Vincent travels to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to speak with David Baltimore, John Coffin, and Harold Varmus about the discovery in 1970 of retroviral reverse transcriptase and its impact on life sciences research.

In COVID-19 clinical update #115, Dr. Griffin discusses croup association with infection surge, rhinovirus co-circulation in children, shedding following vaccination, high vaccine efficacy in children 6 mo-5 yr, vaccine protection for hospitalized patients, convalescent plasma as post-exposure prophylaxis, real-world effectiveness of PAXLOVID, effectiveness of PAXLOVID in reducing hospitalization, infection rebound after PAXLOVID, relapse of symptomatic infection after PAXLOVID, remdesivir and bebtelovimab fact sheets for providers, guidelines on usage of anticoagulation drugs, long covid symptoms after vaccination, excess mortality in MA, infection sequelae and immunity, and post infection conditions among adults.

In COVID-19 clinical update #115, Dr. Griffin reviews cross-variant immunity without vaccination, EUA for boosters in 5-11 year olds, B.1.1.529 attack rate, scent dogs, Omicron and pets, Paxlovid, Veklury, Fluvoxamine, antigen positivity after isolation, inflammasome activation and severe disease, and GI persistence and fecal shedding.

TWiV celebrates 900 episodes, Vincent gives the Richard R. Ernst lecture, and we discuss why inflammasome activation in infected macrophages drives severe COVID-19. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Click…

n COVID-19 clinical update #114, Dr. Griffin discusses early treatment with ivermectin, procalcitonin not a reliable biomarker, vaccine in 6-11 year olds, FDA limits use of Janssen vaccine, does site of vaccine booster matter, sniffer dogs, monoclonals for hospitalized patients, risk assessment for public events, Paxlovid eligibility, and persistence of pediatric anosmia,

TWiV explains why the concept of herd immunity might not apply to COVID-19, and the observation that smallpox vaccination causes an increase in skin bacteria that promote pathology and influence the immune response.

In COVID-19 clinical update #113, Dr. Griffin discusses tocilizumab use in hospitalized Patients, IL-6 inhibitors and mortality, Baricitinib in hospitalized patients, post-infection neurological sequelae, comparative effectiveness of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, phase 2/3 study of Paxlovid, infection relapse following Paxlovid, pre-hospital administration of Remdesivir, and hospitalization with different variants.