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
science
About the host
CIDRAP hosts Osterholm Update, a science show with 219 episodes published.
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
Episode 210: Ebola: What the Past Tells Us about the Present
Jun 4, 202600
This week on the Osterholm Update, Dr. Michael Osterholm and Chris Dall focus on the developing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, discussing the U.S. response, whether transmission can be airborne, and
Episode 209: Awareness vs. Alarm: Making Sense of the Headlines
May 21, 202600
In Episode 209, Dr. Michael Osterholm and Chris Dall talk through the response to the hantavirus outbreak and the lingering questions about how the virus spreads. They also discuss a recent Ebola outbreak in the Democrat
This week on the Osterholm Update, Chris Dall and Dr. Osterholm dissect the latest results of Paxlovid trials and what they tell us about COVID-19. They'll also discuss a CDC study on COVID-19 vaccines that's been blocke
This week Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall talk about Erica Schwartz, the Trump's administration's most recent nomination for the CDC Director, as well as changes to the charter of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Prac
This week Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall focus on long COVID, tackling some listener questions and providing context about what long COVID is, its potential risks, as well as some of the latest research and reports about i
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 administrat
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 al
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 measle
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 o
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
In the 200th episode of the Osterholm Update, Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss recent changes to the childhood immunization schedule, the latest data on this year's influenza season, and an update on CIDRAP's Vaccine
In "Flu Takes Charge" Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall give us an update on the emerging flu season, Dr. Osterholm covers a new poll that shows fewer Americans are willing to recommend the MMR vaccine, and we'll hear about t
In "Gaps in the Safety Net" Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss why we shouldn’t compare other countries’ vaccine schedules to the US schedule. Dr. Osterholm continues to cover the recent infant botulism outbreak, and h
Special Episode: ACIP's Hepatitis B Vaccine Decisions
Dec 8, 202500
In this special episode of the podcast, Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss the ACIP's recent decision to end universal hepatitis B birth dose recommendations and the impact it will have on public health. Noted art
In "Fork in the Road" Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss the changes to the CDC's vaccines and autism page and this week's meeting of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Dr. Osterholm also covers th
Episode 196: Flu Shifts: Why Vaccines Still Matter
Nov 20, 202500
In "Flu Shifts: Why Vaccines Still Matter," Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall review the latest trends and flu and how this year's vaccine compares to the circulating strains. Dr. Osterholm also discusses H5N1 impact on mamma
NOTE: In order to align our schedule with the holidays, we will not be releasing an episode on 11/13. We'll be back with our next episode on 11/20 and will resume our biweekly release schedule. In "We Can Make a Differen
In "Bending Not Breaking," Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss recent layoffs and layoff reversals at the CDC, comments from the administration on the MMR vaccine, and the latest respiratory virus data. Dr. Osterholm al
In "Fevers, Furloughs, and Falsehoods," Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall break down the CDC’s recent ACIP meeting and the ongoing uncertainty around updated vaccine recommendations. Dr. Osterhom discusses state-level differe
How do I pitch Osterholm Update as a podcast guest?
Osterholm Update has a verified contact on file. Create a free PitchCentric account to access it and generate a personalised pitch in seconds. Research at least 3 recent episodes first and lead with a specific angle that serves their science audience.
Who is the host of Osterholm Update?
Osterholm Update is hosted by CIDRAP. The show is categorised under science and has published 219 episodes.
How many episodes does Osterholm Update have?
Osterholm Update has published 219 episodes.
What topics does Osterholm Update cover?
Osterholm Update regularly covers science. It sits in the science category.
Is it hard to get booked on Osterholm Update?
Osterholm Update is accessible for guests with genuine science expertise. A personalised, episode-aware pitch will still outperform a generic one every time.
Is Osterholm Update currently accepting guest pitches?
Osterholm Update hasn't explicitly signalled guest openness in recent episodes. That doesn't rule out pitching. your hook just needs to be especially compelling and relevant to their recent content.
What guest credentials does Osterholm Update typically look for?
Our data rates Osterholm Update's guest bar at 80/100 (Premium tier). Established thought leaders with verified media credentials. Sign in to PitchCentric to see how your own Pod Score compares against this show.
Methodology. Booking Probability™ blends Listen Score, 30-day Virality, open-to-guests detection, and Apple ratings. Data refreshed every 60 minutes. Listen Score and Booking Probability are calculated by PitchCentric. Last enriched 6 days ago.