Short Wave

Our Pandemic Future

Mar 15, 2021

Rob Stein, NPR science correspondent with a focus on infectious diseases, brings insights from public health experts and epidemiologists. They discuss the pandemic's emotional toll and express cautious optimism about its course. Key topics include the importance of vaccination rates and public health policies in preventing setbacks. Experts highlight the lasting impacts on health norms and social behaviors, while also addressing the systemic inequities exposed by the pandemic, suggesting opportunities for meaningful change.

13:11

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Episode guests

Rob Stein

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Cautious Optimism Amid Pandemic Uncertainties

2min

Emerging Optimism in the Post-Pandemic Era

6min

The Lasting Impact of the Pandemic on Health and Social Norms

2min

Examining Systemic Inequities Revealed by the Pandemic

3min

It's been about a year since the coronavirus pandemic started to take hold in the United States. Recently, NPR science correspondent Rob Stein has been talking to infectious disease experts, epidemiologists, public health officials, medical historians and for the first time, many are cautiously offering hope. They say the worst may be finally over — but factors like vaccination rates, changes to public health policy and variant resistance to vaccines could upend that recovery.

Reach the show by emailing shortwave@npr.org.

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