As stress on him intensified this spring and summer time, Dr. Redfield didn't inform high aides that he was contemplating resigning, a former feder
As stress on him intensified this spring and summer time, Dr. Redfield didn’t inform high aides that he was contemplating resigning, a former federal well being official mentioned. As a substitute, he would make variations of the identical remark: “So long as I’m right here, with the time I’ve left, which will not be lengthy, we’re going to attempt to do x, y and z,” the official recalled.
Often called “R3” by his workers — a reference to his initials — Dr. Redfield has hardly ever been in Atlanta in the course of the pandemic, with high aides seeing him solely a dozen or so instances. Usually summoned to coronavirus activity power conferences and congressional hearings, he as an alternative has stayed at his house in Baltimore, the place he helped discovered and run a virology institute on the College of Maryland earlier than changing into C.D.C. director in 2018.
He was named to the job by Mr. Trump’s well being secretary, Alex M. Azar II, changing Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, who resigned after six months on the job amid disclosures that she had purchased tobacco shares.
When he arrived on the C.D.C., one scientist there mentioned, many within the company had been relieved. They’d feared Mr. Trump may appoint somebody overtly hostile to science, or an opponent of vaccines. However Dr. Redfield had no expertise in public well being or in working a big authorities company just like the C.D.C., with 11,000 workers. Neither is he an particularly good communicator.
“I don’t suppose he was the chief for this company at this time limit,” mentioned Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, the manager director of the American Public Well being Affiliation, who has recognized Dr. Redfield since they served collectively within the Military many years in the past. “I don’t know if anyone may have been.”
Now, lower than a month from the election, the query is whether or not the C.D.C. can get well. Dr. Foege refused to permit the chance that it couldn’t.
“They need to get well,” he mentioned. “The world wants a gold commonplace in public well being.”
Noah Weiland contributed reporting.