A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it
answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.
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January 12, 2021 - Global - 89,400,000/1,900,000; USA - 22,500,000/375,100 4400 deaths today John Mascola working with David Ho to determine the possibility that the UK (N501Y; B.1.1.7) and/or the RSA mutants evade the antibodies induced by vaccines. According to Ho, the RSA mutants are much more troublesome in that they do not eliminate the protection of vaccine induced antibodies, but they definitely decrease by 2 to 3-fold their potency. David is now working on studying the UK mutant. Stay tuned. The next 4 weeks will be determined by whether the large Southern, upper Mid-West, Mid-Atlantic and North-East metros will be able to contain the rapid accelerating viral spread or have the prolonged log phase followed by the high plateau of LA (now entering month 3). Deb 1. Reporting has stabilized and we have returned to the rapid pre-thanksgiving rate of cases as the current resurgence moves into the populous states from CA to TX to FL : cases are up 7% from last week's same time period. 2. Nearly all METROs over 500K residents is deteriorating. - even those that had been stable now have rising cases slides 7-45: NYC area is now reached cases greater than the Spring surge Throughout "the 2019 flu season from Sept. 29 to Dec. 28, the CDC reported more than 65,000 cases of influenza nationwide," while "during the same period last year, the agency reported 1,016 cases." IV> > wrote: • Had discussion with Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance of the UK regarding their mutant and their vaccine program. They confirmed that the mutant is spreading widely in UK and other EU countries and also that there is no increase in virulence of escape from vaccine-induced antibodies. They also mentioned that they are more concerned about the RSA variant (mutants). • Did Fireside Chat with Barbara Bush on "Future Forum for Preparedness" (her Global Health Corps) Had discussion with Azar, Pence, and the OWS crew about vaccine rollout. We will as of tomorrow (announce at the Governor's call) that we are changing our rollout strategy. We are going to be more flexible and not strictly wedded to the ACIP/CDC guidance of Phase 1a. We should continue that, but move on the people >65 years old and people 16 (or 18) to 64 with underlying conditions Am communicating with Stanley Tucci. He has heard through the media that I make Tympani:
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January 13, 2021 - Global - 90,100,000/1,900,000; USA - 22,700,000/379,000 The surge continues. Could this be that we are dealing with our own highly contagious variant, but we do not realize it since the CDC sequencing surveillance has not been very comprehensive as has the UK surveillance? See below 1. Reporting has stabilized and we have returned to the rapid prethanksgiving rate of cases as the current resurgence moves into the populous states from CA to TX to FL : cases are up 7% from last week's same time period, as CA improves, the high population states of TX and FL will surge and the fatalities will increase, many states are reaching 0.2% rates per population deaths COVID-19 Cases per 100K by Race/Ethnicity in the United States, Mar 1, 2020 -- Jan 10, 2021 : current surge impacting Native Americans >white > hispanic >> black Incident Cases per LOOK Week received by COC American dian Alaskan Mattye, Non-Hispanic i Agian/Pacitic Islander, Won-bMapanic WB Dlack, Mor-Blipparre, @Hapanic ie White, Mon-Hispanke cor ond dear cea Bor ag do iment. 2. Nearly all METROs over 500K residents is deteriorating. - even those that had been stable now have rising cases slides 15-18: NYC area is now reached cases greater than the Spring surge Trump impeached for 2nd time! Several Republicans vote in House for impeachment. Unlikely to come to trial in Senate until after inauguration. Biden does not want distraction from his 100 days agenda. Had zoom call with President of Ecuador - President Lenin Moreno Garces. We discussed the situation in Ecuador, vaccines and a whole bunch of questions that he had. Seems like a very smart person. I promised to advocate for equitable availability of vaccines throughout the world including Ecuador. Had Zoom call with Biden team - (Marcella Nunez-Smith, David Kessler, Rochelle Walensky, Vivek Murthy, Connolly Keigler and Maju Varghese). David led discussion regarding the inauguration. Originally there was supposed to be 250 people on the platform 6 feet apart ()POTUS and VP and Family, supreme court justices, leaders of Congress. 