Mar 31, 2020
In this episode, Michael
Osterholm, Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research
and Policy at the University of Minnesota and author of Deadliest
Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs, provides an overview on the
COVID-19 pandemic in regards to what has happened to date, what
we’ve learned about how the disease spreads, and his optimism and
pessimism about what potentially lies ahead. Michael gives his take
on the true case fatality rate, why it differs around the world,
and which underlying conditions, such as obesity, impact risk of
severe illness and death. We also discuss the outlook regarding
vaccines, repurposed drugs/antivirals for treatment, and Michael’s
growing concern about supply chain limitations with respect to
drugs, vaccines, n95 masks, and testing kits.
We discuss:
- Recapping the brief history of
COVID-19 and what potentially lies ahead [2:15];
- Some positive news about immunity
and reinfection [10:45];
- Case fatality rate—The challenge
in finding the true rate, difference by country, and the impact of
age, underlying conditions, and obesity [13:00];
- What has to be true for less than
100,000 Americans to die from COVID-19? [24:30];
- How do we best protect healthcare
workers? [29:45];
- Concerns about testing
capability—Reagent shortfall and a supply chain problem
[39:30];
- Vaccines and antivirals—The
outlook, timing, and challenges [47:45];
- Long term health of survivors of
COVID-19 [56:45];
- The impact of
comorbidities—Diabetes, obesity, and immunosuppressed patients
[59:30];
- Understanding R0 and how the
disease spreads [1:01:30];
- The challenge of forecasting with
so many unknown [1:08:00];
- What explains the difference in
cases and fatalities in different parts of the world?
[1:14:30];
- Repurposed drugs/antivirals being
considered for treatment options—any optimism?
[1:16:45];
- A parting message from Michael
about what lies ahead [1:18:30]; and
- More.
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