A weekly update on new research and developments concerning COVID-19 (and occasionally other infectious diseases that hit the news).
We take questions via call-in during the live broadcast, Mondays at 7:33am Pacific, streaming via kpfa.org. Podcasts with show notes go up later the same day. Between live shows, we take questions via email at [email protected] .
Our guest most weeks is Dr. John Swartzberg, clinical professor emeritus of infectious diseases at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health. Our question-wrangler most weeks is Brian Edwards-Tiekert, host of KPFA’s morning public affairs program, UpFront.
Music: Now Son by Podington Bear, licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.
(Apologies for the one-week delay — I initially posted this to the wrong feed -b) Discussed in this episode: Influenza levels are rising quickly This year’s flu vaccine appears to be reducing the risk of hospitalization in adults by 30-40%. That’s a significant help, but a worse topline than in prior flu seasons. This is … Continued
Discussed in this episode: Trendlines for respiratory illnesses that spread this time of year: National COVID rates are low but rising in some states, especially in the Northeast. Influenza rates are rising in line with previous years. One area of concern: vaccination rates for influenza are dropping, which could lead to more severe cases and … Continued
Discussed in this episode: RFK Jr.’s recently-reconfigured Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has reversed a nearly 35-year-old recommendation that all newborns receive vaccination for Hepatitis B. Other childhood vaccinations may be next. To send us a question in advance of next week’s show, write to: [email protected] (Because of KPFA’s fundraising schedule, we won’t be able to … Continued
Discussed in this episode: Trump FDA appointee Vinay Prasad sent agency staff a lengthy, accusatory memo alleging without data that COVID vaccination was involved in the deaths of at least 10 children, and promising a stricter vaccine approval process moving forward. To send us a question in advance of next week’s show, write to: [email protected] Tune … Continued
Discussed in this episode: H3N2 influenza has picked up a mutation (dubbed “subclade K”) that’s raising concerns for two reasons: 1) it accounts for a growing share of influenza samples that get genetically-sequenced, implying it has some growth advantage, and 2) the mutations emerged after the makeup of this year’s flu vaccine was approved and … Continued
An all-audience-questions episode, including: If I’ve been exposed but haven’t gotten sick, how long until I’m safe to be around other people? Are any of the currently-approved COVID vaccines better than the other ones available? How long until I need to get re-vaccinated for RSV If I’ve had shingles, do I still need the shingles … Continued
Discussed in this episode: The government shutdown has deprived us of the statistics the CDC normally aggregates and publishes to track the prevalence of respiratory infections this time of year — but other sources of data suggest this season is off to a mild start To send us a question in advance of next week’s … Continued
Discussed in this episode: A new study shows the risk of heart attack and stroke shoot up in the immediate aftermath of an infection with influenza or COVID 19, and stay elevated for weeks. Another study, in Nature, shows MRNA vaccines for Covid made cancer patients receiving immunotherapy respond better to treatment, and live longer. To … Continued
Apologies for the delayed posting! Life, fund drive, and staff illnesses conspired to de-rail our normal publication schedule. Discussed in this episode: How the government shutdown, and CDC staff cuts carried out by the Trump administration, are impacting our capacity to respond to public health crises. To send us a question in advance of next … Continued
Apologies for the delayed posting! Life, fund drive, and staff illnesses conspired to de-rail our normal publication schedule. Discussed in this episode: A new study on long covid in young people published in The Lancet suggests each additional COVID infection increases the risk of getting long covid about as much as the first infection did. … Continued
