Apoorva Mandavilli

Yeah, the darkness just got even darker. Like there's just so little information coming out about what's going on. The Trump administration muted all the federal officials. They told them that they couldn't communicate with even state partners. They couldn't communicate with each other. They couldn't have group meetings, scientific meetings within the agencies.

Yeah, the darkness just got even darker. Like there's just so little information coming out about what's going on. The Trump administration muted all the federal officials. They told them that they couldn't communicate with even state partners. They couldn't communicate with each other. They couldn't have group meetings, scientific meetings within the agencies.

They couldn't talk to the World Health Organization. There was just this communications blackout. And so what it has meant is that we've gotten information just really slowly about everything. And what information we have gotten, you know, we're not even sure if it is giving us the full picture. For example, there is a set of reports that comes out from the CDC every week.

They couldn't talk to the World Health Organization. There was just this communications blackout. And so what it has meant is that we've gotten information just really slowly about everything. And what information we have gotten, you know, we're not even sure if it is giving us the full picture. For example, there is a set of reports that comes out from the CDC every week.

It's been more than two weeks since they were supposed to come out. We haven't seen those yet. And that was supposed to include some papers about bird flu. So it's just really hard to know to what extent we are being stymied by this communications ban with very crucial information. Some of that may be being loosened, but at the same time, these agencies are under attack in other ways.

It's been more than two weeks since they were supposed to come out. We haven't seen those yet. And that was supposed to include some papers about bird flu. So it's just really hard to know to what extent we are being stymied by this communications ban with very crucial information. Some of that may be being loosened, but at the same time, these agencies are under attack in other ways.

We're hearing that large numbers of CDC people might actually be let go. The so-called epidemic intelligence officers are like the fellows who do a lot of the shoe leather epidemiology work. We know that... the CDC was asked to make a list of people who had been there for a short time. And many of those people have already been let go. And so that is something to really keep an eye on.

We're hearing that large numbers of CDC people might actually be let go. The so-called epidemic intelligence officers are like the fellows who do a lot of the shoe leather epidemiology work. We know that... the CDC was asked to make a list of people who had been there for a short time. And many of those people have already been let go. And so that is something to really keep an eye on.

That is what I'm saying. And we also know that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who may end up being the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, so overseeing the CDC and other health agencies— is not a big fan of infectious disease research, has made many anti-vaccine comments.

That is what I'm saying. And we also know that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who may end up being the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, so overseeing the CDC and other health agencies— is not a big fan of infectious disease research, has made many anti-vaccine comments.

And so we're just in the situation where we really don't know if bird flu were to become a problem, whether the agencies would be empowered to do the kind of work they would need to be doing. I mean, elsewhere in the world, there's very much an acknowledgement that there may be another pandemic. There probably will be one, in fact, in our lifetimes.

And so we're just in the situation where we really don't know if bird flu were to become a problem, whether the agencies would be empowered to do the kind of work they would need to be doing. I mean, elsewhere in the world, there's very much an acknowledgement that there may be another pandemic. There probably will be one, in fact, in our lifetimes.

And so other countries have really been trying to prepare for that by coming up with this you know, global pandemic treaty and coming up with rules that all countries abide by if there were to be an outbreak, like sharing information with each other. And the U.S. was very much a part of those discussions. But we have just announced our intention to withdraw from the World Health Organization.

And so other countries have really been trying to prepare for that by coming up with this you know, global pandemic treaty and coming up with rules that all countries abide by if there were to be an outbreak, like sharing information with each other. And the U.S. was very much a part of those discussions. But we have just announced our intention to withdraw from the World Health Organization.

And in the same breath, President Trump also said that we would no longer really participate in these global efforts to come to an agreement on how the world would deal with the pandemic. Apoorva, what about a vaccine? Do we even have one? So we do have a vaccine. It's actually a two-dose vaccine, and we have a few million doses.

And in the same breath, President Trump also said that we would no longer really participate in these global efforts to come to an agreement on how the world would deal with the pandemic. Apoorva, what about a vaccine? Do we even have one? So we do have a vaccine. It's actually a two-dose vaccine, and we have a few million doses.

But obviously, that would be a drop in the bucket if this were to become really big. We could get more, especially if we did mRNA, which we know can be done really quickly, as we saw in COVID. But it would still take... I think, several months before we had enough for the entire population.

But obviously, that would be a drop in the bucket if this were to become really big. We could get more, especially if we did mRNA, which we know can be done really quickly, as we saw in COVID. But it would still take... I think, several months before we had enough for the entire population.

One of the things that has to happen before we can get enough for everybody is also that the CDC scientists typically test to make sure that whatever version of the virus ends up circulating is still a good match for the vaccines that are in the stockpile. If they are, then yes, they can immediately ramp those up.

One of the things that has to happen before we can get enough for everybody is also that the CDC scientists typically test to make sure that whatever version of the virus ends up circulating is still a good match for the vaccines that are in the stockpile. If they are, then yes, they can immediately ramp those up.