Dr. Deborah Birx has announced she will be retiring in the near future due to the “overwhelming” backlash she and her family have received after it was revealed they broke with Covid-19 recommendations and traveled out of state.
Birx, who is on the Coronavirus White House task force and has served as the Global AIDS Coordinator for President Obama and President Trump since 2014, said she will be “helpful” to the incoming Biden administration and hopes it’s “successful,” but she will retire soon after.
“I will be helpful in any role that people think I can be helpful in and then I will retire,” she told Newsy.
Birx cited backlash against her and her family in the last week over the revelation on Sunday that three different generations of her family gathered at a vacation property in Delaware the day after Thanksgiving as the reason for her leaving public service.
The experience, she said, has been “a bit overwhelming” and “difficult” on her family.
“My daughter hasn’t left that house in 10 months, my parents have been isolated for 10 months. They’ve become deeply depressed as I’m sure many elderly have as they’ve not been able to see their sons, their granddaughters,” she said.
EXCLUSIVE: Dr. Deborah Birx tells @newsy that she is willing to help with the #Biden transition but ultimately plans to retire, citing her family’s treatment over the past week. pic.twitter.com/yEPy9s0Tf9
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised US citizens against traveling over the holidays and gathering with different households at indoor events due to the pandemic. Birx’s trip has led to a wave of criticism, and she is only the latest public official to get caught breaking their own recommendations.
Birx defended her trip, saying only “immediate family” was there – though still from different households – and said she was not celebrating Thanksgiving, but rather preparing a property for a potential sale.
Her retirement announcement has done little to quell controversy with social media users continuing to slam the infectious disease expert for breaking her own guidelines while many remain under strict lockdown restrictions in various states.
Do I have this straight? Birx is upset because she, in her mind, had good reason to break mandate rules to go to her 2nd home while at the same time telling everyone else to obey those mandates for the good of society. Now she’s retiring because people dared question her logic? https://t.co/22Pqri4ecd
Thoughts and prayers to Deborah Birx, who couldn’t handle an ounce of scrutiny, but ruined tens of millions of American lives through her insane advocacy. Good luck with your future cushy Gates board posts! A real hero.
I went to bat for Birx when she was being unfairly maligned, which makes me even angrier at what she did, and even more-so at her excuse. Everyone is in this situation and you’re still telling THEM not to gather with extended family. It’s maddening. pic.twitter.com/SXx2EbrHtP
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