How Covid Radicalized Us All

It's been 5 years since the pandemic and America's trust in public health, medicine, and science has plummeted. It's no secret that the COVID-19 response left a significant portion of Americans seething mad. Now, as the Trump administration, with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. leading the charge, prepares to take control of public health, and with the emergence of a new virus posing a growing threat, Brinda, Maggie, and Tom dig beneath the poll numbers and declining vaccination rates to explore what happens when so many Americans begin to question mainstream science. We speak with a suburban mom and lifelong Democrat about her personal health journey, her experience during the pandemic, and ultimately how her views on science and health led her to vote this time for Donald Trump.  Hosts:Brinda Adhikari, former executive producer of The Problem with Jon Stewart on AppleTV+; former ABC News and CBS NewsTom Johnson, former executive producer of The Circus, on Showtime/Paramount+, former Bloomberg, ABC NewsDr. Maggie Bartlett: virologist, assistant research professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthGuests:Melinda Hicks, former TV producer, Atlanta, GADr. Mark Abdelmalek, skin cancer surgeon, dermatologist, physicianSources we used for data:TRUST IN PHYSICIANS DURING COVIDhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11292455/ DECLINE OF CHILDHOOD VACCINATION RATEShttps://www.kff.org/policy-watch/childhood-vaccination-rates-continue-to-decline-as-trump-heads-for-a-second-term/PUBLIC TRUST IN SCIENTISTShttps://www.pewresearch.org/science/2024/11/14/public-trust-in-scientists-and-views-on-their-role-in-policymaking/ps_2024-11-14_trust-in-science_00-01/VIEWS ON CHILDHOOD VACCINATIONShttps://news.gallup.com/poll/648308/far-fewer-regard-childhood-vaccinations-important.aspx#:~:text=--%20Fewer%20Americans%20today%20consider,2019%20and%2064%25%20in%202001CDC DATA ON MEASLES UPTICKhttps://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html   WHERE WE FIRST READ ABOUT MELINDA:https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/02/us/trump-public-health-dr-oz-rfk-jr.htmlThanks for listening! If you like us, please leave a review, rate us, and please subscribe! Got questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]