Tony's Diary Package — page 1033

LA Times on racial disparities in MPX; WTOP ------------------------ RFK, jr continues his destructive ways: Ars Technica: Anti-vaccine activists giddily celebrate as poliovirus spreads in NY -------- I defend CDC and Rochelle regarding their admission of their botched response by commending them for honesty and trying to reform. I did this on MSNBC with Andrea Mitchell. PRESS: MSNBC with Andrea Mitchell; Podcast "In the Bubble" with Any Slavitt; CNN - "The Situation Room" with Wolf Blitzer August 19, 2022 Cases seem to be plateauing throughout the country with some exceptions. Perhaps we are coming into a downswing as we enter the Fall PRESS: Interview with Marissa Evans of LA Times on racial disparities in MPX; WTOP Radio; August 20, 2022 Had my usual every three-week zoom meeting with Drs. Li and Hellmann. I explained to them that as of Monday at 11:00 AM when I made the announcement of my stepping down from the NIH, I will enter a new chapter in my career and in my life. There's obviously stress and anxiety associated with this decision. However, there's also excitement for the new adventure and unknown. Had a wonderful Zoom meeting with Nathan Chen at 12:30 PM. He had been wanting to meet me for some time now and we finally connected by zoom. He was so modest and nice and kept expressing what an honor it was to meet me and speak with me. He is going into his third year at Yale having taken off most of two years to practice for the Olympics where he gave probably the most historically perfect performance to win the gold medal. He plans to go to medical school after he graduates. I was struck by his maturity and modesty when I asked him why he was interested in medicine. He said all his life he had been practicing to make himself better and better and better, but it was all about himself. Now he wants to do something that has a positive impact on society and on other individuals. The sign of a very mature young man.