NOW, IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I HAVE SOME WORK TO DO.

♪ >> Cathy: THE CDC REPORTED EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT THE NUMBER OF MEASLES CASES IN THIS COUNTRY HAS HIT A 33-YEAR HIGH.

WE'RE SEEING THE MOST CASES REPORTED SINCE THE DISEASE WAS CONSIDERED ELIMINATED IN THE U.S. JUST ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO.

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

GOOD TO SEE YOU, WELCOME BACK.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Cathy: WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS RISE IN MEASLES CASES NOW FOR A LITTLE BIT.

WHAT'S THE MAIN DRIVER?

IS IT FOLKS OMING INTO THE COUNTRY FROM OTHER PLACES?

IS IT FOLKS WHO JUST DON'T WANT TO GET THE VACCINE?

IS IT A COMBO PLATTER IN A SENSE?

>> IT'S A COMBINATION OF ALL.

FIRST OF ALL JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME INDICATION WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE UNITED STATES WE'VE HAD ABOUT 1300 CASES THIS YEAR WHICH AS YOU NOTED IS THE HIGHEST NUMBER WE'VE SEEN IN 20-SOME YEARS.

BUT WHAT'S AMAZING ABOUT IT IS ABOUT A THIRD OF CASES ARE ACTUALLY IN YOUNG ADULTS.

AND WHAT'S HAPPENED IS FOR THE PAST 25 TO 30 YEARS WE'VE SEEN EVER INCREASING NUMBERS OF PEOPLE NOT GETTING VACCINATED.

BUT WE HAD ENOUGH PEOPLE VACCINATED SO WE DIDN'T SEE IT SPREAD.

NOW THERE'S ALL THESE POCKETS OUT THERE OF UNVACCINATED INDIVIDUALS AND OF COURSE NOW THAT INCLUDES YOUNGER ADULTS WHO, WHICH IS A REAL PROBLEM BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO WHO THEY ARE HAVING THE BABIES RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE SEEING FOR EXAMPLE THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN CONGENITAL MEASLES WHERE MOTHERS INFECTED DURING PREGNANCY ARE TRANSMITTING THE VIRUS TO THE BABY.

THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED.

>> Cathy: I'M THINKING PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.

I'M THINKING THEY'RE THINKING, YEAH, IT'S A CHILDHOOD DISEASE BUT THIS CAN BE VERY SERIOUS, YOU CAN DIE FROM THIS.

>> ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 3% OF KIDS OFTEN END UP IN HOSPITALS AND HAVE VERY SERIOUS ILLNESSES.

IT'S A HIGHLY INFECTIOUS VIRUS.

WE KNOW IF ONE PERSON IS IN A ROOM THE SIZE OF EVEN THE STUDIO THEY CAN TRANSMIT TO THE WHOLE STUDIO.

IF THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED OR PREVIOUSLY INFECTED, SO IT'S A BIG DEAL.

I THINK REALLY CHALLENGING RIGHT NOW IS THE UNITED STATES HAS LED THE WAY IN POOLING ALL OF ITS RESOURCES FOR FUNDING VACCINES FOR CHILDREN IN LOW AND MIDDLE NCOME COUNTRIES AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE THOSE GO FROM KIND OF YOU MIGHT SAY MINOR ISSUES TO HUGE EXPLOSIVE OUTBREAKS, WHICH IS GOING TO SPREAD AROUND THE WORLD.

JUST COUNT ON IT GETTING WORSE AND I THINK THE FINAL POINT TO JUST EMPHASIZE WHERE WE'RE GOING, CANADA RIGHT NOW IS AT 3700 CASES FOR A COUNTRY OF ONLY 40 MILLION PEOPLE.

WE ARE 340 MILLION PEOPLE AND WE HAVE 1300, WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT CANADA'S HAVING MUCH MORE IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO AND IT'S JUST THE SAME THING, NOT GETTING VACCINATED.

>> Eric: FIVE CASES SO FAR IN MINNESOTA FROM WHAT I READ.

>> RIGHT.

>> Eric: ANTI-VAX PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT VITAMIN A, COD LIVER IL, THAT THE VACCINE IS AS DANGEROUS AS MEASLES.

IS THAT SEEPING INTO THE PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS?

>> I THINK A LOT OF THINGS ARE SEEPING INTO THE PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS.

