WASHINGTON-Friday, United States president Donald Trump addressed the media during the White House Coronavirus Task Force daily briefing.
Trump commenced his remarks, saying that the U.S. Treasury has released 80 million deposits for Americans and only 1 percent have experienced minor problems.
He then turned the time over to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Perdue revealed that a $19 billion relief program has been made available.
This consists of direct payments and mass purchases from farmers.
The agriculture relief consists of two parts: first, $16 billion in direct payments and secondly, the United States Department of Agriculture will purchase $3 billion in food to give to food banks and faith groups to distribute food to those in need.
Perdue further confirmed that over 5 million swabs are being sent out to governors to administer to residents of their states. This will significantly help in increasing the available testing capacity for COVID-19.
Ventilators are being produced for the national stockpile, he continued, and it has been determined that not as many are needed as were first estimated. The U.S. is still producing for the stockpile, he said.
Trump then returned to the podium, saying to the media, “I think you’ll be hearing a lot about reopening [the country] in the coming weeks and months.
Four antibodies tests have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration this week, he confirmed, while also saying that America’s “scientific brilliance” will prevail against COVID-19 in this silent war.
Trump said that the U.S. shut down the strongest economy in the world, but it was a price that had to be paid.
In concluding this segment of his comments, Trump said the media “completely failed” in accurately reporting on America’s testing capabilities. He confirmed that the need for ventilators was estimated correctly.
Trump expressed his beliefs that the media will accept the figures when they see the end results. He then says that the U.S. was over-prepared for COVID-19, calling this a “good thing.”
Vice President Mike Pence then went to the podium to share some thoughts.
Pence lauded the U.S., saying “we’re making progress, America.” He cited the new and steady cases of COVID-19 on the West Coast and mentioned hot spots such as New York, New Orleans and Detroit that are seeing improvement.
Pence confirmed that history had been made as “all 50 states and all territories are under emergency disaster declarations for the first time in American history.”
Pence further said that “our approach will continue to be locally executed, state-managed and federally supported.”
He said that Abbott Laboratories are continuing to assist in this endeavor. Chicago-based Abbott is launching COVID-19 antibody tests that can assist in determining if a person has been previously infected, he confirmed.
Pence further declared that “we currently have enough testing capacity to allow states to meet phase one reopening guidelines.” He concluded by saying Centers of Disease Control officials are to be dispatched to all 50 states to monitor this process.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci then spoke. Fauci explained the two different types of tests concerning COVID-19. These are tests for the infection and to test if someone has been infected, he elaborated.
Fauci expressed his beliefs that there will be sufficient tests to safely lead the nation through Phase 1.
Virologist Robert D. Redfield, the CDC’s director, then spoke for several moments.
Redfield spoke of the CDC’s ability to track and monitor influenza-like illnesses across the country. Redifeld confirmed his beliefs that the CDC is well-equipped enough to monitor not only COVID-19, but other viruses at a county-by-county level. The CDC is continuing to enhance public health capacity for each state, he said.
Redfield continued, saying “as we begin the process of opening up America again, we will be aggressively focused on early COVID-19 case recognition, isolation and contact tracing.” He cited these are “the fundamentals of public health that we continue to implement to keep our nation open.” He concluded, saying “right now, the CDC is expanding the public health capacity.”
White House Coronavirus Task Force response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx then spoke, again using a series of slides as she did Thursday.
She said, “testing is a part of the exquisite monitoring that needs to occur,” concerning COVID-19. She stated that “work is being done to make the antibody tests [for the disease] as accurate as possible.”
Birx stated higher antibodies results are to come from states as they find asymptomatic individuals.
She further elaborated that antibodies tests consist of different specificities and sensitivities. Birx said that the slides she used show tremendous differences in testing capacity/lab infrastructure across individual states.
She said, in conclusion, that the federal government will work with states to ensure they are operating at full capacity.
Admiral Brett Giroir, the assistant secretary for health under the Trump Administration then spoke.
He said that there has been an unprecedented ramping up of testing for COVID-19 in the country, confirming 50,000 tests are being produced daily. He continued, saying tests are distributed to public health labs, as he called this “critical.”
He continued, saying that the American Clinical Laboratory Association and the American Hospital Association’s features are “accessible by almost everyone in the U.S.” if anyone should need any assistance with these matters during these times.
Giroir cited that granual data attests that presently the U.S. has sufficient testing capacity to enter Phase 1 reopening.
He spoke of the plans to conduct 300,000-400,000 antibodies tests weekly across the country to further survey the asympotmatic.
In conclusion, Girior explained how to do this: “To safely do testing,” he said, “we need to do about 4.5 million tests monthly to safely go through with phase 1 of reopening America, which we are on pace for.”
Trump then concluded the presser by taking several questions.
When asked how he felt about Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia rising against their respective governors, he said, speaking of these states “elements of what they have done are too much.”
Trump also spoke of his proposition of creating a payroll tax cut as this would give relief to Americans. He confirmed that certain Democrats agree with him on the matter.
When asked if rallies would recur before Election Day, he said “I hope we can resume rallies. They are an important part of politics. We win where we have rallies.”
Trump was specifically asked about Virginia’s situation with Governor Ralph Northam threatening to take Virginians’ guns away.
Trump replied, “they want to take their guns away. That’s the 2nd Amendment. They want to take away 2nd Amendment rights.”
Trump confirmed that service academies (West Point, The Naval Academy, Air Force Academy) will have commencement ceremonies, albeit with social distancing regulations being obeyed.
When asked how he felt about Beijing hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics, Trump confirmed that he is angry with China.
In conclusion, he cited New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy as seeing good signs for his residents in the Garden State as the COVID-19 situation is getting more propitious.
