1 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, radio News. 2 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 2: Hello everyone, thank you for showing up on this very, 3 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 2: very beautiful day here in DC. 4 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 3: It's great to have you. 5 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 2: I see a lot of familiar faces, and among them 6 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 2: the director of the CDC herself here in person. After 7 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 2: Friday making major news on COVID isolation guidance, we saw 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 2: a shift in which now people who are no longer 9 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 2: or seeing their symptoms abate and our fever free within 10 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 2: twenty four hours, can return to life, to office, to 11 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 2: normal activities. And I want to start there with the 12 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:42,480 Speaker 2: hard news. It was a really exciting day for many, 13 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 2: and for others it drew some criticism, some skepticism, some 14 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 2: concern about whether or not the guidance would encourage people 15 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 2: who are still transmissible to be in places with others 16 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 2: and potentially infect them. And I want to ask, how 17 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 2: do you respond to that guidance, to the criticism to 18 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 2: the guidance that has emerged since Friday. 19 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 4: Well, first, great to be here, Thank you Riley for 20 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 4: having us, and to Bloomberg for this event. Maybe to 21 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 4: step back what we were trying to do with the 22 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 4: guidance overall is a line across COVID plu RSV respiratory 23 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 4: viruses in general. The good news is we're in a 24 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 4: different place, and that's after a lot of hard work, 25 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,680 Speaker 4: and we're seeing hospitalizations for COVID go down. We're seeing 26 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,040 Speaker 4: deaths for COVID go down, even as we saw high 27 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 4: levels of viral activity this past year. 28 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 1: Vaccination is really the core strategy. 29 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 4: So I know there is a lot of focus on 30 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 4: the isolation guidance, and I want to get to that, 31 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,400 Speaker 4: but I just wanted to make sure that folks knew 32 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 4: that what we are really trying to reorient folks are 33 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,559 Speaker 4: the things that we'll save people's lives and frankly reduce 34 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:51,559 Speaker 4: the risk of long COVID at the same time. 35 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: And that was really about vaccination. 36 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 4: We need to see everyone get an updated flu shot 37 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 4: and an updated COVID vaccine. We also shared on Friday 38 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 4: that we expect and anticipate there's going to be an 39 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 4: updated COVID vaccine coming this fall, right, so plan now 40 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 4: it's March, so you can think ahead when you're going 41 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 4: to get your flu shot. In the fall, you're going 42 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 4: to get another updated COVID vaccine. And the reason for 43 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 4: it is because this virus continues to change. That's okay, 44 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 4: we can stay one step ahead of it. We have 45 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 4: the tools to do it, we just need to use them. 46 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 4: So FDA CDC has started that process, just like we 47 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 4: do with the flu shot. We've started that process to 48 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 4: update the COVID vaccine already for this fall, and so 49 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 4: we just want folks to again already start thinking about that. 50 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 2: So you're already working with Pfizer and Maderna, and you've 51 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,119 Speaker 2: recently updated this guidance. I wonder as you think about 52 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 2: vaccination next fall, if we could see any changes around 53 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 2: guidance there. For example, some countries around the world do 54 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 2: not recommend that children get vaccinated. 55 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:51,639 Speaker 3: They see them as low risk. 56 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: Is that something that could change or is vaccination guidance 57 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:55,679 Speaker 2: staying tried and true. 58 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 4: Well, you know, I'm glad you brought up kids and COVID. 59 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 4: I think we definitely see COVID impacting our kids less. 60 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 4: But actually the places where we see the most hospitalization 61 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 4: are kids under five and those in our elderly community. 62 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 4: So it's starting to have the pattern similar to flu, 63 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 4: where younger kids they just have smaller brunchioles in their lungs, right, 64 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 4: they just have less of an ability to fight off 65 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 4: some of these viruses. So actually, you know, we want 66 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 4: to make sure we're still protecting our kids from COVID 67 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 4: and from flu. So you're going to continue to see 68 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 4: us look at that data. Make sure that we are 69 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 4: obviously looking at that all the time. But I don't 70 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 4: anticipate changes right now. 71 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: Of course, we go through that process. 