Diary Prequel Package — page 375

stressing that contact tracing with appropriate isolation if a contact develops sxs will prevent an outbreak from occurring. Oct. 2, 2014 - Media frenzy continues. The Texas patient continues to dominate the news. The media is really pouncing on the Texas hospital for dropping the ball in sending the patient home with Z-Pack even though the patient explicitly told the nurse that he had just arrived from Liberia and had sxs of Ebola. Also, the system is being criticized because they are unable to remove the waste from the hospital (license and contract issues) as well as from the room where slept with his girlfriend and her children. Amazingly, the girlfriend and children are being legally quarantined (armed guard at door) in the room with the soiled sheets and towels still in the room unable to be removed. Texas is being blasted by the media. I am trying to add some rationale calm to the dialogue. Today's media: MSNBC with "Morning Joe"; CNN "New Day"; MSNBC - Jose DiazBelart; LBC (UK) radio; Hearst TV; MSNBC Reid report; Reuters TV; Fox News; BBC Radio; BBC World News with Katty Kay; CNN Wolf Blitzer; Canadian TV; MSNBC with Rachel Maddow Rachel Maddow was wonderful on the interview. After I signed off, she told the audience how honored she was that I went on her show and what an amazing person I was. Oct. 3, 2014 - Had very interesting day today. Sylvia Burwell and Leslie Dach asked me to join Sylvia at a Press Conference at the White House Press Room at 4:30 PM to calm the country's increasing fear and anxiety around Ebola , particularly related to the mess-ups in Texas (see above). I was on the podium with Sylvia Matthews, Raj Shah, Lisa Monaco (Director, NSC) and Gen David Rodriguez of Africa Command. I received many, many e-mails commending me on my performance as a straight talker while the others were perceived as typical political appointees. I actually thought that Sylvia did a very good job. Lisa was a little double talking. Also, Mike Leavitt (former Secretary of HHS) called me to be briefed on Ebola. Did much press, but had to cancel Wolf Blitzer and Jim Sciutto from CNN because of unexpected conflict with the WH Press Conference. Press included: FOX News; CBS TV; CNN with Sanjay Gupta; Chris Hayes at MSNBC Oct. 4, 2014 - Some drama today. A 35 year old man and his 5 yo daughter (Liberian Green card lives in New Jersey) flying from Monrovia on United Airlines to Brussels and then United to Newark. Man throws up on the Brussels - Newark flight. When plane lands CDC person on the ground judges that the person does not have Ebola and recommends that he be taken to hospital for checkup and releases the other passengers. To Tom Frieden's great dismay, the White House (Lisa Monaco) and Sylvia Burwell over-rule CDC decision and have Hazmat remove man and daughter to hospital and call