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Internet pioneer Vint Cerf has COVID-19, points to criticism of US response

Our oldest technology pioneers are highly vulnerable to COVID-19.
Written by Tom Foremski, Contributor

Vint Cerf, vice president of research at Google and one of the main creators of the internet, has tweeted that he tested positive for coronavirus. He also recommended people watch an HBO segment from comedian John Oliver about preventative steps that the US needs to take. 

Cerf wrote: "I tested positive for COVID-19 and am recovering. Listen to what John Oliver has to say about our national response so far."

Cerf is 76 years old and in an age group that has a high risk of mortality. However, his status will surely provide him with excellent access to high-quality medical facilities.

Cerf is sometimes called a "father of the internet" for his role in the creation of Arpanet for the US Department of Defense, the forerunner of what became the internet.

His work at Google is mostly as an evangelist for the internet and helping educate legislators about issues around the internet. He recently served six years on the US government's National Science Board.

One of the issues he has spoken a lot about is the potential loss of important scientific and cultural data that becomes inaccessible because we have lost the hardware needed to access those files. 

The John Oliver segment Cerf linked in his tweet is very critical of the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus.

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