About this podcast
Throughout history, humanity has faced down disease and disaster. This season, Countermeasures traces the arc of public health crises and bioterrorism events across centuries, from the Black Death to the 2001 Anthrax attacks. We dig into how societies responded in the moment, what those responses reveal in hindsight, and what we still need to learn. Each episode uncovers the science and the human decisions behind our fight against health threats, and asks what it will take to be ready for the next one. Brought to you by Emergent, a leading public health company that delivers protective and life-saving solutions to communities around the world.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 31 episodes
- Inside the World of Botulism · 28 min · Season 4 Episode 6This episode traces botulism from a misunderstood toxin to a modern medical mystery, exploring how the same poison shows up in home-canned fish, honey, infant formula, and…
- Beyond Rats and Fleas: The Real Story of the Black Plague · 29 min · Season 4 Episode 5This episode traces the Black Death from its origins in Central Asia to its devastating sweep across Eurasia, exploring how trade, migration, and war fueled its spread, how…
- Ebola: Same Virus, New Rules · 27 min · Season 4 Episode 4This episode covers the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, now the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded…
- The Spanish Flu: A Pandemic the World Chose to Forget · 23 min · Season 4 Episode 3This episode traces the 1918 influenza pandemic, from its origins in Kansas to the wartime censorship that hid its true toll, and asks why one of history's deadliest events…
- The Anthrax Attacks, 25 Years Later · 31 min · Season 4 Episode 2One week after 9/11, letters laced with anthrax spores began arriving at newsrooms and Senate offices across the country. By the time it was over, five people were dead…
- The Third Wave of the Opioid Crisis · 22 min · Season 4 Episode 1For more than 20 years, we've been in the grip of one of the deadliest public health emergencies in history: the opioid crisis. It started in the 1990s, when opioid prescriptions…
- Welcome to Season 4 of Countermeasures · 2 minThroughout history, humanity has faced down disease and disaster. This season, Countermeasures traces the arc of public health crises and bioterrorism events across centuries…
- Impact of Climate Change on Health · 25 min · Season 3 Episode 6The effects of climate change touch communities around the world. In this episode, we look at how climate change is shaping public health today, and how it will continue to test…
- Naloxone Access · 20 min · Season 3 Episode 5Since becoming available over the counter, Naloxone has saved countless lives. In this episode, we explore how expanded access is helping communities confront the opioid crisis…
- Zoonotic Diseases · 24 min · Season 3 Episode 4From bird flu to COVID-19, the threat of diseases jumping from animals to humans, zoonotic spillover, is a significant challenge to global health. We explore how scientists…
- We're taking a short break · 1 minThank you for listening to this season of Countermeasures so far. We will be back on December 3rd with more conversations with leading public health experts.
- Biothreats · 26 min · Season 3 Episode 3Biological threats, whether natural, accidental, or deliberate, pose growing challenges for global security. In this episode, experts from the U.S. and Europe discuss how…
- Orthopoxviruses · 23 min · Season 3 Episode 2Although Smallpox has been eradicated, Orthopoxviruses, the group of viruses to which it belongs, still present a major health threat in the form of viruses like Mpox. In this…
- Vector-Borne Disease · 27 min · Season 3 Episode 1Rising temperatures, global travel, and urbanization are reshaping the landscape of infectious disease. Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors are carrying pathogens into new…
- Countermeasures Season 3: Preparing for Tomorrow’s Health Threats · 1 min · Season 3In our first two seasons, Countermeasures examined the opioid crisis and its far-reaching impact across communities. Now, we’re widening the lens. Season 3 explores emerging…
- Aging during the opioid crisis · 24 min · Season 2 Episode 6When you think of the opioid crisis, older adults are likely not what comes to mind. However, older adults are highly impacted by the crisis. For some, it is a result of the…
- Preparing students for opioid emergencies · 26 min · Season 2 Episode 5Going to college is an exciting time filled with new experiences. For some students, it might also be their first exposure to opioids, and they may not know the dangers of…
- Creating safer workplaces · 35 min · Season 2 Episode 4Stress and other challenges often follow us into the workplace, and for those struggling with opioid dependency, the risks can be even more serious. Opioid overdose can happen on…
- Keeping students safe from opioid overdose · 26 min · Season 2 Episode 3Opioid overdose is a leading cause of accidental death in the United States, and middle and high school students are dying at unacceptable rates. Students across the country are…
- Compassionate care for new mothers · 35 min · Season 2 Episode 2It takes a village to care for a newborn and navigate early motherhood, but mothers with a history of opioid dependency often lack the community support that can help them…
