1 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Prognosis. I'm Laura Carlson. It's day three, twenty 2 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: six since coronavirus was declared a global pandemic. Today's main story, 3 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: Biden's new covids are is known among Democrats as a 4 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 1: problem solver. But will that be enough for the job ahead. 5 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: But first, here's what happened in virus news today. Astra 6 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: Zeneca and the University of Oxford are planning to have 7 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: a re engineered shot that protects against new mutations available 8 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: by the fall. The more protective vaccine would come just 9 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 1: in time for another round of immunizations that may be 10 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: required before next winter. Andrew Pollard, chief investigator of the 11 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: Oxford Trials, said switching out the genome sequence, manufacturing and 12 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: completing new studies for a vaccine against variants should be 13 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 1: fairly quick. A new study shows promising signs for the 14 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: immunity of people who have been infected with COVID nineteen. 15 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: According to a report by UK Biobank, a major biomedical database, 16 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: some eight percent of participants who tested positive for previous 17 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: infection retained antibodies for six months. At three months, the 18 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 1: number was The results follow other smaller studies that indicate 19 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: some level of immunity for at least six months after 20 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: a natural infection. Finally, Mexico's Health agency approved Russia's spot 21 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: Nik five vaccine for emergency use. That's according to Deputy 22 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: Health Minister Hugo Lopez Gatell, who spoke at a press 23 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: con Frinds today. The country has secured one point for 24 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: million doses of the vaccine through March. Mexico is betting 25 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: on close to fifty five million total vaccine doses by 26 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 1: the end of April. The nation was the first to 27 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: start vaccinating in Latin America, but fell behind others in 28 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 1: the region after a delay in visor shipments. And now 29 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: for today's main story, Joe Biden's new COVID nineteens Are 30 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: is a former business executive and Biden ally named Jeff Zience, 31 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 1: who was little known to most Americans. Zience doesn't have 32 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,080 Speaker 1: a medical or military background like the two men who 33 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: ran Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration's vaccine delivery program. 34 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,639 Speaker 1: I spoke to reporter Anna Edney, who says the posting 35 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: will test sciences reputation with Democrats and Washington as the 36 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: go to guy when things go. There's a new face 37 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: to the Biden administration's policy to beat COVID nineteen in 38 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: the US. But to many Americans it's not exactly a 39 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: familiar one. I was wondering if you might just tell 40 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: us who is Jeff Science? Sure, UM, you know, he's 41 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 1: somebody who has worked behind the scenes UM a lot 42 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,079 Speaker 1: in government actually, but hasn't really been kind of the 43 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: main face of some of his efforts. UM. Like he 44 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: is now out in front on this COVID response for 45 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: the Biden administration. UM. But Jeff Science actually started his 46 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: career on the business side. UM. He was doing some 47 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: consulting and stepped into the Obama administration actually UM after 48 00:03:55,640 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: a pretty successful business career, and he was Bamba's first 49 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: Chief Performance Officer. UM. It was a new position that 50 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: the administration had created to try and UM get government 51 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: running a little more smoothly, tackle big things like the 52 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 1: hiring process, the procurement process. UM. Dian's ended up also 53 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 1: doing some work at the Office of Management and Budget 54 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: UM for the White House, and he had left government 55 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: for a little bit very shortly, and then in healthcare 56 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: dot com dot gov, which was Obama's signature domestic issue UM, 57 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: trying to get health insurance to more people This was 58 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: the website that let them sign up. It launched in October, 59 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: it crashed and Science was called in to come and 60 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 1: and fix it, to get the people together to fix it. 61 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: He doesn't have experience really in kind of the medical world, 62 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: but he's known as somebody who can pull people together, 63 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: um find the right people to do the job, get 64 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,479 Speaker 1: the motivate, did keep people on time, and get it done. 65 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: And that's why he's been called back at this point 66 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 1: now that Democrats are back in the White House. You know, 67 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: hearing the term covids are one might be forgiven to 68 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 1: think that someone would need a medical background for this role. 69 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 1: But of course, as you mentioned, Jeff Science does not 70 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: have a medical background. I was wondering if you might 71 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: outline some of the responsibilities he's going to be involved 72 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: with in being the COVID's are so as the COVID's 73 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: are he is going to first off be tackling the 74 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:43,159 Speaker 1: the vaccine issue. I talked to Andy Slavitt, who also 75 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 1: worked in the Obama administration and now has come back 76 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 1: as an adviser to Biden's COVID Response Task Force, who 77 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 1: said that vaccines are the biggest focus right now for 78 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 1: the team. Obviously there's a lot of other things they 79 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: need to work on, but getting backsineans out two Americans 80 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:04,280 Speaker 1: will be will be number one, and so science is 81 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:08,840 Speaker 1: going to have to focus on things like ramping up manufacturing. UM. 82 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:10,679 Speaker 1: You know, there's a lot of concern that we won't 83 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: have enough of the vaccines soon enough. That's been kind 84 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 1: of a slow rollout. But there's other things that that 85 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: will be looking at two, and that's testing UM sequencing 86 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 1: of the virus because we're seeing all these variants coming. 