WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.320 --> 00:00:07.160 It's Nightside with Dan Ray on WBZY, Boston's news radio. 2 00:00:07.639 --> 00:00:10.320 Thank Nicole here. We are halfway through the week. My 3 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:13.679 name is Dan Ray, host of Nightside. I'm here. I've 4 00:00:13.720 --> 00:00:17.960 been here all week. Guess who's back at Broadcast Central, 5 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:21.320 Rob Brooks after having recovered from a couple of days 6 00:00:21.399 --> 00:00:24.280 under the weather. Nothing serious, are you, Rob brook fans? 7 00:00:24.440 --> 00:00:27.719 Rob Brooks fans out there, He's going to be just fine. 8 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:30.239 We've talked a little bit before the show. He's ready 9 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:33.399 to go, so he'll take care of everybody beginning at 10 00:00:33.479 --> 00:00:36.439 nine o'clock and tonight, we are going to spend some 11 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:40.679 time talking about utility bills through the roof here in Massachusetts. 12 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:45.000 And also egg prices, as Marita wrote today, are not 13 00:00:45.159 --> 00:00:49.000 so egg scelent right now if you get our drifts. 14 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:52.640 So we'll talk a lot of home economics. But first 15 00:00:52.840 --> 00:00:55.920 we're going to talk with four guests. I hope for 16 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:59.719 at least three guests, having a little trouble reaching one 17 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:02.759 of them, but that's okay, that sometimes happens. I'm going 18 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:07.000 to start off with doctor Rebecca Perkins. Doctor Perkins is 19 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:10.920 an obstetrician and gynecologist as well as an investigator at 20 00:01:10.920 --> 00:01:15.280 the Mother Infant Research Institute at Tuft's Medical Center at 21 00:01:15.319 --> 00:01:18.599 Doctor Perkins. Welcome to Night's side. I never realized there 22 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:21.799 was a Mother Infant Research Institute at Tough's Medical Tell 23 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:22.359 us about it. 24 00:01:23.799 --> 00:01:28.159 Yes, so it is a precach institute that focuses on 25 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:31.040 women's health and obstetrics and gynecology. 26 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:36.840 Well, you're the perfect person for that. I think there's 27 00:01:36.840 --> 00:01:39.280 no question about that. We're going to talk about some 28 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:43.079 new guidelines that have been released, and this is where 29 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:46.480 I get a little confused to govern self collection for 30 00:01:46.760 --> 00:01:53.200 HPV screening and the importance of HPV screening. Now I 31 00:01:53.319 --> 00:01:58.640 have a sense of what HPV screening is, but there's 32 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:02.079 probably many an areadys who have never heard of it, 33 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:06.400 and maybe you would be kind enough to break it 34 00:02:06.439 --> 00:02:09.000 into language that those of us who are not in 35 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:11.560 the medical community I can understand. 36 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:17.280 Sure, absolutely, So this is a form of screening for 37 00:02:17.479 --> 00:02:22.879 cervical cancer. So every woman and person with a cervix 38 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:26.319 who's between the ages of twenty one and sixty five 39 00:02:26.360 --> 00:02:30.039 should be regularly screening for cervical cancer because that's the 40 00:02:30.120 --> 00:02:32.919 kind of cancer that we know exactly what causes it, 41 00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:35.719 and we know exactly how to prevent it. And so 42 00:02:36.199 --> 00:02:41.479 since screening was introduced in the nineteen fifties, cervical cancer 43 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:45.960 rates have dropped by over eighty percent. And so most 44 00:02:45.960 --> 00:02:49.759 people are familiar with being screened with the paps mirror. 45 00:02:51.639 --> 00:02:56.280 But now we know that pretty much all, almost one 46 00:02:56.360 --> 00:03:00.879 hundred percent of cervical cancers are caused by HPV or 47 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:05.719 human papaloma virus, and so screening is moving away from 48 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:10.000 using the pap smear and towards using actually testing for 49 00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:11.560 HPV itself. 50 00:03:12.919 --> 00:03:18.240 So so when you when someone and I know there 51 00:03:18.360 --> 00:03:23.719 was some controversy as to what age women would begin 52 00:03:23.879 --> 00:03:30.800 to do the HPV testing, that's a test that women 53 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:33.879 can start even when we would consider them to be 54 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:36.199 more more girl age of being a girl. 55 00:03:36.280 --> 00:03:41.919 Correct, HPV testing should start around age twenty five. 56 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:45.719 Oh okay, okay, fair enough, Okay, So was it the age. 57 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:48.719 You might be thinking of HPV vaccination and that's recommended 58 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:51.919 for boys and girls between the ages of nine and twelve. 