President-elect Joe Biden hit the ground running this week, beginning his transition to his first term come January. His first order of business? Announcing a COVID-19 Advisory Board co-chaired by a Black woman, reports NewsOne.

Dr. Marcella Nunez–Smith is an associate professor of internal medicine and epidemiology. She was also recently named associate dean for Health Equity Research at Yale School of Medicine. Nunez-Smith’s “research focuses on promoting health and health care equity for structurally marginalized populations,” and her work also helps identify “regional strategies to reduce the global burden of non-communicable diseases.”

I spent the morning with the co-chairs of my COVID-19 Council discussing the status of this pandemic and how we move forward. Tune in as I provide an update on how we're going to beat this virus. https://t.co/VVGHZNnUFY

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 9, 2020

In addition to Nunez-Smith, the 13-member coronavirus task force will be co-chaired by former FDA commissioner Dr. David Kessler and Dr. Vivek Murthy, the former Surgeon General who served under President Barack Obama. They will advise Biden on effective ways to confront the deadly virus, which has taken more than 230,000 lives in the United States, says CNN.

“I spent the morning with the co-chairs of my COVID-19 Council discussing the status of this pandemic and how we move forward,” tweeted Biden on Monday, Nov. 9. “Tune in as I provide an update on how we’re going to beat this virus.”

The bottom line: I will spare no effort to turn this pandemic around.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 9, 2020

To learn more about Dr. Nunez-Smith’s work during Biden’s transition and their fight against the pandemic, visit BuildBackBetter.com.

Marcella Nunez-Smith

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