Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Why your flu immunity might be weaker this year, plus immersive Van Gogh exhibits are taking over
Dr. Anthony Fauci is urging everyone to get vaccinated against influenza and coronavirus as soon as possible. Last year, thanks in part to masks, social distancing, and quarantine measures, there was hardly a flu season.
By Madeleine Brand • • 49m ListenDr. Anthony Fauci is urging everyone to get vaccinated against influenza and coronavirus as soon as possible. Last year, thanks in part to masks, social distancing, and quarantine measures, there was hardly a flu season.
“Because most of us were not infected by flu viruses last year … that means we didn’t get the typical population-level immunity boost that we all normally get,” says Katherine Wu, Atlantic staff writer covering science.
Also, only about a quarter of soon-to-be moms are vaccinated against COVID. What’s behind the low rate?
Later, Press Play gets a sneak peek of “The Many Saints of Newark,” the prequel film to the TV series “The Sopranos,” and dives into the international popularity of immersive Vincent Van Gogh exhibits.
In this episode
5 storiesGot your flu shot? US didn’t have much of a flu season in 2020, but this year could be different
“Flu is very wily. It shapeshifts a lot faster than the coronavirus we’re dealing with. There are so many strains bopping around all the time. … It is always better to have some protection than none,” says Katherine Wu, Atlantic staff writer covering science.
Read the story8 minSoon-to-be moms have higher risk of serious diseases like COVID. Why aren’t more of them vaccinated?
New moms who have caught COVID-19 have protective antibodies in their breast milk for about 10 months, according to new research out of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
Read the story8 minDemocrats’ $3.5T spending bill could transform caregiving and social safety net. Will it reach Biden’s desk?
This week, Congressional lawmakers are trying to avert a government shutdown, pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill, and reach an agreement on a $3.5 trillion spending plan that could be as monumental as FDR’s New Deal or Lyndon Johnson’s Great…
Read the story9 minHow did Tony Soprano become a mob boss? ‘The Many Saints of Newark’ looks at his formative years
Fourteen years after the season finale of HBO’s “The Sopranos,” a prequel film is coming to theaters and HBO Max this Friday.
Read the story15 minImmersive Van Gogh exhibits are ubiquitous, partly thanks to ‘Emily in Paris.’ Are they quality art?
“You might learn a little bit about Vincent Van Gogh's life … and just plunge right into the kind of large projections where there's some animation, there are the paintings ... and those kind of swirl around for a good half an hour or so. And then you’re in the gift shop," explains Bloomberg CityLab staff writer Kriston Capps.
Read the story9 min
