>> RIGHT NOW, MORE OF OUR ONGOING SERIES ON SOLUTIONS.
SAVANNAH YOU, SPOKE EXCLUSIVELY
TO MELINDA GATES.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, SHE AND
HER HUSBAND HAVE DEDICATED THEIR
LIVES AND MONEY TO GLOBAL HEALTH
FIGHTING INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
THROUGH THE BILL AND MELINDA
GATES SHE’S TRAVELED THE WORLD
WORKING ON VACCINES FORCE
DISEASES LIKE MALARIA.
NOW THEY ARE LASER FOCUSED ON
CORONAVIRUS.
CORONAVIRUS. THEY HAVE COMMITTED MORE THAN $3
MILLION TO FIND A VACCINE.
I SPOKE TO HER ABOUT WHERE THAT
STANDS.
STANDS. A MAINLY WEAKNESS IN THE ECONOMY
SHE BELIEVES WE HAVE A CHANCE TO
ADDRESS RIGHT NOW.
>> AS YOU SURVEY THE SCENE OF
WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN THIS
PANDEMIC, DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT
ABOUT OUR TRAJECTORY?
DO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE’S A PLAN?
>> I FEEL LIKE WE STILL ARE AT
THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THIS
PANDEMIC, WE’VE SEEN THE FIRST
PART OF IT.
TO REOPEN WE NEED TO DO FAR MORE
TESTING AND TRACING, AND WE NEED
TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND GO VERY
SLOWLY AS WE REOPEN.
YOU SHOULD NEVER BE REOPENING IN
PLACES WHERE YOU’VE GOT
ACCELERATING DISEASE.
ACCELERATING DISEASE. >> LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SEARCH
FOR A VACCINE, THE GATES
FOUNDATION, YOU AND YOUR
HUSBAND, BILL GATES, ARE VERY
MUCH IN THE FOREFRONT.
YOU PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR
MOUTH IS TRYING TO FIND A
VACCINE.
VACCINE. WHAT’S THE STATUS OF THAT RIGHT
NOW?
NOW? >> WELL, I THINK JUST AS YOU’RE
HEARING FROM EVERYBODY ELSE,
IT’S ABOUT 12 TO 18 MONTHS.
WE GET INFORMATION PRETTY MUCH
ON A DAILY BASIS ABOUT THE
VARIOUS VACCINE CANDIDATES THAT
ARE MOVING THROUGH THAT
PIPELINE.
PIPELINE. LUCKILY IT’S LOOKING LIKE THERE
ARE A FEW GOOD CANDIDATES.
TO BE FRANK, THAT’S A RELIEF.
>> THERE WAS A REPORT THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION HAS A INITIATIVE
OPERATION WARP SPEED AND THE
GOAL IS QUITE AMBITIOUS, TO HAVE
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF VACCINE
DOSES AS EARLY AS JANUARY.
I ASKED DR. FAUCI IS THAT EVEN
IN THE REALM OF THE POSSIBLE, HE
SAID IT WAS.
SO IT MAY BE POSSIBLE.
DO YOU THINK IT’S LIKELY,
KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE
SEARCH FOR A VACCINE?
>> YOU KNOW, BOY, THAT WOULD BE
LUCKY TO HAVE HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOSES BY JANUARY.
I’M NOT SURE HOW LIKELY THAT IS.
THESE THINGS TAKE TIME, BECAUSE
WE HAVE TO KNOW THEY ARE SAFE.
I’M HOPEFUL.
I’M HOPEFUL. BUT WHEN I SAY IT’S LIKELY,
MIGHT HESITATE A BIT ON THAT
ONE.
ONE. >> THIS PANDEMIC HAS CERTAINLY
EXPOSED WEAKNESSES AND
STRENGTHS.
STRENGTHS. YOU’RE FOCUSING ON ONE OF THE
WEAKNESSES THAT’S BEEN EXPOSED
HERE, AND THAT’S HOW WE TAKE
CARE OF OUR CAREGIVERS.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO TAKE ON
THIS ISSUE?
