First hour: Can "citizen panels" create more common ground on divisive issues?
Second hour: Local vaccine researchers on the state of COVID-19 vaccinesA local organization called Civic Genius is hosting citizen panels aimed at dismantling polarization. The organizers say the conversations neighbors and elected officials have during their panels can create more common ground on issues that affect the entire country. How do they work? And how effective are they? We discuss those questions with our guests:
- Howard Konar, founder of Civic Genius
- Jillian Youngblood, executive director of Civic Genius
- Steven Kull, founder and president of Voice of the People
Then in our second hour, we're joined by local vaccine researchers to discuss the state of COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution in the U.S. Dr. Edward Walsh and Dr. Angela Branche have been involved in vaccine development and trials since the beginning of the pandemic. They join us to discuss vaccine effectiveness, Johnson and Johnson coming online, a Pfizer booster being tested locally, and they answer your questions about vaccines. Our guests:
- Angela Branche, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Medicine (Infectious Diseases), and co-director of the Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit at the University of Rochester Medical Center
- Edward Walsh, M.D., professor in the Department of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and head of infectious diseases at Rochester General Hospital
