A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it
answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.
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Sept. 13, 2021 - Global USA An article appeared today in The Lancet written by Phil Krause, Marion Gruber (FDA) and people from WHO. It was a bit of a revolt on the part of the FDA and WHO who wrote in the article that they do not believe there is enough scientific evidence to do boosters . This is clearly sour grapes on the part of the FDA who feel that they are being pressured to approve boosters. However, if they look at the data from the CDC as well as from Israel it will be very clear that boosters are needed and greatly enhanced the waning response from the original vaccine. Janet Woodcock is very upset that the FDA people did this without clearing the article through the usual channels. There seems to be a couple of camps forming now with one feeling they should not be boosters , mostly because the developing world does not have easy access to vaccines. I have been stressing that it is possible to do both , namely, you can provide boosts for your own citizens at the same time as providing doses of vaccine to low and middle income countries. In this regard the USA is making major contributions to getting doses to the developing world. This includes already distributing 130 million doses to 90 countries and providing 500 million doses between now and the first half of 2022. In addition we have given $4 billion to CoVAX. Furthermore, I am working with Jeff and the White House to plan a PEPFAR-like program to get doses to the developing world 400,000/662,600 PRESS: Taped "The Daily Show" with Trevor Noah - to air tomorrow; Newsy TV Interview;
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Sept. 14, 2021 Moderna presented to us (Medical Team + other interested parties) their data on the open label study involving the crossover from their phase three trial. Consistent with the data from Pfizer they see a waning of immunity particularly in association with the delta variant. This is another bit of data to argue for the booster program that we will soon roll out during the week of September the 20th. Had a very heated and intense Zoom discussion this evening with the medical team as well as people from CDC, FDA, and HHS - Key players among many were: Peter Marks, Janet Woodcock, Rochelle Walensky, Amanda Fine (CDC), Stephen Cha, David Kessler, Vivek Murthy, Leslie Dach, et al. The subject matter of the intense discussion was trying to align the FDA with the CDC in the interpretation of data from Israel regarding the safety and efficacy of a third shot booster dose. It is clear from the Israel data that there is waning immunity across all of the age groups not only for infection protection but also for protection against severe disease. The sticking point is that if the FDA pushes for approval of the third booster shot for all ages there is the question of a lack of a lot of data for safety among young individuals particularly in the context of myocarditis. The CDC , particularly in the person of Amanda Fine, was very concerned that the ACIP would balk at recommending for younger individuals the third dose because there was not enough safety data. As we all know Jeff is very much intense on getting this approval through. I would imagine that he would be OK with the approval now of doses down to around 30 or 40 years old with the stipulation that as soon as safety data comes in for younger people, we could approve that for all ages. We will continue the discussions over the next 24 to 36 hours. What was supposed to be 1/2 an hour meeting tonight turned out to be a 2 1/2 hour meeting. This subject is being intensely discussed throughout the community and into the media. The people who were involved in the Lancet article discussed above we're actually shooting from the hip without knowing anything about the Israeli data. It will become clear that they were completely off base as soon as the Israeli data becomes known to everyone. After the phone call I spoke to Jeff and explain what happened at the meeting. He seemed OK so long as we don't stall on the approval. PRESS: MSNBC - "Morning Joe"; ABC GMA Instagram with Tony Morrison; CNN "The Lead" with Jake Tapper; MSNBC - "All In" with Chris Hayes
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Sept. 15, 2021 - Global - 225,700,000/4,600,000; USA - 41,400,000/662,600 Confusion and controversy continues. There is a lot of discussion in the media about whether or not there's enough data to make a determination about giving boosters and at what age level to give them. The medical team feels pretty much in agreement that the FDA should approve . Waller; YouTube with : and Arthur Allen September 16, 2021 boosters down to about 30 to 40 year olds and go the rest of the way down to 18 years old after we get more safety data regarding myocarditis in the younger group. The media are having a ball in talking about imagined conflicts and disagreements between the FDA and the CDC. I keep insisting that I feel that a third shot boost should be part of the standard vaccine