>> CATHY: MEASLES CASES IN THE U.S.

HAVE HIT A RECORD HIGH THE CDC ANNOUNCED EARLIER TODAY THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 2,318 CONFIRMED CASES THIS YEAR.

WITH MORE THAN FIVE MONTHS LEFT IN 2026, THAT NUMBER LIKELY WILL RISE AS VACCINATION RATES CONTINUE TO FALL, CONCERNING MANY HEALTH OFFICIALS.

HERE WITH MORE, WORLD-RENOWNED EPIDEMIOLOGIST AND THE HEAD OF THE U OF M'S CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH AND POLICY, MIKE OSTERHOLM.

ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> Cathy: WE SHOULD OF COURSE MENTION MEASLES WAS ERADICATED QUITE SOME IME AGO.

>> ACTUALLY, IF I COULD HAVE AN ADDENDUM TO THAT.

ERADICATION IS COME THE VIRUS IS GONE FROM THE WHOLE WORLD.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID WITH SMALLPOX.

AND ELIMINATION, AND WE HAVE ELIMINATED IT IN NORTH AMERICA AND HAVE DONE THAT SUCCESSFULLY FOR ALL THOSE DECADES.

>> Cathy: WELL, IT'S BACK.

WHY?

>> IT IS AN UNDER VACCINATION ISSUE.

WE JUST DON'T REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP KIDS VACCINATED, BECAUSE IN FACT, WHEN YOU'RE IN SUCCESSIVE YEAR EFFORTS, PEOPLE SAID IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

AND SO THEY AREN'T GETTING VACCINATED AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND UNDERSTANDING HOW INFECTIOUS THIS VIRUS IS.

THIS IS A HIGHLY INFECTIOUS VIRUS.

AND IT WAS REALLY BROUGHT HOME IN 1991 WHEN WE HAD THE INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL OLYMPICS HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS.

A 12-YEAR-OLD ARGENTINEAN BOY WALKED IN WITH MEASLES.

AND THAT NIGHT, WEND ED UP TRANSMITTED THE VIRUS TO TWO PEOPLE THAT SAT IN THE FAR, FAR SEATS OF RIGHT FIELD SEATS.

BECAUSE THE AIR WAS COMING OUT BEHIND THE PLATE AND BOUNCING THAT UP THERE.

THAT'S HOW INFECTIOUS THIS VIRUS IS.

>> Cathy: YOU MENTIONED YOUNGER KIDS NOT BEING VACCINATED.

BUT THERE ARE FOLKS LIKE US OF A CERTAIN AGE WHO GOT REVACCINATED BECAUSE THE VACCINATION WE RECEIVED AS KIDS ISN'T AS POTENT ANYMORE.

>> IF YOU WERE BORN BEFORE 1957, ALMOST EVERYONE IS PROTECTED FROM HAVING MEASLES.

WHEN THEY WERE IN THIRD GRADE.

AND SO THAT'S NOT AN UNUSUAL SITUATION.

WHAT OU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE VACCINE FROM ROUGHLY, FOR THOSE FROM 1957 ON, THAT -- AND SO WE DID UPDATE THAT VACCINE FOR THEM.

BUT BASICALLY, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE VACCINES WE HAVE, UNLIKE WHAT WE SEE WITH INFLUENZA AND COVID, THIS IS A LIFELONG IMMUNITY WITH TWO SHOTS.

>> Eric: DURING COVID, WE HEARD THE TERM HERD IMMUNITY.

>> WE'RE GETTING FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM IT, WHAT HERD IMMUNITY MEANS IS SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY PROTECTED THAT IF YOU HAVE 2 OR 3% OF THE POPULATION THAT ARE NOT, THE CHANCE IS SO LOW.

THAT ACTUALLY WORKED FOR MUCH OF THE PAST 20 YEARS.

NOW WE AVE SO MANY, HOWEVER, THAT ARE NOT PROTECTED, THAT ARE NOW IN CLUSTERS, WHERE THEY SOCIALIZE TOGETHER, THEY GO TO SCHOOL TOGETHER, ET CETERA.

AND THEN THE OTHER PHENOM YA WE'RE HAVING, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER, CONGENITAL MEASLES, WE HAVE SO MANY WOMEN TODAY OF CHILD BEARING AGE THAT ARE NOT EXPECT OF PROTECTED ARE GETTING INFECTED WHILE THEY HAVE BASICALLY ARE PREGNANT AND WE'RE NOW SEEING THE RESULTS OF THESE BABIES, IT'S TRAGIC.

AND SO, AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER REASON FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF WHY THIS VIRUS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AND ONE THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT.

OF ALL THE VACCINES WE HAVE, THIS IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE, SAFEST VACCINE WE HAVE.

WITH LIFELONG IMMUNITY.

>> I WAS TALKING TO MY DOCTOR, SHE SAID COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE WAY DOWN.

SO THAT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS.

>> I HAVE BEEN CELEBRATING ALL SUMMER THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE HAD THE LOWEST FOR INFLUENZA, COVID, AND RSV IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.

BUT NOW WE'RE STARTING TO SEE IT PICK UP IN THE WESTERN STATES.

SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT THAT MEANS.

WE'RE DUE IN A SENSE FOR ANOTHER WAVE OF COVID BECAUSE OF THE WANING IMMUNITY.

AGAIN, UNLIKE MEASLES VACCINE WHICH IS LIFELONG, WITH COVID, HAVING HAD IT OR HAVING GOTTEN THE SHOT, YOU PROBABLY HAVE RELATIVELY GOOD PROTECTION FOR A FEW MONTHS.

>> Eric: WHAT DO WE DO WITH LETTUCE?

>> WELL, RIGHT NOW, THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DEBACLES I'VE EEFER I'VE EEF EVER SEEN IN PUBLIC HEALTH IN MANY YEARS.

>> Eric: THAT'S SAYING SOMETHING.

>> THIS IS A COMPLICATED OUTBREAK, TRUST ME.

IT'S NOT JUST ONE COMPANY THAT DID IT.

BUT ONE COMPANY IS SURELY VERY INVOLVED.

AND THIS IS ONE WHERE IT'S A CHALLENGE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD TEST THAT BASICALLY CAN HELP US DITCH RENTATE THE DIFFERENT STRAINS OF THE THING.

SO WE CAN'T TELL YOU IF THESE CASES HERE ARE ALL THE SAME OR ARE THEY THREE DIFFERENT OUTBREAKS?

BUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY MESSAGING HAS BEEN TERRIBLE.

WHEN MR.

KENNEDY SAYS THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S ON TOP OF THIS THING, THEY'RE SO BURIED, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT D.O.G.E.

DID, THERE WAS A GROUP AT C.D.C., OF THE 11-MEMBER TEAM, THEY HAD THEIR, HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEAM, SEVEN GOT D.O.G.E.ED AND THEN LEFT.

THAT IS A SHADOW OF ITS ONCE VERY PROSPEROUS SELF.

WE'RE IN THE DARK OF ABOUT IT.

I WILL SAY, JUST REMEMBER ONE THING.

ON A DAILY ASIS IN THIS COUNTRY, WE USUALLY SERVE 150 MILLION SERVINGS OF LEAFY GREENS, EVERY DAY.

SO THE RISK IS STILL, VERY, VERY LOW.

BUT I THINK WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF THE WOODS WITH THIS ONE.

>> Eric: WE CONSUME 10 BILLION POUNDS OF LETTUCE