{"id":100279,"date":"2020-09-12T17:30:22","date_gmt":"2020-09-12T22:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.olemiss.edu\/?p=100279"},"modified":"2020-09-12T17:32:02","modified_gmt":"2020-09-12T22:32:02","slug":"white-house-official-visits-um-to-discuss-covid-19-response-efforts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web20.olemiss.edu\/news\/wordpress\/white-house-official-visits-um-to-discuss-covid-19-response-efforts\/","title":{"rendered":"White House Official Visits UM to Discuss COVID-19 Response Efforts"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House Coronavirus Task Force speaks at a news conference during her visit Saturday (Sept. 12) to the University of Mississippi. Photo by Logan Kirkland\/ Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services<\/p><\/div>\n

OXFORD, Miss. \u2013 Following a tour of the University of Mississippi<\/a> campus and meetings with university, state and local officials and students on Saturday, Dr. Deborah Birx \u2013 the coronavirus response coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force \u2013 supported ongoing efforts on campus and in Oxford to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.<\/p>\n

As part of a series of visits to select universities across the country, Dr. Birx toured the UM campus to learn more about the university’s COVID-19 protocols and procedures. <\/p>\n

“It’s clear that this university has put the health of the students first and the health of the community first, and I just wanted to thank the administration and their leadership for their work here on campus,” Dr. Birx said during a press conference Saturday.<\/p>\n

“It’s been really a privilege to work with the chancellor (Glenn Boyce) and all the leadership here at the university for the entire administration and faculty to really hear a dialogue and have a discussion and hear from the students and Greek houses of what they are doing together to decrease the spread of COVID on the university.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Dr. Deborah Birx (left) of the White House Coronavirus Task Force talks with Shannon Singletary, senior associate athletics director for health and sports performance, as she tours campus facilities during her visit to the university. Photo by Logan Kirkland\/ Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services<\/p><\/div>\n

Dr. Birx spent the day touring several locations and facilities on campus, as well as meeting with university, state and local leaders to understand UM’s efforts to prevent the spread of the virus and safeguard the campus and surrounding community. She applauded the planning efforts the university has undertaken to put protocols and procedures in place to stop the spread of the virus on campus and the students’ active engagement in stopping the spread of the virus on campus.<\/p>\n

Chancellor Glenn Boyce thanked Dr. Birx for taking the time to visit the university and Oxford.<\/p>\n

“As the White House coronavirus adviser, she shared tremendous insights into what’s working across the country,” Boyce said. “She is a trusted national leader in the fight against this pandemic, and we’re grateful for her leadership and interest in our prevention efforts.”<\/p>\n

During Saturday’s visit, Dr. Birx and UM leaders discussed a number of proactive steps taken across the university, including: <\/p>\n