The U.S. is struggling to monitor Covid-19 variants, a key part of watching for the emergence of dangerous mutations that might spread quickly, evade vaccines or kill more infected people. The country ranks 32nd in the world for the number of tests it’s done to detect mutations per 1,000 Covid cases. Kristen V. Brown reports that other countries, like the U.K., have established robust, nationwide surveillance programs to identify new Covid genomes and track the spread of existing ones. See omnys...
Jan 27, 2021•12 min•Season 5Ep. 156
President Joe Biden has vowed to reopen most U.S. schools in his first 100 days. But that could ignite clashes among teachers, their unions and parents over how to do that safely. Petitions and potential teacher strikes loom, even while parents watch children struggle online. Nic Querolo reports that the issue has been one of the toughest pandemic challenges for local policymakers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 25, 2021•14 min•Season 5Ep. 155
Vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and others will have the power to one day end the pandemic, or at least tame it—but only after 70 percent or more of the world’s population gets inoculated against Covid-19. So far, the rollout has been anything but smooth. Big drugstores say they’re ready to come to the rescue. Robert Langreth and Angelica Lavito describe the potentially massive vaccine infrastructure that the neighborhood pharmacy could provide. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jan 22, 2021•13 min•Season 5Ep. 154
In a race to catch up with emerging coronavirus variants, wealthy countries are already benefiting from potent vaccines. While the U.S., Britain and European Union have given citizens about 24 million doses so far -- more than half of the shots administered globally -- vast numbers of countries have yet to begin their campaigns. James Paton reports that these disparities pose a threat to both have and have-not states. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jan 20, 2021•14 min•Season 5Ep. 153
Everyone is fighting the same coronavirus, but nearly a year into the pandemic, quality of life and control of the pathogen’s spread look vastly different across the world. Bloomberg’s Covid Resilience Ranking scores the largest 53 economies on their success at containing the virus with the least amount of social and economic disruption. Rachel Chang discusses the data and the analysis that went into determining the best places for weathering the pandemic. This episode was originally released on...
Jan 18, 2021•15 min•Season 5Ep. 152
An accelerating rush to give coronavirus vaccines to Americans has caused confusion over who can get a shot when. And the difficulty getting shots -- or even information about the vaccine -- is complicating the push toward widespread immunity. Michelle Fay Cortez reports on what’s gone wrong with the vaccine rollout so far, and whether the upcoming Biden administration’s plans will improve it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jan 15, 2021•15 min•Season 5Ep. 151
Most states have prioritized health-care workers in their vaccination programs. But across the country, vaccine providers are finding that some of those workers don’t want the shot. Nurses and firefighters are among those questioning its safety after approval in record time. Elise Young reports that reluctance to get the shot that could end the pandemic goes well beyond anti-vax activists who spout unproven theories on social media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jan 13, 2021•14 min•Season 5Ep. 150
As vaccinations roll out across the country, a few people have incurred serious allergic reactions. Though the rate is very low, it is still higher than that for the seasonal flu vaccine. Despite that, the CDC is sticking with its recommendation that most people should still get the shots. Emma Court explains why. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 11, 2021•12 min•Season 5Ep. 149
The United Kingdom’s national health system is in danger of breaking under the weight of its raging Coronavirus outbreak, and the next few weeks will be its biggest challenge yet. The death toll is the highest in Europe and daily infections are at a record. Medical staff say they may be forced to turn people away from hospitals if the latest lockdown fails to stop the spread quickly enough. James Paton reports from London on the fast-spreading new virus strain and the next crucial weeks for the ...
