58 - The Original (Antigenic) Sin
Bedside Rounds
Navigating the Complexities of Medicine in Tumultuous Times
This chapter explores the difficulties encountered in 2020 and the critical role of bedside rounds in medical practice and education. It highlights the importance of ethics and uncertainty in healthcare while also sharing information about episode availability and professional resources.
The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the racial health disparities in the United States, with markedly increased mortality especially among Blacks and Native Americans. In this episode, Tony Breu and I discuss the conception of race, racism, and the social determinants of health through three historic plagues in the United States -- from yellow fever in New Orleans, to poliomyelitis, and finally the early days of HIV/AIDS -- and what lessons we can draw for COVID-19. Along the way, we’ll discuss the unique social capital afforded by acclimation, immunity passports, the concept of the “original antigenic sin,” and constitutionalism and eugenics. This presentation was performed live at the annual meeting of the Massachusetts American College of Physicians, and is only lightly edited.
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