Dr. Birx visits Kansas City, Kansas

Dr. Deborah Birx spoke with Kansas Gov.

Laura Kelly and participated in a roundtable discussion with state health officials Saturday afternoon in Kansas City, Kansas.

WHITE HOUSE TASKFORCE LEADER -- DOCTORDEBORAH BIRX -- ISCALLING FOR AREALEADERS TO DO MORE TOCURB THE PANDEMIC INKANSAS.Dr. Deborah Birx/ White HouseCoronavirus Task Force:When you have rising testpositivity you really need toclose the bars, restrict indoordining, decrease socialgatherings and really ensurethat there's a mask mandate.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER NICK STARLINGWAS THERE FOR HERARRIVAL TODAY.HE JOINS US NOW LIVEWITH HER MESSAGE.NICK?ANDRES-DR. BIRX SAYS SHE"SCONCERNED ABOUT THEGROWING NUMBER OFCASES HERE IN KANSASAS THE TEST POSITIVITYRATE NEARS 10-PERCENT..WHICH WOULDPUT KANSAS IN THE REDTERRITORY"WHICHMEANS ADDITIONALMEASURE NEED TO BETAKEN.DR. BIRX SAYS A LOT OFTHAT DUE TO COMMUNITYSPEAD HERE IN THEMETRO.SHE"S URGING ALL OFUS TO WEAR MASKS BOTHINSIDE AND OUTSIDE IFYOU CAN"T BE 6-FEETFROM ONE ANOTHER ANDTO NOT HOLD SOCIALGATHERINGS.SO WHAT ABOUTSPORTS"AS MANYSTUDENTS AND PARENTSHERE IN WYANDOTTECOUNTY WANT THE KIDSTO PLAY AS SCHOOLLEADERS HAVE VOTED TOCANCEL THE FALLSEASONDOCTOR BIRXSAYS IT"S UP TO EACHSCHOOL DISTRICT TOMAKE THAT DECISION BUTTHE COACH CAN REALMAKE A DIFFERENCE.Dr. Deborah Birx, White HouseCoronavirus Task ForceSo if he can convince his highschool students to wear amask to socially distance tonot go to parties to not go tohouse parties where they'reare not masks being used tonot take their mask off whthey're in the groups less than6 feet we know that we canstop the spread.IN TERMS OF A MASKMANDATE"MANY OF OURCOMMUNIITES HAVE THEMBUT SAYS THEADMINISTRATION BELIEVESIT SHOULD BE UP TO EACHSTATETHIS IS PART OF ANATION-WIDE TOUR FORDOCTOR BIRX SHE ISTRAVELING TO OTHERSTATES AND WILL BE INMISSOURI SOON.REPORTING LIVENICK STARLING41 ACTION NEWS.THANKS NICK.DOCTOR BIRX'S ARRIVALCOMES AS MISSOURI ANDKANSAS SURPASS 100-THOUSAND CASESCOMBINED.IN KANSAS -- MORE THAN12-HUNDRED NEW CASESWERE REPORTED FRIDAY --MAKING IT A SINGLE-DAYRECORD.THE STATE ALSO KNOWSOF MORE THAN 4-HUNDRED PEOPLE WHOHAVE DIED FROM COVID