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 upfront@kpfa.org .
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.
Discussed in this episode: The California Department of Public Health has changed its COVID isolation guidelines. It no longer recommends people with asymptomatic COVID isolate. For people with symptomatic cases, the updated guidelines allow isolation to end after they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours (as long as other symptoms are improving). A three-country study published … Continued
Discussed in this episode: A study recently published in Clinical Infectious Diseases finds COVID viral load is peaking later after symptom onset than at the start of the pandemic https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciad582 A laboratory study on syrian hamsters found temperature and humidity had no statistically significant impact on the rate of airborne transmission. This suggests any seasonal … Continued
To send in questions: coronacalls@kpfa.org Podcast music credit: Now Son by Podington Bear, licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.
Discussed in this episode: A CDC weekly surveillance report shows California had “Very High” levels of people seeking treatment for influenza-like illnesses at the end of 2023 It’s safe to get vaccines for COVID, influenza, and RSV at the same time, but may increase the likelihood of side effects. (Side effects are usually minor and … Continued
Discussed in this episode: Omicron subvariant JN.1 is now believed to account for a majority of all COVID cases worldwide. COVID hospitalizations are rising in the US, but less than at this time in previous years. To send in questions: coronacalls@kpfa.org Podcast music credit: Now Son by Podington Bear, licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.
Discussed in this episode: The CDC Covid Data Tracker is starting to show a significant uptick in COVID emergency room visits and hospitalization nationwide, though absolute rates are still low for most of the country, including California. To send in questions: coronacalls@kpfa.org Podcast music credit: Now Son by Podington Bear, licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.
Discussed in this episode: Just before Thanksgiving, the WHO asked China for data on a surge in respiratory illness that has reportedly led to long lines at hospitals, especially children’s hospitals, in the country’s north. China’s responses so far indicate it’s found no new pathogens driving the surge. The country’s health officials attribute it to … Continued
Discussed in this episode: The precautions Dr. Swartzberg’s taking when he travels to spend Thanksgiving with family: vaccines, masks, and tests Why we just don’t know yet whether nasal sprays like NoriZite actually help prevent infection The government is sending out more free tests. Here’s where to get yours: https://www.covid.gov/tests To send in questions: coronacalls@kpfa.org … Continued
Discussed in this episode: The subvariant rising to dominance in North America: HV.1 Getting vaccinated when your immune system is suppressed Combining Paxlovid with Metfomin To send in questions: coronacalls@kpfa.org Podcast music credit: Now Son by Podington Bear, licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.
Discussed in this episode: what Dr. Swartzberg reads to stay current The CDC Covid Data Tracker Dr. Katelyn Jetelina’s newsletter, Your Local Epidemiologist Dr. Eric Topol’s newsletter, Ground Truths To send in questions: coronacalls@kpfa.org Podcast music credit: Now Son by Podington Bear, licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.
