We Want Them Infected Podcast

Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent focus on the escalating hostility towards Dr. Anthony Fauci, spurred by political rhetoric and the divisive stances of certain doctors advocating for herd immunity. They explore the history of Fauci's comments on masks, the critiques from the authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, and the broader implications of these conflicts for public health. The episode a...

Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent dive into the pro-infection movement that supports infecting unvaccinated children to achieve herd immunity. They discuss the recent conviction of Trump and the public's reaction, highlighting the parallels between political and medical misinformation.  The episode critically examines statements made by figures like Dr. Scott Atlas and Dr. Vinay Prasad, pointing out...

Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent discuss the problematic communication surrounding COVID-19 vaccines in 2021. They highlight the overly optimistic claims made by several doctors and how these statements contributed to public mistrust when vaccines did not completely eliminate transmission or provide long-term immunity. The episode critiques the medical community's handling of vaccine messaging...

Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent tackle the contentious issue of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. They explore the narrative that school closures were merely a choice influenced by cautious politicians and unions, contrasting it with the reality that the virus itself forced many schools to shut down. The hosts discuss the devastating effects on students, teachers, and families, hig...

The episode explores the complex narrative surrounding COVID-19's impact on cardiac health and the conflicting views on vaccine-induced myocarditis.  By examining the discourse and publications of medical conservatives, the hosts illustrate a significant discrepancy in how COVID-19 cardiac problems are portrayed compared to those related to the vaccine. Highlighting specific cases and statistical...

Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent explore the concerns around vaccine myocarditis in children, emphasizing the rarity and mild nature of this side effect in the context of broader COVID-19 impacts.  They provide a detailed analysis of the incidence and severity of COVID-19 among different age groups, underlining the disproportionate effects on black and Hispanic children.  The hosts critically e...

This episode of "We Want Them Infected" features a critical examination of the role and challenges of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hosts Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orange discuss how the pandemic has tested the limits of RCTs, which are often considered the gold standard in medical research. They address the ethical concerns that arise when implemen...

The focus of today's episode turned to Dr. Vinay Prasad, a once-distinguished oncologist who has become a leading advocate for the controversial pro-infection movement. Hosts Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent criticized Prasad's shift towards advocating for natural COVID-19 infection over vaccination in children, an approach they argue is both unethical and scientifically unfounded. The discussi...

Dr. Jonathan Howard delves into the controversial tenure of Dr. Scott Atlas as President Trump's coronavirus advisor. Atlas, who lacked a background in infectious diseases, was a proponent of achieving herd immunity by allowing the virus to spread among low-risk populations—a strategy considered dangerous by many health experts. The podcast critiques Atlas's approach, which ignored the potential f...

The conversation scrutinizes the advocacy for herd immunity as a response to COVID-19, highlighting the ethical and practical issues with targeting unvaccinated children and young adults for infection. It explores the aftermath of the Great Barrington Declaration, including minimized concerns for COVID-19 variants and opposition to vaccinations for children.  Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent al...

Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent engage in a comprehensive critique of the movement advocating for herd immunity through natural infection among unvaccinated populations. They dissect the flawed arguments presented in early pandemic responses, highlighting Dr. Jay Bhattacharya's controversial statements and the backlash from the scientific community. The episode critically analyzes the Great Ba...

Hosts Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent critically examine the strategy of intentionally infecting unvaccinated populations to reach herd immunity. The discussion revisits predictions made by health experts in the early stages of the pandemic, highlighting how optimistic expectations often fell short in the face of evolving challenges, such as the emergence of new variants. The conversation covers s...

Dr. Jonathan Howard takes a solo dive into the rationale behind some medical professionals' controversial endorsement of natural COVID-19 infection over vaccination to achieve herd immunity. Addressing a query from a listener, the podcast episode aims to uncover the motivations behind such a high-risk strategy, beyond the commonly cited reasons of greed and political influence. Throughout the epis...

Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent discuss the complex and controversial strategies surrounding COVID-19, particularly focusing on the approach to infect unvaccinated individuals for herd immunity. They critique the Great Barrington Declaration's focus on protecting the elderly and other high-risk groups through measures like testing, reduced staff rotation, and non-admittance of COVID-19 affected in...

Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent tackle the controversial Great Barrington Declaration, which proposes allowing COVID-19 to spread among unvaccinated children and young adults to achieve herd immunity. This strategy, according to the declaration, would protect vulnerable populations through "focused protection." Howard and Orent explore the ethical and logistical challenges of this approach, hi...

Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent tackled the contentious issue of measles outbreaks in New Orleans and Florida, placing a spotlight on the unconventional public health advice dispensed by Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo. Ladapo's guidance, which diverged from traditional outbreak management by allowing unvaccinated children to attend school, sparked widespread concern among public health professi...

Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent dive into the contentious approach Sweden took towards managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Sweden's strategy, characterized by an avoidance of lockdowns and an emphasis on herd immunity, has been a subject of international scrutiny and debate. The hosts explore the implications of keeping schools open, the minimal use of masks, and the lack of social distancing measures...

Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent explore the contentious issue of achieving herd immunity by infecting unvaccinated children and young adults with COVID-19. This approach, criticized for its ethical and scientific shortcomings, particularly overlooks the significant risks COVID-19 poses to children, contrary to the assertions of some health professionals and the Great Barrington Declaration. Ho...

Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent dive into the criticisms and negative reviews they have received for their podcast. They discuss accusations of ad hominem attacks and misrepresentations made by doctors they have quoted in their discussions on pandemic policies and vaccination strategies. Dr. Howard begins by acknowledging the seriousness of the pandemic and the consequences of words spoken dur...

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a global crisis that has reshaped the way we live and interact with each other. Amid the chaos and uncertainty, various strategies and policies were implemented to curb the spread of the virus. One such strategy was lockdowns, which drew significant attention and debate throughout the pandemic. In this article, we delve into the Great Barrington Declaration, a docume...

The GBD, penned in October 2020, proposed an alternative strategy to the prevailing COVID-19 restrictions. It suggested that low-risk populations should be allowed to acquire natural immunity through infection, while high-risk groups, particularly the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions, receive focused protection. This approach, the authors argued, would lead to herd immunity, reducing...

Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent take a deep dive into the controversial Great Barrington Declaration, a document that has stirred significant debate in the public health community. This declaration, penned by Dr. Sunita Gupta of Oxford, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya of Stanford, and Dr. Martin Kulldorff of Harvard, proposes a pandemic response strategy centered on achieving herd immunity through natura...

Dr. Jonathan Howard, in the absence of co-host Wendy Orent, explores the misconceptions and risky propositions around achieving herd immunity through natural COVID-19 infection. He references an article by Drs. de Souza and Dowdy from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, highlighting the true meaning of herd immunity and its relation to vaccination. Howard critiques various early claim...

Dr. Jonathan Howard and expert Wendy Orent explore the contentious topic of a novel virus's origins. They examine the evolution of infectious diseases and the likelihood of laboratory involvement in the virus's emergence. The discussion revolves around the complexity of virus transmissibility, the historical context of virus outbreaks, and the challenges in pinpointing the exact origins. The conve...

Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent discuss various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the initial underestimation of the death toll by Dr. John Ioannidis. They address misconceptions such as the belief that people were dying with COVID, not of COVID, and the skepticism surrounding COVID-19 death certificates. Dr. Howard counters these claims by highlighting the challenges faced in the ea...