"Fifty-seven former government scientists and public health officials of both parties called on Monday for a science-based approach to the coronavirus pandemic and criticized the Trump administration for marginalizing science and expertise in its response.

Officials from the Trump, Obama and George W. Bush administrations all signed the statement, underscoring the widespread concern over Trump’s response to a pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 127,000 Americans so far. Much of the country has experienced a resurgence of covid-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, and new daily infections surpassed 50,000 for the first time last week.

“Sidelining science has already cost lives, imperiled the safety of our loved ones, compromised our ability to safely reopen our businesses, schools, and places of worship, and endangered the health of our democracy itself,” the officials wrote."

Yasmeen Abutaleb reports for the Washington Post July 6, 2020. [2]