59 00:03:52.599 --> 00:03:58.719 Gotcha, Okay, so this is called and again what I'm 60 00:03:58.759 --> 00:04:04.120 confused about is here it says that nine months after 61 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:08.000 the US Food and Drug Administration, which is you know, 62 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:15.000 confusing approved self collected human papalomavirus HPV testing as an 63 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:20.439 alternate method of cervical cancer screening. The first ever guidelines 64 00:04:20.439 --> 00:04:27.199 have been released, So walk us through this. The tests 65 00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:32.639 for women who said twenty five to sixty five should 66 00:04:33.319 --> 00:04:38.079 I done in doctors' offices with the assistance of doctors. 67 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:42.319 You know, again, we're just I'm trying to make sure everyone. 68 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:48.519 Understands this absolutely. So up until this point, whether someone 69 00:04:48.600 --> 00:04:51.759 was getting a PAP smear or an HPV test or both, 70 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:57.079 it was done by the doctor or nurse practitioner, the clinician, 71 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:01.240 and it was you know, an exam with the speculum 72 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:07.959 of pelvic exam. But now someone has the opportunity to 73 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:13.120 do it themselves with a little swab that they insert 74 00:05:13.160 --> 00:05:15.600 themselves and then that swab is tested, so they don't 75 00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:18.839 actually have to have an exam by a doctor or 76 00:05:18.920 --> 00:05:22.399 medical professional in order to do the test. The test 77 00:05:22.439 --> 00:05:25.800 is still done in the doctor's office because it's a 78 00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:29.920 laboratory sample that has to go get tested, but the 79 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:32.839 person doesn't necessarily have to have an exam by the 80 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:35.600 doctor in order to have the test done. And that's 81 00:05:35.639 --> 00:05:40.199 the big sort of change here, is that someone can 82 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:43.000 do the test themselves instead of having it done by 83 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:43.480 the doctor. 84 00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:47.120 Okay, So as long as the individual, the woman in 85 00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:51.800 this case, a woman up between twenty five and sixty five, 86 00:05:53.079 --> 00:06:00.079 does the test properly, the government is very certain that 87 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:04.439 those test results will be as accurate as if they 88 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:08.040 had been done by been conducted either by a physician 89 00:06:08.360 --> 00:06:12.040 or a physician's assistant or a nurse. Is what I 90 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:13.199 think I'm hearing you say. 91 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:17.879 Yes, So, there have been a lot of studies looking 92 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:21.879 at how well the result of someone doing the test 93 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:27.439 themselves matches with the result from the doctor, and they 94 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:33.879 match very very well. So that's why this test has 95 00:06:33.879 --> 00:06:38.160 been approved for use. The big difference is that if 96 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:43.040 the test is positive, so if someone has an HPV infection, 97 00:06:45.560 --> 00:06:50.240 if it's if it's a test that they did themselves, 98 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:52.879 they'll have to go back to their doctor to get 99 00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:57.360 a PAPS mirror. And if it's a test that the 100 00:06:57.399 --> 00:07:01.279 doctor did, then that perhaps mere result already be there 101 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:05.319 so they won't have to necessarily go back again. So 102 00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:10.040 it can save a lot of people from having to 103 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:14.000 get an exam of their doctor. But if the HPV 104 00:07:14.120 --> 00:07:16.040 test is positive, they will need to go back and 105 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:16.879 get that passmear. 106 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:20.959 What percentage of HPV tests are. 107 00:07:20.920 --> 00:07:27.720 Positive about between ten to twenty percent, okay? 108 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:35.959 And how long does the papaloma virus remain? Meaning, in 109 00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:37.680 other words, when most of us think of a virus, 110 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:40.360 to think, Okay, I got a virus on Tuesday and 111 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:46.079 by Sunday, I'm over it. If young, if women young 112 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:52.839 or old or older are doing tests on themselves, once 113 00:07:52.959 --> 00:08:01.439 the HPV is present, does it not go away? Is 114 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:05.279 that the danger that basically a person's walking around for 115 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:09.240 