regimen and that a boost is not just the luxury but an integral part of the regiment. That is why I reject the concept that if protection against hospitalizations remains stable but infection rate is not protected by the vaccine that everything is OK. I believe that infection with mild to moderate disease is something that we should do whatever we can to prevent not only because it disrupts individuals and society but because of the problem of long COVID. The talking head docs on the outside all have their own opinion, many of whom have not seen the data that we have seen. The FDA's VRPAC will meet on Friday Sept. 17 and then all will be settled PRESS: Radio One Atlanta 107.9 FM - Beyonce Alowishus; Univision Radio "Santo Remedio" - Monse Medina; El Show de Erazno y Chokolata
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Sept. 16, 2021 - Today - 155,000 cases Had my every couple of weeks Zoom call with Chris Whitty (UK). Oatrick Vallance is usually on the calls, but was not on today. We discussed a number of items including the tension around booster shots that I have described above. The UK has decided that they will give boosters to everyone 50 years of age and older as well as to their health care providers and immunocompromised. They are going to wait and observe before they go any younger than 50 years of age also they will very unlikely be vaccinating children younger than 12 years old. This is in contrast to our plans to complete the clinical trials and vaccinate two as young as six months old . It is likely that we will have enough data to vaccinate children from 11 years old to five years old by the middle to end of October into early November. PRESS: Daily Telegraph - Nick Allen -print; Instagram with Jessica Waller; YouTube with Roland Martin "Unfiltered"; WTOP Radio with Mike Murillo KLN (Kaiser Health News):
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2021-09-17 00:00
Anthony S. Fauci
Sept. 17, 2021 Very important decisions made today at VRPAC meeting. They voted unanimously to approve booster shots for people 65 years of age and older as well as those with underlying medical conditions that put them at risk for severe disease as well as those with occupations that put them at risk for infection. This is going to be a very difficult communications challenge. We just got off a phone call with the medical team following the announcement of this decision by VRPAC. And it is clear that if you keep all these people in the loop even though it looks like it's very restrictive you're gonna have about 80% of the population that are eligible to be vaccinated will be getting that third boost. More later. Active severe cases (60+ actual numbers) Active severe cases (60+ per 100K) un-vax I vax without booster I with booster un-vax I vax without booster I with booster a 225 || 80 waerowrwr--s ° Pe in o1/o2z/21 01/03/21 __--01/o4/21__o1fos/2i1_--o1fo6/2i_--o1/o7/2i1_--or/os/2i_o1/o9/21 o1/o2z/21 01/03/21 __--or/oa/21_--or/os/2zi_--o1fosj2i_--o1fo7/2i_--orfos/21_01/o9/21 t+ableou é > k ep o PRESS: Univision TV "Despierta America"; MSNBC with Craig Melvin; White House Press conference;
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Sept. 19, 2021 Was on three Sunday shows today talking about the FDA decision (see below). As expected all of the questions related to what was perceived as confusion between what the Medical Group and the president said versus what the actual outcome of the meeting of the VRPAC was. I explained in all of the shows that we had always said that what we were talking about and what the president was talking about was a plan to be able to roll out boosters starting the week of September the 20th. We would be prepared to do it for everyone who is eligible. The fact that the recommendation from VRPAC only included people over 65 years old and those from 18 to 64 who either had an underlying condition that would give them a higher likelihood of severe outcome or individuals who because of their institutional or occupational status puts them at an increased risk of infection . As mentioned above this constitutes about 80% of the population . I emphasized in my interviews that this was not the end of the story and that over the next several weeks two months we might see an expansion of the recommendation. Jake Tapper did ask me weather I had received a booster always planning to receive a booster. Since I did not want to give away my medical history I was very vague in my answer saying only that I definitely will receive a booster but he equivocated about whether or not I had received a booster. Although I was discreet and politic in the interviews, I still believe that the VRPAC got it wrong since they do not understand that the end game is not just to prevent hospitalizations. However, I will not push this , but I will let it play out. Israel data keep coming in: Active severe cases I O°" 9 D'Wp DIN Un-vax I no booster I with booster D2201NN NX'? I VUDIA NX>? |TUDIA Dy I 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 PRESS: NBC "Meet the Press" with Chuck Todd; ABC "This Week" with Martha Raddatz; CNN "SOTU" with Jake Tapper.
