Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Global – 3,000,000/203,000 USA – 1,100,000/58,000; Eventful day. Was supposed to present the Remdesivir findings at the usual 5:00 PM press conference at the WH. Marc Short called me when I was at NIH office and said to rush down to Wh since the POTUS was going to have a press availability with John Bell Edwards (Democratic Governor of Lousiana). George Adams drove me down to Wh with lights flashing and we got there in 17.5 minutes (Yikes). I present the data to multiple cameras in the Oval Office with POTUS sitting there. POTUS took me aside and said”Be enthusiastic, Tony. Be Optimistic, we need to open up the economy. It is very important”. I told him that I would tell it like it is. He nodded OK. I gave ameasure, accurate presentation. Great success. In afternoon, HHS (with Paul Mango, Alex Azar, Bob Kadlec, Peter Marks, Bob Johnson, Francis Collins, Bruce Tromberg) presented our new vaccine strategic plan to the TF led by Deb Birx. Deb immediately tore everything apart (somewhat overly done). Poor Peter Marks took the brunt of it. She said we should have brought in all the companies that have a track record with their platforms and guided them and funded them to go after COVID-19 instead of waiting for companies to come in themselves and ask for money. She does not like “newer technology” such as mRNA, DNA, and even some virasl vectors. She likes antigens, whole killed, etc. A bit overdetermined in her prejudice. However, she did have a point that btu did not fully realize that this is the problem that I have had with BARDA for years. They just give out money without coordinating anything. Very tense meeting!! The rest of the world still pushing that we are not doing enough testing. Clerarly a trend towards the Comms folks (Kayleaigh and Alyssa) focusing on economic re-entry and trying to hold back to POTUS from his disastrous press confererences and so the pressers are being cut back. None today; only the above Oval with Gov. Edwrads Becoming rather friendly with Jared. Clearly, he respects me PRESS: Made presentation at presser in Oval Office on the ACTT-1 trial. Got picked up by multiple networks/cable.