Osterholm Update

CIDRAP
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A weekly report on the COVID-19 pandemic from infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH. Dr. Osterholm is the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota and has spent a career investigating outbreaks. Since 2005, he has emphasized supply chain and other vulnerabilities and a critical need for pandemic preparedness. In this podcast, Dr. Osterholm dissects the latest COVID-19 news, data, and guidance. CIDRAP’s Chris Dall, MA, is the cohost of the Osterholm Update and a reporter for CIDRAP News. http://www.cidrap.umn.edu

  1. 2d ago

    CDC Cuts: Understaffed and Overwhelmed

    Since January 2025, the CDC has lost nearly a third of its staff under the leadership of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This drastic reduction in staffing has limited the CDC’s ability to respond to the spread of measles and this summer's foodborne illness outbreaks. In today’s episode, hosts Chris Dall and Dr. Michael Osterholm discuss what’s going on at the CDC and how it's impacting the agency's ability to respond to infectious diseases. They’'ll also provide an update on the measles outbreak in Pennsylvania, examine the rise of dengue virus cases in Florida, tell you what we know about a mysterious death in a Russian plague research lab and look at the latest data on COVID and other respiratory viruses– and what that means for the timing of flu shots. Plus, the latest installment of This Week in Public Health History.Links: ‘Zombified’ C.D.C., Hobbled by Cuts, Struggles to Fulfill Scientific Mission (The New York Times) Plague as a Biological Weapon: Medical and Public Health Management (JAMA) Flu is here early. Plus Covid, mosquitoes, and more (Your Local Epidemiologist Substack)  Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy: Voices for Vaccines Families Fighting Flu Vaccinate Your Family Shot@Life Medical Reserve Corps Learn more about the Vaccine Integrity Project MORE EPISODES       SUPPORT THIS PODCAST   Music: "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

  2. Sep 24

    The Current State of Measles

    Before 2025, we didn't spend too much time talking about measles on this podcast, and that's because there wasn't much of a need to. But ever since the measles outbreak in West Texas began in January 2025, it's become a regular topic of discussion, with the U.S. now at more than 6,000 confirmed cases since the beginning of that year. In this week's episode, hosts Chris Dall and Dr. Michael Osterholm discuss the measles outbreak in Pennsylvania and the rest of the country. They’ll also cover some potential good news on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, answer listener questions about RSV and flu vaccines, and examine an uptick in exposure to rabid animals in the US.Correction: During the introduction, it is stated that there have been more than 6,000 measles cases since the beginning of last year. As of Friday 9/25, there have been a total of 5,948 cases reported in the US during that time frame.Content Warning: This week's dedication and closing include discussion of suicide and mental health. For listeners who prefer to avoid these sensitive topics, you can skip over the discussion at 03:38 - 05:44 and 52:08 - 56:38.Links: Suicide Prevention Month Resources (National Alliance on Mental Illness)RFK Jr.’s Faulty Claim that U.S. Measles Response Is ‘Better’ Than ‘Any Other Country’ (Factcheck.org)Respiratory Virus Season Immunization Recommendations (American Medical Association) Sign up for our Wildface newsletter! (CIDRAP) Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy: Voices for Vaccines Families Fighting Flu Vaccinate Your Family Shot@Life Medical Reserve Corps Learn more about the Vaccine Integrity Project MORE EPISODES       SUPPORT THIS PODCAST   Music: "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

  3. Sep 10

    Making Sense of Measles Misinformation

    This past August, Pennsylvania announced two measles-associated deaths in unvaccinated residents, marking the first measles deaths in the state in thirty-five years. This week, hosts Chris Dall and Dr. Micheal Osterholm discuss the two deaths and the controversy surrounding them. They'll also highlight takeaways from the independent review of COVID, flu, and RSV vaccines by CIDRAP's Vaccine Integrity Project, answer a listener’s question about the timing of COVID and flu shots, provide an update on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and share a special dedication for the 25th anniversary of CIDRAP.Links: Making Sense of Lancaster County’s Controversial Coroner (Paul Offit’s Substack Beyond the Noise) The Measles-Stricken Mother Who Lost Her Newborn Son (The Atlantic) Op-Ed: ‘Died with, not from’ was a real COVID problem. It’s the wrong framework for measles. (CIDRAP)Respiratory Virus Season Immunization Recommendations (American Medical Association)Vaccine Integrity Project's 2026-27 Respiratory Season Evidence Review (CIDRAP) Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy: Voices for Vaccines Families Fighting Flu Vaccinate Your Family Shot@Life Medical Reserve Corps Learn more about the Vaccine Integrity Project MORE EPISODES       SUPPORT THIS PODCAST   Music: "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

  4. Aug 27

    Back to School: What You Need to Know

    As summer comes to a close, another chapter begins: back to school. But with that comes a lot of different public health challenges and some muddled guidance for parents. Like how do we deal with measles in schools? When's the best time for my kids to get their flu shot? And do I need to be worried about the blueberries in my child's lunchbox? Hosts Chris Dall and Dr. Micheal Osterholm will try to answer some of these questions in this week’s episode. They’ll also discuss the latest on COVID-19, different foodborne illnesses, the two recent measles deaths, as well as updates on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Plus, a special State Fair themed closing. Links: Yes, COVID Is Still a Thing (Unbiased Science) Back to School (and the List in My Head) (Unbiased Science)At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests (FDA)Coronavirus Vaccines R&D Roadmap Initiative (CIDRAP) Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy: Voices for Vaccines Families Fighting Flu Vaccinate Your Family Shot@Life Medical Reserve Corps Learn more about the Vaccine Integrity Project MORE EPISODES       SUPPORT THIS PODCAST   Music: "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

  5. Aug 13

    Answering Your Questions: Fauci, Schwartz, the Executive Order & more!

