Trump's NIH Pick Sparks Controversy Over COVID Stance

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford researcher known for advocating herd immunity during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya co-authored the controversial Great Barrington Declaration, which opposed lockdowns and mask mandates, suggesting that allowing the virus to spread among the young and healthy could build natural immunity. His nomination has raised concerns, especially among long COVID patients and advocates, about the future direction of NIH research and funding under the Trump administration.