TWiV 1127 letters

Mifi writes:

Hi Twivvers!

Thanks for deepening my understanding of virology! I have been listening to you for a long time, since way before the pandemic. I remember, when I started hearing the first whispers of a mystery illness in Wuhan, I thought, “Whoa, that podcast is going to have a spike in listenership.”

While I am loyal listener, I am perhaps not among your target listenership. That is to say, I am not a scientist of any derivation, rather I am just an arts grad and a career writer and editor. (I now work in communications at Canadian top-5 post-secondary research institution, but it is not in that capacity from I write to you.) Since I am not a virologist nor any kind of scientist, maybe my next comments are not “in scope” for the purposes of your podcast. Yet here I go!

I will admit that sometimes I am rubbed the wrong way by some of your comments. Like in the first 10 or so minutes of episode 1,125. You rightly criticize as partisan the efforts of republican lawmakers at the Energy and Commerce Committee to restrict the work of the NIH (as reported in Science.) But then you go further, wondering how any non-scientists dare form opinions of scientific work and how it is carried out. My friends, I am here to tell you that it is literally the job of lawmakers and elected officials to make laws and govern in ways seen as in the best interest of society, even when people disagree with them. The Energy and Commerce Committee’s name is inapt but its jurisdiction, particularly that of its Subcommittee on Health, is clear.

You and I may be free to vote otherwise (actually, not me, I’m Canadian so I can’t vote there) and we may be free to publicly opine and decry the committee’s efforts as partisan, but it’s patently ridiculous to assert that only scientists ought to have a say over how science is carried out and over who has the exclusive right to be the arbiter of what is acceptable scientific work. That kind of gatekeeping is off-putting for us ordinary unwashed masses of non-scientists. People talk all the time about practices in — say, for example — education, media or medicine without being teachers, journalists or doctors. Further, in addition to industries having their own professional regulatory bodies, we have public policies and laws about all aspects of society exactly because no pursuit exists wholly apart from society.

At one point in the episode someone even cracks a joke about gain of function research in China that at best is confusing and at worst mocks listeners and undermines the careful work the podcast has done to refute theories of corona viruses being leaked from labs in China.

Maybe the podcast is only for scientists? I am a dedicated TWIV listener, but I’m just an arts grad. Have I outstayed my welcome?

Mifi

Moniqua and Noa write:

Hello,

I hope all is well. This past week Noa completed all aspects of the fundraiser from last month. $2800 was raised for 5 programs and over 15 girls were able to attend a STEM camp. With the funds from rising donations ($560), a portion was given back to Noa as STEM boxes from the amazing subscription program called GirlsCan! Crate! GIRLS CAN! CRATE (girlscancrate.com).

These boxes were distributed to two facilities that focused on children in foster-based programs. We wanted to let you all know how much each of your programs has meant to both of us and how proud and grateful for all you do for children. Noa hopes that the funds raised have helped in a small way expand or help where needed. Hope next year will be bigger and more programs added.

My daughter hates attention but understands the need for others to see members of the community helping those in the community and beyond. Below is a quick proud mom picture. Have a wonderful summer and again Thank you!

Sincerely,

Moniqua and Noa

Anthony writes:

Re Vaccinating pigs

My understanding is that even the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia found convincing those caring for camels to vaccinate when there was no economic concern to be an intractable problem. The KSA did find it easy to compel manufacturers seeking licensing to include a MERS vaccine as a component in products to protect against significant camel disease.

FWIW

Anthony

Walt writes:

In 1125 you mention that Congress wants to “Restore Congress’s role in directing funding.” And concurrently, to create an “independent review entity for the proposed National Institute on Infectious Diseases.”

This obvious politicization is not uniquely aimed at your field

As described at https://rollcall.com/2023/05/01/supreme-court-to-decide-major-case-on-federal-rulemaking-power/ and elsewhere, conservatives are broadly aimed at ALL Federal agencies’ ability to carry out Congressional mandates created over the last 10 decades.

