The coronavirus pandemic remained a top topic in the 2020 presidential campaign after The Washington Post reported on a damning report issued by Dr. Deborah Birx.
"A top White House coronavirus adviser sounded alarms Monday about a new and deadly phase in the health crisis, pleading with top administration officials for “much more aggressive action,” even as President Trump continues to assure rallygoers the nation is “rounding the turn” on the pandemic," the newspaper reported.
"Birx’s internal report, shared with top White House and agency officials, contradicts Trump on numerous points: While the president holds large campaign events with hundreds of attendees, most without masks, she explicitly warns against them. While the president blames rising cases on more testing, she says testing is 'flat or declining' in many areas where cases are rising. And while Trump says the country is 'rounding the turn,' Birx notes the country is entering its most dangerous period yet and will see more than 100,000 new cases a day this week," the newspaper noted.
The report was issued the same day Trump supporters chanted "Fire Tony Fauci" at a campaign rally.
“We are entering the most concerning and most deadly phase of this pandemic … leading to increasing mortality,” Birx wrote in the November 2nd report. "This is not about lockdowns — It hasn’t been about lockdowns since March or April. It’s about an aggressive balanced approach that is not being implemented.”
“Cases are rapidly rising in nearly 30 percent of all USA counties, the highest number of county hotspots we have seen with this pandemic,” Birx noted. “Half of the United States is in the red or orange zone for cases despite flat or declining testing.”
“consistent messaging about uniform use of masks, physical distancing and hand washing with profound limitation on indoor gatherings especially with family and friends," Birx noted.