President Trump with Coronavirus Task Force Briefing
April 17, 2020
- Unidentified Speaker: PRES.
- TRUMP: THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
I JUST HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION
WITH THE LEADING FAITH LEADERS
OF OUR COUNTRY.
IT WENT EXTREMELY WELL.
I LEARNED A LOT.
WE ARE WORKING ON THINGS THAT
ARE VERY INTERESTING AND VERY
POSITIVE.
I THANK THEM FOR BEING ON THE
CALL.
YESTERDAY WE UNVEILED DETAILED
GUIDELINES FOR GOVERNORS TO
INITIATE US -- A SAFE, GRADUAL
REOPENING OF AMERICA.
THE GUIDELINES PROVIDE GOVERNORS
WITH THE FACT-DRIVEN AND
SCIENCE-BASED METRICS THEY NEED
TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE RIGHT
FOR THEIR OWN PARTICULAR STATE.
TO VIEW THE GUIDELINES YOU CAN
GO TO THE WEBSITE ATWHITEHOU
SE.GOV/OPENINGAMERICA.
THE TREASURY SENT OUT ECONOMIC
RELIEF PAYMENTS TO MORE THAN 80
MILLION AMERICANS WHO HAVE
DIRECT DEPOSIT INFORMATION ON
FILE WITH THE IRS.
AN INCREDIBLE SUCCESS IT HAS
BEEN.
IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR
CHECK PLEASE VISIT IRS.GOV, GET
MY PAYMENT.
THAT WAY THE IRS CAN GET YOU
YOUR PAYMENT WITHIN DAYS.
THEY HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.
YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR A
CHECK IN THE MAIL.
I HAVE GOOD NEWS.
WE SENT OUT 80 MILLION DEPOSITS.
LESS THAN 1% HAD EVEN LITTLE
PROBLEMS.
A COUPLE HAD MINOR GLITCHES, BUT
SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN 1%.
OUT OF 80 MILLION DEPOSITS, LESS
THAN 1%, AND THAT GETS CORRECTED
IMMEDIATELY.
YOU WILL GET THAT QUICKLY,
EASILY.
TODAY I AM ANNOUNCING SECRETARY
PERDUE, HAPPENS TO BE RIGHT NEXT
TO ME, HANDSOME MAN, AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, WILL
BE IMPLEMENTING A $19 BILLION
RELIEF PROGRAM FOR OUR GREAT
FARMERS AND RANCHERS AS THEY
COPE WITH THE FALLOUT OF THE
GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
VERY HONORED TO BE DOING THAT.
OUR FARMERS, RANCHERS.
THESE ARE GREAT PEOPLE, GREAT
AMERICANS.
NEVER COMPLAIN, THEY JUST DO
WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
THE PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE DIRECT
PAYMENTS TO FARMERS AS WELL AS
MASS PURCHASES OF DAIRY, EMA --
MEAT AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE TO
GET IT TO THE PEOPLE IN NEED.
THE USDA WILL RECEIVE ANOTHER
$14 MILLION IN JULY TO CONTINUE
HELPING -- THIS WILL HELP OUR
FARMERS AND RANCHERS.
IT IS MONEY WELL DESERVED.
NOT ONLY WERE THEY TARGETED AT
ONE POINT BY CHINA, THAT WAS
OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, AND THEY
NEVER COMPLAINED, BUT THAT
WORKED OUT WELL.
$12 BILLION THEY GOT AND $16
BILLION THEY GOT.
NOW IT IS $19 BILLION.
I WILL ASK SECRETARY PERDUE
EXACTLY HOW WE ARE GOING TO
HANDLE IT.
THANK YOU.
SEC.
- PERDUE: MR. PRESIDENT, YOU
MAY REMEMBER EARLIER THIS YEAR
YOU TWEETED A MESSAGE TO OUR
FARMERS AND RANCHES -- RANCHERS
THAT NO MATTER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU PLEDGED TO
STAND BY THEM.
NONE OF US COULD HAVE
ANTICIPATED THIS PANDEMIC, BUT
TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT IS PROOF
YOU HAVE OUR FARMERS' BACKS AND
WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT IT
TAKES TO SUPPORT THEM AND THEY
ARE GRATEFUL.
WE HEARD A LOT RECENTLY ABOUT
OUR FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN.
AMERICAN NOW KNOWS MORE THAN
EVER THE WHOLESOME FOOD OUR
FAMILIES DEPEND UPON STARTS WITH
AMERICA'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS.
AMERICA'S AGRICULTURE HAS BEEN
HARD-HIT, LIKE MOST OF AMERICA
WITH THE CORONAVIRUS.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS STANDING WITH
FARMERS TO MAKE SURE WE GET
THROUGH THIS NATIONAL EMERGENCY.
THANKS TO YOUR DIRECTION AND
LEADERSHIP, THE USDA IS
ANNOUNCING THE CORONAVIRUS FOOD
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THIS NEW,
$19 BILLION PROGRAM WILL HAVE
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS TO ASSIST
FARMERS, RANCHERS AND CONSUMERS
IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19
NATIONAL EMERGENCY.
THE PROGRAM IS DIVIDED INTO TWO
PARTS.
ONE IS A DIRECT PAYMENT.
$16 BILLION IN DIRECT PAYMENTS
TO FARMERS, RANCHERS AND
PRODUCERS WHO EXPERIENCED
UNPRECEDENTED LOSSES DURING THIS
PANDEMIC.
SINCE WE WANTED TO GET THE
PAYMENTS OUT TO PRODUCERS AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE, WE DECIDED TO
USE THE FUNDS IN THE CCC,
CURRENTLY $6.5 MILLION COMBINED
WITH THE 19.5 OF COVID MONEY
RATHER THAN WAIT FOR
REPLENISHMENT OF CCC FUNDS IN
JULY.
IT IS BECOMING APPARENT WE WILL
NEED THE ADDITIONAL CCC FUNDS AS
WE CONTINUE TO TRACK ECONOMIC
LOSSES.
