. Reducing transmission of the coronavirus just enough to not overwhelm hospital capacity results in the same number of people dying, just over a longer period of time. Instead, the idea should be to crush the curve, and eliminate the disease. This episode explains the mechanics of how this can happen in the U.S., as it is in other countries despite news of recent flareups. If you're wondering what health officials and governments should be looking at to guide decision-making about the pandemic, our first episode will clarify.