Biden Covid Adviser Says ‘We Do Not Need to Go Into a Nationwide Shelter-in-Place Shutdown’

One of the major focuses of the 2020 election was the difference between how Joe Biden and Donald Trump would approach the coronavirus crisis.

The current president has received serious criticism for his handling of the pandemic — which he absurdly declared many times before the election the U.S. was “rounding the turn” on and that the media would stop covering it on November 4th.

During his Friday press conference on the Pfizer vaccine breakthrough, Trump railed against the idea of a national lockdown amid rising case numbers and hospitalizations, and took a shot at Biden (but caught himself before saying “the next administration.”)

On Sunday, ABC News’ Martha Raddatz spoke with Dr. Atul Gawande about the U.S. pandemic response and the lack of briefings they’re receiving during this key transition period.

“It is in the nation’s interest that the transition team get the threat assessments that the team knows about, understand the vaccine distribution plans. We need to know where the stockpiles are, what the status is of the masks and gloves. There’s a lot of information that needs to be transmitted. It can’t wait till the last minute,” he said.

He said one important thing the U.S. needs is “a clear voice from the top backing a national comprehensive plan” as well as pushing for increased use of mask-wearing — a very simple act in everyone’s interests that some people are still just flat-out refusing to do.

Raddatz brought up the question of lockdowns, going off comments from another member of Biden’s advisory board, and whether he sees a scenario where the U.S. shuts down for several weeks.

“We are not in support of a nationwide lockdown,” Gawande said, “and believe there is not a scenario unless — there simply isn’t a scenario, because we can get this under control.”

He said “targeted measures” with people following basic guidelines and communities getting everything they need can be effective in combatting the spread of the virus.

“We do not need to go into a nationwide shelter-in-place shutdown,” he said.

Right now the virus is surging in many states across the country, with daily cases and hospitalizations reaching record highs.

You can watch above, via ABC.