He Used to Run the CDC. Here's How He'd Handle This Crisis

The Center for Disease Control traditionally takes the lead on public health crises. So why are they taking a backseat on this pandemic? A former CDC head talks COVID-19 response.

An episode of the Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast podcast, hosted by WNYC Studios, titled "He Used to Run the CDC. Here's How He'd Handle This Crisis" was published on March 27, 2020 and runs 20 minutes.

March 27, 2020 ·20m · Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast

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Summary

The Center for Disease Control traditionally takes the lead on public health crises. So why are they taking a backseat on this pandemic? A former CDC head talks COVID-19 response.

Episode Description

As government officials have sparred this week over a massive $2 trillion relief package, President Trump is chomping at the bit to get the economy back up and running. With a sizable subset of healthy Americans in tenuous employment situations, and worried about how they'll pay April's rent, economic concerns have overshadowed the issue of navigating this pandemic as a public health crisis.

On Today's Show:
We refocus on that question. Our guest, Richard Besser, MD, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and former acting director of the CDC, updates the latest on the COVID-19 outbreak and talks about those most at risk from the disease and the actions to prevent its spread.