Friday, March 6, 2020

Nancy Messonnier calls me asking for help in getting the message out that we must protect the vulnerable (elderly with co-morbidities). She wants to say it but she says the VP’s staff are pushing back. I promise to bring up at TF meeting. I do and get support to announce it, which I do at the WH press conference this afternoon. I say that people with underlying conditions, particularly the elderly, should start to practice some form of social distrancing as well as avoiding any non-essential travel, particularly airplanes. During task force meeting it became clear that there were at least 21 infections on the Grand Princess out of the 46 tested. All but 2 were in the crew. I and others strongly push to get these people off the ship to avoid another Diamond Princess fiasco. Leave crew on ship and test everyone and put inot holding facility (March or Travis) and then send the California passengers to self-isolation at home, provide charter flights for the non-Californians to their home, and have the UK, Canada and other countries come and make decisions for their citizens as to their disposition. POTUS in Florida tells VP that he would keep the people on the vessel, but if Fauci and others feel it is better to take them off, then take them off. Yet, when he does a press conference in Florida, he says does not favor taking them off ship. I am beset with having to deal with always being asked if I disagree with the POTUS. Continually being pressed about the lack of availabioity of tests when Hahn at FDA is saying that 750,000 tests are distributed and 1.5 million more are on the way next week. PRESS: NBC Today Show with Savannah Guthrie; JAMA Podcast with Howard Bauchner; Tape CBS 60 minutes for airing on Sunday March 8);