Pandemic: Lessons Learned-Did we?
The 2009 H1N1, or Swine Flu, pandemic took the world’s health experts by surprise. Looking back, journalist Laurie Garrett and public health scientist Michael Osterholm each give their take on how well the world responded to the threat, what mistakes they made, and what the lessons learned can do to prepare us in the future.
Imagine beating every strain of flu with a single jab. Wiping out your risk of some lethal cancers, HIV, and Ebola during a routine doctor’s visit. That’s the promise of next-generation vaccines, and researchers are closing in on the basic science needed to bring them to reality. Join epidemiologists, virologists, and public-health experts as they share insights on the new wave of vaccine research, and the race to eliminate pandemic threats. Setting the stage for the discussion is a screening of Contagion, Steven Soderbergh’s chilling thriller about a deadly flu outbreak and the global race to contain it. The World Science Festival gathers great minds in science and the arts to produce live and digital content that allows a broad general audience to engage with scientific discoveries. Our mission is to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.
Original Program Date: June 2, 2012 MODERATOR: Richard Besser PARTICIPANTS: Laurie Garrett, Gary Nabel, Michael Osterholm, Harold Varmus