SECONDLY, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT,
THE USDA WILL BE PURCHASING $3
BILLION IN FRESH PRODUCE, DAIRY
AND MEAT PRODUCTS TO BE
DISTRIBUTED TO AMERICANS IN NEED
THROUGH FOOD BANK NETWORKS AS
WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITY AND
FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
HAVING TO DUMP MILK OR OTHER
ITEMS IN MARKET IS NOT ONLY
FINANCIALLY DISTRESSING, BUT
HEARTBREAKING TO THOSE WHO
PRODUCE THAT.
WE PROVIDE FINANCIAL RELIEF TO
FARMERS AND RANCHERS, AND THE
PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTION OF
AGRICULTURAL ABUNDANCE IN THIS
COUNTRY TO HELP OUR FELLOW
AMERICANS IN NEED.
IN RECENT WEEKS WE HAVE SEEN THE
PATRIOTISM OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY
CHAIN WORKERS THAT HAVE SHOWN
DAY IN AND DAY OUT, DOING WORK
TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF FELLOW
AMERICANS.
OUR FARMERS HAVE BEEN IN THE
FIELDS DOING WHAT THEY DO EVERY
SPRING TO FEED THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, EVEN WITH THE PANDEMIC,
AS WE SPEAK.
I WANT TO THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT, FOR YOUR UNWAVERING
SUPPORT.
THEY WANT TO THANK YOU, FROM
AMERICA'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS.
USDA WILL DO EVERYTHING IN OUR
POWER TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM
AS QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY AS
POSSIBLE TO HELP OUR FARMERS,
RANCHERS, PRODUCERS AND
CONSUMERS IN THIS TIME OF NEED.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE
TODAY.
GOD BLESS YOU, GOD BLESS AMERICA
AND AMERICAN AGRICULTURE.
PRES.
- TRUMP: THANK YOU, SIR.
GREAT SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
WAS THE GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA FOR
EIGHT YEARS.
THE ONLY REASON HE IS NOT STILL
THERE IS THAT HE WAS
[INDISCERNIBLE]
AND I SAID, LET'S GET HIM FOR
AGRICULTURE.
GOOD JOB.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
EVEN AS WE PREPARE TO REBUILD
OUR ECONOMY, AMERICA CONTINUES
TO WAGE AN ALL-OUT MEDICAL WARD
TO DEFEAT THE INVISIBLE ENEMY.
TO DATE WE HAVE CONDUCTED MORE
THAN 3.78 MILLION CORONAVIRUS
TESTS, THE MOST OF ANY COUNTRY,
NOT EVEN CLOSE.
IN THE HARDEST HIT AREAS, NEW
YORK AND LOUISIANA, WE TESTED
MORE PEOPLE PER CAPITA THAN
SOUTH KOREA, SINGAPORE AND EVERY
OTHER COUNTRY.
THE U.S. HAS THE MOST ROBUST,
ADVANCED AND ACCURATE TESTING
SYSTEM IN THE WORLD.
AS OF YESTERDAY WE DISTRIBUTED
NEARLY 660,000 ABBOTT ID'S.
THAT IS AN INCREDIBLE TEST, NOW
POINT-OF-CARE DIAGNOSTIC TEST
AND IT HAS BEEN FANTASTIC.
IT IS THE HOT ONE.
PROBLEM WITH THIS BUSINESS, IT
IS A HOT ONE UNTIL TWO DAYS FROM
NOW.
WE DO HAVE A SALIVA TEST THAT
JUST CAME OUT AND IT CAN BE SELF
ADMINISTERED AND IS SAID TO BE
FANTASTIC.
I WANT TO THANK ABBOTT
LABORATORIES, THEY HAVE BEEN
INCREDIBLE.
I WANT TO THANK ROCHE, THEY HAVE
LIKEWISE BEEN INCREDIBLE.
WE HAVE SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE
IN TESTS CONDUCTED BY HOSPITALS
AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, WHICH
HAVE NOW PERFORMED NEARLY
600,000 TESTS.
THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
UNUSED CAPACITY IN THE STATES
AVAILABLE FOR GOVERNORS TO TAP.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS UNUSED
CAPABILITY WITHIN THOSE
LABORATORIES AND I HOPE THE
GOVERNORS WILL BE ABLE TO USE
THEM.
THE GOVERNORS ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE TESTING AND I HOPE THEY
CAN USE THIS TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF AVAILABLE CAPACITY WE HAVE.
IT IS UP TO ONE MILLION
ADDITIONAL TESTS PER WEEK.
WHEN YOU THINK OF THAT, IN THE
NEST -- IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE
WILL SEND OUT 5.5 MILLION
TESTING SWABS TO THE STATES.
THEY CAN BE DONE EASILY BY THE
GOVERNORS THEMSELVES.
IT IS KOTTEN, NOT A BIG DEAL --
COTTON, NOT A BIG DEAL.
YESTERDAY THE FDA ANNOUNCED A
NEW COLLABORATION WITH UNITED
HEALTH FOUNDATION, QUANTIGEN AND
U.S. COTTON, WITH A NEW
POLYESTER, Q-TIP TYPE SWAB FOR
CORONAVIRUS TESTING.
THIS WILL HELP OUR TESTING
CAPABILITY GROW DRAMATICALLY.
WE ARE HELPING PEOPLE, EVEN WITH
SWABS.
WE HAVE VENTILATORS.
WE ARE NOW THE KING OF
VENTILATORS.
WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
WE DO NOT NEED THEM OURSELVES.
WE HAVE A GREAT STOCKPILE WE
WILL IMMEDIATELY SEND TO STATES
IN NEED.
BUT WE HAVE HANDLED THAT
SITUATION INCREDIBLY WELL.
I HOPE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT.
I WISH THE MEDIA WOULD GET THE
WORD OUT.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN VENTILATORS
IS AMAZING.
THEY ARE BIG, EXPENSIVE AND
COMPLEX.
I SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT OF
MEXICO TODAY, GREAT GENTLEMEN.
-- GENTLEMAN.
I TOLD HIM WE WOULD BE HELPING
MEXICO WITH VENTILATORS AND
OTHER COUNTRIES, TOO.
WE HAVE A LOT OF HIGH-LEVEL,
HIGH-QUALITY VENTILATORS.
THEY ARE HERE AND BEING
MANUFACTURED AS WE SPEAK.
FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF
OUR REOPENING GUIDELINES, THERE
HAVE BEEN PARTISAN VOICES IN THE
MEDIA WHO HAVE SPREAD FALSE AND
MISLEADING INFORMATION ABOUT OUR
TESTING CAPACITY, DEMONSTRATING
A COMPLETE FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND
THE NORM US SCOPE OF THE TESTING
CAPABILITIES WE HAVE BROUGHT
ONLINE.
WE STARTED FROM GROUND ZERO.
WE STARTED FROM BEING OUTDATED
AND OBSOLETE AS A COUNTRY, FROM
THE PAST.
I WILL SAY THIS, IF THEY DID NOT
UNDERSTAND IT IT IS --
UNFORTUNATELY, I HATE TO SAY
THIS, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN
GETTING ALONG WELL, BUT IT WOULD
BE FALSE REPORTING.
IT WILL BE UP TO THE STATES TO
USE THAT CAPABILITY.
THEY HAVE LOCAL POINTS WHERE
THEY CAN GO, GOVERNORS CAN CALL
THE MAYORS AND MAYORS CAN CALL
REPRESENTATIVES AND EVERYTHING
IS PERFECT.
THAT IS THE WAY IT ALWAYS SHOULD
WORK.
IT WILL HELP NEW YORK AND ALL
THE OTHER STATES GET EVEN BETTER
ON THEIR TESTING.
WE HAVE TO DO EVEN BETTER.
SOME PEOPLE THINK THERE ARE
AREAS WHERE VAST AMOUNTS, AREAS
WHERE YOU HAVE ALMOST -- VERY
FEW PEOPLE AND ALMOST NO PEOPLE
ARE INFECTED.
THOSE AREAS WILL BE LOOKED UPON
DIFFERENTLY BY DIFFERENT
GOVERNORS.
YOU WILL HAVE A LOT OF NEWS
COMING OUT ABOUT THAT OVER THE
NEXT FEW DAYS.
CERTAIN STATES WILL COME ONLINE
AND START THE EARLY STAGES OF
THE PUZZLE WE ARE PUTTING
TOGETHER.
IT WILL BE TOGETHER SOONER THAN
LATER.
A LOT OF INCREDIBLE THINGS ARE
HAPPENING.
AT SOME POINT IN THE
NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE WE WILL
HAVE OUR COUNTRY BACK AND WITH
WHAT WE ARE DOING ON STIMULUS
AND HELPING PEOPLE KEEP
BUSINESSES TOGETHER AND LIVES,
IT WILL BE BETTER THAN EVER
BEFORE.
I HOPE SO.
THE CURRENT CONVERSATION IS
REMINISCENT OF WHAT HAPPENED ON
VENTILATORS.
WHEN REQUESTS WERE MADE FAR
BEYOND WHAT WAS OBJECTIVELY
NEEDED.
WE WERE HEARING FROM CERTAIN
STATES THAT THEY NEEDED FAR MORE
VENTILATORS.
IN ONE CASE THEY WANTED 40,000
VENTILATORS.
IT TURNS OUT THEY HAD PLENTY,
7000 OR 8000.
WE SUPPLIED THEM WITH A LOT.
THAT WAS THE RIGHT NUMBER.
IF THEY NEED MORE WE ARE READY
TO GIVE MORE, BUT THE SURGE
SEEMS TO BE OVER.
A LOT OF GOVERNORS ARE DOING A
GREAT JOB.
WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
DONE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL HAS
BEEN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
THE MEDIA WILL BE ACCEPTING OF
THESE FIGURES WHEN THEY GET TO
SEE THE END RESULT.
THEY ARE ALREADY SEEING IT.
THAT INCLUDES NOT ONLY
VENTILATORS, BUT BEDS.
WE BUILT FAR MORE THAN THEY EVEN
NEEDED.
WE WANTED TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF
CAUTION.
THEY WANTED A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
IN LOUISIANA I TALKED WITH THE
GOVERNOR.
I SAID, YOU THINK YOU WILL NEED
THE FINAL HOSPITAL?
THEY DID NOT NEED IT.
I APPRECIATE IT FROM THE
GOVERNOR.
WE SAVED BUILDING A HOSPITAL.
IN NEW YORK WE DID A SPECTACULAR
JOB AT THE JAVITS CENTER.
EVEN SENDING THE SHIP UP, WE
BROUGHT IT INTO COVID, BUT THEY
DID NOT NEED IT.
DID NOT GET MUCH USE, BUT IT WAS
READY.
IT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE USED
FOR THAT PURPOSE.
WE CHANGED IT INTO THAT PURPOSE.
IT WASTHERE, READY -- IT WAS
THERE, READY, BUT THEY DID NOT
NEED THE BEDS WE PRODUCE.
WE PRODUCED ALMOST 2900 BEDS.
I WOULD RATHER TELL YOU WE WERE
OVER PREPARED THAN
UNDERPREPARED.
THAT WAS A GOOD FAITH EFFORT BY
NEW YORK.
IT IS NICE WE DID NOT NEED IT.
IT WAS READY TO GO.
STILL THEY ARE SHOULD SOMETHING
HAPPEN.
I THINK THEY HAVE IT UNDER GOOD
CONTROL.
AS YOU WILL HEAR FROM OUR
EXPERTS TODAY, WE HAVE BUILT
SUFFICIENT TESTING CAPACITY
NATIONWIDE FOR STATES TO BEGIN
REOPENINGS.
YOU WILL HEAR A LOT ABOUT
REOPENING'S -- REOPENINGS IN THE
COMING DAYS AND MONTHS.
