The Daily

Most of Us Have Had Covid

Apr 28, 2022

Apoorva Mandavilli, a science and global health reporter for The New York Times, dives into the staggering statistic that around 60% of Americans have been infected with COVID-19. She discusses the elusive nature of herd immunity and the ongoing risks faced by the population, especially children. The conversation also touches on the complexity of vaccination strategies, personal risk assessments, and the ethical challenges surrounding post-exposure testing. Mandavilli emphasizes the shift in public health goals towards preventing severe illness rather than simply counting infections.

24:18

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Episode guests

Apoorva Mandavilli

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Rising COVID-19 Infections: The Omicron Impact

9min

Assessing COVID-19 Risks and Masking Strategies

4min

Post-Exposure Testing and Ethical Considerations

8min

Simplifying Global Team Management and Understanding Cultural Trends

2min

Escalation and Accountability: Global Tensions and Local Injustices

3min

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data that showed around 60 percent of Americans — more than half of adults and three quarters of children — have now been infected with the coronavirus.

But herd immunity looks likely to remain elusive, and many people are still at high risk from Covid-19.

What do the C.D.C. figures mean for immunity in the United States, and for the future of the pandemic?

Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli, a science and global health reporter for The New York Times.

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Background reading:

Sixty percent of Americans, including 75 percent of children, had been infected with the coronavirus by February — another remarkable milestone in a pandemic that continues to confound expectations.

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