Prior to a year ago, this has been primarily a “pro-business, anti-regulation” effort but NIAID has been added as another target thanks to Fauci’s contradiction of Trump (nicely described in his book excerpt at https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/07/anthony-fauci-covid-trump-white-house-response/678491/

So maybe the world DOES need “This Week in Science and Politics”. Dr Dove would seem to be a likely expert to host it but maybe Microbe.TV simply needs to advertise another group’s work in this area

Best wishes, Walt from Oakland

Craig writes:

You used the old saying “Ignorance is Bliss (Knowledge is Power)”, but for decades that hasn’t been true.

Knowledge is bliss: for those of us who enjoy learning and understanding more of the world.

Ignorance is power: unconstrained by reality, facts, or evidence, you can argue and attempt anything you want.

Craig

Sara writes:

Hi everyone

First of all, thank you for the great and informative podcast. When I discovered TWiV at the start of the pandemic, I had no idea that viruses could be so exciting 🙂

On TWiV 1125 and the plans to reform the NIH: I too believe this is a political attack on the NIH. Since science has unfortunately become political, how about a special episode to explain the overarching context of this rationally pointless measure and the overall politicization of science,

for example with the political historian Heather Cox Richardson as a guest. She‘s a professor at Boston College author of the substack “Letters from an American”

I think it is important to understand what is happening right now because these political decisions will have a big impact in the long term.

Kind Regards,

Sara

Anil writes:

Dear Twiv,

I am a big fan of the show and I download your podcasts and listen to the episodes while commuting to work.

Of course I go through quite a few shows a week, as my commute is almost 2 hours, 95 miles one way, from Southern MA to the quiet corner of CT, not too far from Springfield, MA.

I really liked your recent episode on debunking the lab leak theory, and it is sad that more people don’t listen to podcasts like these instead of the angertainment of other shows. I feel your work helps counteract the slow dumbing down of society and help elevate our knowledge, level of thinking and appreciation for science.

I am an Infection Preventionist and I currently work on contract, and will be switching to another location soon, hopefully without a 2 hour commute.

We IPs can be the ID docs right hand in the hospital, and I often find when hospitals hire the right people in the mix of controlling Infectious Disease, it can be far more successful than even the C-Suite could imagine.

Keep up the good work and it would be my honor to meet you guys in person one day, especially to Dr. Dove, who I gather is out in Springfield as well, home to America’s first automobile.

Finally, I am also a big fan of electronic music and Miss Monique. Try out music from Boris Brecha and Sozho if you have the chance.

Loyal fan,

AP.

John writes:

I’m not seeking to get this question on the air but just to have you all look at the article in Reuters, I’m sure others will send it to you for review.

6/14/24 Reuters has an article revealing the US military stoked vaccine fears of Sinovac, test kits and PPE using Twitter a few years back.

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-covid-propaganda/

It does at least state that Sinovac wasn’t as effective as available options in the world but only much later in the paper and that does not excuse the Pentagon from doing something like this if true.

However, they paint the picture that the Chinese government was completely unprovoked in blaming the US and creating conspiracy theories that the US created the pandemic. That is the part of the article that I took issue with however, it has been long enough, I am questioning my own memory so maybe you all can assist. I thought first, we were already straining our relations due to geopolitical issues like new tariffs and hostile provocations and then the former administration antagonizing the Chinese government further with calling the novel virus the “China flu” among other accusations of WIV involvement. Wasn’t it our politicians making unfounded accusations that caused the Chinese government to clam up and begin to fire accusations back, or is this article correct in its portrayal of the US retaliating an unprovoked China? I seem to remember it was our politicians creating the poor relations which didn’t help our investigation team, but like I said, it has been long enough to forget the timeline of events.

Anyway, this doesn’t excuse such a horrible action, I think whoever dreamed up the policy to use our technical capability to call into question any vaccine regardless of the purpose is unethical and maybe even warrants calling it a war crime since the effect seems to be children not getting the regular vaccinations now that parents have bought into the fearmongering. This is very disappointing and if true, it continued with the current administration and didn’t stop until Spring 2021. I find this all very upsetting and I imagine you all do too and I would like to know the veracity of these reports but on the surface it looks pretty bad.

—

John

Blog design writes: