White House Ignores Criticism from Joe Biden’s Former Coronavirus Medical Advisers

The White House defied President Joe Biden’s medical advisers on the coronavirus pandemic, vowing the president would continue working to end the virus.

“The President’s ultimate goal continues to be to defeat the virus,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday in response to opinion articles authored by members of Biden’s advisory board during his presidential transition.

Six of Biden’s former advisors published three opinion articles in The Journal of the American Medical Association, calling on the president to shift his strategy of fighting the coronavirus to recognize the reality of living with coronavirus instead of trying to eliminate it entirely.

Psaki told reporters she had not seen the opinion pieces because of the “busy day” staff experienced on the first anniversary of the January 6 protests of the 2020 election on Capitol Hill.

The New York Times reports the group of advisers shared their articles with the White House and published them in the medical journal after their advice was ignored.

The group was coordinated by Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, a former President Barack Obama adviser as well as former acting chief scientist at the Food and Drug Administration Dr. Luciana Borio, former head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Dr. David Michael.

Emanuel told the Washington Post he wanted to move beyond living in “a perpetual state of emergency,” and realize the “new normal” of living with the virus and reducing it’s risks to the vulnerable.

The group also recommended stronger vaccination efforts, including a vaccine mandate for schoolchildren.

Biden spent the first year of his presidency focusing intently on promoting vaccines and ultimately leveling mandates which he argued were necessary to “shut down” the virus “stop the spread.”

But new variants of the virus continue to spread rapidly, including the omicron variant, which continues to infect even Americans who have three shots of the vaccine.

Biden began the new year with coronavirus cases setting new records, a widespread testing shortage, a shortage of monoclonal antibodies, and a sluggish release of a coronavirus antiviral pill to treat the virus.

In remarks on Tuesday, Biden urged all Americans to get vaccinated telling them there was “no excuse for anyone being unvaccinated.”

“Folks, I know we’re all tired and frustrated about the pandemic. These coming weeks are going to be challenging,” he said. “Please wear your mask in public to protect yourself and others.”