6 feet apart, all masked, all tested. Then then wanted 29,000 on the West Front. Maju Varghese was operationally responsible for arrangements. These 29,000 were cut down to 2000 by David (who is overall responsible for arrangements). The meeting today was to determine if we were OK with this. We all (Marcella, Rochelle, Vivek) voted that there should be no one on the West Front. I made the argument that some of the GOP Congressmen could make trouble by not wearing masks the way they refused when the Capitol was attacked and they were crowded in a room. Also, if someone gets infected, the press will jump on us. David will bring this back to Biden and Klain. Had regular every 2 weeks call with Bill Gates - Bill and Trevor Mundel know about the issue with the mutations that David Ho is working on. We discussed working together to track them as well as using Gates money to jump-start the development of mRNA vaccines to match the mutations (B.1.1.7 variant) with the N501Y mutation. We need to be ready to respond Front Page Story of Italian Magazine "I Love Sicilia" SKM_C754e2101131 7230.pdf Some Black Muslims accusing me of trying to experiment on Blacks. He mistakenly (deliberately) is ignoring that I, Pence, Biden, Harris have all gotten vaccinated. He is saying that Blacks would be the herd immunity that would protect whites: Beyond Tuskegee: Targeting of Black people for Covid-19 vaccine By Anisah Muhammad, Contributing Writer On January 10, Student Min. Muhammad, a researcher, scholar and author, delivered the Nation of Islam's Sunday address at Mosque Maryam, titled, "Beyond Tuskegee: Why Black People Must Not Take the Experimental Covid-19 Vaccine." "Why beyond Tuskegee? The vaccine mafia who want Black people to be the first injected with this experimental vaccine have centered the Tuskegee experiment in their narrative, most prominently Dr. Fauci. Let's say we get 75 percent, 80 percent of the population vaccinated," Dr. Fauci said on Dec. 9. "If we do that, if we do it efficiently enough over the second quarter of 2021, by the time we get to the end of the summer, i.e., the third quarter, we may actually have enough herd immunity protecting our society that as we get to the end of 2021, we can approach very much some degree of normality that is close to where we were before." As of July 1, 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that 76.3 percent of Americans are White. 3,000,000/383,400 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in the U.S. oNO hl HT he iL I I ST AAA TTT gery ae HI RO ra 1s EL en 0 Day Mowing Avoraga 2020/2021 ome 7 Oy Moving Avorage Me Oak: Bob Woodward came to my house tonight to deliver the transcripts of the tapes of his interviews of me for his book "Rage". He said that it would help me with the writing of my book, He really wanted to come over and tape an interview with me about my current dealing with Biden. I explained the interactions with Biden (see above). Nothing controversial; however, it was clear why he wanted to come over. He is writing yet again another book. We met outside in the cold due to COVID-19 I wrote a belated birthday note to Joan Baez (her birthday was Jan.9, 1941). I had forgotten due to recent events at the Capitol, and so I wrote her a note apologizing. She wrote back: "Of course I accept!. There was a postcard circulating in Frace under a liberal administration in the eighties, "nous sommes tous dans la merde". We are all in the shit. I don't speak French anymore, but the post card stands out. Yes, we are the same age! You are a rock star and I am a badass, and age is very much beside the point. Thinking of you. Joan" PRESS: WPIX TV New York City with Dan Mannarino; Children's Hour Public Radio; WMBD radio and WYZZ TV (Central Illinois); The Children's Hour Public Radio;
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January 14, 2021 - Global - 90,800,000/2,000,000; USA - 23,000,000/383,400 Note from David Ho. Mutants are becoming very troublesome: Here is an overview first. Will share detailed organized data in a couple of days. I am available to chat at a mutually convenient time. Patrick Vallance from the UK is reaching out to me to get preliminary results as well. We have constructed SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses that contain all 8 mutations in the UK variant and all 9 mutations in the SA variant. In addition, we have also constructed pseudoviruses that contain each of the 16 mutations (501Y mutation is shared) individually. This entire panel has been tested on a collection of ~30 spikespecific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies, 20 convalescent plasma, and 18 vaccinee sera (Moderna and Pfizer). First, both UKdelta8 and SAdelta9 showed increased replication capacity in vitro, which is consistent with their increased transmissibility in vivo. Overall, the impact on virus neutralization is profound, with the SA variant being worse than the UK variant. It is quite clear that these two variants could now resist several classes of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies already used in the clinic or still in development, and in most cases we understand which of the mutations are conferring the resistance. This information is particularly relevant to companies like Lilly and Regeneron, which have approved clinical products that are severely affected by these results. In addition, a large majority of convalescent plasma samples showed an appreciable loss in activity against the new variants, suggesting re-infection may be more likely when confronted with either of these two strains. Finally, we also observed a significant impact on vaccinee sera in that every serum sample tested showed a substantial loss in neutralizing activity against the SA variant, whereas the loss in activity against the UK virus is not as large or as universal. Again, we believe the latter findings should be shared promptly with the field, because these new strains threaten the effectiveness of the current vaccines. Importantly, the strategy that the UK is now contemplating (giving one dose and delaying the second dose) is quite dangerous in that one or two additional critical mutations on top of either strain (under suboptimal antibody concentrations induced by one shot without a booster) could render current monoclonal antibodies and vaccines useless. Our data are germane to that debate. Our data are more or less complete, except for live virus neutralization results. We are still waiting for the UK and SA to be distributed by the US government to our lab. We expect to have the live viruses soon, and could generate the confirmatory results in about 7-10 days after receiving the viruses. -23,200,000/387,300 -23,400,000/391,000 • Received the Ken Shine Prize in Health Leadership from the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School • Briefed the Congresssional Blue Dog (moderate Dems) and Moderate GOP members led by Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) and Rep John Katko (R-NY) • Met with Rep. Espaillat (D-NY) who want me to meet with a contingent from the Dominican Republic. I will do so, but after the inauguration • Got call from Beth Cameron (NSC) informing me that Biden want me to be the Head of WHO delegation and to announce on January 21 (4:10 AM ET) that the USA is back in the WHO. • Biden give big speech (7:15 PM) announcing $1.9 trillion budget package including $415 Billion for COVID response PRESS: KSEE24 TV (NBC Affiliate in Fresno, CA)
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January 15, 2021 - Global - 91,500,000/2,000,000; USA - 23,200,000/387,300 Had Zoom briefing of Biden and Harris to prep them for the speech that Biden will give at 3:45 PM on the vaccine rollout plan. We briefed him at 2:30 to 3:30 and he and Harris (only he spoke) gave briefing to the Nation. Biden announced today that he has asked Francis Collins to stay on. I had some influence on this. Eric Lander will be head of OSTP. Considerable concern about the new mutants in UK, Brazil and especially South Africa - David Ho is studying this carefully and finds that the UK variant results in a 2-fold decrease in ability of vaccine-induced antibodies to neutralize. For the South African variant it is 4 to 5-fold decrease. Had Zoom with David and John Mascola and others and David went over the Mutant data. Bottom line is that against the UK mutant the vaccine (Moderna)-induced sera is weakened by 2-fold; however, against the RSA (and by extrapolation although did not look the Brazilian) mutant the sera are diminished by 5-fold) MAJOR IMPLICATIONs for vaccine development and for policy such as letting people into the country PRESS: Ebro in the Morning Radio Show in NYC; Today Show NBC TV with Craig Melvin; CTV - Canadian TV - Sunday Show (Ian Wood); WUSA TV Jan Jeffcoat;
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2021-01-16 00:00
Anthony S. Fauci
