Home » Harvard Health Blog » Elise Merchant, MD, Author at Harvard Health Blog

Elise Merchant, MD

Contributor

Dr. Elise Merchant is an infectious diseases fellow at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She completed her internal medicine residency and chief residency at Tufts Medical Center, after earning her MD from Tufts University School of Medicine and an AB in anthropology and biology from Brown University. Her academic interests include medical education and HIV.

Posts by Elise Merchant, MD

Time for flu shots — getting one is more important than ever!

Elise Merchant, MD

Contributor
Wendy Stead, MD

Contributor
Doctor giving flu vaccine to woman in healthcare office

Getting a flu shot is important every year, but this winter there is added urgency due to the COVID-19 pandemic: with both diseases circulating, hospitals may face shortages of beds and equipment –– and it’s possible to have both the flu and COVID-19 at the same time.

Read more »

No spleen? What you need to know to stay healthy

Elise Merchant, MD

Contributor
Wendy Stead, MD

Contributor
front view of digestive system in white in white and spleen highlighted in red

You don’t need your spleen to live a normal, healthy life, but the spleen does play an important role in defending the body against infection, so those without it need to take certain precautions to ensure they remain healthy.

Read more »