The United States reported nearly 1,100 deaths from COVID-19 and over 40,000 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday. At the White House, President Trump said he might overrule the Food and Drug Administration if it issues stricter guidelines on the emergency use of a vaccine. Public health officials warn Trump’s push to approve a vaccine before Election Day threatens to bring an unsafe and untested product to market.
This comes as CNN reports White House task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx is “distressed” with the direction of Trump’s coronavirus policy and is not certain how much longer she can serve in her position. CNN reports Birx believes White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Scott Atlas is feeding the president misleading information about the efficacy of face masks for controlling the spread of the virus.