There’s only one topic this fine Sunday morning, as usual, with different shows pulling at different strands of the coronavirus epidemic. The top guest is FDA director Stephen Hahn, who’ll chat with “Meet the Press” about his agency’s disastrous failure in January and February to expedite testing in the U.S. as the virus spread. He’ll be quizzed about what the FDA can do to help boost testing going forward to the levels needed to safely reopen the country for business. He’ll also be asked about the small but promising observational study involving the experimental antiviral drug remdesivir as well as Trump’s great hope for a miracle cure, hydroxychloroquine. To what extent might remdesivir be fast-tracked for use?
He’s not the only scientist booked. Anthony Fauci will be on “State of the Union” to answer awkward questions about what happens if Trump wants to reopen for business before it’s safe to do so. Epidemiologists Christopher Murray and Tom Inglesby will chat with “Face the Nation” and “Fox News Sunday,” respectively, about the shrinking number of deaths in the U.S. projected by the now-famous IHME model. Do they think the IHME’s current estimate of 60,000 deaths is overly optimistic? How might the number change if parts of the country go back to work three weeks from now? Of potential special note this morning is Dr. David Nabarro, who’ll also chat with “Meet the Press” about the spread of the disease. Why is he special? Because he’s an envoy to China’s mouthpiece, the World Health Organization. In fact, he finished second in the voting to lead the WHO the last the organization elected a director. He’ll be grilled about the WHO’s shilling for Beijing — I hope. Will he defend it or distance himself from the current leadership?
Various governors are also scheduled today but the only other guest of note is New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan. He’ll talk with “Face the Nation” about what it’s like for Christians to celebrate Easter this year in self-isolation. The full line-up is at the AP.
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