some length of time with this papaloma virus is that Again, 116 00:08:09.240 --> 00:08:11.639 I don't want to sound dumb here, but I'm a guy, 117 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:15.399 so I'm trying to make sure I understand the parameter 118 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:19.040 is here. I assume that these tests are done what. 119 00:08:19.160 --> 00:08:24.759 Annually, so if it's negative, it's actually done once every 120 00:08:24.839 --> 00:08:28.040 three years. And if it's positive, then someone would go 121 00:08:28.040 --> 00:08:29.800 and get the appropriate follow up and it would be 122 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:33.919 done more often. But you know, we call it human 123 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:38.000 papillomavirus because pretty much everyone who's a human man or 124 00:08:38.120 --> 00:08:41.000 woman will be exposed to this virus at some point 125 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:46.240 during their lives. And that's why it's so important for 126 00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:51.039 women to get tested repeatedly to make sure that they're 127 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:55.440 not at risk for cervical cancer. If someone tests positive, 128 00:08:55.840 --> 00:09:00.240 usually the immune system controls the virus over a couple 129 00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:02.120 of years, so it's not like you'll get it on 130 00:09:02.200 --> 00:09:04.240 Sunday and it's gone by Tuesday. It's you know, you'll 131 00:09:04.279 --> 00:09:06.799 get it in twenty twenty two and hopefully it's gone 132 00:09:06.840 --> 00:09:12.000 by twenty twenty four. But it can and then sometimes 133 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:16.960 come back later on. So a new diagnosis of a 134 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:23.279 new positive HPV test doesn't mean that it's a new infection. 135 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:26.320 It could be an old infection that has come out again. 136 00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:35.320 Okay, And then men can can carry this infection and 137 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:38.759 in fact, you know, contribute to the infection of their partner, 138 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:43.399 I assume. But this is not nearly as dangerous a 139 00:09:43.480 --> 00:09:47.559 virus to men as it is to women, is what 140 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:48.039 I'm hearing. 141 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:53.159 Well, it it. 142 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:56.639 Is because HPV can cause six different types of cancer, 143 00:09:57.080 --> 00:10:00.600 and the most common HPV related can answer in the 144 00:10:00.679 --> 00:10:03.639 United States right now is actually cancer of the base 145 00:10:03.720 --> 00:10:08.000 of tongue and tonsles, and that is more common in 146 00:10:08.039 --> 00:10:08.960 men than in women. 147 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:10.759 Okay. 148 00:10:10.840 --> 00:10:13.200 The problem with that cancer is we don't have a 149 00:10:13.240 --> 00:10:16.000 way to screen for it and prevent it. So the 150 00:10:16.039 --> 00:10:19.159 cervical cancer, we know how to prevent it. So with 151 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:23.879 screening and vaccination, we can prevent cervical cancer. But with 152 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:29.879 the tongue and tonsile cancers, vaccination should prevent them, but 153 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:31.360 we don't have a way to screen for them. 154 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:36.360 Okay, this is very, very complicated, and I hope that 155 00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:39.200 it's going to at least cause people to think and 156 00:10:39.320 --> 00:10:42.639 also maybe do a little bit more research on their 157 00:10:42.679 --> 00:10:47.080 own as well. This is a I've learned a lot 158 00:10:47.080 --> 00:10:49.559 in this interview. To be honest with you, some of 159 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:51.960 it is unsettling. But I think it's better to be 160 00:10:52.039 --> 00:10:54.799 unsettled than to be ignorant. So I thank you very 161 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:56.120 much for your time tonight on this. 162 00:10:57.440 --> 00:10:59.159 Oh you're welcome. Yes, I would say, if there's one 163 00:10:59.240 --> 00:11:03.200 take home message for women, it's see your doctor and 164 00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:04.320 make sure you get screened. 165 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:10.639 Yeah, and can folks get more information? Is there a 166 00:11:10.679 --> 00:11:14.600 website that you can refer people to? Again, I don't 167 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:16.360 want people calling you on the phone tomorrow say I 168 00:11:16.440 --> 00:11:17.919 heard you on Night Side last night. I got a 169 00:11:17.960 --> 00:11:18.840 couple of questions. 170 00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:24.240 I think the American Cancer Society has very good information 171 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:28.360 on HPV and cervical cancer screening. 172 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:31.080 Great, well, thank you very much for your time. Thank 173 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:35.320 you very much. Doctor Rebecca Perkins an obstetrician and gynecologist 174 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:38.159 as well as an investigator at the Mother Infant Research 175 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:41.519 Institute at Tough Medical Center. So appreciate your time. 176 00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:43.559 Thank you very much, Thank you. 177 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:48.440 Good night. When we get back, we will have another guest. 