TOTAL NUMBER OF MEDALS, CHINA
AND JAPAN HAVE MORE GOLD
MEDALS THAN THE U.S.
>>> BROADCASTS FROM HOME IN
HOUSTON TO HOMES AROUND THE WORLD, DR. PETER HOTEZ IS A
WORLD, DR. PETER HOTEZ IS A
HOUSEHOLD NAME WITH ADVICE,
EXPERTISE AND A BIT OF
OPTIMISM.
>> BEHIND THAT FAMOUS BOW TIE
IS A MAN WHOSE MEDICAL MISSION
IS PERSONAL, AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, IT STARTED TO TEST
PANDEMIC, IT STARTED TO TEST
HIS STRENGTH.
>> TONIGHT DR. HOTEZ SITS DOWN
WITH HOUSTON’S ONLY TV HEALTH
REPORTER HALEY HERNANDEZ. >> AS YOU’RE ABOUT TO SEE
>> AS YOU’RE ABOUT TO SEE
DESPITE ALL THE DOCTOR’S
ACHIEVEMENTS, HIS GRATEFUL
ACCOMPLISHMENT COULD SOON BE A
REALITY.
>> I CALLED IT THE ANGEL OF DEATH.
IN ORDER TO CEMENT HOME THE
POINT THAT THIS VIRUS IS OF
GREAT CONCERN.
>> WE DON’T UNDERSTAND THE
MODE OF TRANSMISSION. >> THERE’S BEEN THIS STEEP
>> THERE’S BEEN THIS STEEP
INCREASE IN ACCELERATION.
>> Reporter: SPORTING HIS
UNIQUE LOOK AND EXPERT ADVICE,
DR. PETER HOTEZ NAVIGATED UNCHARTED WATERS FROM THE
UNCHARTED WATERS FROM THE
START OF THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC.
>> PEOPLE WERE LIVING THEIR
DAY TO DAY LIFE BASED ON WHAT
YOU SAID.
>> THAT’S RIGHT, THAT’S A
HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY. >> Reporter: DR. HOTEZ HOLDS
>> Reporter: DR. HOTEZ HOLDS
MANY TITLES, THE DEAN FROM THE
NATIONAL SCHOOL OF TROPICAL
MEDICINE FOR BAYLOR AND CENTER FOR VACCINE DEVELOPMENT BUT
FOR VACCINE DEVELOPMENT BUT
WORE THE HATS OF DAD AND
HUSBAND DELIVERING THE LATEST
AND EVERCHANGING INFORMATION
ON COVID-19. >> WHEN YOU WORKED FROM HOME
>> WHEN YOU WORKED FROM HOME
AND YOUR WIFE WAS THERE WITH
YOU, WHAT ROLE DID SHE PLAY IN
HELPING YOU THROUGH THE
PANDEMIC? >> MY REALITY TEST WAS MY WIFE
>> MY REALITY TEST WAS MY WIFE
ANNE, AND I WAS SIT WEARING I
SIT WHEN I GIVE THE INTRODUCE
AT HOME.
SHE WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE LAPTOP AND I SAID MAN, I
DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. SHE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU
SHE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU
HAVE TO DO, YOU HAVE TO SAVE
LIVES, AND IF THAT MEANS
CALLING THIS OUT AS A
DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN, SHE SAID PETER, YOU’RE THE WORLD’S
SAID PETER, YOU’RE THE WORLD’S
EXPERT ON THE DISINFORMATION
CAMPAIGN.
>> Reporter: HE TOOK ON
MISINFORMATION MAKING HIM A
TARGET ON THE MEDIA AND OTHER
PLACES.
HE SAID IT PUT HIM IN A DARK PLACE.
>> PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT WERE
ATTACKING ME SAYING HE’S BEING
POLITICAL.
HE’S TRYING WIN VOTES FOR
BIDEN.
I SAID I’M NOT BEING POLITICAL HERE.
THIS IS NOT FUN FOR ME TO TALK
ABOUT REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS AND LIBERALS AND
CONSERVATIVES, BUT THE ONLY
WAY I KNOW HOW TO TALK ABOUT
THE EMPTY SCIENCE AND WHAT’S HAPPENING IS TO TALK ABOUT IT
HAPPENING IS TO TALK ABOUT IT
AND CALL IT OUT, AND I THINK
IT DID SAVE LIVES, BUT I’M STILL RECOVERING FROM THAT.
STILL RECOVERING FROM THAT.
>> Reporter: DR. HOTEZ GAINED
NOTORIETY AS AN AUTISM DAD ON
A MISSION WITH HIS BOOK RACHEL DID NOT CAUSE AUTISM.
DID NOT CAUSE AUTISM.
>> I WAS NOT ONLY A VACCINE
SCIENTIST, I WAS THE LEADING
EXPERT IN ANTI-VACCINE
SCIENCE. >> Reporter: RACHEL IS NOW AN
>> Reporter: RACHEL IS NOW AN
ADULT AND HAD TO MAKE
ADJUSTMENTS LIKE THE REST OF
US. >> A BIG OCD COMPONENT, DO
>> A BIG OCD COMPONENT, DO
EVERYTHING THE EXACT SAME WAY
EACH TIME.
THAT’S NOT HOW LIFE IS,
ESPECIALLY DURING A PANDEMIC,
IT WAS HUGELY CHALLENGING. EVERY TIME I WAS ON TV THIS
EVERY TIME I WAS ON TV THIS
PAST YEAR, WHEN I WAS AT HOME,
KEEPING RACHEL CALM DURING
INTERVIEWS, ANNE HAD TO DO
THAT. I CAN’T COMPLAINS, EVERYBODY
I CAN’T COMPLAINS, EVERYBODY
HAD STRUGGLE BUS WE HAD
STRUGGLES TOO.
>> Reporter: FROM HIS HOME
OFFICE TO LAB, HIS TEAM HAS
BEEN WORKING ON DEVELOPING A COVID VACCINE.
COVID VACCINE.
>> NOW IT’S GONE INTO PHASE 3
CLINICAL TRIALS, WE’RE HOPING
THIS WILL COME IN AS A
LOW-COST PEOPLE’S VACCINE FOR
THE WORLD.
>> Reporter: WHAT MADE YOURS MORE AFFORDABLE?
MORE AFFORDABLE?
>> OLDER TECHNOLOGY, IT’S VERY
OLD SCHOOL, SIMILAR TO THE
HEPATITIS B VACCINE THAT’S
BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES, SO THE HOPE IS THAT THIS WILL
THE HOPE IS THAT THIS WILL
FILL THE GAPS BECAUSE RIGHT
NOW AFRICA IS NOT VACCINATED,
LATIN AMERICA IS NOT BEING
VACCINATED, SOUTHEAST ASIA IS NOT BEING VACCINATED, AND I’M
NOT BEING VACCINATED, AND I’M
REALLY EXCITED THAT THIS COULD
TEC MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
>> Reporter: WHEN IT COMES TO
MAKING A DIFFERENCE, DR. HOTEZ
HAS DONE THAT IN HOUSTON,
PRETTY OFFICIAL WHEN YOU MAKE IT UP ON THE MURAL.
IT UP ON THE MURAL.
HE’S HERE WITH SIMONE BILES,
J.J. WATT, BEYONCE.
RIGHT NOW ON CLICK2HOUSTON.COM
I’VE GOT MORE OF MY INTERVIEW WITH DR. HOTEZ INCLUDING MORE
WITH DR. HOTEZ INCLUDING MORE