Osterholm Update

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

Osterholm Update is a science podcast hosted by CIDRAP, with 225 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

CIDRAP hosts Osterholm Update, a science show with 225 episodes published.

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  Osterholm Update

  Answering Your Questions: The Executive Order & More!

  Aug 13, 2026—

  It’s been a whirlwind week of public health news from Washington, but hosts Chris Dall and Dr. Michael Osterholm are here to make sense of it all. This week they answer your questions about the White House's executive order on childhood vaccines and other topics. 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

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  Osterholm Update

  Cyclospora: Then and Now

  Jul 30, 2026—

  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

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  Osterholm Update

  Cyclospora, Ticks, and Mosquitoes: Summertime Threats

  Jul 16, 2026—

  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

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  Osterholm Update

  Episode 212: Major Roadblocks

  Jul 2, 2026—

  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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  Osterholm Update

  Episode 211: A System Held With Duct Tape

  Jun 18, 2026—S0

  <p >This week, Chris Dall and Dr. Michael Osterholm bring the latest on the Ebola outbreak in the DRC, what the World Cup means from a public health perspective, as well as explain what screwworm is and how it could threaten US livestock. They’ll also have updates on the hantavirus outbreak, discuss how the US could likely lose its measles elimination status, and give you an update on COVID and other respiratory infections. Plus, the latest installment of This Week in Public Health History.<br>&nbsp;</p> <p>Links:<br>The ‘diseases of crowds’ experts say could be at the Wo...

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