January 16, 2021 - Global - 92,300,000/2,000,000; USA - 23,400,000/391,000 Confirmed Cases (Thousands) ay Fe Fa is} 1" New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in the U.S. 'i HoT PPPS PF tHE an Dicily I ye 2020/2021 ome 7 Oy Moving Avorage en 0 Day Mowing Avoraga Jeff Zients gave me the entire Biden plan to look at and approve - I mentioned to him in detail the recent data from David Ho. We will set up a call for Sunday with the Biden team (doctors) since now several teams such as Michel Nussenzweig, Jess Bloom and others are finding the same thing as Ho. I want the call on Sunday since Michel is publishing his data in BioRx on Monday. I will bring John Mascola on the call with me to describe with some slides. Also, I have pushed with JZ to get Ned Sharpless re-appointed as NCI Director otherwise his resignation letter will go into effect on January 20. I asked JZ to get in touch with Ron Klain and re-appoint hi. JZ called me back this evening and said he spoke to Ron and Ned will stay as NCI Director. Post-holiday surge seems to be stabilizing. See Deb's comment below: 1. For the first time in weeks all indicators except fatalities are flat or declining. This suggests with full data triangulation that we have reached in most of the country the post Holiday peak and declines should continue to follow with continued mitigation. Testing rates have resumed to pre Holiday levels as for the first time week over week cases have declined (SLIDE 4) from last week's high - but testing for asymptomatic cases must increase to sustain the gains. Finding the containing the silent spread will be key to holding the current gains 2. CA is stabilizing at a high plateau and if AZ, FL, TX, NY can hold at their current plateau or early declines we could see National improvement beginning next week and improvement in fatality rates in 30 days but not without reaching 450K in 4 weeks and 500K fatalities over the next 8 weeks based on current case load and rate of rises Confirmed Cases (Thousardds) au New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in the U.S. 2020/2021 Doty ee Daty Mowing Avarage -23,700,000/395,000 en 0 Day Mowing Avoraga 3. Most of the rapidly rising metros appear to be reaching peak or at a high plateau and some like Chicago and NYC are beginning to decline. The key will be continued aggressive mitigation 4. New COVID hospital admissions are stable at a high plateau nationally but if the larger states and metros can hold or improve the rates should steadily decline if we can keep everyone focused on vigilance as we vaccinate PLEASE SEE SLIDE 3 SHOWING ICU BED OCCUPACY - SHOWING CLEARLY THE PRIMARY CURRENT STATES WITH THE WINTER SURGE PRESS:
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January 17, 2021 - Global - 92,300,000/2,000,000; USA - 23,700,000/395,000 We may have reached the peak of the surge upon a surge 1. For the first time in weeks all indicators except fatalities are flat or declining. This suggests with full data triangulation that we have reached the post Holiday peak in most of the country and declines should continue with continued mitigation. These gains can be sustained and can accelerate if behavior change holds 2. Test positivity is declining. Testing rates have resumed to pre Holiday levels as for the first time week over week cases -23,800,000/397,000 1S have declined from last week's high - but testing for asymptomatic cases must increase to sustain the gains. Finding the containing the silent spread will be key to holding the current gains. 3. Cases are declining or stable across the country (down 8.8%) • John Mascola and I presented to JZ and the Biden medical team the results from David Ho's work on the UK and RSA mutants. (see above). We explained that this requires careful messaging since people would interpret incorrectly that this nullifies the vaccine which it does not. JZ has tasked me to write a 2-paragraph description to send to Biden tonight. I did so and now we have a meeting tomorrow AM to discuss possibility of travel restrictions from RSA and Brazil. PRESS: Meet the Press (NBC) with Chuck Todd; Che Tempo Che Fa Italian Sunday TV Show; MSNBC Lawrence O'Donnell
