The leader of the US COVID taskforce has revealed how the government’s credibility “unravelled” after President Donald Trump claimed bleach could combat the virus.

Dr Deborah Birx, who served as White House coronavirus response coordinator in the Trump administration between 2020 to 2021, told Sky News there was a “failure” in providing “clear and consistent communication” to the American public during the pandemic.

Mr Trump made the widely condemned remark after a study was conducted to establish the effect of sunlight compared to disinfectant on playground equipment.

He came under fire from medical experts who slammed his suggestion as “irresponsible” and “dangerous”.

Recalling the moment, Dr Birx told Sky News’ Kay Burley: “Everything that we have done to build credibility with the American people is unravelling.

“I couldn’t understand what was happening.”

The playground equipment study was conducted in a bid to speed up the reopening of parks closed due to the pandemic, Dr Birx said.

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“All of a sudden we are talking about humans rather than monkey bars,” she said.

“It took me a while to figure out what he was talking about because this was strictly about playgrounds.”

Dr Birx said the pandemic had led to the creation of “villains and victims” adding it was “never black and white” – as she praised the Trump administration for its work to achieve testing, therapeutics and vaccines.

But she warned the world was “unprepared” for the COVID pandemic and did not take infectious diseases seriously enough.

“We did not adequately prepare as a global community,” she said – adding that it was crucial authorities consider how to combat any future medical crisis.

Testing is critical, she warned.

“It is clear with COVID, and also monkeypox, that transmission can occur before you have symptoms, but some may never have symptoms, there is a spectrum of disease.

“We cannot rely on symptoms alone.”

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Dr Birx’s warning comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) today said COVID was becoming “too clever” and “breaking past immune defences”.

Dr David Nabarro, WHO special envoy on COVID, urged people to “respect the virus” as it was revealed the UK death toll has surpassed 200,000.

WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Wednesday how the virus is “running freely” and called on world leaders to redeploy measures including mask-wearing and improved ventilation.

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