Birx says COVID death toll in U.S. would have been mitigated with earlier action

FILE PHOTO: Dr Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus coordinator, listens as U.S. President Donald Trump holds a meeting on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak response with North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Colorado Governor Jared Polis in the Cabinet Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 13, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dr. Deborah Birx, who coordinated the White House coronavirus task force under President Donald Trump, believes the COVID-19 death toll in the United States would have been substantially lower if the government had responded more effectively.

In an interview with CNN, parts of which were released before broadcast later on Sunday, Birx said there was an "excuse" for the initial surge of deaths last year as the government grappled with the start of the pandemic.