In this important episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan is joined by a distinguished panel of experts to provide a comprehensive update on respiratory illness trends for the 2025 season. Dr. Ryan Maves (infectious diseases and critical care medicine, Wake Forest University), Dr. Kari Simonson (pediatric infectious diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center), and Dr. John Horton (clinical affairs, gynecology and obstetrics, Emory University) share the latest data and evidence-based recommendations for healthcare providers and the public.

The discussion covers the full spectrum of respiratory viruses currently impacting our communities, including influenza, RSV, COVID-19, and pertussis. The panel addresses the unique risks facing infants, children, pregnant individuals, older adults, and those with underlying health conditions. Listeners will gain valuable insight into current vaccine guidance, the role of updated testing strategies, and protective measures that go beyond vaccination—such as proper mask use, respiratory and hand hygiene, and the importance of source control and eye protection.

This episode offers practical guidance for both healthcare workers and the public as we enter another busy respiratory virus season. Drawing on real-world experience and the latest research, our guests emphasize steps we can all take to reduce transmission, protect vulnerable populations, and maintain safety in both clinical and home settings.

GuestsJohn Patrick Horton, MD, MBA

Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs for Gynecology and Obstetrics

Emory University

Dr. John Horton is the Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs for Emory University’s Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics. He also serves as Emory Healthcare’s Division Director for General Gynecology and Obstetrics, and Interim Operations Director for the Gynecologic Specialties Division. Additionally, Dr. Horton is the Director of the Obstetric Rapid Response Team at Emory Healthcare and is Associate Professor at the Emory University School of Medicine Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 

Ryan Maves, MD, FCCM, FCCP, FIDSA

Professor in Infectious Disease and Critical Care Medicine

Office of Global Health

Wake Forest University

Dr. Ryan Maves is a Professor of Medicine at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he serves as medical director of transplant infectious diseases and as a faculty intensivist at North Carolina Baptist Hospital. A graduate of the University of Washington School of Medicine, he entered active duty in the U.S. Navy in 1999. He completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowships infectious diseases and critical care medicine at Naval Medical Center San Diego. During his military service, he served as the flight surgeon for Carrier Air Wing SEVENTEEN embarked onboard the USS George Washington (CVN-73), at the Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 in Lima, Peru, conducting preclinical and clinical studies in antimicrobial drug resistance and vaccine development, as director of medical services at the NATO Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, and as ID division chief and fellowship director in San Diego. He retired from active duty in 2021 and joined the faculty at Wake Forest.  

He is the chair of the ABIM Critical Care Medicine Examination Board, co-chair of the SCCM Congress Program Committee, and Chair-Elect of the Chest Infections and Disaster Response Network in CHEST, as well as deputy editor for outreach for the journal CHEST and contributing editor for Critical Care Explorations. He is an author of over 150 scientific manuscripts, 15 textbook chapters, and 100 conference abstracts and invited lectures. He lives in Winston-Salem with his wife, Robin, whom he met in the traditional manner (in the ICU, next to a ventilator), and their three children, Astrid, Robert, and Jonathan.  

Kari Simonsen, MD, MBA

Professor, Pediatric Infectious Diseases  

Chair, Department of Pediatrics  

University of Nebraska Medical Center 

Kari A. Simonsen, MD, MBA, is the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Pediatrician-in-Chief of Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska. She is a tenured Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and led for over a decade as division chief of Pediatric Infectious Disease at UNMC. She also served as Hospital Epidemiologist of Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha, NE from 2013-2020 and as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs at UNMC from 2018-2019. Kari received her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, her medical degree at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and her MBA at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She completed pediatric residency at Indiana University, and fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Brown University. Her research interests include pediatric infection prevention, hospital preparedness, and pediatric clinical trials in antimicrobial drug discovery and vaccines. Kari is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, and a member of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. 

HostJill Morgan, RN

Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA

Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).

Resources

• NETEC Resource Library: repository.netecweb.org
• Transmission Interrupted: netec.org/podcast
• NETEC YouTube: youtube.com/TheNETEC
• NETEC: netec.org

About NETECA Partnership for Preparedness

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources.

Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems.

For more information visit NETEC on the web at www.netec.org.

NETEC Consultation Services

Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting.

NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert.

For more information visit: netec.org/consulting-services.