1 00:00:01,900 --> 00:00:03,766 JUDY WOODRUFF: Several American public health leaders warned this weekend 2 00:00:03,766 --> 00:00:07,633 that the coronavirus is spreading unchecked throughout the country 3 00:00:07,633 --> 00:00:11,766 and is likely to get significantly worse in coming days and weeks. 4 00:00:11,766 --> 00:00:15,700 Whoever wins the White House faces a daunting path ahead. 5 00:00:15,700 --> 00:00:20,700 States reported more than 80,000 new cases in the U.S. just yesterday and more than 445 deaths. 6 00:00:23,766 --> 00:00:28,500 William Brangham looks at the urgency of the situation with Dr. Ashish Jha. 7 00:00:28,500 --> 00:00:31,533 He's dean of Brown University's School of Public Health. 8 00:00:31,533 --> 00:00:34,900 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Dr. Jha, great to have you back on the "NewsHour" again. 9 00:00:36,366 --> 00:00:39,100 Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said recently that 10 00:00:39,100 --> 00:00:44,066 Thanksgiving at the end of this month could be an inflection point for this incredible surge that 11 00:00:44,066 --> 00:00:49,033 we are seeing across the country. He also said that December might be the toughest month yet. 12 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,266 Does that sound right to you? 13 00:00:52,266 --> 00:00:53,566 DR. ASHISH JHA, Dean, Brown University School of Public Health: Unfortunately, 14 00:00:53,566 --> 00:00:55,666 I think Dr. Gottlieb is right about this. 15 00:00:55,666 --> 00:00:58,133 We are in a very difficult situation already. And here we are, the beginning 16 00:00:58,133 --> 00:01:03,100 of November, we are identifying about 100,000 infected people a day across the nation. 17 00:01:06,100 --> 00:01:09,766 As opposed to the spring and summer, those surges, 18 00:01:09,766 --> 00:01:14,266 which were located in specific regions, right now, every part of the country 19 00:01:14,266 --> 00:01:19,266 is seeing increasing number of cases; 49 states actually are seeing increasing number of cases. 20 00:01:21,766 --> 00:01:24,500 So, we're probably missing 70 percent, 80 percent of all the cases out there. So, the real number 21 00:01:24,500 --> 00:01:29,300 of infections is substantially greater. And we're not doing the things to slow this down. 22 00:01:29,300 --> 00:01:34,300 And so, by the end of this month, I expect things to start looking much worse, unless 23 00:01:36,833 --> 00:01:40,066 we act now. So, we can avoid a horrible December, but we have got to make some changes right now. 24 00:01:42,033 --> 00:01:44,600 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And we are on the cusp, of course, of this enormous national election, 25 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:49,500 one that's really been sort of transformed and deformed by this virus. 26 00:01:49,500 --> 00:01:54,366 Every aspect of our society has been. And yet the president on the campaign trail recently has 27 00:01:54,366 --> 00:01:59,000 been saying that we're rounding the corner. He also suggested at a rally recently that 28 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,766 he might consider firing Dr. Anthony Fauci. 29 00:02:03,666 --> 00:02:06,666 Help us put this into perspective. Do you think -- is this just bluster that the 30 00:02:06,666 --> 00:02:11,266 president sometimes is known to do, or should we take this more seriously? 31 00:02:11,266 --> 00:02:15,766 DR. ASHISH JHA: So, first of all, I think it's worth noting that Dr. Fauci 32 00:02:15,766 --> 00:02:20,766 has been and continues to be the most important voice for fighting this pandemic. 33 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,533 The president can certainly choose to get rid of Dr. Fauci from his Coronavirus Task Force. That is 34 00:02:28,500 --> 00:02:32,033 his decision. He can choose not to listen to the most expert voices in the country. 35 00:02:32,033 --> 00:02:36,266 It's not clear that he could fire him from his NIH role. 36 00:02:36,266 --> 00:02:41,266 But either way, it so undermines the national confidence in scientific expertise for the 37 00:02:43,300 --> 00:02:47,966 president to even suggest that he would fire someone like Dr. Fauci. I obviously hope that 38 00:02:49,866 --> 00:02:51,900 he doesn't carry through with it. It would leave the American people much worse off. 39 00:02:51,900 --> 00:02:54,133 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: All right, Dr. Ashish Jha, 40 00:02:54,133 --> 00:02:56,866 Brown University School of Public Health, thanks, as always. 41 00:02:56,866 --> 00:03:01,833 DR. ASHISH JHA: Thank you.