Immunity: COVID-19 and Beyond

A scientific presentation on how our immune system responds to viruses and vaccines, with Mark Painter, post-doctoral fellow, Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

We've always loved talking about our immune systems – from lauding our "good" ones to lamenting our "bad" ones, or promoting vitamins and other remedies to give us a "boost" – but we don't often think about how they actually work. Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the immune system is under more scrutiny than ever. Do the vaccines work or not? What makes an mRNA vaccine different from previous vaccines? Is it better to get infected and get immunity the "natural" way? It seems like everyone has an opinion, and we hear different information everywhere. Even people who seemed trustworthy end up changing their message, and navigating all of this confusion can be challenging.

People on all sides love to tell us what we need to do or what we should be afraid of, but it's rare that anyone takes the time to really explain what is happening. The Encounter 2022 will put politics aside to share the science of the immune system, helping us understand ourselves and interpret the things we hear in the news. From how we respond when we are infected with a virus or receive a vaccine to what is happening now with immunity to COVID-19, we explore the fantastic and unimaginable way our bodies protect us from disease.