87 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 1: So the US is trying to check for variants that 88 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: are happening UM and see if they can sequence the 89 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 1: virus many many times a day UM as samples come in, 90 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 1: and so he has a pretty big task. One of 91 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: the things people will be looking for is how he 92 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 1: might use the Defense Production Act to get a lot 93 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: of these things done. UM syringes are needed for vaccines, 94 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: more vaccines themselves are needed. Some people have criticized this 95 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 1: appointment because of sciences business background, specifically a group called 96 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: the Revolving Door Project, an arm of the Center for 97 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: Economic and Policy Research that scrutinizes Executive Branch appointees. Tell 98 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: me more about that. The Revolving Door Project took a 99 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: deep dive into some of his past work UM to 100 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 1: come onto the Biden administration. Science recently resigned from a 101 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: private investment firm called Cranmere that had a health care focus, 102 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 1: and so their their concern at the Revolving Door Project 103 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 1: was less about Science himself and more about UM, someone 104 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: who kind of has held his his business positions before. 105 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: They didn't really know as much about him per se, 106 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: But we're concerned that someone with those kind of ties 107 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: would not be able to kind of deal with the 108 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: business community in in a direct enough way UM. And 109 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 1: that obviously remains to be seen. But Science has been 110 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 1: pretty adamant that he will use the Defense Production Act 111 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: to get supplies where they're needed. And I mean, is 112 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: there any worry that he is he is too friendly 113 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 1: to businesses essentially that he will not kind of force 114 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 1: their hand in in doing something, certainly when it comes 115 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: to the pandemic for for the national good um rather 116 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: than state At the bottom line, Yeah, I think that's 117 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 1: the concern that the Revolving Door Project has is he 118 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: he won't want to ask companies to do things they 119 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: don't want to do, or he won't want to force 120 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 1: companies to do things they don't want to do. Obviously, 121 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 1: there there's a great need um for certain supplies to 122 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 1: address this pandemic, and it's hard on companies to make 123 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 1: a switch to making things that they don't normally make, 124 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 1: or to take some things offline that they make a 125 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 1: lot of money off of, to make things that they 126 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: might not make a lot of money off of for 127 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 1: the greater good. The concern is that he's he's friendly 128 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:59,679 Speaker 1: enough with businesses that he won't want to force their 129 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 1: hand that way. What are some benchmarks that will indicate 130 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 1: whether or not Sciences is a success in the role? 131 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 1: You know, I the administration has targeted closer to really 132 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: more the the end of the year for everyone to 133 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: be able to get their vaccines. Um access would come sooner, 134 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: but just you know, given the time it would take 135 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 1: for everyone to get one will be closer to the 136 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 1: end of the year. And so I think we're looking 137 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:34,199 Speaker 1: out further along those lines to see if something that 138 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 1: if there's a return to some sort of normal before 139 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: the year is out. Is probably his his main benchmark, 140 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: but there are other other things, other numbers that will 141 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: pop up along the way. Um the sequencing of the virus. 142 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: The US was not doing a lot of that under 143 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 1: the Trump administration, so they weren't potentially catching variants. UM. 144 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:02,199 Speaker 1: As soon as they got to know US soil they 145 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: were UM. They're now trying to increase that so you know, 146 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: we can kind of track the number of samples of 147 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: the virus that are sequenced on a daily basis. UM 148 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: testing is another thing. You know, there's been a lot 149 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 1: of complaints about testing times, wait times once you do 150 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: get a test, so that's something that people are still 151 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: keeping an eye on. That was Anna Edney, and that's 152 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 1: it for our show today. For coverage of the outbreak 153 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: from one bureaus around the world, visit Bloomberg dot com 154 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 1: slash coronavirus and if you like the show, please leave 155 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 1: us a review and a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 156 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 1: It's the best way to help more listeners find our 157 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: global reporting. The Prognosis Daily edition is produced by Tophor Foreheads, 158 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: Magnus Henrickson and me Laura Carlson. Today's main story was 159 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 1: reported by Anna at original music by Leo Sigrian. Our 160 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: editors are Rick Shine and Francesco Levi. Francesco Levi is 161 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: Bloomberg's head of podcasts, Thanks for listening.