With the election of Biden, many changes are coming in how Covid-19 is going to be handled in America, especially indicated in Biden’s apparent aggressive stance to fighting the virus.

Biden has announced a new 13 (with 3 members now added) advisory team on November 9th, 2020, led by former surgeon general Vivek Murthy, former FDA commissioner David Kessler and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith from the Yale University School of Medicine.

The advisory team is a group of experienced medical professionals that bring varying perspectives and skills to combatting the pandemic.

David Kessler is a Harvard graduate who was appointed as FDA commissioner in 1990 with bipartisan support under George H. W. Bush. Under his time as commissioner, the FDA added new regulations that required Nutrition Facts labeling on food. Kessler also had a great role in the FDA’s effort to regulate tobacco. 

Vivek Murthy served as the nineteenth Surgeon General of the United States and worked to create a “culture of prevention” by working to get Americans active and informed about their health. Also during his tenure, he initiated the “ TurnTheTide” campaign, sending a letter to millions to stop the opioid crisis. Murthy has been known for speaking out against the problem of loneliness since 2019. Murthy was also named a candidate for United States Secretary of Human Health and Services in the Biden Administration.

Marcella Nunez-Smith, a Yale professor, has been involved in papers and research related to healthcare in-equity in minorities; she has co-authored a report that has found that black people are 3.6 times more likely to die from Covid-19 and Latin people are 1.9 times as likely.

Dr. Emanuel Ezikiel was a former special advisor for health policy to the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (2009-2011). He is a winner of the ASBH for his work in medical humanities.

Dr. Atul Gawande, a professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, is the executive director of Lifebox, a non-profit medical hub that works on reducing death in surgery. Gawande has been a former director for the Clinton Health Care Task Force during the Clinton administration. 

Rick Bright is the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and the whistleblower who complained about Trump ignoring his warnings about Covid-19. Rick Bright is also known for his works in immunology inside Novavax, a vaccine developer, and the CDC.

Luciana Borio is a Brazilian-American infectious disease doctor. She is also the active Chief Scientist at the FDA, assistant commissioner for counter-terrorism policy at the FDA, and the director of the FDA’s Office of Counter-Terrorism and Emerging Threats. She is known for her work in developing medical countermeasures for previous outbreaks responses in Ebola and Zika virus.

Dr. Celine Gounder is a practicing HIV infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist, who worked two months volunteering as an Ebola aid worker in Guinea. She had interviewed the Guinea locals to find out how the pandemic was affecting them. She also studied HIV and TB in South Africa and worked for the Gates foundation.

Julie Morita is the former 20-year commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. She has experience overseeing the response to the 2009 swine flu, ebola, and meningitis. She also worked to improve the rate of HPV vaccination for teenagers. She currently works to examine the disproportionate effects of coronavirus on minorities. 

Ms. Loyce Payce, a former president of the global council, worked in more than ten countries bringing health programs and supporting health advocates and was recognized as a Young Leader at a global summit.

Dr. Eric Goosby is a widely recognized expert on infectious disease who has done extensive work in treating Aids. After his work with Aids, he was appointed to be a Special Envoy for tuberculosis.

Dr. Micheal Osterholm is the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP). He also served as a special advisor for the HSS secretary Thompson (2001-2005) for public health preparedness.

Dr. Robert Rodriguez is a professor at the UCSF School of Medicine and a physician at the San Francisco General Hospital. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he has treated patients at the US-Mexico border and researched anxiety in physicians due to the pandemic.

Jill Jim is a healthcare analyst and a leader of the Navajo Nation Department of Health, which serves the Navajo people who have the highest Covid-19 infection rates in America.

Jane Hopkins is a nurse that has worked in the Covid-19 task force and previously worked in mental health. Her addition to the team will provide a unique perspective.

Biden aims to act proactively with advice from the very diverse and qualified team he appointed.

“The diversity and various background experiences offered will allow the team advisory team to navigate fighting the pandemic thoughtfully,” said Ms. Tyler, a local bay area teacher.

Biden has ambitious aims for the team.

“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 task team’s role in planning the federal plan to combat Covid-19 is a great one and the team will bring an important part in solving one of the greatest challenges we have faced as a country.