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Sept. 20, 2021 - Over 2000 COVID deaths in USA yesterday I have to mention I had an extremely enjoyable interview with Bryant Gumbel (see below). I had not previously met him and I did not realize what an incredibly nice person he is. Just saying. Important day in the relaxation of prohibition on traveling to the United State. It was just announced that travelers from any foreign country can come to the United states provided they show proof of vaccination and are tested within 3 days before getting on the plane coming to the United states and submit themselves to contact tracing if necessary. This news was widely welcomed by countries such as the UK and others in the European Union. Had another important and somewhat contentious meeting with the medical team tonight. We were discussing the importance of having the ACIP be aligned with what the decision of the FDA was from last week. Rochelle indicated that she believed that the ACIP would be aligned with the FDA. However , in a friendly but firm manner, I challenged her and asked her what she herself would want to do and not to rely on being driven by the acip. The discussion went on until 10:45 PM. Jeff was again frustrated by the fact that he wanted Rochelle to lead the acip and not to be blindly led by the acip. He felt this way because he wanted to have an organized non confusing response to all of this. We all felt that we were in line until the meeting was over and Leslie Dach sent an email to Vivek and David indicating that Peter Marks from FDA just heard "iOS fauci@niaid.nih.gov> 0PM lurthy@hhs.gov cessler, David (HHS/IOS) ich@hhs.gov> A EDT /.D.Zients@who.eop.gov>, "Murthy, Vivek (HHS/OASH)" that the CDC and acip we're not going to accept the recommendation of FDA about providing boosters for those who's occupational or institutional status put them at an increased risk of infection. Peter got so frustrated that he said he will pull back that recommendation so that we don't get into a fight with the CDC. e-mails below:
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Sept. 21, 2021 - Global - 228,800,000/4,700,000; USA - 42,200,000/675,100 Discussions continue to go on trying to align the FDA and CDC. Concern is mostly centered around the risk of myocarditis in younger individuals . We finally got the FDA agreed to agree that their recommendation or authorization would be four people greater than 65 and then 18 to 64 for people at risk for severe disease due to underlying conditions and 18 to 64 for people at eg occupational or institutional risk with the statement that 18 to 30 would be a permissive recommendation meaning that they should consult their physician. This is something that the CDC Advisory Board (ACIP) could probably live with . However, we shall see what happens tomorrow and in subsequent days. Jeff has been on the phone with me multiple times per day asking me to continue to mentor Rochelle such that the CDC /ACIP does not veer too far off the FDA recommendations and our ultimate intent. She is really very good and I love her but she just does not have enough experience to steer CDC and the direction that we all feel let you go. I must make a point that over the last few weeks more intensively over the last few days I have been stressed beyond the limit particularly compounded by the dark web far right maniacs continuing to attack me in the area of gain of function research, accusations of lying to the Congress under oath, and a variety of other conspiratorial accusations. Tonight I went to a reception at the temporary home of the British ambassador to the United states on 2934 Edgevale terracet, northwest. it was an honor of Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the UK and foreign minister Elizabeth Truss. It was a great reception and I got the opportunity to chat with the Prime Minister who clearly knew who I was and was very complimentary to the way I would have been leading the COVID-19 response effort in the United states we chatted for a bit and I told him how pleased I was with the relationship that we had developed with his medical people Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance with whom I have a zoom call about every two to three weeks. The next couple of days I'm going to be interesting to see how the situation rolls out with the booster plan
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Sept. 22, 2021 We continue to have 2000 deaths per day !!! Nice op Ed in the Post today. Written by Jeff and Tony Blinken announcing that the USA will donate an additional 500 million doses a vaccine (Pfizer) to the developing world superimposed up on the 160 million those says they have already given 290 countries and the 500 million doses that they will be distributing. The ultimate total will be about 1.5 billion doses with more to come. Wonderful e-mail from King Holmes. See below: