Vaccines vs. the Delta Variant: Talking with Dr. Amesh Adalja

New Ideal, from the Ayn Rand Institute

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer interviews Dr. Amesh Adalja, a well-known expert on pandemic preparedness, about the resurgence of Covid infections around the country due to the Delta variant and how vaccines are holding up against the virus. Among the topics covered: What the Delta variant is and how it behaves;Whether vaccination against Covid-19 helps decouple infection rates from hospitalization and death;How long the Delta surge of infections might last in the U.S.;The issue of “breakthrough infections” in fully vaccinated people;Why vaccines do not by their nature prevent any and all infection;Whether the Biden administration was right to recommend booster shots for all adults;How the Delta variant is affecting children, and when they might be vaccinated;What measures should be considered to protect children at schools;Whether hospitals should require vaccines for health care workers,How Dr. Adalja calculates risk when deciding on activities that may expose him to infection;The themes of Dr. Adalja’s upcoming talk at OCON 2021;The Covaxin Covid vaccine;Whether ivermectin and fluvoxamine are viable treatments for Covid-19;The difference between natural immunity after infection and vaccine-induced immunity, and how they complement each other;The potential to develop “long Covid” after “breakthrough infections.” Mentioned in the discussion is Onkar Ghate’s paper “A Pro-Freedom Approach to Infectious Disease.” Dr. Adalja will be speaking at this year’s Objectivist Conference (August 27 – September 1). You can purchase a virtual pass to attend the conference online here. This podcast was recorded on August 25, 2021. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here. https://youtu.be/3DVGYb9S8XQ Podcast audio: