Hello and welcome to the Ostrome Update COVID-19, a podcast on the COVID-19 pandemic with

Dr. Michael Ostrome.

Dr. Ostrome is an internationally recognized medical detective and director of the Center

for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, or CITRAP, at the University of Minnesota.

In this podcast, Dr. Ostrome will draw on more than 45 years of experience investigating

infectious disease outbreaks to provide straight talk on the COVID-19 pandemic.

I'm Chris Dahl, reporter for CITRAP News, and I'm your host for these conversations.

Welcome back everyone to another episode of the Ostrome Update podcast.

With its COVID restrictions now dropped, millions of people in China are headed home to

towns and villages this week to celebrate the lunar new year.

The celebration comes on the heels of a wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections that has affected

roughly 80% of the country's population, according to China's chief epidemiologist.

Some fear that lunar new year travel and gatherings could bring the virus into other parts of

the country, though less vaccinated, and spark another wave.

Meanwhile, in the US and Europe, the post-Holiday bump in COVID activity appears to be leveling

off.

On this January 26th episode of the podcast, we're going to talk about what's happening in

China, the US, and other parts of the world, as we assess the state of a pandemic now entering

its fourth year.

We'll also provide you with an update on the XBB 1.5 sub variant, answer a COVID query

on whether COVID-19 deaths are being overcounted, look at the latest flu in RSV data, and discuss

a measles outbreak in Ohio, and detection of a resistance strain of gonorrhea in Massachusetts.

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