72 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 4: We look at data all the time, so I never 73 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 4: want to get ahead of our advisory committees and looking 74 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 4: at that data. But we have been still seeing kids 75 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 4: get pretty sick from COVID and we want to make 76 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 4: sure they're protected. 77 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 2: And while we're talking about the higher risk individuals, the 78 00:03:54,640 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 2: immunocompromised older Americans, children, pregnant folks, they have questions. They 79 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 2: have questions about what this means for them as they 80 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 2: go back to work, and have concerns about the person 81 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 2: sitting beside them. So how do you reassure them in 82 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 2: this moment. 83 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 4: Well, one, I want folks to know who are immuno compromise, 84 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 4: our older Americans. They were top of mind as we 85 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,599 Speaker 4: did this guidance. These are folks who are in our 86 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,919 Speaker 4: own lives, my own fail into these categories. So I 87 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 4: was certainly thinking of them, as we went through this guidance, 88 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 4: and we think that simplified guidance that people can follow 89 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 4: actually benefits all of us. But in addition, we did 90 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 4: put out some special guidance for folks who are immunocompromise, 91 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 4: folks who are older, because there are special considerations they 92 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 4: need to take additional precautions to help protect themselves. And 93 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 4: we also need to be thinking about who are we around. 94 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 4: So you'll see in our guidance that we do say 95 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 4: think about yourself and your own risk, but please also 96 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 4: think about who are you around, and when you don't know, 97 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 4: think about using layer of protection. When you don't know 98 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,799 Speaker 4: everyone's health status around you, make sure you're doing everything 99 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 4: you can. Again, that's why stay home when you're sick, 100 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 4: so is so important, right, so really try to keep 101 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 4: your germs to yourself and not sharing them with folks 102 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 4: who might not be as strong and able to find them. 103 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,840 Speaker 2: And should we see a more dangerous variant emerge, are 104 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 2: you flexible? Are you willing to change that guidance again? 105 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,280 Speaker 2: And if you were, can you put the genie back 106 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 2: in the bottle? Will Americans be willing to go back 107 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 2: to stricter protocol again? 108 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 3: Well? 109 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 4: I think we're being clear that this is the best 110 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 4: evidence that we have right now. This is what we 111 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 4: know in this moment. We wanted to see those trends 112 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 4: hold through another season. We feel good that we continued 113 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 4: to see that. But yes, this virus is constantly changing 114 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 4: and as I said, changing faster than the flu virus, 115 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,919 Speaker 4: So it is possible we might need to be back here. 116 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: I hope not. 117 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:54,280 Speaker 4: I think if we continue to stay ahead of this virus, 118 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,599 Speaker 4: that we continue to update and make sure that we 119 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 4: are not resting on our laurel right and saying, oh, 120 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 4: I'm putting it out of our mind. If we keep 121 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:06,160 Speaker 4: using these simple things like get vaccinated, stay home when 122 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 4: you're sick, simple prevention things, don't forget treatment. Those are 123 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,559 Speaker 4: the things that will will allow us to stay ahead 124 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 4: of the game. But we need to make sure that 125 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 4: we don't get complacent. 126 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 2: So no longer in a public health emergency, and COVID 127 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 2: is more on the playing field of flu. What are 128 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 2: the health threats that you are concerned about or monitoring 129 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 2: for right now in the world of respiratory viruses. 130 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, so, of course there are a lot of health 131 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:35,679 Speaker 4: threats in the world. Some of them are infectious disease, 132 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 4: some are not an infectious disease. And actually, in twenty 133 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 4: twenty four, I hope folks can see parts of the 134 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 4: CDC that they've never seen before. They got to know 135 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 4: CDC because of COVID, But there is a lot that 136 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 4: the CDC is doing here domestically and globally to protect 137 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 4: health and improve lives. I just came back from a 138 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:59,479 Speaker 4: trip to Asia. I was in Cambodia and they've had 139 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 4: a few cases of avian flu. So this is flu 140 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 4: from birds, it was from contact with infected poultry. And 141 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 4: you know what is impressive is that CDC has been 142 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 4: working there for twenty years, supporting the ability for the 143 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 4: Cambodian health system to rapidly respond to seeing those cases 144 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 4: and make sure we're not seeing human to human contact, 145 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 4: which we are not, which is good, but that we're 146 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 4: also understanding the genomic. 147 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: Sequencing that's going on. 148 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 4: They were able to turn around a sample and diagnose 149 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 4: the kind of avian flu in seven hours in Cambodia, right, 150 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 4: So they're doing great work. 151 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: We need to do that globally. 152 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 4: So if you're saying what keeps me up at night, 153 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 4: it's things that are respiratory viruses that spread easily that 154 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 4: can have high severity of disease, and avian flu unfortunately, 155 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 4: at least in some of the parts of the world, 156 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 4: can can have a mortality rate of fifty percent, right, 157 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 4: so high, you know, high mortality, something that's easy to transmit. 158 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 4: That so keeps us up at night. But just want 159 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 4: folks to know that you don't need to worry because 160 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 4: CDC is there doing its job. But we need to 161 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 4: sustain that work, right, We need the funding, we need 162 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 4: the infrastructure to be able to protect Americans here. We 163 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 4: have to be doing that work globally, right in Cambodi 164 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 4: or in other places, so we don't see those viruses 165 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 4: and plugs come here to the United States. 166 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 2: CDC has a broad global footprint, but it isn't everywhere 167 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 2: at all times, and we really rely on data sharing 168 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 2: between other countries. I wonder how you think about that 169 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 2: in a time of geopolitical conflict, particularly with China and 170 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 2: the wake of the pandemic, also with Russia. You know, 171 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 2: how do we ensure that we're still cooperating and sharing 172 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 2: data around the kinds of viruses that are being spotted 173 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:43,719 Speaker 2: in genomic sequencing. 174 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 3: Given those tensions. 175 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 4: Well, there's a couple of things. One, we're doing our 176 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 4: work here in the United States to understand what's happening 177 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 4: around the world. In terms of genomic sequencing. We actually 178 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 4: do wastewater and genomic sequencing at airports, and so we 179 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 4: both have travelers who are returning from international destinations they 180 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 4: can volunteer. So if you are returning from an international flight, 181 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 4: please plays volunteer to get your nose swabed. It helps 182 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 4: us understand what might be moving around the world. We 183 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 4: also do wastewater sampling at the airports as well, so 184 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 4: that gives us some information. Certainly, we have a lot 185 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:24,080 Speaker 4: of scientific diplomacy efforts around the world, and that's really important. 186 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 4: So I think we've all learned how interconnected we all 187 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 4: are through the pandemic, and we have to find ways 188 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:32,320 Speaker 4: to be able to share information and. 189 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:36,679 Speaker 1: In order to protect each other. So we'll keep up 190 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: those efforts. 191 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 4: You know, we just opened a regional office in Tokyo 192 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:44,079 Speaker 4: and Japan. We know that region of the world is 193 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 4: incredibly important to make sure we have visibility, so we're 194 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 4: doing more and more work to build up our efforts. Again, 195 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 4: why CDC needs to be an asset for this country 196 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:57,439 Speaker 4: to protect health right, to protect our national security. I 197 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:02,559 Speaker 4: think we all saw in COVID how a virus can 198 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:10,199 Speaker 4: destabilize our normalcy, and so needing to invest in that 199 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 4: security is incredibly important. And CDC being the quarterback of 200 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 4: that of that work. 201 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 2: So you're not overly concerned about scientific diplomacy being at 202 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 2: risk in this moment. 203 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:22,320 Speaker 4: Well, I think we always need to build more and 204 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 4: I think that is where I think we're doing a 205 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 4: lot of important efforts, and so I think it's important 206 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 4: for folks to understand that the CDC needs not just 207 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 4: do its work domestically, but do it globally. And of 208 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 4: course we have other partners who do that work. 209 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 2: It's a teep sport shuttling back domestically. Over the course 210 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 2: of the pandemic, plenty of polls told us that Americans 211 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 2: had lost some semblance of faith in the CDC or 212 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 2: lost trust. 213 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 3: You've come in out of time to rebuild that trust. 214 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 2: What's it going to take to really get Americans back 215 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 2: on board with the agency's recommendations again? 216 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, Well, pretty proud of CDC during my i think 217 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:07,440 Speaker 4: eight nine months that I've now been in the role. 218 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 4: I hope you have seen the CDC operate differently, communicating faster, 219 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:17,199 Speaker 4: more transparently, clearer, simple actionable guidelines that you can follow. 220 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 4: So transparency, I think is top of mind and making 221 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 4: sure that communication is simple. You'll see in the next 222 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 4: few weeks a complete overhaul of our web presence. It's 223 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:30,720 Speaker 4: a lot of information up there, not all of it 224 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:34,599 Speaker 4: is used on a daily basis. We really want to 225 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 4: focus people's attention on one of the most important things 226 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 4: they need to know. So you'll see a whole new 227 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 4: web presence from CDC in just the next few weeks here. 228 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 4: So transparency is certainly number one. But I'm also an 229 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 4: operational person by my nature, and I think a lot 230 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 4: of trust building is in delivering, not just saying the 231 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 4: words at the right time, but actually showing people showing 232 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 4: up in their community, helping them get access to a vaccine, 233 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:05,320 Speaker 4: get access to a test, protect folks from health threats, 234 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 4: whether it's you know, the fact I'm from North Carolina, 235 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 4: so I was very proud of North Carolina. Was the 236 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 4: folks who found the lead in apple sauce just a 237 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 4: few months ago. Right, show folks how public health is 238 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 4: working for them and that connect it to their real lives. 239 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 4: So it's operational execution every day, and then it's relationships. 240 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 1: We can't protect health alone. 241 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:32,679 Speaker 4: At the CDC is that you know, we have to 242 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 4: be the quarterback of that work. But that is that 243 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 4: is a team effort, not just across the US government 244 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 4: but private sector. 245 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 2: Right. 246 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 4: I think we all learned that and so make sure 247 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 4: we're maintaining and building relationships as we go. So that's 248 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 4: the the roadmap for me right, transparency, operations and relationships, 249 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 4: and we try to embed that in everything that we're doing. 250 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 2: There is a real deficit of public health workers in state, 251 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 2: in local health departments and beyond one that began pre 252 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 2: pandemic and was really exacerbated throughout that time. I mean, 253 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 2: how do you address that when when you're talking about 254 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:11,320 Speaker 2: building those partnerships you need boots on the ground and 255 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 2: those boots are fleeing. 256 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:18,679 Speaker 4: Well, I think there are some core capabilities for being 257 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 4: able to be ready to respond to health threats that 258 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 4: we need. Workforce is absolutely one of those, right. We 259 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 4: need folks who are trained to be able to be 260 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 4: deployed rapidly, that have the scientific expertise and you know, 261 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 4: actually CDC has a ton of training programs, and we 262 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 4: want to see those even expand more. I'm hopeful with 263 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 4: folks getting to know public health in a different way, 264 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 4: in a very real way, just like you know when 265 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 4: there were certain TV shows people went into pathology and 266 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 4: forensic pathology in a way. 267 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 1: So I'm hopeful. 268 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 4: You know, public health is cool, and so we hope 269 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 4: to see more young people coming into the field. 270 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: I think that will be great. 271 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:00,959 Speaker 4: But again it's not just the workforce need the underlying 272 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 4: data capacity and infrastructure to make that possible. We need 273 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 4: the diagnostic and lab capability make that possible. And you 274 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 4: need the infrastructure to do rapid response. Sure you need 275 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 4: the human beings, but you need the structures and response 276 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 4: capabilities to be able to do it. So we're very 277 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 4: focused in twenty twenty four. That is our top priority. 278 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 4: Being ready to respond with those core capabilities is a 279 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 4: lot of what we're trying to focus on in twenty 280 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 4: twenty four. 281 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 2: Shifting beyond COVID, I want to talk about rapid response 282 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 2: to another crisis, the opioid epidemic, which drug overdose is 283 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 2: broadly are taking more than one hundred thousand lives every year, 284 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 2: the vast majority. 285 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 3: Of them now from fentanyl. 286 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 2: This is a core part of CDC, but one that 287 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 2: people haven't been paying attention to, perhaps for a while. 288 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 3: Our new public health measures needed. 289 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 2: Is the treatment and prevention strategies that you've had, are 290 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 2: they been effective? 291 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 3: Do you need vaccines and treatments? 292 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 4: So I think in improving mental health is very much 293 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 4: a priority for us. If we had three priorities, one 294 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 4: is ready to respond, Number two is improving mental health 295 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 4: and specifically reducing overdoses and suicides, and then third supporting 296 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 4: young families. 297 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 1: So this is a big priority. 298 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 4: If we were the quarterback of readiness and response in 299 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 4: this space around overdoses, we're a critical but important team member. 300 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 3: Right. 301 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 4: There are a lot of folks in this space, particularly 302 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 4: on the government side, whether it's SAMSA or HERSA or 303 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 4: CMS at HHS doing this work. But what CDC specifically 304 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 4: brings is our ability to bring expertise, right, so data 305 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 4: that can really help folks understand what is happening in 306 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 4: their community because things are changing. So we made some improvements, 307 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 4: we gained some ground. Twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen, twenty nineteen, 308 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 4: we were seeing reductions in opioid overdoses, largely because we 309 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 4: were seeing changes and prescribing patterns related to the pills. 310 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 4: But then what happened, We saw a lot more fentanyl 311 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 4: come into the system. Again, our data showed that we 312 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 4: were having about the same number of overdoses, but the 313 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 4: ratio of those that were fatal overdoses were going up. 314 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 4: And this was we're seeing a lot of fentanyl mixed 315 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 4: into other kinds of substances, and it was in a 316 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 4: lot of our data. And then the evidence generation on 317 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 4: top of that that have allowed us to say, you know, 318 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 4: we have to shift again. We need to make sure 319 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 4: that we're responding to the kinds of crises we're seeing 320 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 4: right now. So we need to be connecting people to 321 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 4: care and recovery services when they're in the midst of 322 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 4: an overdose. 323 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: We know that that is the best practice. Those are 324 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 1: the kinds of things that CDC is investing in. 325 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 2: Do you anticipate that the rate is going to continue 326 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 2: to rise or is the plateau. 327 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 3: Here to stay? 328 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 4: So I would say we are the rate of increases slowing, 329 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 4: so that is good news. 330 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: I don't think we're quite ready to say yet that 331 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: it's plateau. 332 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:58,280 Speaker 4: But it is hard work to even get to us 333 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 4: slowing but I'm hopeful that we can continue to see that. 334 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 4: But we again, this is a team effort here, but 335 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 4: I think the data expertise that CDC can bring is 336 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,920 Speaker 4: part of the foundation here. I was just in Birmingham, 337 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 4: Alabama last week focused on seeing our the CDC investment there, 338 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 4: and we are able to support one of those best 339 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 4: practices that links people to care. Right, great work going 340 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 4: on in the emergency rooms and with treatment providers, but 341 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 4: they were siloed, right, And so one of the ways 342 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 4: public health can help is be that glue and that 343 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 4: intermediary between again using our data to help the right 344 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 4: populations make sure they're getting those linkages here. 345 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 2: There's been a lot of capital that's come from settlements 346 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:49,399 Speaker 2: with pharmaceutical companies and distributors around the opioid epidemic, but 347 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,719 Speaker 2: concerns that that capital isn't being distributed to those who 348 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 2: have been impacted directly. Is there a better way that 349 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 2: the US could be in state and local health departments 350 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 2: could be appropriating those dollars to more directly aid the 351 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 2: work that you're describing. 352 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:06,919 Speaker 4: Well, I think we definitely want those settlement dollars to 353 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 4: go to the evidence based practices that we see and 354 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 4: to use some of the CDC data to make sure 355 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,399 Speaker 4: it's going to the pockets and populations that we know 356 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 4: are at highest risk. So I think there are a 357 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:21,120 Speaker 4: number of states who are really working hard on this, 358 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 4: but I think we can do even more. So stay 359 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 4: tuned as we do even more work to give more guidance, 360 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 4: particularly around those settlement dollars, help folks know this is 361 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 4: a good investment effective, Maybe this is lower value. Maybe 362 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 4: don't think about those kinds of effort. So stay tuned 363 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 4: for more. 364 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:41,200 Speaker 3: Well, stay tuned. You mentioned Birmingham. 365 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,160 Speaker 2: The week you were in Birmingham was the same week 366 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 2: that we saw the University of Alabama at Birmingham decide 367 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 2: to stop offering IVF treatments as it examines a ruling 368 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 2: from the State Supreme Court around the personhood of an embryo. 369 00:18:56,040 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 2: I wonder how you see that decision affecting parents across 370 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 2: the country who are hoping to get pregnant, have a family, 371 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 2: and are what's the CDC looking for in the data 372 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 2: from here on out about that impact? 373 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:12,919 Speaker 4: Well, first, you know, our third area of focus is 374 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:15,920 Speaker 4: supporting young families and certain you know, chief among them 375 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 4: is making sure that women have access to reproductive health 376 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 4: services and the range of those. It's really important gets pregnant, 377 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:24,719 Speaker 4: when she's ready to get pregnant, that she has a 378 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 4: healthy pregnancy, and a ton of CDC work going into 379 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 4: making sure healthy pregnancy as well as postnatal health as well, 380 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:37,960 Speaker 4: and so look, making sure folks have that range of 381 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 4: health services is really important. We do continue to track 382 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 4: birth outcomes and health status of mom, and we support 383 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 4: maternal mortality reviews and have for quite some time in 384 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 4: forty four states and actually just to put a plug in, 385 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 4: we are expanding that to every jurisdiction. So we hope 386 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 4: to have maternal mortality reviews in every state. And we 387 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 4: do that because we need to understand root causes of 388 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:08,119 Speaker 4: why moms are dying related to childbirth, and what we 389 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 4: have found is eighty percent of them are preventable and 390 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 4: so we can do better. We have the best practices, 391 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:16,920 Speaker 4: we have the data, so again I think that's where 392 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 4: CDC and our data can. 393 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:20,360 Speaker 1: Really really shine. 394 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:24,159 Speaker 4: But again important to have that full range of reproductive 395 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 4: health services so that mom can be healthy. 396 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 2: And maybe that figure of eighty percent preventable deaths of mom, 397 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 2: as I understand that that's from twenty seventeen to twenty nineteen. 398 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:38,399 Speaker 2: I believe so pre pandemic, pre the overturning of Roe v. 399 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:39,040 Speaker 3: Wade. 400 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,679 Speaker 2: Are you tracking that data in the wake of Roe v. 401 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 2: Wade And if so, what are you seeing there? 402 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 4: Well, we definitely continue to track data, but I don't 403 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:49,120 Speaker 4: think yet we're at that place where we can compare 404 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 4: pre and post. I think we're still getting in that 405 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 4: data right now. So again, stay tuned place where CDC 406 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 4: I think, just continues to be having that underlying data 407 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 4: expertise that can bring to bear to these issues. 