Tony's Diary Package — page 9

iltiple important non-corona-virus CNN phone interview with Elizabeth Cohen; CBC Canadian TV; CNN with Fredricka Whitfield (cancelled because of tragic accidental death of Kob Bryant in helicopter crash in LA); NewsHour from UK Jan. 27, 2020 - Packed day today. Council and multiple important non-corona-virus meetings. Busy day - two meeting with White House via SCIF. First at 11:00 AM led by Deputy Director NSC Matt Pottinger who still wants to stop all incoming from China. Bob Redfield, Phil Ferro, Mart Cetron, Peter Marks etc. Second White House meeting via SCIF was on same subject withMick Mulvaney Chairing and visit to meeting by VP Pence. Still discussing the pros and cons of shutting off China. I tried to squeeze in my opinion, but it was touch since I was remote. I briefed Azar beforehand by phone as to the down side (historically) in shutting out a country. Also at the meeting were Joe Grogan, Matt Pottinger, Alex Azar, DHS Multiple print media including Washington Post, Maggie Fox, Los Angeles; NPR Morning Edition with Rachel Martin; WTOP radio; John LaPook with CBS - taped interview to run with face to face interview tomorrow with Norah O'Donnell; VOA; CNN International; Bret Baier FOX; WTOP again; Sean Hannity (FOX); Jan. 28, 2019 - Big day at White House. Major discussions at Deputies on how to handle the 200 US Citizens (diplomats and families and others) who are being airevaculted form Wuhan. They are on a plane from China to Alaska to California. Concern about whethernor not to quarantine them for 14 days when we did not and do not quarantine Chinese who pass screening on entry. Marty Cetron had argued that the American were very recently in the "hot zone" whereas the chines who are coming in now are not really coming from Wuhan since Wuhan has been shut down by the Chinese. Also, political concern of what it looks like to quarantine or "imprision" US citizen versus what happens if we let them in and they start infecting people. Finally decide to do a sft verion of bringin them in to a military airbase - the March Air reserve Base in Riverside County. CA, and consider them all not a low risk. They are either medium or high risk based on their exposure. They all will be tested (nasal swab PCR) and detained at the base for up to 72 hours until the tests come back and then released. The "high" risk people majr get more intense investigation Discussed for hours in the Situation Room. The meeting was chaired by Mick Mulvaney and most Deputies were present together with Matt Pottinger, Kellyanne Conway, Ken Cucinelli, Dr. Navarro, Biegun, Blair, Eisenberg, Szabat, Lidell, Foret (CBP)John Wilson, John Mark (?). Chinese scientists are saying that the epidemic is much worse than is being reported. Dr. Yuan say that 50% of the infections are asymptomatic. However, this is confusing