WEBVTT 00:01.900 --> 00:03.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Several American public health leaders warned this weekend 00:03.766 --> 00:07.633 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% that the coronavirus is spreading unchecked throughout the country 00:07.633 --> 00:11.766 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% and is likely to get significantly worse in coming days and weeks. 00:11.766 --> 00:15.700 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% Whoever wins the White House faces a daunting path ahead. 00:15.700 --> 00:20.700 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% States reported more than 80,000 new cases in the U.S. just yesterday and more than 445 deaths. 00:23.766 --> 00:28.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% William Brangham looks at the urgency of the situation with Dr. Ashish Jha. 00:28.500 --> 00:31.533 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% He's dean of Brown University's School of Public Health. 00:31.533 --> 00:34.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Dr. Jha, great to have you back on the "NewsHour" again. 00:36.366 --> 00:39.100 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said recently that 00:39.100 --> 00:44.066 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Thanksgiving at the end of this month could be an inflection point for this incredible surge that 00:44.066 --> 00:49.033 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% we are seeing across the country. He also said that December might be the toughest month yet. 00:50.200 --> 00:52.266 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% Does that sound right to you? 00:52.266 --> 00:53.566 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% DR. ASHISH JHA, Dean, Brown University School of Public Health: Unfortunately, 00:53.566 --> 00:55.666 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% I think Dr. Gottlieb is right about this. 00:55.666 --> 00:58.133 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% We are in a very difficult situation already. And here we are, the beginning 00:58.133 --> 01:03.100 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% of November, we are identifying about 100,000 infected people a day across the nation. 01:06.100 --> 01:09.766 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% As opposed to the spring and summer, those surges, 01:09.766 --> 01:14.266 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% which were located in specific regions, right now, every part of the country 01:14.266 --> 01:19.266 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% is seeing increasing number of cases; 49 states actually are seeing increasing number of cases. 01:21.766 --> 01:24.500 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% So, we're probably missing 70 percent, 80 percent of all the cases out there. So, the real number 01:24.500 --> 01:29.300 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% of infections is substantially greater. And we're not doing the things to slow this down. 01:29.300 --> 01:34.300 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And so, by the end of this month, I expect things to start looking much worse, unless 01:36.833 --> 01:40.066 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% we act now. So, we can avoid a horrible December, but we have got to make some changes right now. 01:42.033 --> 01:44.600 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And we are on the cusp, of course, of this enormous national election, 01:44.600 --> 01:49.500 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% one that's really been sort of transformed and deformed by this virus. 01:49.500 --> 01:54.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Every aspect of our society has been. And yet the president on the campaign trail recently has 01:54.366 --> 01:59.000 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% been saying that we're rounding the corner. He also suggested at a rally recently that 01:59.000 --> 02:01.766 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% he might consider firing Dr. Anthony Fauci. 02:03.666 --> 02:06.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Help us put this into perspective. Do you think -- is this just bluster that the 02:06.666 --> 02:11.266 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% president sometimes is known to do, or should we take this more seriously? 02:11.266 --> 02:15.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% DR. ASHISH JHA: So, first of all, I think it's worth noting that Dr. Fauci 02:15.766 --> 02:20.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% has been and continues to be the most important voice for fighting this pandemic. 02:23.200 --> 02:26.533 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% The president can certainly choose to get rid of Dr. Fauci from his Coronavirus Task Force. That is 02:28.500 --> 02:32.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% his decision. He can choose not to listen to the most expert voices in the country. 02:32.033 --> 02:36.266 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% It's not clear that he could fire him from his NIH role. 02:36.266 --> 02:41.266 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% But either way, it so undermines the national confidence in scientific expertise for the 02:43.300 --> 02:47.966 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% president to even suggest that he would fire someone like Dr. Fauci. I obviously hope that 02:49.866 --> 02:51.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% he doesn't carry through with it. It would leave the American people much worse off. 02:51.900 --> 02:54.133 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: All right, Dr. Ashish Jha, 02:54.133 --> 02:56.866 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% Brown University School of Public Health, thanks, as always. 02:56.866 --> 03:01.833 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% DR. ASHISH JHA: Thank you.