Birx urges Minnesota to 'buckle down' on COVID-19 before winter

The White House's top COVID-19 adviser urged Minnesotans to buckle down and reduce the spread of the infectious disease before winter weather crams everyone indoors and transmission risks increase.

Dr. Deborah Birx was in St. Paul on Sunday to meet with state officials, first with Gov. Tim Walz then with health and policy leaders.

Much of the attention to reduce the spread of the virus has been focused on restaurants and public places, but people need to take the same precautions in their personal and family gatherings, said Birx, the White House's coronavirus response coordinator.