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Dr.
Ashish Jha, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday.
Jha, an internist who leads the Brown University School of
Public Health and is a television commentator, takes on the new
role as the United States shifts to a new phase of the pandemic
two years after the novel coronavirus upended the nation.
"Americans are safely moving back to more normal routines, using
the effective new tools we have to enable us to reduce severe
COVID cases and make workplaces and schools safer," Biden said
in a statement. "But our work in combating COVID is far from
done."
Jha is the "perfect person" to fight COVID "as we enter a new
moment in the pandemic," he added.
New U.S. COVID-19 cases have fallen to a seven-day average of
35,412 following a peak in January during the latest wave from
the Omicron variant. Deaths and hospitalizations have also
fallen, and all 50 U.S. states have lifted pandemic-related
restrictions such as mask wearing as officials tout vaccines.
Still, some public health officials warn the U.S. could see
another spike in cases as the virus continues to evolve and have
urged caution, particularly as Europe and China see rising
cases.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration is still pushing for another
tranche of federal funding to bolster the country's pandemic
preparedness.
The White House had sought $22.5 billion. Congress countered
with about $15 billion, but it was ultimately stripped the
larger government funding bill signed into law this week, with
lawmakers saying they would take up the issue separately.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey)
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