YOU'LL SEE SOME VERY DRAMATIC
STEPS TAKEN AND VERY SAFELY,
PUTTING SAFETY FIRST.
WE MAY BE OPENING, BUT WE ARE
PUTTING SAFETY FIRST.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS,
THE POSSIBLE NUMBER OF DEATHS,
2.2 MILLION PEOPLE -- IT COULD
HAVE WELL BEEN THAT.
I AM LOOKING AT NUMBERS WHERE IT
COULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER THAN
THAT.
2.2 MILLION PEOPLE DYING, IF YOU
FIGURE WITH THOSE 500,000, MAYBE
600,000 IN THE CIVIL WAR.
22 -- 2.2 MILLION PEOPLE, AT A
MINIMUM IF WE DID NOTHING.
CUT THAT IN HALF, YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT A MILLION DYING.
BUT WE DID A LOT OF WORK.
PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY WERE
INCREDIBLE.
I THINK WE ARE HEADING TO THE
OTHER CATEGORY.
IF IT WAS SUCCESSFUL, BETWEEN
100,000 TO 220,000.
I HOPE WE WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY
BELOW THE 100,000 NUMBER.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE AROUND 60,000,
MAYBE 65,000.
ONE IS TOO MANY.
IT IS A HORRIBLE THING THAT
HAPPENED TO OUR COUNTRY, TO 184
COUNTRIES.
IT WAS A HORRIBLE THING AND
THERE WAS NO REASON FOR IT AND
IT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
IN A FEW MINUTES YOU WILL BE
HEARING FROM DR. REDFIELD, DR.
FAUCI, DR. BIRX, AND AN ADMIRAL.
THE FDA AUTHORIZED TWO NEW
ANTIBODY TESTS TO DETERMINE IF
SOMEONE HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY
INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS,
BRINGING THE TOTAL TO FOUR
AUTHORIZED ANTIBODY TESTS
ALREADY.
THIS WILL HELP US ASSESS THE
NUMBER OF CASES THAT HAVE BEEN A
SYMPTOMATICALLY -- ASYMPTOMATIC.
WE CAN GET AMERICANS BACK TO
WORK BY SHOWING US WHO MIGHT
HAVE DEVELOPED IMMUNITY.
THIS WILL BE MADE POSSIBLE BY
AMERICA'S SCIENTIFIC BRILLIANCE.
THERE IS NOBODY LIKE US.
I WISH I COULD TELL YOU WHAT
POWERFUL COUNTRY SAY TO ME, THE
LEADERS.
THEY SAY IT QUIETLY AND OFF THE
RECORD, BUT THEY HAVE GREAT
RESPECT FOR WHAT WE CAN DO.
FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS AGO WE WERE
AT A LEVEL NOBODY HAD OBTAINED.
THE BEST JOB NUMBERS, THE BEST
ECONOMY.
EVERY COMPANY VIRTUALLY WAS
DOING BETTER BUSINESS THAN
BEFORE.
THE STOCK MARKET WAS AT AN
ALL-TIME HIGH.
ONE DAY THEY SAID YOU GOT TO
CLOSE IT UP.
WE DID THE RIGHT THING.
WE SAVED MAY BE MILLIONS OF
LIVES, BUT WE ARE PAYING A
PRICE.
THAT PRICE IS UNIMPORTANT
COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF LIVES
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
THE NIH AND OTHERS ARE
CONDUCTING TRIALS.
IT IS SO EXCITING TO ME BECAUSE
IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, YOU WILL
GET BETTER.
REASONABLY QUICKLY.
AND WITHOUT SUCH A HORRIBLE DEAL
AS SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO GO
THROUGH.
NIH ANNOUNCED THEY ARE LAUNCHING
A PUBLIC-PRAY FOR --
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH
PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES.
INCLUDING CDC AND THE EUROPEAN
MEDICINE AGENCY.
WE ARE WORKING WITH A LOT OF
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
THE PARTNERSHIP WILL MARSHALL
AND COORDINATE VAST RESOURCES,
KNOWLEDGE, ASSETS AND
AUTHORITIES OF MORE THAN A DOZEN
ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES TO
ACCELERATE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
MOST PROMISING THERAPIES AND
VACCINES AND IS COMING ALONG
REALLY WELL.
JOHNSON AND JOHNSON IS REALLY
WELL ADVANCED.
THEY ARE HAVING GREAT SUCCESS,
BUT WE HAVE TO TEST THEM AND IT
TAKES A LONG PERIOD OF TIME,
PROBABLY OVER A YEAR, BUT
THERAPIES ARE COMING ALONG WELL.
WHEN WE GET THAT, THAT WILL BE A
BIG DAY.
WE ARE EQUIPPING MEDICAL
WARRIORS ON THE FRONT LINES.
WE HAVE THE PROJECT AIR BRIDGE.
IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.
THE NATIONAL STRATEGIC
STOCKPILE, AND EVERY OTHER
CHANNEL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAS DEPLOYED.
44.5 MILLION N95 MASKS, 524
MILLION GLOVES, MORE THAN 10
MILLION GALLONS.
500 MILLION MASKS COMING IN SOON
BETWEEN MANUFACTURING AND
ORDERS.
500 MILLION MASKS.
THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN
AMONG THE MOST CHALLENGING TIMES
IN THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION.
THIS INVISIBLE ENEMY IS TOUGH
AND SMART AND VICIOUS, BUT EVERY
DAY WE ARE GETTING CLOSER TO THE
FUTURE WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.
I TALK ABOUT THE LIGHT AT THE
END OF THE TUNNEL.
WE ARE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO
SEEING THAT LIGHT SHINE BRIGHTLY
AT THE END OF THAT TUNNEL.
IT IS HAPPENING AND I WANT TO
THANK EVERYONE IN THE ROOM.
I WANT TO THANK SOME OF THE
MEDIA.
WE HAVE HAD SOME FAIR COVERAGE
AND I APPRECIATE IT.
