This Podcast Will [Help] You

While studying disease ecology in grad school, Super Awesome Nerds™ Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann Updyke began hosting This Podcast Will Kill You (2017) as a way to entertain and educate the masses in all that is gripping—and gruesome—about infectious diseases.

Every episode the Drs. Erin discuss the biology of a disease, the history of its impact and spread, and how far along we are in understanding, treating, and eradicating the disease around the world. They also concoct themed drinks—Quarantinis (with alcohol) and Placeboritas (non-alcoholic)—and share references for listeners who want to supplement their binge-listening with a little binge-reading (binge-drinking, however, is never recommended).

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I started listening to This Podcast Will Kill You in November 2018 when the Erins joined the brand-new Exactly Right Podcast Network (more on them soon), launched by Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff of My Favorite Murder fame. Although they are disease ecologists and epidemiologists by trade, the Erins are also engaging podcasters who succinctly communicate the medical, historical, and biological aspects of each disease a in 1-2 hour episode that non-science-folks can enjoy while sipping Quarantinis and trying not to be too-grossed-out.

Listening to stomach-churning stories of horrible death and suffering brought about by the Black Death, Small Pox, Ebola, et. al, might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I have found the Erins’ fact-based analysis of terrible diseases to be oddly soothing. After all, when we understand the science behind contagious diseases, we can make better choices to keep us healthy. Like getting vaccinated (more about the science of vaccines here and here) and washing our hands, lest we become the “filthy animals” of their signature sign-off.

The Anatomy of a Pandemic

In early 2020 when my friends and family were starting to get anxious about COVID-19, I recommended two episodes of This Podcast Will Kill You to help them better understand pandemics and coronaviruses: Episode 1: Influenza Will Kill You (1918 influenza pandemic) and Episode 43: M-m-m-my Coronaviruses (SARS, MERS, and what we knew about COVID-19 as of February 4, 2020).

As the COVID-19 epidemic became a pandemic and our lives were turned upside down, the Erins ramped up production on new episodes as part of their series Anatomy of a Pandemic to bring up-to-date information to listeners who are desperate for COVID-19 facts and stats (and maybe a Quarantini—or ten).

The six episode series on COVID-19 has expanded into eleven episodes (and counting!), with episode lengths ranging from 45 to 90 minutes. In each Anatomy of a Pandemic episode, experts from a variety of scientific backgrounds weigh in on the unfolding crisis, including COVID-19’s virology, epidemiology, modeling, and the pandemic’s impacts on education, the economy, and mental health. The Erins also share first-person accounts from healthcare workers, quarantined cruise ship passengers, and Americans struggling to get tested for COVID-19.

• COVID-19 Chapter 1: Virology (in which the Erins tackle listener questions about SARS-CoV-2, with the insight of virologist Dr. Angela Rasmussen – episode dated March 23, 2020)
• COVID-19 Chapter 2: Disease (in which the Erins and Dr. Colleen Kraft discuss what is known about COVID-19 from a clinical disease perspective – episode dated March 23, 2020)
• COVID-19 Chapter 3: Control (in which Dr. Krutika Kuppalli shares her expertise from a global health and pandemic preparedness perspective – episode dated March 23, 2020)
• COVID-19 Chapter 4: Epidemiology (in which the Erins share a timeline of the pandemic and Dr. Carlos del Rio weighs in on the estimated R0 and case fatality rates – episode dated March 23, 2020)
• COVID-19 Chapter 5: Vaccines (in which Dr. M. Elena Bottazzi sheds some light on vaccine development pipelines and progress on COVID-19 vaccines and treatments – episode dated March 23, 2020)
• COVID-19 Chapter 6: Mental Health (in which psychology doctoral students Rosemary Walker and Peter Rosencrans share coping strategies for the mental health stressors of pandemic life – episode dated March 23, 2020)
• COVID-19 Chapter 7: Spillover (in which the Erins discuss spillover events and the disease ecology of emerging pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 with Dr. Jonna Mazet – episode dated April 6, 2020)
• COVID-19 Chapter 8: Disparities (in which Dr. Jonathan Whittall of Medicines Sans Frontières weighs in on pandemic challenges faced by vulnerable populations around the world – episode dated April 9, 2020)
• COVID-19 Chapter 9: Economics (in which the Erins and economist Martha Gimbel discuss the economic impact of the pandemic, focussing mainly on the United States – episode dated April 20, 2020)
• COVID-19 Chapter 10: Schools (in which journalist Jennifer Berkshire and education historian Dr. Jack Schneider explore the effects of COVID-19 on education in the United States – episode dated April 23, 2020)
• COVID-19 Chapter 11: Modeling (in which Dr. Mike Famulare walks listeners through understanding the mathematical modeling of infectious diseases – episode dated May 4, 2020)

Thank you, Drs. Erin, for being Super Awesome People™ who are keeping us informed (and well-hydrated) during these pandemic times. And thank you to the experts in all disciplinary fields who are working to help the world beat COVID-19.

We look forward to learning more, and we will definitely wash our hands.