George Gao Fu, head of China’s CDC who helped lead coronavirus pandemic response, stepping down
- Noted virologist wins praise for contributions, but hope is expressed for ‘reforms’ at the institution under new leadership
- Prominent public health expert Shen Hongbing to succeed Gao as nation carries on zero-Covid strategy
George Gao Fu, the head of China’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is stepping down from his position leading the institution and will be replaced by Shen Hongbing, a prominent public health expert, the CDC announced on Tuesday.
In a statement, the CDC attributed the 60-year-old Gao’s retirement to his age, even though many Chinese officials stay in office well into their 60s and even beyond. His successor Shen is only two years his junior.
During a meeting of CDC officials on Tuesday, Gao said that “as someone working in the sciences, [he] would continue to devote energy to the advancement of disease control and the development of public health” even after his departure.
Shen, Gao’s successor, is a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a former president of Nanjing Medical University.
Wang, who serves as vice-minister of the National Health Commission, said he hoped that Shen, along with several other newly appointed officials at the CDC, would “lead the [CDC’s] expansive body of workers in furthering the reform and development of the CDC”.
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Only 61 per cent of those aged above 80 have received their primary vaccinations, health officials said last week, and only 38 per cent of people in that age group have received a booster shot.
The noted virologist later told state-run tabloid Global Times his comments had been misunderstood and that he was referring to efforts to improve the efficacy of vaccines worldwide.
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To date, China has relied mostly on two inactivated-virus vaccines: one made by Sinovac and another by Sinopharm. A home-grown mRNA vaccine, which could offer a higher form of protection, is in development but is yet to be approved.
Whereas some senior diplomats in Beijing have warned that Washington should not expect China’s cooperation in certain areas while tensions remain in others, Gao last year appealed for a bilateral effort to both identify the origins of Covid-19 and accelerate vaccine development.
Gao, a member of the US National Academy of Sciences, also said the US and China should look at cooperating on public health as an opportunity to reset the bilateral relationship.
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“I saw some news (hope it is fake) that [you] are being attacked by some people. Hope you are well under such [an] irrational situation,” Gao wrote in an email exchange obtained by The Washington Post.
“Thank you for your kind note,” Fauci replied. “All is well despite some crazy people in this world.”