‘WINDOW CLOSING’ WH whistleblower warns this winter will be ‘darkest in modern history’ if US doesn’t step up COVID response

A WHITE House whistleblower has warned that this winter will be the "darkest in modern history" if the United States doesn't step up its coronavirus response.

Dr Rick Bright is set to testify before Congress on Thursday about the Trump administration's handling of the pandemic.

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Dr Rick Bright is warning that the US could have the 'darkest winter in modern history'

In a prepared three-page testimony, the scientist wrote: "Our window of opportunity is closing. If we fail to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be prolonged, causing unprecedented illness and fatalities.

"While it is terrifying to acknowledge the extent of the challenge that we currently confront, the undeniable fact is there will be a resurgence of the COVID19 this fall, greatly compounding the challenges of seasonal influenza and putting an unprecedented strain on our health care system.

"Without clear planning and implementation of the steps that I and other experts have outlined, 2020 will be darkest winter in modern history."

The vaccine expert, who was removed from his job in April, said in a whistleblower complaint last week that he raised concerns about the virus to the Trump administration in January.

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Bright is going to testify about the Trump administration's handling of the pandemic

But, Bright said, that after he sounded the alarm he was met with "indifference which then developed into hostility" by leaders at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The scientist claims he was fired from his role in creating a coronavirus vaccine after he advised against the untested hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug that Trump touted.

Bright's lawyers argued that his removal from his post is a violation of the Whistleblower Protection Act.

They claim that Bright "has engaged in numerous instances of protected activity."

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The scientist was working to find a coronavirus vaccine

The doctor was the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) director and focused on the development of vaccines, drugs and diagnostics.

During his testimony on Thursday, Bright is set to discuss his ousting.

Bright it set to say: "And finally, when I resisted efforts to promote and enable broad access to an unproven drug, chloroquine, to the American people without transparent information on the potential health risks, I was removed from BARDA."

He will also slate his time in the role, and will say: "my urgency was dismissed and I was cut out of key high-level meetings to combat COVID-19."

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Bright said: 'Our window of opportunity is closing' 

Bright is set to finalize his testimony by discussing the national action that needs to take place in order to control the virus.

"The virus is out there, it’s everywhere. We need to be able to find it, to isolate it and to stop it from infecting more people," he said.

"We need tests that are accurate, rapid, easy to use, low cost, and available to everyone who needs them.

"We need be able to trust the results so that we can trace contacts, isolate and quarantine appropriately while striving to develop a cure."

The coronavirus has devastated the United States, having killed at least 81,795 Americans.

The country currently has a total of 1,385,834 confirmed cases.

However, 262,225 have recovered from the disease.