September 18, 2020

On today's episode we discuss: —Climate: Vaccine experts discuss concerns regarding historical disparities in vaccine/healthcare access in disadvantaged and minority groups. They propose a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine distribution plan with special emphasis on the ethical principles, utilitarianism, and egalitarianism, employing a tier system beginning with healthcare providers/front-line workers, adults > 65, and those with high comorbidities, followed by random chance selection weighted so that disadvantaged areas have higher access to the vaccine. · Health policy experts argue that the multifaceted impacts that young people are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic are being ignored due to their reduced infection rates and improved outcomes following infection. The authors call for more research on the impact the pandemic is having on young people, involving young people in pandemic policy planning at institutional and governmental levels, more governmental resource allocation to young people, and prioritization of young voices in the media, organizations and government. —Transmission & Prevention: A retrospective study in Thailand of 211 asymptomatic contacts of COVID-19 patients who later tested positive and 839 asymptomatic contacts of COVID-19 patients who never tested positive evaluated factors that contributed to whether an individual with close contact to a person with COVID-19 contracted the virus. Factors independently associated with a lower likelihood of contracting SARS-CoV-2 included wearing a mask during all contact with the infected individual, maintaining greater than 1 meter of distance from the infected individual, having close contact for less than or equal to 15 minutes with the infected individual, and frequent hand washing.