178 00:11:48.440 --> 00:11:50.639 I'm not sure what the lineup is here, so I'm 179 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:54.240 not going to mention who will the next guest, but 180 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:57.519 you're going to have to hold on in breathless anticipation. 181 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:00.480 In the meantime, remind you that you can get the 182 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:05.679 iHeart app. It's a new iHeart app. Very easily get 183 00:12:05.720 --> 00:12:09.639 your new iHeart app, and you also can use it 184 00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:12.879 heaven as a preset, so that way you'll never miss 185 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:16.320 an edition of Nightside and you'll always be there on 186 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:22.399 iHeart listening to WBZ twenty four to seven, three and 187 00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:24.519 sixty five days a year. We'll be back with our 188 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:27.399 next guest in this edition of Nightside right after this. 189 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:31.799 Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World 190 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:35.080 Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio. 191 00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:38.240 Well, we're only a couple of days away from March, 192 00:12:38.279 --> 00:12:41.039 and of course the big event in March for most 193 00:12:41.080 --> 00:12:43.279 of us here in Boston, whether we're Irish or not, 194 00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:46.960 is Saint Patrick's Day on March seventeenth, and all sorts 195 00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:50.240 of events leading up to Saint Patrick's Day. We are 196 00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:54.799 joined tonight by a member of an award winning Irish band. 197 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:59.159 The band is pronounced Lenoosa. They will be playing in 198 00:12:59.240 --> 00:13:02.360 Somerville on March eighth, and with us is one of 199 00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:05.279 the members of that band, Kevin Crawford. He's a flute player, 200 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:09.720 considered one of Ireland's greatest flute players. Kevin, Welcome to 201 00:13:09.799 --> 00:13:10.200 night Side. 202 00:13:10.200 --> 00:13:13.519 How are you, sir, Good evening, Dan, how are you? 203 00:13:13.799 --> 00:13:14.559 Thanks for having me. 204 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:19.240 I'm doing just great. I'm a Corkman. I am of 205 00:13:20.120 --> 00:13:23.720 Irish descent. My family grew up in the town of Mallow, 206 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:26.840 about ten about twenty minutes north of Cork City on 207 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:31.559 the Blackwater River. And I do not know what the 208 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:34.799 word lunusa means in Gaelic. I assume it's a Gaelic word. 209 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:37.440 Can you give us, first of all, a meaning for 210 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:38.240 the word lanusa? 211 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:42.399 I can, and I can correct you on the pronunciation 212 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:51.559 as well. It's lunasas lunasa. YEA lunasa would be the 213 00:13:51.639 --> 00:13:53.600 Irish kind of way we'd pronounce it, but we we 214 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:57.440 answer to anything, then we're good. You can you can 215 00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:59.559 chop it up and spit it out whatever you want. 216 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:01.200 We'll still will still talk to you. 217 00:14:01.720 --> 00:14:04.759 So what my question is, does it is there some 218 00:14:04.840 --> 00:14:09.000 derivation when I see the letters l u n a 219 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:12.879 I'm thinking of the Latin that meaning the moon tell 220 00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:14.960 us what Lunasa in Gaelic. 221 00:14:15.080 --> 00:14:20.159 Yes, I mean it's all related to that whole kind 222 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:25.080 of moon sun kind of stuff. But Lunasa the way 223 00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:27.240 we spell it, the way the Irish spell it for 224 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:31.120 that particular l u n a s a that's the 225 00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:32.360 Irish for the month of Aust. 226 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:35.080 And then. 227 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:38.320 I missed it. You broke up on me there, Kevin. 228 00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:40.720 For a second, that's Irish. That's Gaelic for what the 229 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:41.200 month of what? 230 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:43.120 August? 