Coronavirus US live: Trump attacks Obama and the media as death toll nears 90,000
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Health and human services secretary Alex Azar lashed out against Peter Navarro this morning, after the White House trade adviser critcized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for its handling of the pandemic.
Wow. Alex Azar characterizes comments that his White House colleague Peter Navarro made criticizing the CDC as “inaccurate and inappropriate.” pic.twitter.com/l2uN1o8qem
In particular, Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator for the President’s coronavirus task force, has become increasingly critical of the CDC, making clear in recent meetings that she is more than frustrated with the agency, according to two senior administration officials. Specifically, Birx believes the way the CDC gathers data on the coronavirus is antiquated, causing inaccurate and delayed numbers on both virus cases and deaths.
Birx has expressed her agitation during recent task force meetings, where at least one conversation between her and CDC Director Robert Redfield has grown heated, according to a source close to the task force. Birx and Redfield have known each other for decades, due to their work on HIV research together. And while Birx defended Redfield to their peers earlier this year over the CDC’s faulty test kits, her tone toward him has shifted dramatically in recent weeks, according to multiple officials and a source close to the task force.
The Guardian’s Kenya Evelyn recaps New York governor Andrew Cuomo’s daily briefing:
New Yorkers received more than $9bin in unemployment benefits, Cuomo announced at his latest briefing on the state’s response to coronavirus.
NEW: Western New York will begin Phase 1 of reopening tomorrow.
They will have all the contact tracers needed in place.
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