Jan 08, 2021•15 min•Season 5Ep. 148
As states struggle to piece together vaccine strategies without a coordinated national plan, some have resorted to web-based technology for logistical support. The result: they’re lining up appointments using software that’s better suited for arranging volleyball meetups than a historic public health campaign. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 06, 2021•14 min•Season 5Ep. 147
Indonesia had planned to prioritize its working-age population for its Covid-19 vaccine. But they recently announced a change of plans: The inoculation program would instead start with healthcare workers, civil servants and the elderly. The government didn’t give a reason for the change, but the shifting procedures show some of the difficulties in coordinating a vaccine rollout for a massive nation spread across a string of islands. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jan 04, 2021•15 min•Season 5Ep. 146
On today’s special edition of the podcast, we’re revisiting one of our early episodes that took a close look at how the novel coronavirus lived before it entered humans and who it lived in. Bats are almost certainly the source of this pandemic, but these flying mammals may also hold the clues to stopping the next one. Bloomberg senior editor Jason Gale explores how research into bats led to the discovery of what could be the precursor of the novel coronavirus. See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...
Jan 01, 2021•21 min•Season 5Ep. 145
Scientists have long believed the source of the pandemic can be traced back to bats. Pioneering research by an Australian veterinarian named Dr. Hume Field more than 20 years ago showed why bats are an important host of some of humanity's most feared viruses. Bloomberg senior editor Jason Gale recently caught up with Hume to hear more about how the SARS-CoV-2 virus got from bats to people. Mentioned in this podcast: China Is Making It Harder to Solve the Mystery of How Covid Began See omnystudio...
Dec 30, 2020•10 min•Season 5Ep. 144
The approved COVID-19 vaccines developed by Moderna and the Pfizer and BioNTech partnership use genetic material called messenger RNA to effectively transform the body’s own cells into vaccine factories. This approach is a first for vaccines. It relies on decades of clinical research into whether messenger RNA technology can be used to treat a broad range of ailments, from cancer to the seasonal flu. Naomi Kresge explores whether the validation of this breakthrough technology during COVID-19 cou...
Dec 23, 2020•14 min•Season 5Ep. 143
The U.S. has begun a massive vaccination campaign to fight the coronavirus. But the effort will have plenty of challenges, including convincing people to get immunized. It’s not the first time the country has rolled out this kind of public health initiative. John Lauerman spoke with infectious-disease specialist William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University to learn more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 21, 2020•17 min•Season 5Ep. 142
U.S. companies are taking some of the first concrete steps to prepare for the unprecedented and complex task of distributing hundreds of millions of doses to the American workforce. That means, for some: procuring deep-freezers to store vaccines or setting up health clinics at their facilities. Others are weighing whether to require vaccination for employees returning to in-person work. And, as Ryan Beene reports, several industries are lobbying to get their workers near the front of the line af...
Dec 18, 2020•16 min•Season 5Ep. 141
Just one month ago, Iowa experienced its worst Covid-19 surge yet. Coronavirus cases began soaring there in early November, as they have throughout the United States. By the middle of the month, Iowa was recording about 4,000 new cases every day. But this week, staff at a University of Iowa Health Care system finally had reason to celebrate. The first doses of Pfizer’s vaccine arrived at the Iowa City location Monday morning, in tiny vials packed in dry ice. Angelica Lavito spoke to healthcare w...
Dec 16, 2020•14 min•Season 5Ep. 140
As the first shots of the Covid-19 vaccines in the U.S. are administered, one of many big hurdles has yet to be cleared: States must transport and distribute the massive orders to the millions who need it. The state of Louisiana has been thinking about this problem for months. In November, they decided to test their vaccination strategy, using the flu vaccine. Angelica Lavito went to Shreveport as the project was unfolding, to find out what a mass vaccination looks like during a pandemic. See om...
Dec 14, 2020•15 min•Season 5Ep. 139
At the center of Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s program to accelerate the development of Covid treatments and vaccines, is a man named Moncef Slaoui. Dr. Slaoui is chief scientific adviser for the Operation, and is trying to leverage decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry to secure deals that can help curb the pandemic. Riley Griffin spoke to him about the possibility that his work might accelerate a treatment for the deadliest Covid-19 cases, a critical step in t...
