You hear about it every year: “It’s flu season! Be sure to get a flu vaccine!” But what exactly is the flu, how can it harm you, and why do we need to be vaccinated every single year? Learn the answers to these questions and more in the first episode of the Sci’more Podcast’s virology series! We interview Cami and Nico, microbiology PhD students researching the small (but mighty!) world of viruses like influenza, commonly known as the flu, and SARS-CoV-2, the culprit behind the coronavirus pandemic. This episode explores the history of influenza, how something so small can cause so much damage on a global scale, and what we can do to protect ourselves against it. Don’t miss this episode of the Sci’more Podcast!

If you have questions for Cami or Nico, you can reach them at their emails: cwouter1@jhmi.edu and nswanso2@jh.edu, respectively.

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Links and Resources

List of vaccine components: https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/flu-shot-ingredients#ingredient

RadioLab episode: https://radiolab.org/episodes/great_vaccinator

Types of adjuvants used in vaccines: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/adjuvants.html

Article on vaccine immunity duration: https://www.science.org/content/article/how-long-do-vaccines-last-surprising-answers-may-help-protect-people-longer

Article on antibiotics and antibiotic resistance: https://www.drugs.com/article/antibiotics-and-viruses.html

Article on antiviral drugs: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/treatment/treatment.htm

Article on mask guidance and influenza: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/maskguidance.htm

CDC resource on influenza: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm

Flu by Gina Kolata: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/763331.Flu

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Credits

Music: ‘Lucky Massive Dangerous’ by Speck

Editing: Michael Dryzer

Intro & Outro: Philip Danziger and Michael Dryzer

Interviewer: Philip Danziger and Michael Dryzer

Interviewees: Nico Swanson and Camille Wouters

With help from other members of the Sci’more Podcast team!