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January 18, 2021 - Global - 94,000,000/2,000,000; USA - 23,800,000/397,000 Zoom meeting at 7:30 AM with JZ and the team + Jake Sullivan - discussed the restrictions on travel to RSA, Brazil and perhaps other countries. Leaning towards requiring PCR 72 hrs before board to USA followed by Ag test upon boarding followed by Ag test within 3 days of landing + quarantine. Will present to Ron Klain and POTUS after inauguration. Deb Birx's next to last TF note: This is the last metro case analysis. We are seeing mostly significant improvements or major metros holding at a high plateau. I am worried about the 12 metros that are still increasing and one of them is DC. I walked some of the areas downtown on Sat while I was moving out of my State Dept office and there are major feeding tents set up around downtown for the workers and National Guard - these can be super spreading locations and the National Guard is from around the country including hotspots. National Guard troops must be tested and must be tested when returning but I worry we are creating a massive viral spreading event as troops deploy to DC and then return home and the co-mixing of local metro police with National Guard. That said by all indicators we are stabilizing as a country and improvements should continue. New hospital admissions are down across the country and is super spreading events can be managed we should continue to see improvements as more states will be able to utilize health personnel to support massive vaccination. On the personal level getting the elderly - the highest risk group over 75 - immunized is incredibly difficult. We have the entire family working to secure sites for my parents but you need to be tech savvy and able to constantly refresh sites and search multiple county and state websites. Then you have to be able to transport and move them to the vaccine sites. We think we may have secured a PG county option for this week but if elderly do not have tech support or outreach and transportation support this will be incredibly difficult for them. Deb COVID-19 Daily Report Reported on January 18, 2021 Sates ahead fo groups based on test positivity in the week ending Jan 13, 2021" AL, AR, AZ, CA, CT, FL. GA, DA, ID, IM, WS, ACF, Lali, OD, BAS, FeT, PHC, MEL, IN, BE, IL, MID, NY, 50, CO, DC, Ma, ME, Mi, A, Bi, WV, OH, OK, PA, SC, TM, TH, WA, Wl MN, OR, Al, Wer UT, VA, WV AR, Hi, MD, WT he 1. For the first time in weeks all indicators except fatalities are improving and are either flat at a high plateau or declining over 7 days. This suggests with full data triangulation that we have reached the post-Holiday peak in most of the country and declines should continue with continued mitigation. These gains can be sustained and can accelerate if behavior change holds and testing increases to find the asymptomatic cases to prevent community spread Had farewell conversation with Vice President Pence. I called up Marc Short to ask him to have the VP call me today since I was not sure that I would be able to attend (virtually) the last TF meeting this Tuesday. The VP called and we had a very touching and person discussion saying how much he respected me and how the TF would not have been able to accomplish what it did without me. He was very touched. I told him how important it was for his legacy that he acted with such dignity and resolve over the last days when he refused to go along with Trump's attempt to get him to overthrow the election results. WE parted by saying we will always be there for each other. Received material from Beth Cameron for my announcement on early AM of Jan. 21 that we will re-join the WHO. I will edit it and get it re-approved. Very nice that I have been chosen to be head of delegation to the WHA in Geneva (virtually) to make this announcement. Summary of some events over past few days/weeks: Jeff Zients calls me multiple times per day checking facts, etc. I brought up to him that it would be a good idea for continuity that he keep on Francis as NIH director since if he does not act to tear up the required letter of resignation, Francis automatically is gone and we have an acting (which would not be bad since Larry Tabak is great). Ned Sharpless is in the same boat as presidential appointee at NCI. And so I mentioned to Jeff that we should keep Ned on and he made it happen. And so, in fact I am responsible for keeping the NIH and NCI Directors in their jobs. A surprise is that Harold Varmus called me up and expressed great concern that Francis was staying on. He said many substantial members of scientific community (Bruce Alberts, Shirley Tilghman, etc) are quite concerned and feel that it is time for a change. I explained to Harold that this was probably Zar. temporary and related to need for continuity related to COVID-19 efforts. He is trying to get momentum to have this reversed. Harold has always felt that change is important PRESS: TNT "The Arena" with Cari Champion;