231 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:48.440 August? Oh? Interesting, interesting, okay, but you're here. 232 00:14:48.879 --> 00:14:48.960 So. 233 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:55.759 Sorry. It's also the name of a one of the 234 00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:58.759 the pagan festivals that would have happened in Ireland in 235 00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:02.840 the just preach calendar days, So you had Lunus swyn 236 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:07.360 Baltan and there were four different festivals, and Lunas was 237 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:09.600 the harvest festival, so it's kind of tied in with 238 00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:14.320 the month of August. The harvest, the sun and all 239 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:17.639 of those lovely things that make it kind of a 240 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:19.159 very special. 241 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:22.759 Those Celtic pagans, they were kind of a wild bunch, 242 00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:26.919 and thank god Saint Patrick came to save us, that's 243 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:30.759 for sure. You were a flute player. How does one 244 00:15:30.840 --> 00:15:33.159 become a flute player? I know the answer is probably 245 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:36.919 with a lot of practice. But you would drawn, I 246 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:40.919 assume to music, and that became the instrument that you've mastered. 247 00:15:42.279 --> 00:15:45.840 Well, I mean, the simple answer is that I was 248 00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:48.759 actually drawn to Irish music, and there was a lot 249 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:52.919 of Irish been played, you know, both through visiting musicians 250 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:56.240 to our house and then you know Ricardo LPs and 251 00:15:56.759 --> 00:15:59.519 Irish radio and all of that stuff that would be played. 252 00:15:59.559 --> 00:16:02.679 But I just knew that I loved the sound of 253 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:06.240 It's a combination of fiddle and flute, and I didn't 254 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:10.480 really know which one was better than the other. And 255 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:14.840 I dabbled on the fiddle initially because violins are fiddles 256 00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:17.039 were easy to get hold, easier to get hold of 257 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:21.240 than Irish flutes there are quite difficult to get and 258 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:24.080 they're very different to a classical flute, where a fiddle 259 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:26.399 is the same as a violin. If you get my meaning. 260 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:30.159 But so I just started on the fiddle, and I 261 00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:35.840 soon realized, and to the delight of my parents as well, 262 00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:37.320 that the fiddle wasn't going. 263 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:39.639 To be the instrument for me because I was making 264 00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:42.279 some terrible noises for a couple of years with that thing. 265 00:16:42.600 --> 00:16:43.919 I can't understand. 266 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:49.440 I couldn't understand that. 267 00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:50.879 Easy to move. It was easy to move on to 268 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:55.960 the flute because in Ireland everybody learns the penny whistle. 269 00:16:55.879 --> 00:16:56.519 As a child. 270 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:01.919 So so the next kind the level up from that, 271 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:04.759 the next kind of logical step would be the flute. 272 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:08.680 Are the Irish types because they have a similar kind 273 00:17:08.680 --> 00:17:12.640 of fingering, you know. So that's that's kind of it. 274 00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:16.000 And I just kept hunting and wishing and asking and 275 00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:18.559 begging and burrowing flutes, and then eventually I got one 276 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:19.359 when I was sixteen. 277 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:23.319 So so how much how much does your band travel? 278 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:27.240 You're going to be here in Somerville and marsh eighth. 279 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:29.880 Do you come across the pond often? Are you based 280 00:17:29.880 --> 00:17:34.680 in Ireland? Do you do a lot of half and half? 281 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:38.920 Yeah? Yeah, So it's two three of the members of 282 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:43.200 the band live in the US and three lived in Ireland, 283 00:17:43.319 --> 00:17:47.000 so I live currently in upstate New York. Our piper 284 00:17:47.079 --> 00:17:50.720 lives in New York City, and our film player lives 285 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:55.559 in Florida. So it's they're the three kind of melody 286 00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:57.599 players and we're all based here. And then you've got 287 00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:03.559 our guitarist, double bass player. We also have a singer 288 00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:06.559 for this tour for the night in Boston, so they're 289 