In the Bubble with Andy Slavitt

Testing is one of the most important and misunderstood elements of the pandemic. Andy brings it all into focus with Michael Mina, Chief Science Officer at eMed and the go-to testing expert. They break down the complex interplay between infections, symptoms, and the different kinds of tests, and answer your top 20 questions about COVID-19 testing. After listening to this episode, you'll understand...

As we begin 2022, Andy gets the latest on where we stand with Omicron with the help of Dr. David Agus, a professor of medicine at USC, medical contributor for CBS News, and one of the clearest communicators out there. They discuss whether nearly everyone will get COVID-19 because of Omicron, what the latest data show about its severity, and the possibility of variant-specific boosters in the futur...

In this extended cut, Andy calls up The Atlantic's Ed Yong, who won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the pandemic, to talk about how we got where we are now and where we need to go next. They cover what went wrong up to this point, why we can't think of vaccines as a panacea, and what Ed thinks about giving people in the US booster shots before many people around the world get their fir...

I’m Sorry is another Lemonada Media series produced by the same team as In the Bubble! As a holiday treat, we’re sharing a recent episode of theirs that features In the Bubble’s very own Andy Slavitt. I'm Sorry is all about apologies and how they play out in the court of public opinion. It’s hosted by comedians Hoja Lopez, Mohanad Elshieky, and Kiki Monique. This show unpacks the latest in Twitter...

In this extended cut, Andy talks with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, about his 20 years in cable news, what motivates people to peddle misinformation online, and how we can let go of some of the anger, resentment, and trauma from the past 18 months. Whether he's talking to millions of people on TV or one AC repair person in his home, Sanjay rejects the approach of many of his...

Our America with Julián Castro is another series from Lemonada Media, the creators of In the Bubble. As a holiday treat, we’re sharing a recent episode of theirs that features In the Bubble’s very own Andy Slavitt. Each week on Our America, Secretary Julián Castro helps listeners understand how to make sense of a non-stop stream of headlines affecting our daily lives. Joined by his long-time commu...

In this can’t-miss special episode, Andy talks through what’s happening with Omicron in the US, from the Biden Administration’s newest plan to what to do about holiday travel and gatherings. And as an extra treat, Andy is joined by Zach Slavitt, his younger son and Season 1 co-host, who is back home between semesters from college.   Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt and Instagram @andyslavitt...

For this special end-of-the-year episode, Andy asked 11 of the top doctors, scientists, and thinkers to look ahead to 2022. They offer up their thoughts on the coming Omicron wave, what scientific breakthroughs they're most excited about in the year to come, how much they expect we'll have to modify our behavior in 2022, what the Biden administration should be focusing on in the coming year, and s...

What do gasoline, eggs, used cars, and meat have in common? Inflation has caused the prices on all these items to increase by double digits in the last year. Andy dives into what's happening with inflation with Jason Furman, Harvard economist and former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors under President Obama. They discuss why it's happening, what can be done to tackle these high prices, an...

Andy begins with his guide to navigating the holidays now that Omicron is in our lives. Then he explores the cutting-edge science of this new variant with computational biologist and MacArthur "Genius Grant" winner Trevor Bedford. Andy and Trevor cover Omicron's possible origins, the latest on how our current vaccines are holding up to it, and when he expects an Omicron wave to hit the United Stat...

Andy digs into the latest science behind Omicron with former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. They discuss what we know about the origin of Omicron, how it's likely to play out in the US, and if we'll need an Omicron-specific vaccine. It's still early, but Andy and Scott have you covered with the most up-to-date information out there about this new variant and the risk it poses.    Keep up with An...

Andy begins with a can’t-miss breakdown of the latest information on Omicron. Then, he's joined by two physicians who are helping create the future of what health care will look like for you: Sree Chaguturu of CVS Health and Toyin Ajayi of Cityblock Health. The three of them discuss the ways COVID changed how we access health care, how to ensure these changes don't further exacerbate health dispar...

