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De Blasio’s Health Chief Vanished for Days. Is She Still in Charge? De Blasio’s Health Chief Vanished for Days. Is She Still in Charge?
(about 1 hour later)
For nearly a week, New York City’s health commissioner, Dr. Oxiris Barbot, had mysteriously vanished from public view.For nearly a week, New York City’s health commissioner, Dr. Oxiris Barbot, had mysteriously vanished from public view.
She had been a regular at Mayor Bill de Blasio’s daily briefings, missing only four of 60 news conferences since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. But then she missed four in a row, amid signs of possible friction: Earlier this month, the mayor took away oversight of the city’s contact-tracing efforts from her agency.She had been a regular at Mayor Bill de Blasio’s daily briefings, missing only four of 60 news conferences since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. But then she missed four in a row, amid signs of possible friction: Earlier this month, the mayor took away oversight of the city’s contact-tracing efforts from her agency.
Dr. Barbot was also a no-show on Friday for a City Council hearing on contact tracing; earlier that day, the mayor acknowledged that he had not spoken to Dr. Barbot in “a couple of days.”Dr. Barbot was also a no-show on Friday for a City Council hearing on contact tracing; earlier that day, the mayor acknowledged that he had not spoken to Dr. Barbot in “a couple of days.”
Her prolonged absence raised questions about her future, much like the situation in the White House, where President Trump’s dissatisfaction with Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, is well known.Her prolonged absence raised questions about her future, much like the situation in the White House, where President Trump’s dissatisfaction with Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, is well known.
But Dr. Barbot re-emerged on Tuesday, participating in the mayor’s virtual news conference from what appeared to be a city office, a hanging cabinet visible behind her. She answered questions matter-of-factly regarding new city data on the virus, and studiously avoided any hint of conflict with Mr. de Blasio.But Dr. Barbot re-emerged on Tuesday, participating in the mayor’s virtual news conference from what appeared to be a city office, a hanging cabinet visible behind her. She answered questions matter-of-factly regarding new city data on the virus, and studiously avoided any hint of conflict with Mr. de Blasio.
In her brief responses, Dr. Barbot used the word “team.” Three times.In her brief responses, Dr. Barbot used the word “team.” Three times.
“The way that you put it is exactly how I was going to put it,” she told the mayor at one point after a question from a reporter on the March incident. “Mr. Mayor, I echo your framing.”“The way that you put it is exactly how I was going to put it,” she told the mayor at one point after a question from a reporter on the March incident. “Mr. Mayor, I echo your framing.”
Mr. de Blasio has had a tense relationship with his Health Department throughout his tenure, including when the agency was headed by Dr. Bardot’s predecessor, Dr. Mary T. Bassett, who resigned in 2018. But it flared with a new ferocity over his decision this month to place a different agency in charge of contact tracing, seen as a critical part of allowing economic activity to return to the city. Mr. de Blasio has had a tense relationship with his Health Department throughout his tenure, including when the agency was headed by Dr. Barbot’s predecessor, Dr. Mary T. Bassett, who resigned in 2018. But it flared with a new ferocity over his decision this month to place a different agency in charge of contact tracing, seen as a critical part of allowing economic activity to return to the city.
The decision caused anger inside the Health Department, which has conducted contact tracing for decades involving diseases such as tuberculosis and H.I.V. Top officials were not told of the move until days before a public announcement.The decision caused anger inside the Health Department, which has conducted contact tracing for decades involving diseases such as tuberculosis and H.I.V. Top officials were not told of the move until days before a public announcement.
Mr. de Blasio had decided the task could be more effectively done by Health and Hospitals. The agency, which runs the city’s 11 public hospitals, is far larger, and its head, Dr. Mitchell Katz, has been seen in City Hall as an effective leader who proved himself during the surge of infected patients in April.Mr. de Blasio had decided the task could be more effectively done by Health and Hospitals. The agency, which runs the city’s 11 public hospitals, is far larger, and its head, Dr. Mitchell Katz, has been seen in City Hall as an effective leader who proved himself during the surge of infected patients in April.
As Mr. de Blasio appeared to increasingly place his faith in Dr. Katz, the behind-the-scenes conflict over his decision began to pick up steam.As Mr. de Blasio appeared to increasingly place his faith in Dr. Katz, the behind-the-scenes conflict over his decision began to pick up steam.
