Indian-American Vivek Murthy on Monday was named one of three co-chairs of the COVID-19 Advisory Board appointed to guide US President-elect Joe Biden on dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
Dr Murthy was the 19th US Surgeon General, appointed in 2014 by then-President Barack Obama and then subsequently asked to step down by the Trump administration. Murthy, who hails from Karnataka, was the youngest ever to hold the office at the age of 37.
Dr Murthy will co-chair the COVID-19 Advisory Board along with former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. David Kessler and Yale associate professor of medicine and epidemiology Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith.
Dr Beth Cameron and Dr Rebecca Katz will serve as advisors as the new administration attempts to get the American COVID-19 policies back on track with cases rising across the country.
COVID-19 cases are surging in at least 40 states, with more than 9.3 million total infections and more than 236,000 deaths as the US remains the worst affected country in the world.
President-elect Biden has pledged to focus on COVID pandemic, which continues to claim thousands of lives each week, by curbing the spread of the disease, providing free treatment to those in need, and elevating the voices of scientists and public health experts.
Other members of the Advisory Board are Luciana Borio, Rick Bright; Ezekiel Emanuel; Celine Gounder; Julie Morita; Michael Osterholm; Loyce Pace; Robert Rodriguez; and Eric Goosby.