HHS Official Agrees With Birx: ‘Don’t Go Every Day To The Grocery Store’

Assistant Secretary for Health and head of the Public Health Service Admiral Brett Giroir standing with US Vice President Mike Pence (L) and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force team, speaks during a pre... Assistant Secretary for Health and head of the Public Health Service Admiral Brett Giroir standing with US Vice President Mike Pence (L) and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force team, speaks during a press briefing in the press briefing room of the White House March 15, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by JIM WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Assistant Secretary of Health Brett Giroir on Monday agreed with White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx about the “peak week” ahead for COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.

When asked during an interview on the “TODAY Show” about Birx advising against going to the grocery store or even the pharmacy during a White House briefing on Saturday, Giroir said she is “absolutely right.”

“We’re all saying the same thing,” Giroir said. “It’s that you really need to keep your physical contact with others and surfaces to the minimal possible.”

Giroir quickly pointed out that he does not mean that people should go without medications, but that they should limit their visits to grocery stores and pharmacies.

“If you need to go to the pharmacy to get your medications, if you need to get groceries — do it,” Giroir said. “But don’t go every day to the grocery store like many people do. Do it as infrequently as possible.”

Giroir added that it’s best “do the kind of take-out things” to limit the risk of contracting the coronavirus.

“Anything you can do to protect yourself to avoid yourself from getting this virus and being in the hospital for a month or potentially facing death — I think it’s advised to do that,” Giroir said.

Watch Giroir’s remarks below:

Latest News
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: