COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dr. Amy Acton officially stepped down from her position as Ohio Department of Health Director on Thursday, but she's certainly not stepping away from educating others about the dangers of the coronavirus.
Gov. Mike DeWine has asked Acton to stay on as his top health advisor, a role she believes will allow her to focus more on medical matters beyond just COVID-19. This weekend, she will also speak to a national audience as part of perhaps the most influential children's television show in American history.
Acton will participate in a special town hall hosted by "Sesame Street" and CNN on Saturday at 10 a.m., entitled "The ABCs of COVID-19." The hour-long broadcast will focus on issues such as summer safety, play dates, school, and how families are coping during the pandemic.
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, anchor Erica Hill, and Big Bird will team up to moderate the event. Several "Sesame Street" characters—including Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Rosita, and Grover—will make appearances, along with Olympic gold medalists Laurie Hernandez and Simone Biles and Baltimore City Schools CEO Sonja Santelises.
This is the second coronavirus town hall for both "Sesame Street" and CNN and it was originally scheduled to air on May 30, but breaking news resulting from the death of George Floyd postponed its airing. Last Saturday, the network aired a separate town hall on racism in the United States, with a particularly notable moment coming when Elmo learned about the topic from his father.
The latest COVID-19 special airs Saturday at 10 a.m. on CNN as well as on the networks online platforms for subscribers. Acton had already been slated to appear before resigning.