Andy breaks down everything you need to know about the Omicron variant with epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina. They cover what we know about Omicron's transmissibility, the severity of illness it causes, and how it impacts immunity – whether from vaccination or prior infection. They discuss why Omicron worries scientists, how quickly the mRNA vaccines could be tailored to fight Omicron if needed, an...

Andy and Michael Osterholm have a candid conversation about where things stand two years into the pandemic. During this live event hosted by the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health, they discuss how to reach science skeptics, the strain many states' healthcare systems are experiencing right now, and what to say to parents who aren't sure about vaccinating their young children. Plus,...

Andy talks with Nick Clegg, Facebook's Vice President of Global Affairs, about one of the most important issues out there: Facebook, social media, COVID-19 and misinformation. After President Biden said Facebook is "killing people" with COVID misinformation, Andy and Nick discuss what Facebook says its obligation is with regard to misinformation, what they're doing to combat it, and whether it’s e...

Andy and epidemiologists Farzad Mostashari and Jennifer Nuzzo get together for a special holiday edition of Safe or Not Safe. They've got answers to your questions about partially-vaccinated kids, rapid antigen tests, in-person office parties (remember those?), airplane safety, and much more. Whether you are hosting people or will be someone's guest, this episode should calm your pre-holiday COVID...

Andy and conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, who is very much pro-vaccine and anti-federal vaccine mandate, merge echo chambers and discuss where conservatives are at this moment with the pandemic. They get into reasons why an estimated 40% of conservative adults aren't vaccinated, what works and what doesn't when it comes to persuading unvaccinated people, and have an in-depth exchange about man...

Have we reached the so-called "new normal" people keep talking about? And if so, what does that mean for you? Andy reunites with former guest host Dr. Bob Wachter who has started to let his guard down in terms of risk tolerance. They discuss why Bob feels like the time is right for that, how to think about the things that can scare us back into a more vigilant state, and Bob's thoughts for what CO...

Andy brings clear, simple answers to one of the most intimidating and important questions of our time: is there a plan that can actually solve climate change? John Doerr and his colleague Ryan Panchadsaram join Andy to introduce the most systematic and easy-to-understand plan to solve the climate crisis as the COP26 Climate Change Conference unfolds in Glasgow, Scotland. This episode brings hope t...

Andy calls up Kara Swisher, whom Newsweek once called Silicon Valley's "most powerful tech journalist," to discuss the myriad issues surrounding companies like Facebook, Twitter, and even Donald Trump's new social media platform Truth Social. They get into the Facebook Papers, if government regulation is coming, and where she sees Big Tech heading in the near future. Plus, Andy tells a story he's...

Andy calls up Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who is in the middle of a nasty battle over vaccine mandates with, most notably, the city's largest police union. Andy asks Mayor Lightfoot why she thinks the union president is really picking this fight with her, how she plans to get through to city workers who aren't complying with the mandate, and where the opposing sides go from here.   Keep up with...

Andy calls up pediatrician and vaccinologist Dr. Paul Offit, who just voted to recommend that the FDA approve Pfizer's vaccine for 5-11 year olds. They discuss the vaccine advisory committee's deliberations, what the data show about side effects like myocarditis, how to think about the decision from a parent's perspective, and whether or not schools should require that eligible kids be vaccinated...

Andy begins with the big news: a vaccine for kids seems imminent. He breaks down the FDA vaccine advisory committee’s vote recommending authorization of the Pfizer vaccine, and outlines the next steps to get shots for 5-11 year-olds as soon as possible. Then, he calls up Dr. Richard Besser, President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. They discuss what our response to COVID could mean...

Andy calls up Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel for a remarkable behind-the-scenes look at the last two years inside the company. As Moderna's booster shots start to roll out across the country, Andy and Stéphane discuss the origins of Moderna's partnership with the government, how he thinks the vaccine will hold up against future variants, and the effort to vaccinate the globe. Plus, Stéphane's rivetin...

Andy breaks the news about a new nationwide digital vaccine verification initiative to be formally announced next week. Andy talks with the system's architect, Paul Meyer, and California's Chief Technology Innovation Officer, Rick Klau. They discuss why the federal government isn't creating its own verification system, how Californians have responded to the state's Digital Vaccine Record, and wher...