News and Happenings

Being a parent is never easy, but has it ever felt as hard as it does right now? Andy talks all things kids and Omicron with pediatrician and vaccinologist Paul Offit. They cover the latest on keeping kids safe at school, how Omicron is affecting young people, and what kind of masks are best for children. Plus, an update on when we can expect a vaccine for kids younger than five.

Testing is one of the most important and misunderstood elements of the pandemic. Andy brings it all into focus with Michael Mina, Chief Science Officer at eMed and the go-to testing expert. They break down the complex interplay between infections, symptoms, and the different kinds of tests, and answer your top 20 questions about COVID-19 testing. After listening to this episode, you’ll understand when you should test, how each of the three main types of tests work, when more tests should be available, and much more.

As we begin 2022, Andy gets the latest on where we stand with Omicron with the help of Dr. David Agus, a professor of medicine at USC, medical contributor for CBS News, and one of the clearest communicators out there. They discuss whether nearly everyone will get COVID-19 because of Omicron, what the latest data show about its severity, and the possibility of variant-specific boosters in the future. Plus, they break down the CDC’s new isolation guidelines and David tells Andy what it’s like talking COVID with Stephen Colbert.

For this special end-of-the-year episode, Andy asked 11 of the top doctors, scientists, and thinkers to look ahead to 2022. They offer up their thoughts on the coming Omicron wave, what scientific breakthroughs they’re most excited about in the year to come, how much they expect we’ll have to modify our behavior in 2022, what the Biden administration should be focusing on in the coming year, and simply put, if 2022 will be better or worse than 2021. Plus, a conversation with CVS Health’s Tom Moriarty about fighting COVID in the new year and other health care advances we have to look forward to in 2022.

What do gasoline, eggs, used cars, and meat have in common? Inflation has caused the prices on all these items to increase by double digits in the last year. Andy dives into what’s happening with inflation with Jason Furman, Harvard economist and former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors under President Obama. They discuss why it’s happening, what can be done to tackle these high prices, and where he thinks the economy will be in a year. Plus, how all of this ties into why so many of your Christmas gifts are backordered.

Andy begins with his guide to navigating the holidays now that Omicron is in our lives. Then he explores the cutting-edge science of this new variant with computational biologist and MacArthur “Genius Grant” winner Trevor Bedford. Andy and Trevor cover Omicron’s possible origins, the latest on how our current vaccines are holding up to it, and when he expects an Omicron wave to hit the United States. We’re learning more about Omicron every single day, and no one’s better at explaining what we know and what it means than Trevor.

Andy digs into the latest science behind Omicron with former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. They discuss what we know about the origin of Omicron, how it’s likely to play out in the US, and if we’ll need an Omicron-specific vaccine. It’s still early, but Andy and Scott have you covered with the most up-to-date information out there about this new variant and the risk it poses.

Andy begins with a can’t-miss breakdown of the latest information on Omicron. Then, he’s joined by two physicians who are helping create the future of what health care will look like for you: Sree Chaguturu of CVS Health and Toyin Ajayi of Cityblock Health. The three of them discuss the ways COVID changed how we access health care, how to ensure these changes don’t further exacerbate health disparities, and when this will be a reality for most of us.

Andy breaks down everything you need to know about the Omicron variant with epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina. They cover what we know about Omicron’s transmissibility, the severity of illness it causes, and how it impacts immunity – whether from vaccination or prior infection. They discuss why Omicron worries scientists, how quickly the mRNA vaccines could be tailored to fight Omicron if needed, and what the emergence of this new variant says about global vaccine equity.

Andy and Michael Osterholm have a candid conversation about where things stand two years into the pandemic. During this live event hosted by the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health, they discuss how to reach science skeptics, the strain many states’ healthcare systems are experiencing right now, and what to say to parents who aren’t sure about vaccinating their young children. Plus, COVID will be with us long-term, so how do we adjust our mindset so we can learn to live in a world alongside the virus?