The mayor also appeared to have sided with Dr. Katz in early March, when the city had a small number of positive cases of the coronavirus, but its public health system was flashing a warning about the unchecked spread of a flulike virus.The mayor also appeared to have sided with Dr. Katz in early March, when the city had a small number of positive cases of the coronavirus, but its public health system was flashing a warning about the unchecked spread of a flulike virus.
Dr. Barbot and one of her top deputies began urging more restrictions on gatherings, while Dr. Katz had been advising City Hall against ordering shutdowns.Dr. Barbot and one of her top deputies began urging more restrictions on gatherings, while Dr. Katz had been advising City Hall against ordering shutdowns.
Later in March, Dr. Barbot and a police commander had a heated confrontation over personal protective gear, during the chaotic days of the outbreak’s rapid spread.Later in March, Dr. Barbot and a police commander had a heated confrontation over personal protective gear, during the chaotic days of the outbreak’s rapid spread.
The highest-ranking uniformed member of the Police Department, Terence Monahan, had demanded that the Health Department hand over hundreds of thousands of protective masks that had been set aside for health care workers. The New York Post quoted Dr. Barbot as saying at one point, “I don’t give two rats’ asses about your cops.”The highest-ranking uniformed member of the Police Department, Terence Monahan, had demanded that the Health Department hand over hundreds of thousands of protective masks that had been set aside for health care workers. The New York Post quoted Dr. Barbot as saying at one point, “I don’t give two rats’ asses about your cops.”
Police unions and some elected officials called for her ouster after the remark became public. Edward D. Mullins, the president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, called Dr. Barbot a “bitch” on Twitter and said she had “blood on her hands.”Police unions and some elected officials called for her ouster after the remark became public. Edward D. Mullins, the president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, called Dr. Barbot a “bitch” on Twitter and said she had “blood on her hands.”
The article about the confrontation, which occurred on March 18, appeared online on Wednesday night, hours after The New York Times inquired to City Hall about a March 10 email that Dr. Katz sent to the mayor’s top aides in which he argued against closures.The article about the confrontation, which occurred on March 18, appeared online on Wednesday night, hours after The New York Times inquired to City Hall about a March 10 email that Dr. Katz sent to the mayor’s top aides in which he argued against closures.
“Essentially, they decided to discredit her,” said Lilliam Barrios-Paoli, a former deputy mayor for health under Mr. de Blasio who has worked with Dr. Barbot. “There is no reason that something that happened in the heat of a discussion two months ago should surface now just because.”“Essentially, they decided to discredit her,” said Lilliam Barrios-Paoli, a former deputy mayor for health under Mr. de Blasio who has worked with Dr. Barbot. “There is no reason that something that happened in the heat of a discussion two months ago should surface now just because.”
On Monday, Dr. Barbot released a written statement of apology “for leaving any impression whatsoever that I don’t have utmost respect for our Police Department.”On Monday, Dr. Barbot released a written statement of apology “for leaving any impression whatsoever that I don’t have utmost respect for our Police Department.”
Asked about the confrontation on Tuesday, the mayor answered first and then allowed Dr. Barbot to speak. Both said that it occurred during a tense time when the city faced shortages of protective equipment even for medical workers.Asked about the confrontation on Tuesday, the mayor answered first and then allowed Dr. Barbot to speak. Both said that it occurred during a tense time when the city faced shortages of protective equipment even for medical workers.
“These were crisis situations where of course we needed to provide personal protective equipment for all of our first-line responders — doctors, nurses, N.Y.P.D., E.M.T.s, and we were making hard decisions all the time,” she said. “Mr. Mayor, I echo your framing and I just want to clarify that there was always a spirit of collaboration.”“These were crisis situations where of course we needed to provide personal protective equipment for all of our first-line responders — doctors, nurses, N.Y.P.D., E.M.T.s, and we were making hard decisions all the time,” she said. “Mr. Mayor, I echo your framing and I just want to clarify that there was always a spirit of collaboration.”
Mr. de Blasio said that her absence from news conferences after the articles in The Post and The Times last week was a simple matter of her not being needed those days. Dr. Barbot did not respond to a direct question about her absences.Mr. de Blasio said that her absence from news conferences after the articles in The Post and The Times last week was a simple matter of her not being needed those days. Dr. Barbot did not respond to a direct question about her absences.
Richard Esposito, a police spokesman, said Chief Monahan has accepted Dr. Barbot’s public apology.Richard Esposito, a police spokesman, said Chief Monahan has accepted Dr. Barbot’s public apology.
