“Dr. Robert Kadlec, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), on Wednesday confirmed his duties as the top emergency preparedness official coordinating the COVID-19 coronavirus response from both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the federal government.”
“’As far as my role in this activity at this point in time, I have four principle functions,’ Kadlec told members of the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee earlier today during its hearing entitled: Coronavirus Preparedness and Response.”
“’My first and foremost responsibility as we transition from containment of this disease to a hybrid approach and strategy of containment and mitigation is to be incident management for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure that we have a unified, coordinated and synchronized effort across HHS and across the U.S. government consistent with the National Response Framework for Emergency Support Function No. 8 for medical and public health preparedness and response,’ said Kadlec…”
“Secondly, Kadlec testified, he also supports the nation’s healthcare system through the Hospital Preparedness Program and the country’s regional disaster response network.”
“Thirdly, Kadlec said he works with the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and colleagues from the U.S. Department of Defense ‘to rapidly develop and accelerate the development of therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines that could be used in this outbreak.’”
“Finally, according to the ASPR, he provides direct support to state and local entities.”
“For example, Kadlec said that during the current incident involving the Grand Princess cruise ship that’s docked in Oakland, Calif., ‘we’re working directly with the State of California, the City of Oakland, and with our interagency partners to safely disembark all of those passengers, American and non-American, and manage the crew to ensure they can safely return to their homes, but more importantly, protecting the communities that will be receiving these individuals…’” Read the full article here.
Source: Kadlec details role coordinating coronavirus response across HHS, federal government – By Kim Riley, March 11, 2020. Homeland Preparedness News.
