After Stumbles, Biden’s Health Secretary Seeks a Reboot

“Prepare, America,” he declared. “We’ve received your again.”

But in interviews between stops, when requested concerning the challenges forward, Mr. Becerra stored coming again to the pandemic. If People are able to put it behind them, he isn’t. He mentioned his division would “proceed to push vaccination,” as a result of that’s the easiest way to forestall an infection, and less expensive than treating individuals after they get sick.

He needs to “restore the cracks in our public well being system,” and enhance telemedicine, which may require enhancing broadband entry in underserved areas. And he needs to “shut the black holes” — by which he means the racial disparities in well being and entry to care that Covid-19 so painfully uncovered. Mr. Becerra has backed the thought of single-payer authorities insurance coverage, often called Medicare for All, which places him to the left of Mr. Biden.

“In speaking to a few of my worldwide counterparts, they ask us questions on how is it that we may miss so many individuals?” he mentioned. “To them, these points are nonexistent as a result of they’ve a large web of their public well being care system — they’ve that common protection. We noticed the gaps that happen whenever you don’t have common protection.”

At 64, Mr. Becerra has a soft-spoken method. A number of present and former administration officers mentioned that he had performed a restricted position in setting pandemic coverage, and didn’t step in to resolve conflicts between the strong-willed docs who lead among the businesses — the Meals and Drug Administration, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, the Nationwide Institutes of Well being — he oversees.

His critics say that has led to complicated messaging that has at instances hindered the pandemic response — an assertion Mr. Becerra’s workplace disputes.

“He’s like, a ghost,” Dr. Eric Topol, founding father of the Scripps Analysis Translational Institute, mentioned in an interview in January. “‘Oh, is there a pandemic? Oh, actually? Oh, there’s infighting amongst my businesses. Oh, actually?’ He’s completed nothing.”

However Mr. Blunt says Mr. Becerra has been unfairly blamed. He notes that the Biden White Home took cost of the pandemic response earlier than the Senate confirmed Mr. Becerra final March, placing Mr. Zients in cost.