Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2017, but his name has been recurring as of late in light of the coronavirus pandemic, as he has been offering Americans measures to protect themselves, so to speak. Adams is the vice admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, according to a report from BET, and is one of the top federal authorities on public health. However, some of his recent comments and suggestions received major pushback as folks questioned if Adams actually knew what he was talking about.
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Adams has criticized Americans’ use of masks, informing them that they are not effective in preventing the spreading or catching of coronavirus. “Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!” he tweeted last week.
https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1233725785283932160
Adams, who was the lone Black man photographed with Trump and his administration at a White House briefing on the coronavirus outbreak on March 9, also advised the media to stop “finger-pointing” and the unqualified commander-in-chief and his minions regarding their response – which was rather delayed – to the coronavirus.
“We really need you all to lean into and prioritize the health and safety of the American people,” Adams told White House reporters on Saturday at a briefing with other members of the coronavirus task force, according to The Hill. “No more bickering. No more partisanship. No more criticism or finger-pointing. There’ll be plenty of time for that.”
He was later criticized to suggesting that Korea is an “authoritarian nation.” During an appearance on “Fox & Friends” Adams said, “We are not an authoritarian nation, so we have to be careful when we say, ‘Let’s do what China did. Let’s do what South Korea did,” adding, “A lot of our public health authority lies in the state and local level, and I have worked for a local health department and a state health department. And what we’re seeing now is that these state and local health departments are saying, ‘Give us guidance. Give us more cover. We want you to come in and tell us what we should be doing to protect ourselves.’”
South Korea, unlike China, is a democratic country as well as an ally to the United States.
And most recently, Adams sought help from influencers like social media and reality TV star Kylie Jenner and NBA players Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell, who both tested positive for the coronavirus, to help emphasize the importance of preventing the spreading of the virus to the younger generation who appear to be less worrisome of the severity of COVID-19. The conversation referenced the young adults in Florida, who are ignoring the suggested social distancing measures and are still trying to enjoy their spring break vacations.
“We need to get our influencers — Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell — we need to get Kylie Jenner, and our social media influencers out there helping folks understand that this is serious, this is absolutely serious, people are dying,” he said on “Good Morning America.”
Adams was quickly criticized for his statement with folks suggesting that influencers not be responsible for bringing awareness to the virus.
“What about grounding all flights. We closed bars and restaurants to protect us and slow the spread, but your free to fly across the country…and on the cheap. The airlines are operating…and getting a handout as well,” one person said.
https://twitter.com/gkuhn53/status/1240612257840668672
Another wrote, “@RonDeSantisFL should close the beaches, bars, restaurants, hotels, etc. Learn something from @andrewcuomo @LarryHogan and other governors stepping up and demonstrating leadership in response to the crisis.”
While Adams was appointed to aid with the coronavirus, it appears he might be trailing behind Ben Carson and the other folks who don’t seem quite knowledgeable on what to do within their coronavirus task force positions.
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