I WILL INTRODUCE OUR GREAT VICE
PRESIDENT, MIKE PENCE.
HE WILL TAKE OVER.
I WILL LEAVE AND COME BACK.
WE WILL TAKE QUESTIONS OVER OUR
TREMENDOUS TESTING CAPABILITIES.
AGAIN, I WILL BE RIGHT BACK.
THANK YOU.
V.P.
- PENCE: THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, ALL.
THE PRESIDENT JUST REFLECTED IT
REMAINS A CHALLENGING TIME IN
THE LIFE OF OUR NATION, BUT
BECAUSE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY
EFFORTS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,
BECAUSE OF A STRONG PARTNERSHIP,
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS
FORGED WITH STATES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS.
DESPITE THE TRAGIC LOSS OF MORE
THAN 36,000 AMERICANS.
ACCORDING TO OUR BEST DATA
REPORTING THIS MORNING, WE
CONTINUE TO SEE NEW CASES LOW
AND STEADY ON THE WEST COAST AND
CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS
DECLINING IN THE GREATER NEW
YORK CITY AREA, NEW ORLEANS,
DETROIT AND ELSEWHERE.
THIS IS A TRIBUTE FIRST AND
FOREMOST FOR HEALTH CARE
DOCTORS, NURSES, ALL THOSE
WORKING THE FRONT LINES, BUT
ALSO A GREAT TRIBUTE TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO PUT INTO
PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING, THE
GUIDANCE OF STATE AND LOCAL
OFFICIALS.
WE HOPE EVERY AMERICAN IS
ENCOURAGED BY THE STEADY
PROGRESS WE ARE MAKING.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO BRING AT
THE PRESIDENT'S DIRECTION, THE
FULL RESOURCES OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
TODAY THE PRESIDENT APPROVED A
DISASTER DECLARATION FOR
AMERICAN SAMOA, SO NOW ALL 50
STATES AND TERRITORIES ARE UNDER
DISASTER DECLARATIONS FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
AT THIS PRESENT MOMENT, 33,000
NATIONAL GUARDSMEN ARE ON DUTY.
5500 ACTIVE MILITARY PERSONNEL
DEPLOYED TO NINE STATES,
INCLUDING 716 MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS, DOCTORS AND
NURSES WHO DEPLOYED OUT TO 14
DIFFERENT HOSPITALS.
AMONG THOSE, 10 IN NEW YORK CITY
AND MILITARY PERSONNEL WERE ALSO
SERVING TODAY IN HOSPITALS IN
CONNECTICUT, TEXAS, LOUISIANA
AND NEW JERSEY.
YESTERDAY AS THE PRESIDENT
REFLECTED, WE UNVEILED THE
GUIDELINES FOR OPENING UP
AMERICA AGAIN.
THERE WERE TWO PARTS AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE GUIDELINES.
FIRST, CRITERIA WE HOPE WILL
GUIDE GOVERNORS IN THEIR
DECISIONS ABOUT REOPENING THEIR
STATES ON EITHER A STATEWIDE
LEVEL OR COUNTY LEVEL.
ALSO WE OUTLINED WHAT WE BELIEVE
WILL BE THE MOST IMPORTANT STATE
RESPONSIBILITIES TO HAVE IN
PLACE BEFORE MOVING INTO A
REOPENING PLAN.
FOR PHASE ONE THE PRESIDENT'S
GUIDELINES ADVISE STATES WITH A
DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY AND CASES
OVER A 14 DAY PERIOD OF TIME,
AND ENSURE THEY HAVE PROPER
CAPACITY IN THEIR HEALTH CARE
FACILITIES, COULD MOVE TO PHASE
ONE, WITH EASING OF SOME SOCIAL
DISTANCING CRITERIA IN PLACE.
FOR STATES THAT MEET THE
CRITERIA, WE OUTLINED
RESPONSIBILITIES, PROTECTING
WORKERS AND CRITICAL INDUSTRIES,
PARTICULARLY THE MOST
VULNERABLE, THOSE WHO LIVE AND
WORK IN SENIOR CARE FACILITIES.
WE ALSO ENCOURAGE STATES TO HAVE
A PLAN FOR TESTING SYMPTOMATIC
INDIVIDUALS AND ENSURING TESTING
TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS.
AS THE PRESIDENT MADE CLEAR,
GOVERNORS WILL DECIDE THE TIME
AND MANNER THEIR STATES REOPEN.
WE WILL LOOK TO SUPPORT THEM IN
THAT EFFORT.
AS WE SHOWED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
YESTERDAY, THE PRESIDENT'S
DIRECTION, OUR ADMINISTRATION
WILL WORK WITH GOVERNORS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY TO MAKE SURE THEY
HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND
TESTING RESOURCES TO REOPEN
SAFELY AND RESPONSIBLY.
ON THE SUBJECT OF SUPPLIES, WE
ISSUED A LETTER SUMMARIZING ALL
THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND
SUPPLIES DISTRIBUTED TO THE
STATES FROM FEMA BETWEEN THE
FIRST OF THIS MONTH AND APRIL 14
THROUGH PROJECT AIR BRIDGE AND
THE COMMERCIAL SUPPLY NETWORK.
WE WILL BE SPEAKING WITH OUR
NATION'S GOVERNORS MONDAY AND
DETAILING THAT INFORMATION.
AS OF APRIL 16, AS THE PRESIDENT
REFLECTED, FEMA COORDINATED
DELIVERY OF MILLIONS OF PIECES
OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT INCLUDING
44 MILLION N95 RESPIRATORS, 63
MILLION MEDICAL MASKS, MORE THAN
10,000 VENTILATORS AND MORE THAN
8600 FEDERAL MEDICAL STATION
BEDS.
ON THE SUBJECT OF TESTING
RESOURCES, WE WILL TAKE TIME TO
SPEAK ABOUT OUR ADMINISTRATION'S
APPROACH AND PARTNERSHIP WITH
STATES TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND
TESTING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
FROM THE OUTSET OF THIS
EPIDEMIC, PRESIDENT TRUMP MADE
EFFORTS TO REINVENT TESTING IN
AMERICA.
