Life in the Coronascene

Since 2020, COVID has transformed the world medically, socially, politically, scientifically, economically, and psychologically. Even as innovative vaccines and medications have helped to mitigate the most damaging impacts of this pandemic, ongoing contagion fueled by continued viral evolution and waning immunity make it clear that humanity will be confronting these challenges for the foreseeable future. The course will provide a conceptual framework for understanding the pandemic. We will use this framework to discuss news-worthy updates as they occur - emphasizing virologic, immunologic, risk-benefit, and policy-focused perspectives. Class time will be devoted to didactic lectures, expert panels, and student discussion.