Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Key Player In Covid Vaccine Rollout Leaving Biden Administration
The departure of COVID chief science officer David Kessler, announced Friday by the White House, marks the unofficial end of the "Operation Warp Speed" era and the extraordinary all-of-government response to the pandemic. (Owens, 1/14)
Dr. David A. Kessler, who for the past two years has been the behind-the-scenes force driving a vast federal effort to develop and distribute coronavirus vaccines and treatments, is leaving the Biden administration — another sign that the pandemic is no longer front and center for the White House. As chief science officer for the administration’s Covid-19 response, Dr. Kessler, 71, has operated largely unseen by the public. But his work — on issues like setting up mass vaccination sites, pushing for the development of antiviral medicines and distributing reformulated booster shots — has affected the lives of millions of Americans. (Stolberg, 1/13)
David Kessler, the D.C. veteran who guided government dispatches of millions of Covid-19 vaccines and treatments, is exiting the Biden administration this month. (Owermohle, 1/13)