THIS ISSUE? >> IF WE’RE GOING TO LOOK AT
REOPENING OUR ECONOMY, WE HAVE
TO TAKE CARE OF OUR MOST
ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
ESSENTIAL WORKERS. 85% OF NURSES ARE WOMEN, AND YET
WHO IS THE PRIMARY CAREGIVER AT
HOME?
HOME? WOMEN.
WOMEN. WHO IS THE PRIMARY ONE FOR
EDUCATING THE KIDS?
WOMEN.
WOMEN. >> WHAT ARE THE RAMIFICATIONS OF
THAT FOR SOCIETY IF THE BURDEN
IS FALLING SO DISPROPORTIONATELY
ON WOMEN.
ON WOMEN. >> WHEN CARE GIVING FALLS TO
WOMEN, WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY THEN
CAN’T GO DO THEIR JOBS IN
SOCIETY.
SOCIETY. THEY START TO LOSE INCOME.
THEIR FAMILIES START TO LOSE
INCOME.
INCOME. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE
SOLUTIONS.
SOLUTIONS. THERE ARE POLLTY, BUSINESS
SOLUTION THAT IS CAN HELP.
>> WHAT’S THE NUMBER ONE POLICY
THAT CONGRESS COULD ENACT TO
ALLEVIATE THIS BURDEN ON
CAREGIVERS.
CAREGIVERS. >> THEY NEED TO START LOOKING AT
A PAID FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE
POLICY.
POLICY. WE ARE THE ONLY -- THE ONLY
INDUSTRIALIZED NATION IN THE
WORLD THAT DOES NOT HAVE PAID
FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE, AND THAT
NEEDS TO CHANGE.
>> WHEN RESOURCES ARE ALREADY SO
STRAINED, IT’S QUITE AMBITIOUS
TO SAY NOW IS THE TIME WE NEED
MORE PAID LEAVE.
HOW DO YOU GET PEOPLE TO WANT TO
ACT ON THIS NOW AT A TIME WHEN
FRANKLY THEY FEEL NERVOUS ABOUT
THIS?
THIS? >> I THINK WE’VE ALWAYS HAD THIS
FALSE NARRATIVE OF THIS IS
EXPENSIVE SO WE’RE NOT GOING TO
DO IT.
DO IT. THIS IS ALREADY COSTING US.
IT IS COSTING US OUR HEALTH.
YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS PIECE
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE HEALTH CARE
WORKERS, NURSES OUT THERE, WILL
5% OF WHOM
85% OF WHOM ARE WOMEN OUT THERE
WORKING.
WORKING. IT’S NOT EITHER-OR, IT’S A
FUNDAMENTAL TO ACTUALLY
REOPENING THE ECONOMY.
>> YOU MADE NO SECRET TO YOUR
DISAGREEMENT WITH THE WHITE
HOUSE AND THE PRESIDENT’S
DECISION TO HALT FUNDING FOR THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION.
DO YOU FIND ANY FAULT WITH HOW
THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
HAS CONDUCTED ITSELF IN THE
PANDEMIC, PARTICULARLY IN THE
BEGINNING STAGES?
BEGINNING STAGES? >> IT’S NOT A PERFECT
INSTITUTION.
INSTITUTION. NO INSTITUTION IS PERFECT.
I THINK THERE WILL BE TIME TO GO
BACK AND DO A POSTMORTEM WHEN WE
COME OUT OF THIS CRISIS.
BUT I DON’T BELIEVE WITH MY
INSTITUTION YOU DO A POSTMORTEM
WHILE YOU’RE IN THE CRISIS.
>> YOUR HUSBAND FAMOUSLY WARNED
ABOUT A PANDEMIC BACK IN 2015.
HE SAID THEN WE WEREN’T
PREPARED.
PREPARED. EVEN SO, ARE YOU SURPRISED AT
HOW THE U.S. HAS RESPONDED?
ARE YOU SURPRISED WE WEREN’T
BETTER PREPARED?
BETTER PREPARED? >> I’M BOTH SURPRISED WE WEREN’T
BETTER PREPARED.
