Birx: U.S. in 'new phase' of pandemic, with coronavirus 'extraordinarily widespread'

Dr. Deborah Birx.
(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said on Sunday the United States is in a "new phase" of the coronavirus pandemic, and people in every corner of the country must take precautions, from wearing masks to practicing social distancing.

"What we are seeing today is different from March and April," she told CNN's Dana Bash on State of the Union. "It is extraordinarily widespread. It's into the rural as equal urban areas." For those who live in regions that are less populated, "you are not immune or protected from this virus," Birx continued. "If you're in multi-generational households, and there's an outbreak in your rural area or in your city, you need to really consider wearing a mask at home, assuming that you're positive, if you have individuals in your households with comorbidities."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.