TRADITIONAL TESTING IN THIS
COUNTRY TAKES PLACE AT CDC OR
STATE LABS, WAS DESIGNED FOR THE
KIND OF DIAGNOSTIC TESTING
ROUTINELY WERE -- REQUIRED.
THE PRESIDENT BROUGHT LEADING
LABS IN AMERICA, FORGE PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
SIX WEEKS AGO, WE PERFORMED
25,000 TESTS.
TODAY WE HAVE PERFORMED 3.7
MILLION TESTS.
WE BELIEVE LABS AND HOSPITALS
ARE PERFORMING MORE THAN 120,000
TESTS PER DAY.
WE HAVE A TEAM FROM WALTER REED
UNDER DR. DEBORAH BIRX WORKING
AROUND THE CLOCK TO IDENTIFY
ADDITIONAL TESTING CAPACITY
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE BELIEVE STATES COULD MORE
THAN DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF DAILY
TESTING HAPPENING TODAY BY
ACTIVATING ALL THE LABS.
DR. BIRX WILL OUTLINE SOME OF
THOSE RESOURCES TODAY AND WE
WILL GO OVER THOSE SPECIFICALLY
WITH GOVERNORS ON MONDAY.
WE HAVE BEEN PROMOTING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW AND
INNOVATIVE TESTS.
WE KNOW ABOUT THE 15 MINUTE
ABBOTT TEST, BUT THE FDA IS
WORKING ON AN ANTIBODY TEST THAT
COULD ADD 20 MILLION NEW TESTS
TO OUR SUPPLY BEFORE THE END OF
APRIL.
I WANT TO ASSURE THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH YOUR GOVERNORS AND STATE
HEALTH OFFICIALS TO SCALE
TESTING.
AS YOU WILL HEAR FROM ALL OUR
EXPERTS TONIGHT, OUR BEST
SCIENTISTS AND HEALTH EXPERTS
ASSESS THAT STATES TODAY HAVE
ENOUGH TESTS TO IMPLEMENT THE
CRITERIA OF PHASE ONE, IF THEY
CHOOSE TO DO SO.
LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN.
GIVEN THE GUIDANCE IN THE
PRESIDENT'S NEW GUIDELINES FOR
OPENING UP AMERICA AGAIN, STATES
THAT MEET THEIR CRITERIA FOR
GOING INTO PHASE ONE, AND THEN
ARE PREPARING THE TESTING BY
CONTEMPLATING GOING INTO PHASE
ONE, OUR BEST SCIENCE AND HEALTH
EXPERTS ASSESS THAT TODAY WE
HAVE THE SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF
TESTING TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS
OF A PHASE ONE REOPENING, IF
STATE GOVERNORS SHOULD CHOOSE TO
DO THAT.
YOU WILL HEAR MORE DETAIL ON
THAT IN A MOMENT.
AT THE PRESIDENT'S DIRECTION WE
WILL HAVE AN OUTLINE OF OUR
APPROACH FOR TESTING AND
PARTNERSHIP WITH STATES.
OUR APPROACH WILL CONTINUE TO BE
LOCALLY EXECUTED, STATE MANAGED
AND FEDERALLY SUPPORTED.
DR. FAUCI WILL GIVE US A BRIEF
INTRODUCTION TO THE OVERALL
APPROACH TO TESTING THAT IS
CONTEMPLATED TO DEAL WITH THE
CORONAVIRUS.
DR. REDFIELD AND THE CDC WILL
DESCRIBE OUR PLAN TO MOBILIZE
CDC OFFICIALS IN ALL 50 STATES
TO SPECIFICALLY MONITOR
CORONAVIRUS INCIDENTS THAT OCCUR
IN EVERY STATE.
DR. DEBORAH BIRX WILL DESCRIBE
NOT ONLY OUR TESTS, BUT THE
CURRENT CAPABILITY WE COULD
EXPAND TO.
ADMIRABLE -- ADMIRAL GERARD WILL
SUMMARIZE OUR APPROACH.
AT THE PRESIDENT'S DIRECTION WE
WILL CONTINUE TO WORK EVERY
SINGLE DAY TO MAKE SURE OUR
STATES HAVE THE TESTING MAY NEED
TO REOPEN AT THE TIME AND MANNER
OF THEIR CHOOSING AND WE WILL
WORK EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE OUR
STATES HAVE RESOURCES AND
SUPPLIES TO REOPEN THEIR STATES
AND AMERICA IN A SAFE AND
RESPONSIBLE WAY.
WITH THAT, DR. FAUCI.
DR.
- FAUCI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
I WILL GIVE YOU A BRIEF
INTRODUCTION TO ANSWER THE
QUESTION WE HAVE BEEN ASKED A
LOT.
WE HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE
TELECONFERENCE WITH THE SENATE
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS A FEW HOURS
AGO.
THEY ASKED A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS
WHICH WERE REASONABLE, QUESTIONS
ON THE MIND OF A LOT OF PEOPLE.
ONE WAS POSED A MOMENT AGO.
IS, ARE THERE ENOUGH TESTS TO BE
ABLE TO GO THROUGH THIS FOR A
PHASE IN A WAY THAT IS
PROTECTIVE OF THE HEALTH AND
SAFETY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?
I WANT TO SPEND A COUPLE MINUTES
CLARIFYING A FEW THINGS, AND MAY
BE PROVIDING BROUGHT
INFORMATION.
YOU MAY HEAR MORE GRANULAR
INFORMATION FROM MY COLLEAGUES
FOLLOWING ME.
I THINK THEY ASKED ME TO GIVE
THE 40,000 FOOT ONE BECAUSE I AM
NOT A TESTING PERSON.
I DID NOT RUN A TESTING LAB, BUT
I AM PART OF THE TEAM LOOKING AT
THIS, AT HOW WE CAN BEST MAKE
SURE THIS HAPPENS IN THE RIGHT
WAY.