BETTER PREPARED. BUT QUITE HONESTLY, I’M
SURPRISED WE WASTED SO MUCH
TIME, THAT WE HAVEN’T HAD
LEADERSHIP AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL
TO GET OUT TESTS IN THE RIGHT
WAY, PROTECTIVE GEAR IN THE
RIGHT WAY, CONTACT TRACING IN
THE RIGHT WAY.
WITH LACK OF LEADERSHIP, THERE
ARE 50 HOME GROWN STATE
SOLUTIONS.
SOLUTIONS. THAT JUST SHOULDN’T BE.
WHEN YOU SEE A COMPANY LIKE
GERMANY WITH NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP, THEY WERE ABLE TO
KEEP CERTAIN SECTORS OF THE
ECONOMY OPEN SAFELY, KEEP PEOPLE
SAFE, MOSTLY SOCIAL DISTANCING,
AND NOW START TO SLOWLY REOPEN
BASED ON THE SCIENCE.
THAT’S THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP WE
SHOULD EXPECT AS CITIZENS IN
THIS COUNTRY AND WE’RE NOT
GETTING IT.
GETTING IT. WE HAVEN’T GOTTEN IT YET DURING
THIS CRISIS, SO YOU’RE SEEING
WHAT’S HAPPENING, AND IT’S
CHAOS.
CHAOS. >> THAT’S PRETTY BLUNT.
DO YOU LAY THE BLAME AT THE FEET
OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION?
>> I’M DISAPPOINTED IN WHAT I’M
SAYING, YES.
SAYING, YES. >> WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE RIGHT
NOW?
NOW? >> I GET AMAZING HOPE AND
INSPIRATION FROM THE FRONTLINE
HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO ARE
GOING IN AND DOING THEIR JOBS
EVERY DAY IN VERY DIFFICULT
CIRCUMSTANCES.
CIRCUMSTANCES. THEN I GET MASSIVE HOPE TALKING
TO THE SCIENTISTS AND THE MANY
PARTNERS FROM INDUSTRY.
WHEN I SEE PEOPLE COMING
TOGETHER IN COLLABORATION TO DO
THE RIGHT THING, TO SHARE THE
SCIENCE, TO SHARE WHAT WE DO
KNOW AND LEARN, THAT’S THE BEST
OF HUMANITY, AND IT PEACE ME
HOPEFUL AND MAKES ME KNOW WE ARE
GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS
PANDEMIC.
PANDEMIC. >> IT’S REALLY INTERESTING TO
HEAR HER TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
VACCINE CANDIDATES THAT NOBODY
WANTS TO PUT THE CART BEFORE THE
HORSE BUT SAYING THERE ARE A FEW
THAT LOOK VERY PROMISING.
SO IT’S VERY HOPEFUL, BECAUSE
THEY ARE WATCHING ALL THESE
DIFFERENT TRIALS THAT ARE
HAPPENING.
HAPPENING. THEY ARE FUNDING A LOT OF IT.
SO THEY REALLY KNOW WHAT’S
HAPPENING WITH THE SEARCH FOR A
VACCINE.
VACCINE. >> SHE SOUNDED CAUTIOUSLY
OPTIMISTIC.
OPTIMISTIC. I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED HEARING
WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY ON PAID
MEDICAL LEAVE AND YOU EITHER PAY
FOR IT ON THE FRONT END OR THE
BACK END AS WELL.
>> SHE’S DEFINITELY FIRED UP, A
BIG ADVOCATE.
BIG ADVOCATE. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TALKING
ABOUT THAT.
ABOUT THAT. SHERYL SANDBERG FROM FACEBOOK
JUST WROTE SOMETHING ON THE SAME
TOPIC.
TOPIC. CARE GIVING AND HOW WE CARE FOR
OUR CAREGIVERS, REALLY RELEVANT
ISSUE, MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER,
WHEN WE SEE SO MANY PEOPLE
HAVING TO TAKE CARE OF SENIORS,
ALSO TAKING CARE OF THEIR KID
AND HAVING TO DO THEIR JOBS AS