Osterholm Update

<p dir="ltr">In "Disease Waits for No One," Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss how a federal judge temporarily blocked Health Secretary RFK Jr's rollback of childhood vaccine recommendations. Has the damage of this administration's assault on US vaccine policy already been done? Or is there a chance it could be undone? They'll also dive into a report calling for sweeping changes to how the government tracks COVID vaccine harms, review a recent meningitis outbreak in the UK, cover the latest on measles and avian flu, and answer a listener's question about the risk of catching COVID in public. Plus, we'll bring you the latest respiratory illness update and another public health history segment honoring Women's History Month. <br><br><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/early-official-covid-death-tolls-may-have-undercounted-19"><strong>Early official COVID death tolls may have undercounted by 19%</strong></a> (CIDRAP)<br><br><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/childhood-vaccines/viewpoint-uncertain-victories-mustn-t-distract-us-staying-focused-defending"><strong>Viewpoint: Uncertain victories mustn’t distract us from staying focused on defending health</strong></a> (CIDRAP and The Vaccine Integrity Project)<br><br><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/new-covid-variant-immune-escape-potential-confirmed-us-22-other-countries"><strong>New COVID variant with immune escape potential confirmed in US, 22 other countries </strong></a>(CIDRAP) <br><br><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/california-records-avian-flu-northern-elephant-seals"><strong>California records avian flu in northern elephant seals </strong></a>(CIDRAP)<br><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qjzGG6ya9M"><em>All My Babies </em></a>(Georgia Department of Health)<br> </p> <p>Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy:</p> <p><a href="https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/get-involved/"><strong>Voices for Vaccines</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://familiesfightingflu.org/take-action/"><strong>Families Fighting Flu</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://vaccinateyourfamily.org/get-involved/"><strong>Vaccinate Your Family</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://shotatlife.org/take-action/"><strong>Shot@Life</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/MRC/Pages/index.aspx"><strong>Medical Reserve Corps</strong></a></p> <p>Learn more about the <a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-integrity-project"><strong>Vaccine Integrity Project</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/osterholm-update-covid-19"><strong>MORE EPISODES</strong></a>      </p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/support-cidrap"><strong>SUPPORT THIS PODCAST</strong></a></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Music:</strong></p> <p>"Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)<br>Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License</p>

<p dir="ltr">In "Holding the Tools" Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall dive into the latest COVID, flu and RSV activity, discuss the surge in norovirus cases, and provide an update on measles outbreaks across the Americas. Dr. Osterholm also shares the latest work from CIDRAP’s Vaccine Integrity Project, and honors a couple of different public health heroes for Women’s History Month. <br><br><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/childhood-vaccines/viewpoint-threats-gavi-mean-placing-ideology-over-saving-lives"><strong>Viewpoint: Threats to Gavi mean placing ideology over saving lives</strong></a><strong> </strong>(CIDRAP) <br><br><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/antimicrobial-stewardship/dentists-still-write-millions-prescriptions-year-antibiotic-life"><strong>Dentists still write millions of prescriptions a year for an antibiotic with life-threatening risks</strong></a><strong> </strong>(CIDRAP)<br> </p> <p>Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy:</p> <p><a href="https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/get-involved/"><strong>Voices for Vaccines</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://familiesfightingflu.org/take-action/"><strong>Families Fighting Flu</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://vaccinateyourfamily.org/get-involved/"><strong>Vaccinate Your Family</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://shotatlife.org/take-action/"><strong>Shot@Life</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/MRC/Pages/index.aspx"><strong>Medical Reserve Corps</strong></a></p> <p>Learn more about the <a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-integrity-project"><strong>Vaccine Integrity Project</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/osterholm-update-covid-19"><strong>MORE EPISODES</strong></a>      </p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/support-cidrap"><strong>SUPPORT THIS PODCAST</strong></a></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Music:</strong></p> <p>"Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)<br>Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License</p>

<p dir="ltr">In "Somebody to Lean On," Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss vaccine updates including the FDA’s back-and-forth on the Moderna vaccine, leadership shake-ups at institutions like the CDC, and the current state of measles in the US. Dr. Osterholm will also bring you a respiratory virus update, including current vaccine guidance for flu, COVID and RSV. <br><br><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/influenza-vaccines/cidrap-op-ed-fda-refused-review-flu-vaccine-contrary-evidence-now-agency"><strong>Op-Ed: The FDA refused to review a flu vaccine, contrary to evidence. Now the agency reversed itself</strong></a><strong> </strong>(CIDRAP) <br><br><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/adult-non-flu-vaccines/state-us-vaccine-policy"><strong>The State of US Vaccine Policy</strong></a><strong> </strong>(CIDRAP and Unbiased Science)<br><br><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/antimicrobial-stewardship/dentists-still-write-millions-prescriptions-year-antibiotic-life"><strong>Dentists still write millions of prescriptions a year for an antibiotic with life-threatening risks</strong></a><strong> </strong>(CIDRAP)<br> </p> <p>Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy:</p> <p><a href="https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/get-involved/"><strong>Voices for Vaccines</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://familiesfightingflu.org/take-action/"><strong>Families Fighting Flu</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://vaccinateyourfamily.org/get-involved/"><strong>Vaccinate Your Family</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://shotatlife.org/take-action/"><strong>Shot@Life</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/MRC/Pages/index.aspx"><strong>Medical Reserve Corps</strong></a></p> <p>Learn more about the <a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-integrity-project"><strong>Vaccine Integrity Project</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/osterholm-update-covid-19"><strong>MORE EPISODES</strong></a>      </p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/support-cidrap"><strong>SUPPORT THIS PODCAST</strong></a></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Music:</strong></p> <p>"Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)<br>Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License</p>

