EDITOR’S NOTE: Sam Harris’s “Making Sense” podcast was recommended to us and we found this episode to be particularly clear and helpful with respect to explaining the impact of coronavirus. If you enjoy his interview, we recommend that you visit his website directly, and subscribe!
In this episode of the podcast, host Sam Harris speaks with Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, about the spreading coronavirus pandemic. They discuss the contagiousness of the virus and the severity of the resultant illness, the mortality rate and risk factors, vectors of transmission, how long coronavirus can live on surfaces, the importance of social distancing, possible anti-viral treatments, the timeline for a vaccine, the importance of pandemic preparedness, and other topics.
Adalja’s work is focused on emerging infectious disease, pandemic preparedness, and biosecurity. Amesh has served on US government panels tasked with developing guidelines for the treatment of plague, botulism, and anthrax. He is an Associate Editor of the journal Health Security, co-editor of the volume Global Catastrophic Biological Risks, and a contributing author for the Handbook of Bioterrorism and Disaster Medicine. Amesh actively practices infectious disease, critical care, and emergency medicine in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.
Website: www.trackingzebra.com
Twitter: @AmeshAA
