TWiV explains why RFK Jr.’s proposal to let H5N1 infections in birds ‘rip’ is a bad idea, phase 1/2 trial of combined influenza/COVID mRNA vaccines, and how your first influenza virus exposure shapes the B cell response to influenza vaccination 50 years later.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker

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RFK Jr. says let H5N1 rip through flocks (NY Times)
Combined flu/COVID mRNA vaccine (Nat Comm)
Rare syndrome after COVID vaccination (NY Times, medRxiv)
Imprinting lasts 50 years (Immunity)
Imprinting protects against H5N1 and H7N9 (Science)
Letters read on TWiV 1203
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!

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Vincent – The use of placebo controls in clinical trials

Listener Picks

Anne – Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

TWiV 1203: What's old is flu again

This Week in Virology