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:07.759 all based in Ireland yet. 290 00:18:08.200 --> 00:18:12.160 So let's get to the most important information. Although this 291 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:15.960 has been great background in biographical information. So you will 292 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:20.519 be appearing at the Somerville Theater on Saturday, March eighth 293 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:22.440 at seven pm. 294 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:25.839 Yes, and it's a welcome return for us to the 295 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:29.400 Somerville Theater. We've we've played there since we started them 296 00:18:29.400 --> 00:18:32.440 in the bands together since nineteen ninety seven, so we've 297 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:36.440 been playing in Somerville for a man eas a long day, 298 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:41.160 but we haven't played Somerville's theater, funny enough, for probably 299 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:44.240 six or seven years. We started doing other shows in 300 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:47.519 and around Boston. But it's really really exciting to be 301 00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:49.559 going back to the Somerville because that's where we cut 302 00:18:49.559 --> 00:18:52.160 our teeth back in the early naughties, you know. 303 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:55.920 So this is again Saturday, March eighth at seven and 304 00:18:56.200 --> 00:19:00.880 tickets are available. I assume by content. I'm looking at 305 00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:03.359 my notes here and I don't see. Normally we can 306 00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:07.880 uh push people towards where they can get the tickets. Uh, 307 00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:09.559 they they get them. 308 00:19:09.960 --> 00:19:12.279 Well, if they go to our website, there'll be a 309 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:16.799 link from there. So that's Lunasa band dot I e 310 00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:21.519 u O lunasaband dot com. I sis so okay, lunasaband 311 00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:24.519 dot com and there'll be the full tour and all 312 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:27.319 the links from there are go directly to the Summerville Theater. 313 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:28.039 I imagine that. 314 00:19:28.680 --> 00:19:33.319 Yeah, perfect, perfect, Well that's a great way to uh 315 00:19:33.640 --> 00:19:35.599 to bring in the month of March, of course, which 316 00:19:35.640 --> 00:19:41.200 means springtime and shamrocks in Saint Patrick's Day March eighth. Uh. 317 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:44.920 If if I wasn't committed to doing something that night 318 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:47.799 in Boston, I would have been there myself in the audience. 319 00:19:47.799 --> 00:19:49.759 So I have to you want to come down to 320 00:19:49.799 --> 00:19:52.640 see us, We'll have to celebrate Mallow and Kark another 321 00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:53.400 another time. 322 00:19:53.720 --> 00:19:55.359 Yeah, you're on a corkman, are you. 323 00:19:56.440 --> 00:19:56.720 I'm not. 324 00:19:56.799 --> 00:19:59.079 I'm very close though I'm from County Clare. I'm just 325 00:19:59.079 --> 00:19:59.960 too country. 326 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:01.680 Oh, absolutely absolutely. 327 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:05.359 I holiday all the time down in Westcark, so I'm 328 00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:07.519 a big fan, a big fan. 329 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:10.480 Yeah, all right, Well, thank you much, Kevin Crawford. I 330 00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:15.240 appreciate the time. The band is called Lunasta and they 331 00:20:15.240 --> 00:20:18.559 are going to be in Somerville in Somemmerville at the 332 00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:21.680 Somerville Theater on Saturday night, March eighth, at seven o'clock. 333 00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:24.440 Thanks so much, Kevin. I enjoyed the conversation. Hope to 334 00:20:24.440 --> 00:20:25.680 meet you up good. Thank you much. 335 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:28.519 Oh, thanks so much, man, thanks really welcome. 336 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:31.480 When we get back, we're going to first of all, 337 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:33.359 taking a break for the news at the bottom of 338 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:35.599 they are a couple of minutes late, apologize for that. 339 00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:39.480 And we're going to talk about the flu, which has 340 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:43.759 been rampant around these parts in the last few weeks. 341 00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:47.160 And there are some serious complications from the flu that 342 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:50.319 we're going to talk about with Alison Quiznitz, she's a 343 00:20:50.359 --> 00:20:53.079 State House reporter. Back on Nightside right after. 344 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:59.640 This, It's night Side, Boston's news radio. 345 00:21:01.160 --> 00:21:04.519 Well, I think most of us either have had something 346 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:07.920 like the flu or know someone in our family who 347 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:11.359 has had something like the flu. In the last few weeks. 