1/ Jeff Zients was the right person to lead the US response when we faced unimaginable organizational challenges in getting a whole of government response into operations.
He and his team really did an admirable job, but communicating to the public was mostly Walensky and Fauci
He and his team really did an admirable job, but communicating to the public was mostly Walensky and Fauci
2/ communicating to the public, in the midst of intense partisanship, evolving science, and evolving virus has been....difficult.
Fair or not, we have not had a single national credible, trusted spokesperson, managing public communications in a time of uncertainty (and anger)
Fair or not, we have not had a single national credible, trusted spokesperson, managing public communications in a time of uncertainty (and anger)
3/ the Surgeon General picked his spots, focusing on health equity and misinformation in social media
Outside experts like @ASlavitt @ScottGottliebMD @ashishkjha @DrTomFrieden were at times not just commentators but almost substitutes for a missing authoritative national voice
Outside experts like @ASlavitt @ScottGottliebMD @ashishkjha @DrTomFrieden were at times not just commentators but almost substitutes for a missing authoritative national voice
4/ @ashishkjha has been a deft..and consistent communicator.
He has somehow been able to strike that perfect balance between reassurance (we have the tools, we know what to do) and caution (this could get worse, we need individual and collective action)
He. Sounds. Good.
He has somehow been able to strike that perfect balance between reassurance (we have the tools, we know what to do) and caution (this could get worse, we need individual and collective action)
He. Sounds. Good.
5/ He navigated that "step over" moment when the lines crossed in the lockdown debate with great skill
In his own institution when other elite colleges were announcing a return to virtual education, he advocated for maintaining in-person, and took some lumps for it
He was right
In his own institution when other elite colleges were announcing a return to virtual education, he advocated for maintaining in-person, and took some lumps for it
He was right
6/ Ashish can bring consistency and poise to the US messaging on covid
We are likely to see less of Dr Fauci (unfairly, perhaps, given partisan attacks against him) and Dr Walensky (unfairly, perhaps, seen as fumbling the timing across that "step over" moment)
We are likely to see less of Dr Fauci (unfairly, perhaps, given partisan attacks against him) and Dr Walensky (unfairly, perhaps, seen as fumbling the timing across that "step over" moment)
7/ the question is, with Zients and key deputies like @NQuillian leaving - and we owe them a huge debt- are we going to put operations and execution at risk?
There is still a lot of blocking and tackling needed on things like "test to treat" and vaccine boosters. We're not done!
There is still a lot of blocking and tackling needed on things like "test to treat" and vaccine boosters. We're not done!
8/ maybe it's not needed.
Certainly most departments and agencies usually feel that they would do just fine on execution without the White House's help 😄
And the "cover" on communication could help them get back to a focus on doing their jobs (@RonaldKlain did this for Ebola)
Certainly most departments and agencies usually feel that they would do just fine on execution without the White House's help 😄
And the "cover" on communication could help them get back to a focus on doing their jobs (@RonaldKlain did this for Ebola)
9/ Chances are, we haven't seen the last pendulum swing.
New variants can surprise us
Immunity steadily leaks away
This👏is👏a👏seasonal👏virus👏
We may face new logistical challenges, but also new "step over" moments when the lines cross.
I'm rooting for @ashishkjha
New variants can surprise us
Immunity steadily leaks away
This👏is👏a👏seasonal👏virus👏
We may face new logistical challenges, but also new "step over" moments when the lines cross.
I'm rooting for @ashishkjha
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