I am a germaphobe who appreciates good and honest information about this virus . The minute you start with the politics - you’ve lost me!

Read the Vanity Fair article and then listen to the lab leak episode. Obviously has an agenda. Completely laughable.

A lot of the questions asked were nit actually answered but the moderator would make statements that didn’t actually reflect the answers by provided by the expert. The reality is the vaccines are experimental and new. Interesting technology but lots of data free hand waving,

This podcast is fine but feels a bit phoned in. I like FiveThirtyEight for its analytical and sometimes contrarian (but always data-backed) takes. This podcast doesn’t have that feel. Instead, the episodes often cover covid topics that you can read in any mainstream newspaper.

The sing songy tone and personal anecdotes let you know right off the bat this is not a serious podcast.

Wish there was more science based conversation

This podcast gives me information about COVID-19 I don’t get anywhere else. Great guests, great questions. Keep it up!

The worst pod ever. Don’t waste your time unless you’re a sheep

Mostly this is more of the mainstream narrative, nothing special. It could have gone so much deeper into data. The few interesting counter-narrative points it had were masks and medical journal bias and inaccuracy.

I enjoy this podcast but find it sometimes has a less data oriented feel than I’d expect from a 538 production, including anecdotal, personal elements I don’t generally find valuable.

I miss the opening rant

Just another liberal reporter trying to make/bend the news. We need a podcast that just reports the news without the politics. Don’t waste your time.

Quite concerned after hearing the comments from the new producer.

This is my second time listening to this podcast this is amazing podcast never heard of a podcast that has in-depth site of the following incoming Coronavirus news you bring together and I hope you do more news like this

I have found the podcast helpful in digging into the details around COVID. Sweden’s response has continued to pop up and I’d love to hear an in depth report around their response and numbers compared to other countries. Not sure if it warrants a whole episode, but I trust you all and would be interested to see what you report. Thanks!

When the host said she has t gone out of her house to eat in months and ‘finally’ lifted up her mask to have some ice cream on the street, I knew this was crazy. How brave of her! Tens of Millions have had covid and have recovered. As a doc on the frontlines of this crisis I can tell you that the time for fear is over. Now is the time for learning to live with risk and get out of the hysteria-hole we’ve dug for ourselves. There are plenty of people who can give a prudent approach to heath news; remember safety is not first, it should be third or fourth. After things like quality of life, family, love, etc.

Dump the unnecessary and precious musings, personal journaling anecdotes and intros and this would be 6 stars. Hard data, information, and interviewing is all people want from a Covid podcast, not NY Times style culture elements.

Love the informative nature of FiveThirtyEight and this pod specifically as a separate investigation and documentation of COVID-19. However, the cover art messes with my trypophobia and so it’s pretty hard to engage. I know it’s a visual of the virus but it’s unnerving.

Anthony Fauci is a patriot who is trying to save lives. He is so optimistic and thoughtful, that this interview made me think we could win. Then I see the next set of stats out of Republican states and I go back to worrying that we are doomed. Anyway, thank you for this podcast. I wish it were on seven days a week.

Great interview.

This podcast is packed with information but weaves together with a good story telling. The episodes always seem longer than the running time because so much ground is covered.

If Dr F says a vaccine is safe & effective, I want it! I shocked that w all the pain we are going thru, people wouldn’t want it—hopefully not the same people who refuse to wear masks.

Good content and true to the 538 brand and quality. But PLEASE drop the non sequitur intro anecdote — it’s both embarrassing and boring. That’s the only reason I took off two stars.

The information is useful even if sometimes the host’s clear lack of expertise means that guests have to circumnavigate her questions to get to their answers. The biggest drawback, however, is the scripted attempt at humor. It’s stiff, it’s not at all funny, and often it’s just plain distracting. Humor can be great in a podcast, but the poor attempt in this podcast makes it regularly difficult to get through the episodes. Would give the podcast 4 or even 5 stars without the turgid comic fail.

Maybe I’m weird but I don’t care what reality tv thing or scavenger hunt is happening for Ms Anna. I’m a busy working dad and it’s a big waste of time. Maybe I’m just annpyed that other people are so bored and I’m so busy. But whatever. Once you skip two to three minutes in, it’s a quality podcast.

What I love about 538 is that data is king. The contributers work hard to check their biases and challenge each other constantly to get at the facts of what the data is saying. If you're looking for absolute certainty or to have your existing opinion validated, this isn't the place for you! This series on the pandemic is a must listen for me.

Good to have something that’s unbiased and informative. Really enjoy it.

The first few episodes were interesting and informative but the latest on counting of deaths feels like a stretch. Perhaps the value of this podcast has run its course.

A rational look at a terrifying disease. No hype no false hope. Just the facts. Thanks for the data-driven outlook.

Do we really another a Covid show? What’s the unique value of this show? How does it fit in to 538’s lineup? They don’t spend a lot of time on facts or numbers, just un-cited opinion. Even if it’s expert opinion, tying it to some data or at least sourcing it would help this show seen smarter.

PODCAST-19: seems to assume a general audience who didn’t sleep through their science classes. They’ll remind you of the biology you forgot but then apply it such that this scientist is interested and learning new things.

We’ll reported evidence-based podcast. Definite new add to my regular podcast lineup. Appreciate their attempt to report up the moment information while making it clear that not everything has been through the rigors of scientific review. Great new show.

If I study has not been peer reviewed then it should not be reported on. All that does is create confusion.

Loved the first episode, but we need a plandemic emergency podcast! I’m seeing the video shared everywhere.

Likely to be another stellar podcast from 538. If not, I will return and re-evaluate my remarks.

Well researched and incredibly informative! Highly recommend for those who are more interested in the science than in the editorializing about science.

About how we don’t know what we are contending with. Anyone (ahem, Trump) pushing something in particular in regards to medicine or policy is doing so prematurely and this podcast entertains many hypotheses in a digestible way.

I thought I had heard everything there is to know about covid-19, but this podcast is full of fascinating new details presented with careful scientific explanation and no sensationalism. Anna Rothschild is a brilliant science communicator and perfect host for these times.

So much coronavirus coverage is hard to understand, or dumbed down so I don't get any real detail. This one hits the sweet spot.