<p dir="ltr">In "The Bells Still Ring," Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss a recent poll on Americans’ trust in vaccine information from the CDC, the measles outbreaks in immigration detention centers, and explain the controversy over a US-funded hepatitis B vaccine trial in Africa. Dr. Osterholm will also bring you some good news on US funding for global health and answer an ID Query about Nipah virus.<br><br><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/interactive/2025/measles-vaccine-schools-outbreaks-public-health/"><strong>Interactive vaccine map for US schools</strong></a><strong> </strong>(Washington Post)  <br><br><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/large-share-older-us-adults-haven-t-had-recent-flu-or-covid-vaccine-poll-finds"><strong>Large share of older US adults haven’t had a recent flu or COVID vaccine, poll finds</strong></a><strong> </strong>(CIDRAP News)<br><br><a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/07/ice-facility-el-paso-tuberculosis/"><strong>Two cases of tuberculosis detected at El Paso ICE facility</strong></a><strong> </strong>(The Texas Tribune)  <br><br><a href="https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/detained-immigrants-detail-physical-abuse-and-inhumane-conditions-at-largest-immigration-detention-center-in-the-u-s"><strong>Detained Immigrants Detail Physical Abuse and Inhumane Conditions at Largest Immigration Detention Center in the U.S.</strong></a> (ACLU)  <br><br><a href="https://www.startribune.com/no-humanity-detainees-describe-conditions-inside-whipple-federal-building/601566788"><strong>‘No Humanity’: Detainees describe conditions inside Whipple Federal Building</strong></a><strong> </strong>(The Star Tribune)  </p> <p> </p> <p>Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy:</p> <p><a href="https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/get-involved/"><strong>Voices for Vaccines</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://familiesfightingflu.org/take-action/"><strong>Families Fighting Flu</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://vaccinateyourfamily.org/get-involved/"><strong>Vaccinate Your Family</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://shotatlife.org/take-action/"><strong>Shot@Life</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/MRC/Pages/index.aspx"><strong>Medical Reserve Corps</strong></a></p> <p>Learn more about the <a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-integrity-project"><strong>Vaccine Integrity Project</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/osterholm-update-covid-19"><strong>MORE EPISODES</strong></a>      </p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/support-cidrap"><strong>SUPPORT THIS PODCAST</strong></a></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Music:</strong></p> <p>"Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)<br>Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License</p>

<p>In "The Twilight Zone of Immunization," Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss recent comments from CDC officials about measles, the US withdrawal from the WHO, and the latest mpox news. Dr. Osterholm also shares an update on this winter respiratory virus season and discusses the challenges that families are facing in accessing healthcare amid immigration enforcement surges in Minnesota.</p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/influenza-general/minnesota-residents-delay-medical-care-fear-encountering-ice">Minnesota residents delay medical care for fear of encountering ICE</a> (CIDRAP)</p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/sites/default/files/page-files/Jan2726CIDRAPrelease-Unbiased%20Sci-TEC-Partnership.pdf">Press Release: CIDRAP launches new partnerships to support independent, evidence-based vaccine information</a> (CIDRAP)</p> <p> </p> <p>Resources for vaccine and public health advocacy:</p> <p><a href="https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/get-involved/"><strong>Voices for Vaccines</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://familiesfightingflu.org/take-action/"><strong>Families Fighting Flu</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://vaccinateyourfamily.org/get-involved/"><strong>Vaccinate Your Family</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://shotatlife.org/take-action/"><strong>Shot@Life</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/MRC/Pages/index.aspx"><strong>Medical Reserve Corps</strong></a></p> <p>Learn more about the <a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-integrity-project"><strong>Vaccine Integrity Project</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/osterholm-update-covid-19"><strong>MORE EPISODES</strong></a>      </p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/support-cidrap"><strong>SUPPORT THIS PODCAST</strong></a></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Music:</strong></p> <p>"Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)<br>Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License</p>