Measles: It's more than a rash

<p dir="ltr">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.<br><br><strong>Links:</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/26/health/cdc-staff-cuts-rfk-jr.html">‘Zombified’ C.D.C., Hobbled by Cuts, Struggles to Fulfill Scientific Mission</a> (The New York Times)</p> <p><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/192665">Plague as a Biological Weapon: Medical and Public Health Management</a> (JAMA)</p> <p><a href="https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/flu-is-here-early-plus-covid-mosquitoes">Flu is here early. Plus Covid, mosquitoes, and more</a> (Your Local Epidemiologist Substack)&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr"><br>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>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/support-cidrap"><strong>SUPPORT THIS PODCAST</strong></a></p> <p>&nbsp;</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">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.<br><br><em><strong>Correction: </strong>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.</em><br><br><em><strong>Content Warning: </strong>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.</em><br><br><strong>Links:</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.nami.org/stay-connected/events/awareness-events/suicide-prevention-month/">Suicide Prevention Month Resources</a> (National Alliance on Mental Illness)<br><br><a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2026/09/rfk-jr-s-faulty-claim-that-u-s-measles-response-is-better-than-any-other-country/">RFK Jr.’s Faulty Claim that U.S. Measles Response Is ‘Better’ Than ‘Any Other Country’</a> (Factcheck.org)<br><br><a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/amaone/vaccine-recommendations">Respiratory Virus Season Immunization Recommendations</a> (American Medical Association)</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/newsletter">Sign up for our Wildface newsletter!</a> (CIDRAP)</p> <p dir="ltr"><br>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>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/support-cidrap"><strong>SUPPORT THIS PODCAST</strong></a></p> <p>&nbsp;</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">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.<br><br><strong>Links:</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://pauloffit.substack.com/p/making-sense-of-lancaster-countys">Making Sense of Lancaster County’s Controversial Coroner</a> (Paul Offit’s Substack&nbsp;<em>Beyond the Noise</em>)</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/08/pennsylvania-measles-infant-death-family/688469/">The Measles-Stricken Mother Who Lost Her Newborn Son</a> (<em>The Atlantic</em>)&nbsp;<br><br><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/cidrap-op-ed-died-not-was-real-covid-problem-it-s-wrong-framework-measles">Op-Ed: ‘Died with, not from’ was a real COVID problem. It’s the wrong framework for measles.</a><strong>&nbsp;</strong>(CIDRAP)<br><br><a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/amaone/vaccine-recommendations">Respiratory Virus Season Immunization Recommendations</a> (American Medical Association)<br><br><a href="https://vaxintegrity.cidrap.umn.edu/2026-27-respiratory-season-evidence-review">Vaccine Integrity Project's 2026-27 Respiratory Season Evidence Review</a> (CIDRAP)</p> <p dir="ltr"><br>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>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/support-cidrap"><strong>SUPPORT THIS PODCAST</strong></a></p> <p>&nbsp;</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"> 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.&nbsp;<br><br><strong>Links:</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://theunbiasedscipod.substack.com/p/covid-summer-surge-2026">Yes, COVID Is Still a Thing</a> (Unbiased Science)&nbsp;<br><br><a href="https://theunbiasedscipod.substack.com/p/back-to-school-safety-kids-healthy">Back to School (and the List in My Head)</a>&nbsp;(Unbiased Science)<br><br><a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests">At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests</a><strong>&nbsp;</strong>(FDA)<br><br><a href="https://cvr.cidrap.umn.edu/">Coronavirus Vaccines R&amp;D Roadmap Initiative</a> (CIDRAP)</p> <p dir="ltr"><br><br>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>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/support-cidrap"><strong>SUPPORT THIS PODCAST</strong></a></p> <p>&nbsp;</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">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 <em>cyclospora</em>, Ebola and respiratory viruses. Plus, learn about the “Father of Blood Banks” in this week’s Public Health History segment.</p> <p><strong>Links:</strong><br><a href="https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/press-release/2026/red-cross-declares-national-blood-supply-crisis-urges-immediate-.html?srsltid=AfmBOorZnNRme2MP5_NklS368JapoynjoJ_3Pxu9aa75QZt7g3OyMIi1">American Red Cross Declares Second-Ever National Blood Supply Crisis</a> (American Red Cross)<br><br><a href="https://www.redcrossblood.org/">Make an appointment to donate blood or volunteer at your local blood bank</a> (American Red Cross)<br><br><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/childhood-vaccines/cidrap-op-ed-what-vaccine-executive-order-gets-wrong-and-what-it-will-cost-us">CIDRAP Op-Ed: What the vaccine executive order gets wrong, and what it will cost us</a><strong>&nbsp;</strong>(CIDRAP News)</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://theunbiasedscipod.substack.com/p/where-is-the-line">Where is the line? Trump’s Executive Order on Childhood Vaccines</a> (Unbiased Science)&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;</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>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/support-cidrap"><strong>SUPPORT THIS PODCAST</strong></a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Music:</strong></p> <p>"Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)<br>Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License</p>