Coronavirus Task Force Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx warned that an estimated 300,000 Americans might potentially die from coronavirus if people failed to follow strict social distancing guidelines.

In an interview for CNN’s “State of the Union,” the show’s host, Dana Bash asked Birx about the possibility that former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb’s prediction might ring true. Gottlieb had earlier suggested that as much as 300,000 Americans can die from coronavirus by the end of 2020.

Birx responded, “Anything is possible if we don’t have all— you know, public health is called public health because it has a public component.” The White House Task Force Coordinator explained that beyond the government’s intervention, the country needs the public’s cooperation to control the spread of coronavirus. She continued that if people failed to follow strict social distancing guidelines and would continue to attend social gatherings, this might potentially create “interactions” that are unsafe for people. She also reminded everyone of the importance of wearing masks and facial coverings, noting that “It’s not super spreading individuals, it’s super spreading events, and we need to stop those.”

During the interview, Birx also confirmed that the country had hit a new phase of the outbreak- this time becoming more widespread than ever before. As an expert, Birx suggested that the response should be “dramatically tailored” to the different areas where the outbreak is taking place. Birx added that each state has a “tailored recommendation” based on the number of cases that they see at a “community level.” She also continued that people see the impact that prevention procedures can do to stop the spread of coronavirus. She clarified that the country faces a different scenario than what took place in March and April, especially since the cases had spread in both urban and rural areas.

She also addressed individuals in rural areas. Birx explained that they are not immune or protected from the virus. She reminded, “that’s why we keep saying, no matter where you live in America, you need to wear a mask and socially distance, do the personal hygiene pieces.” Birx also suggested that for people who are living in a “multi-generational household,” family members might also consider wearing masks at home, “assuming you’re positive” to protect other members who are vulnerable to the disease.

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Despite the increasing number of coronavirus cases, Democrats continued to attack members of Trump’s coronavirus task force. On Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded to Birx’s statement by saying that she had lost confidence in the world-renowned public health expert.

This is not the first time that Pelosi had lashed out against the senior scientist. Just last week, Pelosi said in an interview with Politico, “Deborah Birx is the worst. Wow, what horrible hands you’re in.”

Due to mass gatherings as a result of nationwide Black Lives Matter protests, the country now holds the world’s largest number of cases at a whopping 4.6 million or one-quarter of the world’s total number of cases, with over 150,000 deaths.