Asked who was in charge of the city’s public health response, Mr. de Blasio described what amounted to an organizational chart that placed Dr. Barbot, the top public health official, on a level with Dr. Katz, who leads health care delivery for the city via its hospitals, and under the deputy mayor for health, Dr. Raul Perea-Henze.Asked who was in charge of the city’s public health response, Mr. de Blasio described what amounted to an organizational chart that placed Dr. Barbot, the top public health official, on a level with Dr. Katz, who leads health care delivery for the city via its hospitals, and under the deputy mayor for health, Dr. Raul Perea-Henze.
“The major decisions come right here to me,” Mr. de Blasio said.“The major decisions come right here to me,” Mr. de Blasio said.
His handling of the confrontation, and the seeming impunity with which a police union official used a slur to attack Dr. Barbot, raised concern among some current and former officials that the health commissioner, who is Hispanic, had been treated differently because of her ethnicity.His handling of the confrontation, and the seeming impunity with which a police union official used a slur to attack Dr. Barbot, raised concern among some current and former officials that the health commissioner, who is Hispanic, had been treated differently because of her ethnicity.
“There is mistrust between people of color, low-income families and the government,” Carlina Rivera, chair of the Council’s committee on hospitals, said in an interview Monday. “What’s most troubling for me is not seeing a woman of color with expertise in dealing with the most important next step of testing and tracing that is required to get back to normal.”“There is mistrust between people of color, low-income families and the government,” Carlina Rivera, chair of the Council’s committee on hospitals, said in an interview Monday. “What’s most troubling for me is not seeing a woman of color with expertise in dealing with the most important next step of testing and tracing that is required to get back to normal.”
Councilman Ritchie Torres has introduced legislation that would require the city to provide daily updates on contact-tracing efforts. He said the mayor’s apparent lack of confidence in Dr. Barbot is troubling.Councilman Ritchie Torres has introduced legislation that would require the city to provide daily updates on contact-tracing efforts. He said the mayor’s apparent lack of confidence in Dr. Barbot is troubling.
“If there was ever a time when the health commissioner needed to be publicly visible, it’s during an outbreak,” he said. “Imagine if the N.Y.P.D. commissioner were nowhere to be found during a terrorist attack.”“If there was ever a time when the health commissioner needed to be publicly visible, it’s during an outbreak,” he said. “Imagine if the N.Y.P.D. commissioner were nowhere to be found during a terrorist attack.”
Dozens of Health Department officials will play a role in the testing program, overseen by Dr. Katz, City Hall has said.Dozens of Health Department officials will play a role in the testing program, overseen by Dr. Katz, City Hall has said.
A spokeswoman for Mr. de Blasio said that Dr. Barbot speaks regularly with the mayor and his staff and has a standing daily call with Mr. de Blasio’s top aide, Emma Wolfe.A spokeswoman for Mr. de Blasio said that Dr. Barbot speaks regularly with the mayor and his staff and has a standing daily call with Mr. de Blasio’s top aide, Emma Wolfe.
Mr. de Blasio also relies on another official, Dr. Jay Varma, his senior adviser for public health. The mayor has described Dr. Varma as being part of a team with Dr. Barbot, Dr. Katz and others, though he appeared to consult with Dr. Varma more frequently. The mayor referred to nighttime conversations — “as Jay was saying last night on the phone” — during one April news conference.Mr. de Blasio also relies on another official, Dr. Jay Varma, his senior adviser for public health. The mayor has described Dr. Varma as being part of a team with Dr. Barbot, Dr. Katz and others, though he appeared to consult with Dr. Varma more frequently. The mayor referred to nighttime conversations — “as Jay was saying last night on the phone” — during one April news conference.
“Usually every mayor that I have worked with listens to the commissioner and respects their knowledge,” said Ms. Barrios-Paoli, a longtime public servant who left the de Blasio administration in 2015 to become the chair of the Health and Hospitals board.“Usually every mayor that I have worked with listens to the commissioner and respects their knowledge,” said Ms. Barrios-Paoli, a longtime public servant who left the de Blasio administration in 2015 to become the chair of the Health and Hospitals board.
“This administration has injected politics more than other administrations in my experience around public health issues,” she said.“This administration has injected politics more than other administrations in my experience around public health issues,” she said.
William K. Rashbaum contributed reporting.William K. Rashbaum contributed reporting.