President-elect Joe Biden named a 13 member task force on Monday to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
“Dealing with the coronavirus pandemic is one of the most important battles our administration will face, and I will be informed by science and by experts,” Biden said in the statement. “The advisory board will help shape my approach to managing the surge in reported infections; ensuring vaccines are safe, effective, and distributed efficiently, equitably, and free; and protecting at-risk populations.”
The board is co-chaired by former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler, former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Yale University, Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith.
The other members are:
- Dr. Luciana Borio
- Dr. Rick Bright
- Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel
- Dr. Atul Gawande
- Dr. Celine Gounder
- Dr. Julie Morita
- Dr. Michael Osterholm
- Ms. Loyce Pace
- Dr. Robert RodriguezÂ
- Dr. Eric Goosby
Also on Monday, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced that an experimental vaccine it has been working on is 90% effective at preventing COVID-19.
But, for now, President-elect Biden is urging Americans to “rely on masking, distancing, contact tracing, handwashing, and other measures to keep themselves safe well into next year.”
