'Pandemic's' Dr. Ryan McGarry on Why the Coronavirus Ended Up Being the 'Big One'

“Extra's” Billy Bush and Dr. Armand Dorian caught up with Dr. Ryan McGarry to talk about his Netflix docuseries “Pandemic.”

McGarry, who helped direct the project, is a doctor at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.

The series dropped in January, and Dr. Dorian commented, “Talk about timing. There is no way you could've predicted this when you did this amazing docuseries. Why do you think coronavirus is actually the one that ended up being the big pandemic?”

Dr. McGarry replied, “There is something about the spherical shape… Aspects of the molecular structure are making it the true Hail Mary pass the virus needs to get from minor outbreak to the big one.”

Billy asked, “Why weren't we ready?”

Dr. McGarry explained, “Billy, I'd like to say now if the Super Bowl were tomorrow and there wasn't enough beer — you and I know in America that problem would be solved.” He added, “I think it's the perfect analogy to our value system.”

Dr. Dorian followed asked, “What do you feel is the biggest fear generator here? What is the big anxiety component to this pandemic?”

Dr. McGarry said, “When you think of the comforts that medicine can provide us and how those are absent right now, that's terrifying… I think this is incredibly scary and difficult, but I know that all my physicians, including Dr. D. sitting there, we're ready. And particularly everyone here at USC, we're ready. And I think you should know that we wake up every day asking ourselves not how we can stay away from this, but how we can get even closer to this battle, and I think that should be a comforting feeling for everyone right now.”