Tony's Diary Package — page 29

ity spread now increasing PRESS: MSNBC; CNN with Michael Smerconish; Feb. 23, 2020 (Sunday) - 78,804/2463. Cases of community spread now increasing greatly in Japan, South Korea, Italy. Bob Kadlec called me this AM with emerging problem. We need to house some of the evacuees from the Diamond princess who are continuing to convert to virus positive in a place where we can isolate them and have them ready for acute medical care if they become ill. There are about 30 people thus far negative for infection who may soon convert, mostly elderly and frail about whom Kadlec is concerned. It is projected that 1 of 10 will convert and likely will get seriously ill as has been the case with other elderly people from the Diamond Princess who got ill in Japan and went to Japanese hospitals. They are now at air force bases Lakeland and Travis, but the military does not want to have responsibility for them if they are infected since they are concerned about "force protection". Also, and importantly, Bob Kadlec tried to get the people housed at Anniston, AL. Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL) got furious and reemed out Kadlec saying he was going to destroy him. He got on the phone to President trump who was on a plane going to India and badmouthed Azar. Apparently, the POTUS called up Azar and was very pissed off. He told Azar he had to fix it or else, since the POTUS was originally angry that we even brought back infected Americans from the Diamond Princess. Azar then came to me asking me to help him "fix it". And so that is the origina of this saga. The suggestion is to ship them to the NIH Safra Lodge so that they have access to NIH SCSU. This would be disruptive to NIH, but there does not seem to be many alternatives. Had discussions with Francis (boarding a plane to Grand Cayman) and Larry while on my C & O canal walk with Chris about how to address this difficult and frustrating issue. Francis on way to Grand Cayman for vacation. This leave it to Larry and I to "fix". Had important conference call with NIH Clinical Center people - Jim Gillman, Tara Palmore, Rick Davey, etc. Tara makes good point that we realy cannot use the Safra lodge since even one infected person would nullify keeping uninfected people there. Decision was to skip the Lodge and put everyone in the Clinical Center. Gillman, Tara and Rick now huddling to figure out how to do this. I visit the Clinical Center group (Gillman, Tara, Rick, Henry Masur, David Henderson, nursing, etc in Clinical Center Room 6-3551 where they are convening to work this out. They present to me that they can make 11 beds available in the CC for evacuees who may convert. If they did the full 30 (i.e. +19), it would be dangerous for our staff since we cannot retrofit that many rooms with negative air flow and proper room for don/doff. We decide on 11 in CC and Rick works with Lauren Sauer at Hopkins for an additional 8 for a total of 19. We go with that. I contact Azar who contacts POTUS who is on plane