Jul 1, 2020
Mark Lurie is an associate professor of epidemiology at Brown
University who joins the show to discuss his work from the early
90s until the present day.
Tune in to discover:
Lurie has been involved in epidemiology since the early 90s,
when he came across a fascinating study that looked at the early
spread of TB in Africa. Since then, he’s studied the spread of HIV
and various other
infectious diseases. He talks about how treatment for HIV has
developed remarkably over the years despite there still not being a
vaccine, and where the largest reduction in new cases of HIV have
been seen.
He reminds us that it wasn’t more than three or four generations
ago that our geographical footprint was very small… reaching not
more than five or 10 miles from home. Clearly, this has changed
significantly and impacted patterns of
infectious disease.
He discusses the coronavirus pandemic, when he thinks a vaccine
may be available, the public health interventions surrounding it,
evidence that the coronavirus-related lockdowns helped slow the
spread, the less-talked-about consequences of the coronavirus
outbreak (some of them positive), the purpose and importance of
testing for the virus, the pros and cons of a treatment versus a
vaccine for the virus, and what he thinks will happen in the near
and long-term future.
Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK