Interview request: COVID-19 as we head toward winter

Ok V/R, Naweed Lemar U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Direct: 202-260-6962 Mobile: 202-816-2427 Email: naweed.lemar@hhs.gov From: Leifman, Laura (NIH/NIAID) [E] <laura.leifman@nih.gov> Sent: Friday, October 30, 2020 9:19 AM To: Billet, Courtney (NIH/NIAID) [E] <billetc@niaid.nih.gov>; Conrad, Patricia (NIH/NIAID) [E] <conradpa@niaid.nih.gov>; NIAID OCGR NSWB <NIAIDOCGRNSWB@mail.nih.gov> Cc: Routh, Jennifer (NIH/NIAID) [E] <jennifer.routh@nih.gov> Subject: RE: Covid -- WashPost request This is in clearance now. From: Conrad, Patricia (NIH/NIAID) [E] <conradpa@niaid.nih.gov> Sent: Friday, October 30, 2020 6:51 AM To: NIAID OCGR NSWB <NIAIDOCGRNSWB@mail.nih.gov> Cc: Billet, Courtney (NIH/NIAID) [E] <billetc@niaid.nih.gov>; Routh, Jennifer (NIH/NIAID) [E] <jennifer.routh@nih.gov> Subject: FW: Covid -- WashPost request Please send for asap clearance. Hoping to do today From: Auchincloss, Hugh (NIH/NIAID) [E] <auchinclossh@niaid.nih.gov> On Behalf Of Fauci, Anthony (NIH/NIAID) [E] Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2020 11:49 AM To: Billet, Courtney (NIH/NIAID) [E] <billetc@niaid.nih.gov>; Conrad, Patricia (NIH/NIAID) [E] <conradpa@niaid.nih.gov> Subject: FW: Covid -- WashPost request From: Dawsey, Joshua <josh.dawsey@washpost.com> Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2020 11:48 AM To: Fauci, Anthony (NIH/NIAID) [E] <afauci@niaid.nih.gov> Subject: Covid -- WashPost request Hi Dr. Fauci, Josh Dawsey from the Washington Post again. Hope you are well. My colleague Yasmeen Abutaleb and I are working on a story about what the pandemic is likely to look like this fall/winter -- and what the administration should be doing about it. Wonder if you could answer a few questions. 1. Have you briefed the president on the spike in cases in recent weeks, and have you prescribed any course of action that you think is best to contain the virus? If so, what is the action? 2. What are you projecting as far as cases and deaths this fall? 3. In what ways is the country better prepared to handle this wave of cases? In what ways is the country worse prepared to handle this wave of cases? I'd love to get as granular as possible here. 4. Why does the coronavirus task force meet less frequently than it once did? Do you have access to high-level decision makers at the White House as you once did? 5. What did you think of Mark Meadows comment that we can't control the virus? Was that good public health messaging? What about the president's comments that covid is overblown and that coverage of covid -- and the dangers of the disease itself -- will recede after Election Day? 6. Have you warned the White House or the campaign, besides your public comments, about the dangers of these large rallies? 7. Have you spoken to anyone on the Biden transition team about controlling the pandemic, should he win? 8. Do you believe the president is getting good health advice from Dr. Scott Atlas? We are told you have repeatedly disagreed with Atlas. Is that true? If so, why? 9. We are told that you wanted to appear on television in upcoming weeks to warn the country about the disease this winter, but were scuttled from doing some appearances. Is that true? If so, do you know why? If you have a second, I'm also happy to talk by phone. Just figured you might be busy. I'm at 843-267-6747. PRESS: News of the day dominated by press indicating me versus the POTUS and the story that he is going to do a purge even if he is not re-elected and that the purge will start with me. Front page in Washington Post; Politico: Politics Trump threatens to fire Fauci ‘after the election’ By Lev Facher @levfacher Jimmy Kimmel: [On Trump casually alluding that he is thinking of firing Dr. Fauci] “Firing Dr. Fauci, that’s a smart move. He’s the only good person in the whole Administration. But go ahead and fire him, because a group of people who sell nightcrawlers out of their vans started a chant.”