Retiring Director of the National Institutes of Health Francis Collins performed an “end of the Pandemic” song to the tune of “Over the Rainbow” during a farewell NIH town hall on Tuesday. Collins accompanied himself on acoustic guitar. Collins is set to step down this week; he was appointed in 2009 by Barack Obama. Over 800,000 Americans have died of/with COVID-19 on Collins’ watch, with his NIH funding research in Wuhan, China that likely helped produce the pandemic virus.
Somewhere past the pandemic when we’re free, there’s a life I remember full of activity.
Somewhere past the pandemic masks will come off, no more need for a nose swab every time we cough.
As we are gathered here today COVID’s toll has hit and sent us reeling.
But partners like the ones right here will help to make the pathway clear to find true healing.
Somewhere past the pandemic life will resume, we’ll all complain about the graphic, forgetting how we hated Zoom.
Somewhere past the pandemic we’ll hug our friends and thank the people and science that brought the pandemic’s end.
My dozen years are almost through, but it’s been great to work with you.
Let’s end COVID now!
This is not the first time Collins has sung about the pandemic. This video with his wife Diane Baker from 2020 is even more cringe worthy.
Where’s John Belushi when you need him?