Heather and Joanne are off this week, so we’re showcasing an episode from another Vox Media Podcast Network show: “How the 1918 Flu Pandemic Ended,” from The Weeds. Hosts Dara Lind and Dylan Matthews often explore the roots of our current political issues, from healthcare, to immigration, to housing.  

In this installment, originally aired in January, host and Senior Vox Correspondent Dylan Matthews talks with historian John Barry, who wrote an authoritative account of the 1918 flu pandemic, “The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic.”

Heather and Joanne will be back next Tuesday for the first installment in a new three-episode series about free speech, censorship, and so-called “cancel culture.” 

In the meantime, enjoy this episode of the Weeds podcast. And if you like it, you can find more episodes of the Weeds at vox.com/the-weeds, or by searching for “The Weeds” in your favorite podcast app.