348 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:14.640 It seemed to kind of, I guess, pop up around 349 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:18.319 these parts and sometime in December with us is a 350 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:22.079 State House news reporter, Alison Kusnitz, and Alison has a 351 00:21:22.119 --> 00:21:26.960 lot of information for US here on flu complications, particularly 352 00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:31.559 in children that has triggered a state advisory. Alison, Welcome 353 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:32.519 to Nightside. How are you? 354 00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:33.720 Thank you? 355 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:35.039 Thanks for having me well. 356 00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:37.640 Always great to have one of the State House news reporters. 357 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:40.279 When I was a television reporter many years ago, spent 358 00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:42.559 a lot of time hanging out at the State House. 359 00:21:42.599 --> 00:21:44.680 I hope that they have a State House News reporter 360 00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:47.519 room now, which is better than what it was twenty 361 00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:50.599 or so years ago. But we'll leave that for another conversation. 362 00:21:51.079 --> 00:21:57.200 It probably is the same. So I caught something the 363 00:21:57.240 --> 00:21:59.759 week of Christmas and it was rough. It was upper 364 00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:05.200 respiratorium bronchitis, and it stayed away, and it stayed with 365 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:08.559 me and I had this horrible cough. Is that the 366 00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:11.319 stuff that's going around or is it a different type 367 00:22:11.400 --> 00:22:12.160 of flu? 368 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:16.799 Well, So there are a number of illnesses going around. Recently, 369 00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:19.839 the Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein had talked 370 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:22.680 about that Massachusetts was seeing a peak in the flu, 371 00:22:22.839 --> 00:22:27.240 but other viruses, other respiratory viruses were actually on the decline, 372 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:29.240 but he had said at a Public Health Council meeting 373 00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:32.279 earlier this month that Massachusetts had hit a peak that 374 00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:36.559 was actually surpassed the past five flu seasons, And just 375 00:22:36.599 --> 00:22:39.480 looking at the state's dashboard right now is pretty consistent 376 00:22:39.559 --> 00:22:41.720 with what the Commissioner was talking about just a few 377 00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:45.759 weeks ago. That's the estimated severity of flu throughout Massachusetts. 378 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:48.319 So in really every county that they're tracking, it's very 379 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:51.359 high rate of blue circulating right now. 380 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:54.359 So it's still still here. We are at the end 381 00:22:54.440 --> 00:22:57.119 of February, the last week of February, the last couple 382 00:22:57.200 --> 00:23:00.720 of days of February, and it's still the interes what 383 00:23:00.759 --> 00:23:02.400 the tracking is still increasing. 384 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:07.200 Yeah, so this severity of the flu is increasing. Are 385 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:09.640 there does seem to be some improvements with some of 386 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:12.400 the metrics from the Department of Health. Some of this 387 00:23:12.519 --> 00:23:15.359 data is not perfectly updated. I believe the most recent 388 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:18.640 data from DPH right now was from February twentieth. They 389 00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:22.480 are showing DPH data is showing there has been some 390 00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:25.880 decrease and the number of influenza like illness, business and 391 00:23:25.960 --> 00:23:30.440 also hospitalizations associated with influenza, but the numbers continue to 392 00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:34.240 be extremely high compared to the benchmark that health officials 393 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:34.720 are using. 394 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:37.359 Okay, so now the problem here is that this is 395 00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:41.559 a flu, but it also apparently has some complications that 396 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:45.440 are neurological. That sounds to me like something that people 397 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:48.880 should pay attention to. What does that all mean realistically? 398 00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:51.640 Sure, So the Department of Public Health put out a 399 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:56.160 clinical advisory February fourteenth that has been circulating more and 400 00:23:56.200 --> 00:23:59.440 so basically, Department Public Health officials send out this notice 401 00:23:59.640 --> 00:24:02.880