Birx: Pandemic Is Worst Event The U.S. Will Ever Face

Topline

White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said Sunday she is tired of rebutting “myths” about the pandemic and sought to stress the severity of the crisis the U.S. is facing, calling it the worst disaster the country has ever experienced.

Key Facts

Crucial Quote

Birx said it’s infuriating to hear communities “parroting back that masks don’t work, parroting back that we should work towards herd immunity, parroting back that gatherings don’t result in super-spreading events.”

What To Watch For

The Centers for Disease Control issued new guidance on Friday, calling for “universal mask wearing” in all activity indoors outside one’s home. Birx echoed this point Sunday, warning about the spread of the virus indoors: “I think it’s really important that every single person understands that the way this virus is spread is if you’re with anyone indoors without a mask, that’s a viral spreading opportunity,” she said.

Big Number

217,445. That’s the number of daily new cases the U.S. recorded on Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University data, a record.

Surprising Fact

The U.S. recorded more than 1 million new cases from Tuesday to Saturday, just five days, according to CNN.

Tangent

Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci both met with President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team last week to brief the incoming administration on the U.S. pandemic response.

Further Reading

U.S. Hits All-Time High Of 217,445 New Daily Coronavirus Cases, 2,879 Deaths (Forbes)

Republicans Make Up 70% Of The Members Of Congress Who Have Tested Positive For Covid-19 (Forbes)