Published 13:53 IST, December 23rd 2020
White House COVID-19 coordinator plans to retire after helping Biden administration
The coordinator of the White House coronavirus response, Dr Deborah Birx on Dec 22 said that he has plans to retire but will first help Biden administration.
The coordinator of the White House coronavirus response, Dr Deborah Birx on December 22 said that he has plans to retire but indicated that she is first willing to help the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden with the response to COVID-19 as needed. In an interview with news site Newsy, the Birx did not give a specific timetable on her retirement plans but said she will contribute to the role as long as she can be ‘helpful’ and then eventually, she will retire.
“I will be helpful in any role that people think I can be helpful in, and then I will retire,” Birx told the news outlet.
White House coronavirus response coordinator revealed the retirement plans just days after the Associated Press reported that she had travelled out of state for Thanksgiving holiday weekend despite the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called on Americans to avoid holiday travel. In a statement on December 20, Birx had acknowledged that she went to Delaware property along with her family members and underlined that it was only a 50-hour-long visit to handle the winterisation of the property before a potential sale.
“I did not go to Delaware for the purpose of celebrating Thanksgiving,” Birx said in her statement before adding that her family even shared a meal together while in Delaware.
Birx seeks role in Biden government
Birx disclosed that she will retire soon after she made it evident that she wants to stick around to assist the Biden administration is rolling out COVID-19 vaccines while also persuading the Americans to be immunised. Dr. Deborah Birxwas brought into Trump administration to help and fight the COVID-19 pandemic following achieving a sterling reputation as the former US Army physician and an internationally recognised AIDS researcher and also a rare handover from the Obama administration. However, as Trump’s time in the White House is closing in, the years-long reputation built by Birx is reportedly fading after being criticised for taking a stringent stance in front of Trump. She has also served every president since Ronald Reagan.
Updated 13:51 IST, December 23rd 2020