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A28 u.s. news
Diaranson 23 December 2020

WH virus coordinator Deborah Birx says she will retire

(AP) — Dr. Deborah Birx, a globally recognized AIDS
coordinator of the White researcher. She was pulled
House coronavirus re- away from her ambassadorial
sponse, said Tuesday she post as the U.S. global AIDS
plans to retire, but is will- coordinator to help the task
ing to first help President- force in late February.
elect Joe Biden’s team Birx, however, has faced
with its coronavirus re- criticism from public health
sponse as needed. experts and Democratic law-
makers for not speaking out
Birx, in an interview with the forcefully against Trump
news site Newsy, did not give when he contradicted advice
a specific timetable on her from medical advisers and
plans. scientists about how to fight
“I will be helpful in any role the virus.
that people think I can be She stayed in Trump’s good
helpful in, and then I will graces far longer than Dr. An-
retire,” Birx told the news thony Fauci of the National
outlet. Birx and White House Institutes of Health, who fre-
officials did not immediately quently contradicted Trump.
respond to a request for com- But by late summer Trump
ment. Her comments came had sidelined Birx, too.
just days after The Associated She had expressed a desire
Press reported that she trav- to maintain a significant po-
eled out of state for the the winterization of the prop- her “immediate household,” from school for the holidays, sition on the White House
Thanksgiving holiday week- erty before a potential sale — even as she acknowledged should be considered part of coronavirus task force when
end even as the Centers for something she says she previ- that the people who came live different households,” it says. Biden is inaugurated next
Disease Control and Preven- ously hadn’t had time to do in two different homes Birx, 64, told Newsy the month, according to a per-
tion was urging Americans to because of her busy schedule. The CDC has asked Ameri- scrutiny she has received in son familiar with the Biden
forgo holiday travel. “I did not go to Delaware cans not to travel over the her job has been a “bit over- team’s personnel delibera-
Birx acknowledged in a state- for the purpose of celebrat- holidays and discourages in- whelming.” tions and a Trump adminis-
ment on Sunday that she ing Thanksgiving,” Birx said door activity involving mem- She came to the White House tration coronavirus task force
went to her Delaware prop- in her statement, adding that bers of different households. coronavirus task force with a official. Neither was autho-
erty and was accompanied by her family shared a meal to- “People who do not cur- sterling reputation. A public rized to discuss internal de-
family members. She insisted gether while in Delaware. rently live in your housing servant since the Reagan ad- liberations publicly and both
the purpose of the roughly Birx said that everyone on unit, such as college students ministration, Birx has served spoke on condition of ano-
50-hour visit was to deal with her Delaware trip belongs to who are returning home as a U.S. Army physician and nymity.

Biden gets COVID-19 vaccine, says ‘nothing to worry about’

(AP) — President-elect killed more than 317,000 Americans that the vaccines
Joe Biden on Monday re- people in the United States are safe and effective amid
ceived his first dose of the and upended life around the skepticism, especially among
coronavirus vaccine on globe. Republicans.
live television as part of “I’m ready,” said Biden, who President Donald Trump
a growing effort to con- was administered the dose at is discussing with his doc-
vince the American public a hospital in Newark, Dela- tors the timing for taking the
the inoculations are safe. ware. The president-elect vaccine, the White House
rolled the left sleeve of his has said. He tweeted earlier
The president-elect took a turtleneck all the way up to this month that he was “not
dose of Pfizer vaccine at a his shoulder, then declined scheduled” to take the vac-
hospital not far from his Del- the option to count to three cine but that he looked “for-
aware home, hours after his before the needle was insert- ward to doing so at the ap-
wife, Jill Biden, did the same. ed into his left arm. ministration “deserves some Tabe Mase, the nurse practi- propriate time.”
The injections came the same “You just go ahead anytime credit” for getting the vaccine tioner who administered his The White House has offered
day that a second vaccine, you’re ready,” he told the distribution process “off the first dose of the vaccine. another reason for waiting,
produced by Moderna, will nurse practitioner who ad- ground.” Vice President-elect Kamala saying Trump was showing
start arriving in states. It joins ministered the shot. “I’m doing this to demon- Harris and her husband are support for the most vulner-
Pfizer’s in the nation’s arse- Biden emphasized the safety strate that people should be expected to receive their first able to get the vaccine first.
nal against the COVID-19 of the vaccine, and said Presi- prepared when it’s avail- shots next week. Trump was hospitalized with
pandemic, which has now dent Donald Trump’s ad- able to take the vaccine,” he COVID-19 in October and
added. “There’s nothing to Other top government of- given an experimental mono-
worry about.” ficials have been in the first clonal antibody treatment
He noted, however, that dis- wave of Americans to be in- that he credited for his swift
tributing the vaccine is “go- oculated against COVID-19 recovery. A Centers for Dis-
ing to take time,” and urged as part of the largest largest ease Control and Prevention
Americans to take precau- vaccination campaign in the advisory board has said peo-
tions during the holiday sea- nation’s history. ple who received that treat-
son to avoid the spread of Vice President Mike Pence, ment should wait at least 90
the virus, including wearing House Speaker Nancy Pe- days to be vaccinated to avoid
masks. losi, D-Calif., Senate Ma- any potential interference.
“If you don’t have to travel, jority Leader Mitch Mc- Dr. Anthony Fauci, the na-
don’t travel,” he said. “It’s re- Connell, R-Ky., and other tion’s top infectious diseases
ally important.” lawmakers were given doses expert, and other experts have
Biden also thanked health Friday. They chose to pub- recommended that Trump be
care workers, and offered licize their injections as part vaccinated without delay as a
praise and an elbow bump to of a campaign to convince precaution.