LET ME SAY SOMETHING I SAID
BEFORE AND I APOLOGIZE IF I AM
REPEATING THINGS YOU ALREADY
KNOW.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO DO
THAT SO PEOPLE HAVE CLARITY IN
WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
THERE ARE TWO GENERAL TYPES OF
TEST AND WITHIN EACH, SUBGROUPS.
ONE IS TO ACTUALLY TEST FOR THE
INFECTIOUS -- INFECTION.
IS A PERSON INFECTED?
THE OTHER IS TO TEST IF SOMEONE
HAS BEEN INFECTED.
USUALLY SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN
INFECTED HAS RECOVERED.
WE ASSUME, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THEY ARE TEXTED AGAINST
SUBSEQUENT EXPOSURE AND
INFECTION WITH AN IDENTICAL
ORGANISM.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PLUSES AND
MINUSES OF EACH?
THE PLUSES AND MINUSES WILL
IMPACT HOW WE BEST USE THE TEST,
AND HOW THE TEST SHOULD BE USED.
LET'S TAKE THE TEST WHETHER OR
NOT YOU ARE INFECTED.
THE TEST OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU
ARE INFECTED IS CALLED THE
NUCLEIC ACID TEST.
IT IS NOT AN EASY TEST TO DO.
THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE MORE
RAPID.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT GROUPS
WITHIN THAT.
THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THAT IS, IT
IS A SENSITIVE AND SPECIFIC
TEST.
IF YOU ARE INFECTED, YOU KNOW
YOU ARE INFECTED.
IF YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH
THAT, BUT THAT PERSON IN CARE,
GET THEM OUT OF CIRCULATION,
THAT IS IMPORTANT.
THE PART ABOUT THAT THAT I THINK
IS MISUNDERSTOOD IS, IF YOU GET
A TEST TODAY LIKE I DID, TODAY,
IT IS NEGATIVE.
IF YOU GET A TEST TODAY, THAT
DOES NOT MEAN THAT TOMORROW OR
THE NEXT DAY OR THE NEXT DAY OR
THE NEXT DAY AS YOU GET EXPOSED
PERHAPS FROM SOMEONE WHO MAY NOT
EVEN KNOW THEY ARE INFECTED,
THAT THAT MEANS I AM NEGATIVE.
IF YOU TAKE IT TO AN EXTREME, IN
ORDER TO BE REALLY SURE, YOU
WOULD HAVE TO TEST SOMEBODY
EITHER EVERY DAY OR EVERY OTHER
DAY OR WEEK TO BE ABSOLUTELY
CERTAIN.
THAT IS AN ISSUE.
THE PROBLEM I TALK ABOUT WHEN I
TRY TO COMPARE THIS TO OTHER
SITUATIONS WITH WHAT TESTING
MEANS TO YOU, I HAVE BEEN
INVOLVED IN HIV-AIDS FOR 39
YEARS, FROM THE VERY FIRST WEEK
OF HIV.
THAT IS WHAT I DO.
IF YOU GET A TEST FOR HIV, AND
YOUR NEGATIVE, AND YOU DO NOT
PRACTICE ANY RISK BEHAVIORS, YOU
CAN BE GUARANTEED THAT NEXT
MONTH, SIX MONTHS, ONE YEAR FROM
NOW, YOU WILL BE NEGATIVE.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A RISK
BEHAVIOR.
IT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE ABOUT
WHAT TESTING MEANS.
THE POINT, THOUGH THERE IS
CLEARLY A PLACE FOR NEEDING TO
TEST SOMEBODY FOR A GIVEN
REASON, A TEST MEANS YOUR
NEGATIVE NOW.
THE OTHER TEST IS AN ANTIBODY
TEST, A TEST THAT TELLS YOU YOU
HAVE BEEN INFECTED.
THAT IS REALLY GOOD AND YOU WILL
HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT FROM MY
COLLEAGUES IN THE MOMENT.
THAT WILL GIVE YOU A BROADER
VIEW OF TWO THINGS.
ONE, WHAT THE PENETRANTS OF THE
EFFECT -- INFECTIONS HAVE BEEN.
WE ARE ASSUMING IF YOU HAVE BEEN
INFECTED AND HAVE ANTIBODY, YOU
ARE PROTECTED.
THAT IS REASONABLE BASED ON OUR
EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER VIRUSES.
BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, HOW
LONG IS THE PROTECTION?
ONE MONTH, SIX MONTHS, A YEAR?
WE NEED TO BE HUMBLE AND MODEST
THAT WE DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING
ABOUT IT, BUT IT IS AN IMPORTANT
TEST.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TESTING
AND MONITORING -- THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN WHAT WE REALLY NEED IT
FOR FOR PHASE ONE TO IDENTIFY,
ISOLATE, CONTACT TRACE.
A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF WHEN
YOU ARE PULLING BACK GRADUALLY
AND SLOWLY ON MITIGATION AND
HAVE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE
INFECTED, YOU WANT TO KNOW THEY
ARE INFECTED AND PUT THEM IN
CARE.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE ABSOLUTELY
NEED TO DO, BUT THERE ARE OTHER
WAYS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND NOT TO UNDERESTIMATE
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING.
TESTING IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF
A MULTIFACETED WAY THAT WE ARE
GOING TO CONTROL AND ULTIMATELY
END THIS OUTBREAK.
PLEASE DO NOT INTERPRET THAT I
AM DOWN PEDALLING TESTING.
WE HAVE BEEN HEARING TESTING IS
EVERYTHING, BUT IT IS NOT.
IT IS EVERYTHING WE HAVE BEEN
DOING, MITIGATION STRATEGIES.
A COUPLE THINGS BEFORE I HANDED
OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE.
NO DOUBT EARLY ON WE HAD A
PROBLEM.
I HAVE PUBLICLY SAID WE HAD A
PROBLEM EARLY ON.
