Trump names COVID lockdown skeptic to lead NIH, another sign of shifts in key agencies
President-elect Trump selected a critic of COVID-19 lockdowns and mandates to lead the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is known for co-authoring the Great Barrington Declaration, a 2020 manifesto that advocated allowing COVID to spread in order to achieve herd immunity. It was widely criticized by top health officials. William Brangham discussed more with Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo.
Stanford University physician Jay Bhattacharya famously co-authored what's known as the Great Barrington Declaration, a 2020 manifesto that advocated allowing COVID to spread among most people in order to achieve herd immunity and focusing instead on protecting the elderly and other vulnerable groups. It was widely criticized by top public health officials at the time.