408 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,359 Speaker 2: Moving quickly on data was one of the command dates 409 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 2: of your predecessor, former director Weilenski, So excited to see 410 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 2: what data comes and you'll have. 411 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:13,920 Speaker 3: To share with all of us here. 412 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:19,160 Speaker 2: Wanted to switch to maybe the buzziest subject in healthcare 413 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 2: right now, which is weight loss and ozempic just because 414 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,959 Speaker 2: CDC plays a different role here. You track the obesity 415 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 2: epidemic and play a role in terms of behavioral changes 416 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 2: and equity changes. But what do you make of the 417 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 2: ozembic craze and what role can CDC play here. 418 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 4: Well, we're at the very beginning of this, so I 419 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 4: think this is going to play out in a bunch 420 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,119 Speaker 4: of different different ways. But you know, we continue to 421 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:47,960 Speaker 4: track data and I think we're going to see what 422 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:52,360 Speaker 4: impacts it will have. And you know, is this going 423 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 4: to be a medicine that someone is on for a 424 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 4: long period of time? Is this something that is six 425 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,119 Speaker 4: months to two years or is this a forever? And 426 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,160 Speaker 4: then what impact does that have on their underlying health overall? 427 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 4: Lots of questions don't have a lot of answers, at 428 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,840 Speaker 4: least from the CDC side, Yet I know others are 429 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:10,920 Speaker 4: looking at it this from their own vantage points, whether 430 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:16,160 Speaker 4: it's a payment issue or an equity issue. So more 431 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,879 Speaker 4: to come on this as we continue. Again, this is 432 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:23,399 Speaker 4: why I hope folks understand CDC's important role that we 433 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:26,919 Speaker 4: can play in that data and expertise and then you know, 434 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 4: just looking at. 435 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 1: The data to be like, what are the best practices here? 436 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:33,440 Speaker 4: So too soon to weigh in yet, but we will 437 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 4: definitely be tracking and understanding how these things will impact obesity, 438 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:40,159 Speaker 4: heart disease, diabetes as we go forward. 439 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 2: Beyond tracking the data, is there a world in which 440 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 2: CDC would would push for greater utilization of the products. 441 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 4: Potentially it depends with the data shows right again, and 442 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 4: I will say these could be medicines that work well 443 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:57,160 Speaker 4: for others, it doesn't work for everyone. So I think 444 00:22:57,240 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 4: we'll never get away from sort of the tried and 445 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 4: true things that we have worked on in terms of 446 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 4: overall healthy habits and lifestyle changes and others. So, you know, 447 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 4: So I think OBCD is always going to be a 448 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:15,639 Speaker 4: multifaceted challenge for everyone and so, but this is what 449 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 4: it may be another tool, but I think jury is 450 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:20,680 Speaker 4: still out on that data is still to be collected. 451 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 2: Looking forward to seeing that data too. We are in 452 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 2: an election year and we're here in our Washington bureau. 453 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:34,119 Speaker 2: It's an interesting year for you because should former President 454 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 2: Donald Trump succeed, that could mean potentially none for you 455 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 2: and your role. 456 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 3: You also will be the first. 457 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 2: CDC director to face Senate confirmation next year. I mean, 458 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 2: how are you thinking about the Senate confirmation, the presidency 459 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,160 Speaker 2: and what does that leave you wanting to accomplish given 460 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:53,240 Speaker 2: there's potentially a tenuous road ahead. 461 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 4: Well, I'm not thinking about it in that way obviously. 462 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,440 Speaker 4: I'm thinking about, you know, a four and a half 463 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 4: five year horizon here to be able to do our work. 464 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:05,640 Speaker 4: But I also know that we build relationships on both 465 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 4: sides of the aisle. We're doing this work. This is 466 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 4: about data and evidence and investment and protecting this country 467 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 4: no matter who the president or party is. 468 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: At the top. 469 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 4: I'd love to be able to continue in my job. 470 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:24,399 Speaker 4: And we're definitely cultivating relationships trying to understand issues on 471 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:26,639 Speaker 4: both sides of the aisle, of course, and I think that 472 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 4: already we are making a fair amount of progress. So 473 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,880 Speaker 4: I look forward to being able to share what we've 474 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:38,240 Speaker 4: done with the Senate when I go up for confirmation 475 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 4: next year. 476 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:41,399 Speaker 2: Any specific goals through the end of the year that 477 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:42,879 Speaker 2: you're trying to accomplish. 