Don't Go Outbreakin' My Heart: The Science of Epidemics

Unbiased Science

@unbiasedscipod

Education, Science, Health & Fitness

4.4 • 644 Ratings

🗓️ 16 October 2024

⏱️ 50 minutes

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Summary

In this episode, Dr. Jessica Steier and Dr. Sarah Scheinman are joined by Dr. Caitlin Rivers, an expert in outbreak science, to explore the complex world of infectious diseases. The scientists discuss how outbreaks evolve into pandemics and examine the current landscape of infectious threats. They delve into the nature of various pathogens, with a particular focus on COVID-19 dynamics and emerging concerns such as Marburg virus and avian influenza. Dr. Rivers shares insights on the critical role of effective public health communication and the challenges faced by officials in a post-pandemic environment. Throughout the conversation, the hosts emphasize the importance of preparedness in addressing future infectious disease threats, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of outbreak science and its implications for global health. All our sources from this episode are available at: https://www.unbiasedscipod.com/episodes/ (00:00) Introduction (03:17) Childhood Aspirations and Pandemic Hobbies (06:19) Understanding Pathogens and Infection (10:22) The Evolution of Outbreaks to Pandemics (15:19) Endemicity and the Future of COVID-19 (18:33) Current Outbreaks: Marburg, Measles, and Mpox (26:15) Avian Flu and Emerging Threats (42:25) Final Thoughts: Preparedness for Future Pandemics Interested in advertising with us? Please reach out to advertising@airwavemedia.com, with “Unbiased Science” in the subject line. PLEASE NOTE: The discussion and information provided in this podcast are for general educational, scientific, and informational purposes only and are not intended as, and should not be treated as, medical or other professional advice for any particular individual or individuals. Every person and medical issue is different, and diagnosis and treatment requires consideration of specific facts often unique to the individual. As such, the information contained in this podcast should not be used as a substitute for consultation with and/or treatment by a doctor or other medical professional. If you are experiencing any medical issue or have any medical concern, you should consult with a doctor or other medical professional. Further, due to the inherent limitations of a podcast such as this as well as ongoing scientific developments, we do not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information or analysis provided in this podcast, although, of course we always endeavor to provide comprehensive information and analysis. In no event may Unbiased Science or any of the participants in this podcast be held liable to the listener or anyone else for any decision allegedly made or action allegedly taken or not taken allegedly in reliance on the discussion or information in this podcast or for any damages allegedly resulting from such reliance. The information provided herein do not represent the views of our employers.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to an Airwave Media podcast.
0:20.7	Welcome to Unbiased Science, where we bring scientific method to the madness.
0:27.4	We're your hosts, Dr. Jess Steyer, and Dr. Sarah Scheidman.
0:31.2	And today we are joined by such a special guest.
0:34.2	I'm freaking out a little bit right now.
0:36.0	I feel like we're really chatting with a
0:37.8	celebrity. Dr. Caitlin Rivers, who specializes in outbreak science, my goodness, is this a very
0:45.9	timely and hot topic? So we're going to get into it. Lots of outbreaks, pandemics, all kinds of things that we'll touch upon. But before we do,
0:57.1	we have a little bit of an icebreaker. So here's, here's the question for all. What did you think
1:06.1	you were going to be or what did you want to be when you were a child? Well, after I got past the singer-slash
1:11.9	actress phase that I think all small children go through, I landed on medical doctor, which I
1:17.8	think precedes epidemiology for a lot of people who end up in public health. Public health,
1:23.6	epidemiology in particular, is one of those careers that there's not a lot of visibility or awareness
1:28.1	of so if you have a sense you like science you like health i think medical doctor is where a lot of people
1:32.6	start but i quickly went on to epidemiology and i've been there ever since love it similar story but i'll
1:38.6	wait sarah go on i have crippling stage fright so i did not go through an actor-singer phase when I was younger.
1:47.2	However, when I was in middle school, Greys Anatomy came out for the first time.
1:53.0	And so I was like, this is cool. I want to be a surgeon.
1:57.1	And then I kind of realized a little bit more of like what is entail, what that entails.
2:01.3	And I actually did take a brief detour to medical school before I became a research scientist.
2:08.9	But that's a longer story for another time.
2:12.1	And now I really want to be an astronaut.
	...

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