    It’s been a whirlwind week of public health news from Washington. From the White House’s executive order on childhood vaccines, to Dr. Fauci’s congressional hearing, to Ericka Schwartz's confirmation to the CDC. This week, hosts Chris Dall and Dr. Michael Osterholm are here to make sense of it all and answer your questions about the White House, Fauci and Schwartz. Dr. Osterholm also discusses the approval of Moderna’s new mRNA flu vaccine, as well as updates on cyclospora, Ebola and respiratory viruses. Plus, learn about the “Father of Blood Banks” in this week’s Public Health History segment.  Links:American Red Cross Declares Second-Ever National Blood Supply Crisis (American Red Cross)Make an appointment to donate blood or volunteer at your local blood bank (American Red Cross)CIDRAP Op-Ed: What the vaccine executive order gets wrong, and what it will cost us (CIDRAP News) Where is the line? Trump’s Executive Order on Childhood Vaccines (Unbiased Science)   Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy: Voices for Vaccines Families Fighting Flu Vaccinate Your Family Shot@Life Medical Reserve Corps Learn more about the Vaccine Integrity Project MORE EPISODES       SUPPORT THIS PODCAST   Music: "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

  6. Jul 30

    Cyclospora: Then and Now

    Cyclospora cases continue to climb in the U.S. but this isn’t the first time we’ve had a multi-state outbreak linked to produce. Back in 1996, there was a major cyclospora outbreak across several states due to imported raspberries. It begs the question, have we learned anything from the past? Or are we repeating history all over again? This week hosts Chris Dall and Dr. Michael Osterholm focus on the cyclosporiasis outbreak, from the latest numbers, to how state and federal officials, as well as the media, have handled it all. They’ll break down the latest epidemiologic data and discuss how this response compares to a multi-state outbreak in 1996. Dr. Osterholm also talks about the latest on Ebola in the DRC, the measles outbreaks across the U.S. and a potential uptick in COVID-19 cases.   Links:An Outbreak in 1996 of Cyclosporiasis Associated with Imported Raspberries (The New England Journal of Medicine) When People Got Sick: Cyclospora Outbreak, July 2026 (CDC) The Cyclospora outbreak was, and still is, a communications failure (CIDRAP)  Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy: Voices for Vaccines Families Fighting Flu Vaccinate Your Family Shot@Life Medical Reserve Corps Learn more about the Vaccine Integrity Project MORE EPISODES       SUPPORT THIS PODCAST   Music: "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

  7. Jul 16

    Episode 213 - Cyclospora, Ticks and Mosquitoes: Summertime Threats

    We all look forward to summer, that time of year when we can spend more time outside and less time worrying about things like colds and flu. However, the warm summer months can bring their own infectious disease threats, whether it's ticks, mosquitoes, or foodborne parasites. This week, hosts Chris Dall and Dr. Michael Osterholm discuss some of these summertime infectious disease threats, from the growing cyclospora outbreak in the US, to new research that suggests the tickborne allergy alpha-gal syndrome may be under-recognized. They'll also bring you the latest on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo,  and answer a question about the World Cup.  Links:Workers at an Ebola treatment center in Congo strike over unpaid salaries and bonuses (The Associated Press)What we truly know about the huge US Cyclospora outbreak—and what we don’t (CIDRAP)1 in 4 adults in tick-heavy states test positive for alpha-gal antibodies (CIDRAP)  Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy: Voices for Vaccines Families Fighting Flu Vaccinate Your Family Shot@Life Medical Reserve Corps Learn more about the Vaccine Integrity Project MORE EPISODES       SUPPORT THIS PODCAST   Music: "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

  8. Jul 2

    Episode 212: Major Roadblocks

    As the Ebola crisis continues to escalate in the DRC, we must ask: what will it take to end this outbreak? This is one of many questions Chris Dall and Dr. Michael Osterholm will discuss in this week’s episode. They’ll also cover the flu outbreak at a Texas Air Force base, consider what some newly released CDC emails reveal about the tenure of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, and examine some recent studies on the effectiveness of last season's COVID vaccines. Plus, answering how New World screwworm could affect wildlife and another installment of This Week in Public Health History.  Links:Ebola Symptoms in Current Outbreak May Be Milder Than in Previous Ones (New York Times)New CDC Leaders Vow to Boost Skeleton Staff Left After. DOGE Cuts (Bloomberg)  Vaccine RCT spreadsheet aims to show the data, dispel myths about vaccines (CIDRAP)  Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy: Voices for Vaccines Families Fighting Flu Vaccinate Your Family Shot@Life Medical Reserve Corps Learn more about the Vaccine Integrity Project MORE EPISODES       SUPPORT THIS PODCAST   Music: "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

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A weekly report on the COVID-19 pandemic from infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH. Dr. Osterholm is the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota and has spent a career investigating outbreaks. Since 2005, he has emphasized supply chain and other vulnerabilities and a critical need for pandemic preparedness. In this podcast, Dr. Osterholm dissects the latest COVID-19 news, data, and guidance. CIDRAP’s Chris Dall, MA, is the cohost of the Osterholm Update and a reporter for CIDRAP News. http://www.cidrap.umn.edu

Information

  • Creator
    CIDRAP
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    228
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Osterholm Update

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