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March 18, 2022

Dr. Ashish Jha to Replace Jeff Zients as Head of White House Coronavirus Task Force 
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Here in the United States, the head of President Biden's coronavirus
task force is stepping down. The White House says Jeff Zients will be
replaced by Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public
Health. Zients drew praise early in Biden's presidency for his
science-based approach to the pandemic, but drew fire for failing to
make rapid antigen tests and N95 masks widely available and affordable
to the public. He also killed a proposal that would have provided paid
quarantine and isolation for most U.S. workers. In a statement, Public
Citizen said, "The Zients-led Covid response refused to challenge Big
Pharma's monopoly control, in the U.S. and globally, over technologies
that relied crucially on public support. As a result, the United States
and other rich countries failed to expand vaccine supply sufficient to
meet global need."


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