Science Vs. Advocacy, Omicron, & More (w/ Dr. Peter Attia & Dr. Marty Makary)

Dr. Peter Attia (host of The Drive), Dr. Marty Makary (Johns Hopkins professor) and I team up to try some serious sense-making in the Age of Omicron.

Check out full show notes and Peter's podcast, The Drive here.

Topics & Timecodes:

• Comparing omicron to delta and other mutations [4:15]
• Measuring immunity and protection from severe disease—circulating antibodies, B cells, and T cells [13:15]
• Policy questions: what is the end game and how does the world go back to 2019? [18:45]
• A policy-minded framework for viewing COVID and the problem of groupthink [24:00]
• The difference between science and advocacy [39:00]
• Natural immunity from COVID after infection [46:00]
• The unfortunate erosion of trust in science despite impressive progress [57:15]
• Do the current mandates and policies make sense in light of existing data? [1:02:30]
• Risks associated with vaccines, and the risk of being labeled an anti-vaxxer when questioning them [1:18:15]
• Data on incidence of myocarditis after vaccination with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines [1:26:15]
• Outstanding questions about myocarditis as a side effect of mRNA vaccination and the benefit of boosters [1:35:00]
• The risk-reward of boosters and recommendations being ignored by policy makers in the US [1:40:30]
• Sowing distrust: Lack of honesty and humility from top officials and policy makers [1:43:30]
• Thoughts on testing: does it make sense to be pushing widespread testing for COVID? [1:52:15]
• What is the end point to all of this? [1:58:45]
• Downstream consequences of lockdowns and draconian policy measures [2:05:30]
• The polarized nature of COVID—tribalism, skeptics, and demonization of ideas [2:10:30]
• Looking back at past pandemics for perspective and the potential for another pandemic in the future [2:20:00]
• What parents can do if their kids are subject to unreasonable policies [2:25:00]
• Voices of reason in this space [2:28:45]
• Strong convictions, loosely held: the value in questioning your own beliefs [2:32:15]

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