Dec 11, 2020•15 min•Season 5Ep. 138
The U.K. began administering the first Covid-19 vaccine this week, and the U.S. may do the same within days. But, the emergence of these vaccines brings tough choices around who gets it first and how it will be distributed. Bloomberg senior editor Jason Gale spoke with an ethics expert about the thinking behind some of these decisions and how the current vaccines could affect how we develop future ones. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Dec 09, 2020•12 min•Season 5Ep. 137
The coming week could mark an early turning point in the U.S. battle against Covid-19. An advisory panel made up of top medical experts will meet December 10th to help the Food and Drug Administration review the drug for possible emergency authorization. That would clear the way to making it a top weapon against the virus. Reporter Anna Edney breaks down the next steps in the approval process, and helps explain the reality of making the vaccine available to the public. See omnystudio.com/listene...
Dec 07, 2020•12 min•Season 5Ep. 136
Weeks before U.S. states expect to receive their first shipments of Covid-19 vaccines, they’re getting conflicting messages from the federal government about exactly how many doses may arrive. Some governors have made splashy announcements about how much of Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccines they expect to get if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorizes them this month. Other states can’t provide a solid answer. But all of them must submit orders and distribution plans Friday. Reporter Angel...
Dec 04, 2020•15 min•Season 5Ep. 135
One of Joe Biden’s first acts as president-elect was to announce a Covid-19 advisory board, putting the fight against the pandemic front and center in his presidential plans. On today's episode, a member of that advisory board talks to us about how a Biden White House plans to overhaul the government’s Coronavirus response. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 02, 2020•15 min•Season 5Ep. 134
In Canada, the Covid-19 outbreak has affected much of the country. In Quebec, where three in five of Canada’s virus deaths have hit, rage over new lockdowns is palpable. In Ontario, ICUs are filling up. Out west, caseloads are hitting records. But four eastern Canadian provinces, comprising 2.4 million people, have banded together, barred outsiders, and hewed tightly to health guidelines. As a result, the region has a Covid-19 death rate that’s one tenth the rest of the country’s. With almost no...
Nov 30, 2020•14 min•Season 5Ep. 133
Today’s episode is a collaboration with Bloomberg Law. Hosted by David Schultz, this special investigative podcast examines how businesses of every stripe, large and small, assumed they had insurance that covered them in the event of a shutdown and how those assumptions were, by and large, wrong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 27, 2020•41 min•Season 5Ep. 132
Everyone is fighting the same coronavirus, but nearly a year into the pandemic, quality of life and control of the pathogen’s spread look vastly different across the world. Bloomberg’s new Covid Resilience Ranking scores the largest 53 economies on their success at containing the virus with the least amount of social and economic disruption. Rachel Chang discusses the data and the analysis that went into determining the best places for weathering the pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...
Nov 25, 2020•17 min•Season 5Ep. 131
Amid a lame duck presidency and with the widespread availability of a COVID-19 vaccine still months away, US governors have become the first line of defense against the pandemic’s winter onslaught. Emma Court discusses how, with a lack of federal leadership, it has fallen to local authorities to impose mask mandates, curfews, and potentially even lockdowns before the winter, and the holidays, hit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Nov 23, 2020•14 min•Season 5Ep. 130
Restaurants across the country have been building and using outdoor dining spaces since the summer. But as winter approaches, many establishments are converting them into sheds or tents to help keep customers warm. As Kristen V. Brown reports, these new structures can sometimes feel more indoors than outdoors. We wondered how safe they really are for patrons. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 20, 2020•10 min•Season 5Ep. 129
In a mere nine months, Eli Lilly accomplished an unprecedented feat: The drug giant took a blood sample from one of the first U.S. patients to recover from Covid-19, identified an antibody that could fight the virus, and created a version of the antibody to treat people with the disease. Riley Griffin spoke to Lilly's CEO David Ricks about the challenges facing the company and its new treatment amid the worsening pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Nov 18, 2020•14 min•Season 5Ep. 128
It’s taken less than a year for scientists to develop what appears to be an effective vaccine against the coronavirus. Drugmaker Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech delivered dazzling preliminary results in a large patient trial this month, and just today Moderna announced that its vaccine also looks extremely effective. But creating a vaccine is only part of the challenge. Jason Gale spoke with top US infectious-disease doctor Anthony Fauci about another impediment to a successful vaccinatio...
Nov 16, 2020•12 min•Season 5Ep. 127