478 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 4: Absolutely, So we're focused on three areas as I mentioned 479 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:49,400 Speaker 4: that readiness and response and making sure that core infrastructure 480 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:51,119 Speaker 4: is ready. I can't do it alone, though, This is 481 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 4: where I do need Congress's help to make sure we're 482 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:57,920 Speaker 4: continuing to invest in data, in lab in our response capability. 483 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 4: There are some authorities that SEE does not have that. 484 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:05,199 Speaker 4: Other response agencies across the government do that. We you know, 485 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 4: things that we can solve together by reauthorizing papas and 486 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 4: some other pieces of legislation, so that, for one, you 487 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 4: heard about OPIO the overdoses and suicide reductions and supporting 488 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,240 Speaker 4: young families. I definitely want to see make sure we're 489 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 4: maintaining our vaccination rates in our kids. Maternal mortality we 490 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 4: also touched on. So we have a lot going on. 491 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:30,199 Speaker 4: And then I'd say there's internal work at CDC, like 492 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:33,200 Speaker 4: we have been working really hard to be different, and 493 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 4: I hope you're you're seeing some of that. Some of 494 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 4: that internally facing work isn't always seen, but the communicating 495 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 4: better and differently, but also. 496 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:42,399 Speaker 1: Just operating as one team. 497 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 4: Often we were very disease focused, so teams would sit 498 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 4: pretty siloed, and sometimes our budget reinforces those silos. 499 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:52,400 Speaker 1: So we're really. 500 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 4: Trying hard to work to plan as one team, to 501 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 4: execute as one team, to make decisions as one team, 502 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:02,680 Speaker 4: so that that's a newer space. But I'm really proud 503 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:04,640 Speaker 4: of where the team has headed. So all those things 504 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 4: are happening this year, but you can't do things in 505 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 4: just one year. This is a sustain has to be 506 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 4: a sustained effort to get real change within an organization. 507 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 4: So I'm looking forward to it another four years. 508 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 2: The last day of the former director Vallenski, I was 509 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 2: with her in Atlanta, and she said the most difficult 510 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,919 Speaker 2: thing about her job was the way politics had affected it, 511 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 2: and it made it really hard to do what she 512 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 2: needed to do as CDC director. Do you think we're 513 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 2: still in that moment where politics is affecting public health 514 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 2: and how is that affecting you and your capacity to serve? 515 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:39,120 Speaker 3: Well? 516 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 4: You know, look, I led the COVID response in North Carolina, 517 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 4: purple state. I worked for a Democratic governor, but we 518 00:26:45,119 --> 00:26:47,960 Speaker 4: had a super majority of Republicans in our legislature, and 519 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 4: I was really proud of how we navigated the pandemic 520 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 4: where we got ninety nine percent of our seniors vaccinated. 521 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 4: The governor was you know, we never had a place 522 00:26:55,840 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 4: where he was stripped of emergency powers. There was mutual 523 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:04,359 Speaker 4: respect there and that is what I bring to the job. 524 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:07,640 Speaker 4: I do think also time heals, and I'm hopeful that 525 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 4: as we're moving into a different place, folks can see 526 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 4: we're focused on learning those lessons that we're trying to 527 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 4: be the asset that this country deserves and needs to be. 528 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:19,920 Speaker 4: But it does mean we had to change at CDC, 529 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 4: and I hope folks are recognizing that work as we 530 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 4: go forward. So I think we are in a different moment. 531 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 4: But I also recognize, and this has been true for 532 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 4: the life of CDC, the folks who fund us are 533 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 4: elected officials, right, and so that will always be an 534 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 4: element of our work, and they represent their communities, and 535 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:46,400 Speaker 4: communities have different perspectives on how to think about protecting health, 536 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:48,960 Speaker 4: and I think that's fine for us to have that dialogue. 537 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 1: But we're going to stay. 538 00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:52,120 Speaker 4: Focused on the evidence that we can bring on the 539 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 4: tools that can save people's lives, and I think that's 540 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:56,159 Speaker 4: where we can get consensus.