Suzanne writes:

Hello Dr. Griffin, 

I wanted to circle back to this topic and thank you for updating your approach to your quotations during your clinical update episodes. 

I was away on vacation (while my kids were at overnight camp, yay!) and am working at catching up on episodes. I’m still one behind, but I figured that I’d write to you now anyway.

Over 13 episodes, you quoted 12 people, 7 of whom were women (see below). I appreciate this very much.

  • #1216 — Margaret Thatcher 
  • #1218 — Jane Goodall 
  • #1220 — Audrey Lourde 
  • #1222 — Rosa Luxemburg 
  • #1224 — none ?
  • #1226 — Adam Nicolson
  • #1228 — Mon Mothma 
  • #1230 — Mark Twain 
  • #1232 — Winston Churchill
  • #1234 — Hank Green
  • #1236 — Napoleon 
  • #1238 — Emma Lazarus 
  • #1240 — Helen Keller 

By the way… I’m a subcontractor for the National Science Foundation, conducting research in STEM education, and I have no idea how we will weather this storm. All of us with STEM education grants from NSF have had 20-100% of our grants abruptly terminated. I’ll keep listening to TWiV and being people’s go-to for virology questions — it’s one useful thing that I can keep doing anyway.

Thank you again.

Stay safe, Suzanne 

Hat writes:

What is your take on this recommendation?

https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaf428/8221766

Efram writes:

Hi Daniel,

I am an avid listener of TWIV since 2020 and always learn a great deal, including from the clinical questions listeners send you.

You have discussed issues around chickenpox and shingles vaccines several times, but I am still unclear about current recommendations.

I personally have never had clinical chickenpox and therefore around the age of 20 I had an antibody titer test which showed no antibodies, so I then received the varicella vaccine (x2).

I am now in my 50s and have spoken with my family doctor about the possible need for a booster, and/or whether I should get the shingles vaccine.

She had me retest my titer and again no evidence of antibodies, so I received a varicella booster.

(I will mention that I have had other titers such as rubella tested in the past, with normal titers)

Going forward, I am curious to understand if I should get the shingles vaccine at some point.

Also, children who received the chickenpox vaccine- is there a recommendation for booster in adulthood?

Sincerely,

Efrat Slonim DVM

Jessica writes:

First of all, thank you for your tremendous generosity to us listeners with highly informed, reliable, science based content on a regular basis. 

And thank you for the courage to continue under the very unfortunate circumstances. 

You are my science hero and an exemplary man in your dedication to world health. 

So my question today is about plasmodia and malaria. 

Another science channel is reporting a recent interest in trying antiparasitics with this disease. Specifically, cough, cough, ivermectin. 

They say immediately that Ivermectin is useless against viruses, thank heavens. 

But could plasmodium be susceptible?

Just wondering, because malaria has killed so many. 

Here’s the link to where I heard this. 

Thanks again 

Jessica Mercure, BSN, MA retired 

Ivermectin Actually IS a Miracle Drug 

Amy writes:

Daniel and Vincent,

First, a big shout-out to you both. Working in public health at the state level, I know how exhausting and frustrating it is to witness unnecessary illness and suffering worldwide. I appreciate that TWIV helps us envision a world we want to live in!

I’ve heard Daniel on a range of platforms, including FOX!—please do more of that! We love you here at TWIV, but the message needs to reach a wider audience. Invite folks from the administration and the MAHA movement. Go on Joe Rogan (Bernie Sanders did—with great success!). 

Katelyn Jetelina (Your Local Epidemiologist), Megan Ranney (Dean of the Yale School of Public Health), Paul Offit, and others—along with MAHA supporters—have engaged in substantive, respectful discussions on the podcast Why Should I Trust You? We need more of this in mainstream media.

Respectful dialogue, especially when there is disagreement, builds trust. We (and I include my own organization) can’t continue to be elitist or shut down people who have questions about the government and medicine.

My specific unrelated question: What are your thoughts on Stellate Ganglion Block treatment for Long COVID fatigue and brain fog? I haven’t found any RCTs, but I did see a small cohort study that looked intriguing.  It’s also unclear how long any benefits might last.

Thank you again for all that you do—and for keeping us hopeful! EmojiEmoji

Amy