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January 19, 2021 - Received booster dose of Moderna vaccine today together with Francis Collins and Alex Azar. Said goodbyes to Alex and Brian Harrison (his COS). Alex described how terrible it was dealing with the White House people. He specifically mentioned Marc Short. He feels that Marc, Joe Grogan, and Deb. Birx undermined HHS. Deb Last e-mail: 1. The country is in a better place than we have been since before Thanksgiving. All indicators except fatalities are improving and are either flat at a high plateau or declining over 8 days. Monday represents weekend reporting but last night was the lowest case number since the beginning of Nov. Full data triangulation that we have reached the post Holiday peak in most of the country and declines should continue with continued mitigation. These gains can be sustained and can accelerate if behavior change holds and testing increases to find the asymptomatic cases to prevent community spread - we must find those asymptomatic cases to ensure new aggressive variants rapidly spread undetected Last coronavirus Task Force meeting. VP asked Ben Carson to start with a prayer. VP Pence saying goodbye and how proud he is of what the group has accomplished. He read a letter that he is sending to all of us thanking us. He also has chronicled the "accomplishments" of the TF and the government's efforts. He will send such a letter and the list of accomplishments to Biden. He thanked all of us sincerely and expressed multiple times how much of a privilege it was to work for us. He asked that we help the incoming Biden people in the transition (a little late!!!) Alex Azar warned that their work would be denigrated by the incoming group and their press people, but that is "natural". Alex delineated everything that he felt we did right. He spoke of our accomplishments in testing, PPE, etc. One would argue about that. Deb Birx spoke about how great it was in working with everyone. She spoke of trust and belief in your colleagues. Wow, this is interesting given how often she threw CDC under the bus and how she - 24,000,000/400,300 to Mar-a-Largo thanking me for and Marc Short were in disagreement on everything, and how she hated Brett Giroir and badmouthed him all the time saying that he always promised more than he could deliver. Brett Giroir praised the VP and said that the VP brought out the best in everyone. VP Pence asked me to say words. I praised him and also praised the VP's staff. I did not mention Marc Short and Katie Miller, but they knew I was referring to them. Bob Redfield praised the VP as well as Deb Birx. Pete Gaynor explained what a honor it was to work for the VP. VP then thanked a number of people including Jerome Adams, VP staff, Marc Short, Katie Miller and others, Ben Carson, Keith Kellog. VP signed off to a resounding round of applause! PRESS: The PBS Masters people have started filming in earnest for their documentary; interviewed by Adi Ignatius and others for the Harvard Business Review; NYT: As Fauci receives his second dose, he urges Americans to get vaccinated; CNN with Jake Tapper;
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January 20, 2021 - Global - 94,000,000/2,000,000; USA - 24,000,000/400,300 Inauguration Day! Trump refusing to attend inauguration and left with a flare that was very sparsely attended. Biden was at Mass as Trump flew off to Mar-a-Largo. Trump's speech was surrealistic talking about all the great accomplishments of his Presidency. He also strongly hinted that he will be back with a "movement". He is a very dangerous man!! I am preparing for my early AM speech to WHO Executive Board tomorrow. Beth Cameron has given me much leeway on the Speech (which her staff put together). Mutants of SARS-CoV-2 getting much play in the scientific "preprint" arena. Final papers will soon come out. We will put restrictions (requirement for pre - and post - flight testing + quarantine) from RSA. Will brief POTUS Biden tomorrow. Am still quite achy from vaccine booster shot from yesterday. Here are my remarks for WHO tomorrow early (4:00 AM) morning: Remarks of Dr. Anthony S. Fauci at Got a call from Jared Kushner from Air Force 1 on his way to Mar-a-Largo thanking me for what we did with COVID-19 Spectacular Inauguration speech by Biden! Poem by Amanda Gorman was amazing (she is 22 years old). Lady Gaga sang the national anthem; J-Lo sang, as did Garth Brooks. Biden hit the right tone. The speech was in my mind comparable to those of Lincoln, Kennedy, FDR -24,300,000/405,000 Quotes from speech: "Let us not lead by example of power, but by the power of example"; "We must end this uncivil war" PRESS: CNBC - Dr. Fauci to lead U.S. delegation at WHO meetings as Biden plans to reverse Trump withdrawal Published Wed, Jan 20 20218:41 AM EST Noah Higgins-Dunn@higginsdunn