NPR's Book of the Day 'Foreign Bodies' traces the history of pandemics and vaccine hesitancy
Sep 25, 2023
Historian Simon Schama, author of 'Foreign Bodies:Pandemics, Vaccines, and the Health of Nations', discusses the history of pandemics, vaccine hesitancy, and the interconnected global crises. He highlights the development of vaccines for diseases such as smallpox and cholera, and the obstacles to accepting scientific knowledge. Schama emphasizes the relevance of understanding mass disease and immunization to today's global health, particularly in relation to COVID-19.
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5
Introduction
00:00 • 2min
Tracing the History of Pandemics and Vaccine Hesitancy
01:33 • 2min
Vaccine Pioneers and Their Battle Against Disease
03:29 • 4min
Repeating Mistakes and Vaccine Hesitancy
07:32 • 2min
The Interconnected Global Crises and the Futility of Demonizing Foreigners
09:23 • 2min