Dr. Birx: If it’s safe to go into Starbucks in Mississippi, it’s safe to wait in line at the polls

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - In an interview with CBN News over the weekend, Dr. Birx discussed topics ranging from the safety of in-door church services, coronavirus vaccinations and the act of voting in November.

On the issue of voting at the polls, Dr. Birx said that it has been safe for her to go into Starbucks and pick up her order. “If I can go into Starbucks in the middle of Texas and Alabama and Mississippi that have very high [coronavirus] case rates, then I can’t say that it would be different waiting in line in the polls.”

The CDC has offered some considerations for those going to polling locations in the next few months, with some of the advice including: washing your hands, staying home if you’re sick and wearing a mask.

Dr. Birx was also asked about churches holding in-door services, some in opposition to their state’s orders. To those church leaders who hold in-door services without masks, she said that churches are filled with people who are compassionate and passionate for each other. “Let’s show that compassion for each other and the humility to say, ‘Now we know masks work.‘”

She said that anyone can sit together as a family, but to wear a mask to respect the other families and to “protect that 83-year-old who’s coming to church.”

“Let’s not make church only for the healthy,” she said. “Let’s ensure that everybody can be there and, in order for everybody to be there, we have to wear a mask and socially distance.”

In regards to state officials not wanting churches to hold in-door services, she said that if these officials are meeting and socially distancing in federal or state buildings then churches can also bring that safety but that “you need to be really rigid about wearing a mask and socially distancing.”

And on vaccinations, Dr. Birx said that two vaccination trials are enrolling and that the enrollment is going well. When asked who should be vaccinated first, she responded that it is her opinion that those at highest-risk and highest-exposure should be first in line.

According to Dr. Birx, an independent group is now making recommendations on those matters.