Birx traveled with family on Thanksgiving weekend after urging Americans to stay home

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Despite her warning over Thanksgiving holidays traveling, Dr. Deborah Birx visited her property in Delaware with her family.
• The Trump administration coronavirus response officer explained that her travel was never about holiday purposes.
• A public health expert who knows Dr. Birx said that while the official surely knows every precautionary measure, her decision to travel during Thanksgiving might send a wrong signal to Americans.

According to a report, Dr. Deborah Birx went out of state with her family for the Thanksgiving weekend,  ignoring the warning he gave herself to remain home during the holidays.

The Associated Press reported that the Trump administration COVID-19 response official was together with most family members at one of her Fenwick Island vacation properties in Delaware on Nov. 27, only a day following the Thanksgiving holiday.

The group is consists of her husband Paige Reffe, one daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren.

Birx, who resides in Washington, DC, and has another house in Potomac, Maryland,  explained that the trip was necessary because she needs to prepare the property for winter before selling it, adding that they went to Delaware not to celebrate Thanksgiving.

She further argued that those who came along the trip was part of her “immediate household,” while acknowledging they live separately.

Before Thanksgiving, Birx had encouraged the public to celebrate at home during the holidays and keep the gathering only for the  ‘immediate household.”

But her Thanksgiving travel was told by one of her relatives, who expressed her concern about Birx’s social distancing practice during the outbreak, as reported by AP.

Kathleen Flynn, whose brother is the husband of Birx’s daughter, said the actions of the administration official makes her worried for her parents, adding that her condescending behavior violated the guidance she encourages.

Flynn’s mom,  who is also the other grandmother for the kids,  frequently visits there to watch the children before going back home to her husband, Richard Flynn, a 92-year-old with health problems.

Flynn’s father said he is confident with Brix’s decisions, saying the doctor is very meticulous.

A public health professional at a law school in Georgetown University, who knows Brix at work, Lawrence Gostin, also expressed his confidence over the official’s precautionary measures before traveling on Thanksgiving. 

He added, though, that her conduct may be misinterpreted by the American public, noting that it’s extremely important for the COVID-19 response officials to live what they advise to the public.

Gostin also said that people lose trust in public health officers if the message they are conveying is the rules do not apply to them.

Source: AOL