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A change in administration in January will bring a new pandemic strategy for the United States. President-elect Joe Biden has , and there are high expectations that its recommendations to combat the pandemic will be backed by science and reflect public health best practices.

, I’m looking forward to research-based guidance at the federal level that I hope will help get the coronavirus under control.

The United States is now experiencing a , with more than 1 million new cases logged in just the first 10 days of November.  in the U.S. to date. The Trump administration’s tactics of , , and  are not viable methods to control the pandemic.

The United States has . Clearly, the U.S. has not done an adequate job of controlling the pandemic within its shores. A change in administration and coronavirus-fighting strategy will hopefully help the U.S. change course.

Experts at the Helm Reflect the U.S.

Biden’s advisory board is headed by three eminently qualified co-chairs: the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, David Kessler; former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy; and researcher-scientist Marcella Nunez-Smith, an expert in health equity issues.

The other committee members are all experienced public health experts and physicians with years of experience in combating infectious diseases; among them are Michael Osterholm from the University of Minnesota’s  and , noted author and physician at Harvard Medical School.

Not only do these task force members bring a high level of expertise to the table, but the group itself mirrors the country, with five women and nine people of color among the 13 members. This gender and racial/ethnic diversity will  and lend greater credence to the task force’s decisions and recommendations.

The demographic diversity of the task force is particularly important because many communities of color distrust the government and . Unfortunately, these , with high rates of infection, hospitalization, and death compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Cultural competence will be necessary to convey messages that all Americans will believe and adhere to.

Planning Now to Hit the Ground Running Jan. 20

, and they read like a public health expert’s wish list. Top concerns include:

• Managing the surge in cases that is affecting most of the U.S.
• Protecting at-risk populations.
• Increasing the manufacturing of PPE, including N95 masks.
• Increasing availability of testing.
• Working with governors and mayors on mask mandates.

These matters have not yet been dealt with adequately, contributing to the current surge in cases nationwide.

Another top priority is equitable distribution of an effective, safe, and free COVID-19 vaccine once readily available. A vaccine will be crucial to protect people and . Developing a realistic plan now, based on these guidelines, is absolutely necessary for the success of an eventual vaccine rollout.

We already have good , but the logistics of distributing future vaccines are formidable. The Pfizer vaccine must be , something never previously attempted.  will be a nightmare.  will be difficult. Planning for effective vaccine distribution must begin now.

A Cohesive Message, from the Top

I anticipate that the guidance coming out of Biden’s task force will represent the best-known science. The committee will keep abreast of new scientific findings and revise messages to reflect emerging information. Biden’s communications will be consistent with his task force’s recommendations, which, by cutting confusion, should lead to better public compliance with prevention recommendations.

I also expect the Biden administration’s COVID-19 advisory board will work with the CDC to develop consistent guidelines for state and local health departments. Most public health efforts happen at the state and local levels. While not every health department will fully embrace all recommendations, a unified national strategy will improve on the whack-a-mole approach seen to date as cases pop up in one area of the country and then another. States and municipalities do not exist in a vacuum, and community transmission in one area can affect other jurisdictions.

—everyone’s tired of this pandemic, and we want our lives to get back to normal. Unfortunately, the virus doesn’t care, and the U.S. is . SARS-CoV-2 is still out there, and it’s an infectious, sometimes deadly virus. The new Biden administration will be taking over the reins during a public health disaster in January. But I’m optimistic that while the COVID-19 task force will have its hands full, it has the people and tools necessary to get the coronavirus under control.

This article originally appeared in . It has been edited for ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ Magazine.