Overview
I would like you to discuss a relevant infectious disease topic with a friend or family member that is not in the medical or scientific field to discuss with them a contemporary topic in infectious disease. From your discussion, explain any common misunderstandings and ways in which you can communicate the science to them that will educate them. Some ideas to think about could be vaccines and the benefits of herd immunity and what that means, antibiotic use (differences between a virus and a bacterium), food safety concerns, the use of gamma irradiation to prevent fruits and vegetables from harboring pathogenic microbes prior to consumption, the reason why masks reduce respiratory disease transmission, the role of social distancing measures,etc, and potential concerns for a bioterror event.