Germ & Worm

Drs. Paul Pottinger and Chris Sanford

Internationally-renowned travel health experts, Drs. Paul Pottinger and Chris Sanford, answer your most pressing (and most embarrassing) questions on maintaining good health during your global travels.

  1. Oct 20

    123: Chemtrails, Contrails, RFK, Jr. and the Big Con

    123, Eyes on me! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger & Chris Sanford answer your questions about travel health and safety, including: What are "chemtrails" and can they harm us?What is happening with that hepatitis B trial in Guinea-Bissau?What travel apps do Germ & Worm prefer to use?Did we ever get an explanation for the mystery illness in Grand Canyon summer 2026?Any downside to consuming coffee when fighting jet lag? Here are links to the apps we like... no sponsorship from any of these for today's app: Flighty What 3 Words iNaturalist Shazaam Merlin Picture This Stellarium Sky Map Maps Me Google Translate Time Shifter Peak Finder Watch Duty Happy Whale We hope you enjoy this podcast. If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com. Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

    123: Chemtrails, Contrails, RFK, Jr. and the Big Con
  2. Oct 13

    122: Wildfire Safety: Don't get burned when you travel

    Hi there! Today, travel medicine specialist Dr. Paul Pottinger interview wild land firefighter Matthew Pottinger about wildfire safety, covering topics including: What's the difference between "wildfire" and "wild land fire"?How did you get a job fighting wildfires as a college student?How does wildfire fighting actually work?What tools do you use in wildfire fighting?When do we decide to fight fires, and when do we allow them to burn?What were some of the most surprising things you experienced as a firefighter?How about safety--from flames and smoke... how do you handle that?How can travelers assess the wildfire risk at their vacation destination?Can we trust official government-sponsored safety briefings?Do you recommend the Watch Duty app?What's next with your career? Here's a link to Matthew's 2026 Quatrano Prize in Biology--check it out! And here is the Watch Duty app, we are not sponsored by them but we really like it. We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com. Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

    122: Wildfire Safety: Don't get burned when you travel
  3. Sep 15

    118: West Nile in Europe: Risks & Realities

    Pryvit! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger & Chris Sanford answer your questions about travel health and safety, including: What approach to sports and jet lag is best: show up early or jet in same day?What should I know about the new mRNA flu shot (Flusiva)?How can I safely travel when I am pregnant?Please tell me about the risk of West Nile Virus infection in Europe?What is happening with the United States Preventative Services Task Force, and how does that affect me?Is mpox infection still a concern? If so, where is the risk greatest? Want to check out our Op-Ed in the Seattle times? Please check it out online, or visit our website. We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com. Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

    118: West Nile in Europe: Risks & Realities
  4. Sep 8

    117: Travel with Kids: A Conversation with Pediatrician Dr. Rachael Barr

    Fawaka! Today, travel medicine specialists Dr. Chris Sanford speaks with pediatrician and immunologist--and mom--Dr. Rachael Barr about common questions and concerns that arise when parents consider traveling internationally with their kids. Topics covered include: Is there a minimum age for safe travel with children?When should a parent discuss travel safety with their pediatrician, and what topics should be on the agenda?Vaccines: Should we use the schedule recently proposed by the US Federal Government?Insect repellent: Which is best and safest in kids?How about safety and effectiveness of sunscreen in children?Any tips for kids' road safety during travel?And bike safety--should we rent on location or bring our own bikes?Water safety: Where can you drink untreated tap water?What about precautions against extreme heat in young kids?Are kids really more sensitive to air pollution than adults?How can parents best handle antsy kids during jet travel?How can we help children adapt to jet lag?What if a child gets sick during travel--how best to find trustworthy help? Please follow Dr. Barr on Instagram And please follow us too! We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, pl ease follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com. Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

    117: Travel with Kids: A Conversation with Pediatrician Dr. Rachael Barr
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About

Internationally-renowned travel health experts, Drs. Paul Pottinger and Chris Sanford, answer your most pressing (and most embarrassing) questions on maintaining good health during your global travels.

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