The U.S. continues to wage war with COVID-19 itself and with rampant false and misleading information about the virus, variants and vaccinations that continues to flood social media and hinder efforts to overcome the pandemic.
Coronavirus misinformation has again spiked in recent weeks, as new Delta-related cases and hospitalizations surge.
Many Americans have gotten in a bad habit of turning to and relying on unverified, often anecdotal social media posts for information and advice, instead of asking reputable scientists and medical professionals. On today's program, you have another chance to do just that.
So what questions do you have for actual experts? What do you want to know about the latest virus- and vaccine-related news, facts and guidance? What falsehoods have you seen or heard that need debunking?
How effective are vaccines against delta and other more transmissible variants? What is the risk of breakthrough infections for people who are fully vaccinated? How protected are those who got one shot, but never returned for their second?
Why are immunocompromised individuals eligible for an extra shot? How soon could boosters be available for the general population?
What are the recommendationsfor immunization while pregnant or breastfeeding? Why are vaccination rates for pregnant people so low?
Children account for 18% of all new COVID-19 casesin the U.S. What's happening with vaccine trials for kids? What do we know about the timeline for when ages 12 and younger will be eligible? What are the best ways to keep young children safe until then?
Which debunked COVID-related myths are most widespread and why do people continue to believe and share them?
Guests:
- Peter Chin-Hong, MD, professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at the University of California San Francisco
- Katelyn Jetelina, Ph.D., MPH, epidemiologist with UTHealth School of Public Health in Dallas and author of the "Your Local Epidemiologist" blog
- Apoorva Mandavilli, science and global health reporter for The New York Times
"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 833-877-8255, email thesource@tpr.org or tweet @TPRSource.
*This interview was recorded on Thursday, August 19.