OXFORD, Miss. — Dr. Deborah Birx, the coronavirus response coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, visited the University of Mississippi, on Saturday.

Brix toured the University of Mississippi and met with university, state and local officials and students during the visit. She toured Mississippi’s campus to learn more about the university’s COVID-19 protocols and procedures.

“It’s clear that this university has put the health of the students first and the health of the community first, and I just wanted to thank the administration and their leadership for their work here on campus,” Dr. Birx said during a press conference Saturday.

“It’s been really a privilege to work with the chancellor (Glenn Boyce) and all the leadership here at the university for the entire administration and faculty to really hear a dialogue and have a discussion and hear from the students and Greek houses of what they are doing together to decrease the spread of COVID on the university.”

According to a press release, Dr. Birx spent the day touring several locations and facilities on campus, as well as meeting with university, state and local leaders to understand UM’s efforts to prevent the spread of the virus and safeguard the campus and surrounding community.

She applauded the planning efforts the university has undertaken to put protocols and procedures in place to stop the spread of the virus on campus and the students’ active engagement in stopping the spread of the virus on campus.

Chancellor Glenn Boyce thanked Dr. Birx for taking the time to visit the university and Oxford.

“As the White House coronavirus adviser, she shared tremendous insights into what’s working across the country,” Boyce said. “She is a trusted national leader in the fight against this pandemic, and we’re grateful for her leadership and interest in our prevention efforts.”