LET ME JUST GIVE YOU N EXAMPLE OF WE'VE NEVER SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN BEFORE BUT IT GIVES YOU THE MINDSET.

WE'RE HEARING NOW FROM VETERINARIANS AROUND THE STATE, FOR THAT MATTER AROUND THE COUNTRY, WHERE THEY THEIR CLIENTS DON'T WANT TO VACCINATE THEIR DOGS AND CATS FOR RABIES BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY SHOULD GET IT OR NOT AND THEY'LL DO THEIR OWN HOMEWORK.

AND SO PART OF THE PROBLEM WE HAVE TO DO IS WE HAVE SO MUCH MIS AND DISINFORMATION ABOUT VACCINES AND THE IMPLICATIONS ARE FOR THIS PROTECTION AND ON TOP OF IT OF COURSE WE NOW HAVE A ADVISORY PRACTICES GROUP OUTSIDE OF THE CDC WHO Mr. KENNEDY HAS BASICALLY FIRED ALL THE REAL EXPERTS, BROUGHT IN ANTI-VACCINE PEOPLE LARGELY TO STAFF THIS AND NOW WE'RE SEEING THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG RISK FACTORS FOR COVID TODAY IS PREGNANT WOMEN.

WE HAVE CLEAR COMPELLING DATA, AND Mr. KENNEDY ACTUALLY REMOVED THAT RECOMMENDATION AND SAID NO LONGER ARE WE GOING TO PROVIDE VACCINES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN.

I MEAN, THIS IS JUST UNHEARD OF.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW, MESSAGING, I WONDER TO COMBAT MIS- AND DISINFORMATION WHAT'S THE CURRENT THOUGHT ON WHAT IS THE RIGHT MESSAGE?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

AND TRAVEL ALL OF US, MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH HAS TO HAVE A DOSE OF HUMILITY RIGHT NOW AND SAY WE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW TO MESSAGE THIS DIFFERENTLY.

YOU DON'T DO IT BY HAVING A DEBATE.

YOU DON'T DO IT BY BASICALLY BEING RIGHT EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW THAT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THEY DON'T GET VACCINATED.

AND YOU HAVE TO ENGAGE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHY ARE YOU HERE, HOW DID YOU GET HERE, WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS YOU HAVE.

AND IN MANY CASES IT IS INFORMATION THAT THEY HAD HEARD FROM SOMEWHERE, FROM SOMEBODY THAT SAID, OH, NO, THIS IS DANGEROUS.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE REPORTS COMING OUT I THINK OF THE, FROM THIS ADMINISTRATION SAYING THAT IN FACT AUTISM IS LINKED TO VACCINES.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE REPORTS COMING OUT SAYING ALUMINUM IN VACCINES IS DANGEROUS WHICH IS SOMETHING THEY HAVE IN SOME OF THE VACCINES.

WHEN THEY HEAR THAT THERE'S ENOUGH SUSPICION TO SAY DO I WANT TO STICK THAT NEEDLE IN MY CHILD'S ARM OR NOT?

AND MAYBE I'LL WAIT.

AND WHEN YOU WAIT YOU BECOME ONE OF THE UNVACCINATED AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

>> Eric: YES OR NO QUESTION, FOLKS OUR AGE, DO WE HAVE CONTINUED IMMUNITY OR DO WE NEED TO DO SOME?

>> YES.

FORTUNATELY MEASLES S ONE OF THOSE INFECTIONS THAT GIVES YOU LONG GOOD DURABLE IMMUNITY.

>> Cathy: THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

>> YEAH, IT IS GOOD NEWS.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

♪ >> Eric: AN ICONIC SCULPTURE IN ST. PAUL HAS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF CONTROVERSY AND ADMIRATION FOR 90 YEARS.

PRODUCER ALAUNA YUST TAKES A LOOK AT ITS STORIED PAST AND A CONTEMPORARY ARTIST'S NEW WORK AT THE WEISMAN MUSEUM.

>> THE RAMSEY COUNTY COURTHOUSE IS HOME TO AN IMPOSING SCULPTURE.

VISION OF PEACE WAS CRAFTED BY CARL MILLIS.

>> THE VISION OF PEACE IS PROBABLY THE CENTERPIECE OF THIS BUILDING.

THERE'S NO OTHER STATUE LIKE IT IN THE WORLD.

>> IT IS