THERE WAS A PROBLEM THAT HAD TO
BE CORRECTED AND IT WAS.
IT WAS A TECHNICAL PROBLEM FROM
WITHIN THAT WAS CORRECTED, AN
ISSUE OF EMBRACING, THE WAY WE
HAVE NOW AND IT SHOULD HAVE, THE
PRIVATE SECTOR, WHO CLEARLY HAVE
THE CAPABILITY OF MAKING AND
PROVIDING TESTS AT THE LEVEL WE
NEED THEM FOR ANY OF THE
SO, HAVING SAID THAT, RIGHT NOW,
I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, AND I AM
NOT ALONE, MY COLLEAGUES
UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE SAY
THERE ARE X NUMBER OF TESTS OUT
THERE, THE FACT IS THERE HAVE
BEEN AND STILL ARE SITUATIONS
THAT ARE CORRECTABLE AND WILL BE
CORRECTED AND SOME OF WHICH HAVE
BEEN CORRECTED.
I KNOW, I GET ON THE PHONE A LOT
WITH MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SOME LONG
TIME AGO, I WAS WHERE THEY ARE,
IN THE HOSPITAL, IN THE
EMERGENCY ROOM, LOOKING AT VERY
SICK INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU NEED
TO TAKE CARE OF.
I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS WHEN
SOMEONE TELLS YOU YOU HAVE WHAT
YOU NEED AND YOU LOOK AROUND AND
YOU THINK I YOU THINK I HAVE
WHAT I NEED BUT I DON'T HAVE
WHAT I NEED.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE
CLOSE THAT GAP?
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE
HAVE LEARNED AND WE ARE
CORRECTING AND GOING TO CORRECT.
NAMELY, YOU HAVE A SITUATION
WHERE TESTS ARE NEEDED AND
APPROPRIATE AND PEOPLE HAVE
FOUND EITHER THERE ARE NO TESTS
OR NO REAGENTS OR NO SWABS OR A
PERSON NEEDED A TEST AND THEY
WERE TOLD THERE WAS A
RESTRICTION, THEY COULD NOT GET
A TEST.
THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU ALREADY
KNOW BECAUSE YOU HAVE HEARD THEM
.
OR THERE IS A DELAY OF FIVE TO
SEVEN DAYS AND WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN IF YOU WANT TO GET SOMEONE
OUT OF CIRCULATION?
WE UNDERSTAND THAT EXISTED, BUT
ON CAREFUL EXAMINATION, WHAT YOU
ARE GOING TO HEAR, MANY OF THOSE
HAVE ALREADY BEEN CORRECTED AND
OTHER OF THOSE WILL BE CORRECTED
BECAUSE WHAT I THINK PEOPLE
DON'T APPRECIATE THROUGH NO
FAULT OF THEIR OWN IS THAT THERE
ARE TWO ISSUES.
THERE IS SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
IF YOU HAVE A SUPPLY THAT CAN
MEET THE DEMAND, BUT THE SUPPLY
IS NOT CONNECTED TO DEMAND, THEN
SUPPLY-DEMAND FALLS APART.
WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT?
I MEAN THERE IS EXISTING
CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE THAT FOR
ONE REASON OR ANOTHER MAY BE HAS
NOT BEEN FULLY COMMUNICATED AS
TO THE AVAILABILITY OF THAT
EXISTING CAPACITY, AND YOU ARE
GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THAT NOW.
THERE IS PRODUCTION CAPACITY
THAT GETS BETTER AND BETTER AND
BETTER.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT.
FOR WHAT WE NEED NOW, WE BELIEVE
WITH BETTER COMMUNICATIONS, WE
WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT
HAPPEN.
I KNOW THERE ARE GOING TO BE A
LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT AND
I DON'T WANT TO GO ON TOO LONG.
GIVEN WHAT I HAVE JUST SAID AND
WHAT I BELIEVE YOU ARE GOING TO
HEAR, FOR WHAT WE NEED IN THE
FIRST PHASE, IF THESE THINGS ARE
DONE CORRECTLY, WHICH I BELIEVE
THEY CAN, WE WILL HAVE AND THERE
WILL BE ENOUGH TEST TO ALLOW US
TO TAKE THIS COUNTRY SAFELY
THROUGH PHASE ONE.
-
>> THANK YOU, MR. VICE
PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS
HERE.
FIRST, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT CDC HAS DEVELOPED
MULTIPLE SYSTEMS TO MONITOR
DISEASE OUTBREAKS.
I THINK MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR
HOW WE MONITOR FOR FOODBORNE
ILLNESS OR HOW WE MONITOR FOR
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN
HOSPITALS.
WE HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED A SYSTEM
TO MONITOR FOR UPPER RESPIRATORY
TRACT DISEASE.
IF I CAN GET THE FIRST SLIDE
THERE.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE BECAUSE WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT
THIS CURRENT PANDEMIC, THE
REALITY IS WE HAVE -- WE KNOW A
LOT BECAUSE WE HAVE DEVELOPED
THESE SYSTEMS.
ON THIS SLIDE IS A SYSTEM WE
INITIALLY DEVELOPED FOR FLU.
YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE MULTIPLE
DIFFERENT FLU SEASONS AND THEY
TRACKED THEM OVER THE COURSE OF
THE YEAR.
I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THE
REDLINE.
THAT HAPPENS TO BE THIS YEARS
RESPIRATORY SEASON.
YOU SEE THAT THERE IS A PEAK
OVER THE 50-52 WEEK.
THAT WAS WHEN WE HAD A PEAK OF
INFLUENZA B.
THIS YEAR WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT
BECAUSE AFTER THAT, YOU CAN SEE
WE HAD ANOTHER PEAK AND THAT IS
WHEN INFLUENZA A WAS ACTIVE
THROUGH OUR COUNTRY.
YOU CAN SEE INFLUENZA A STARTED
TO DROP BUT THEN, YOU SO I THIRD
PEAK.
THAT PEAK, YOU WERE LOOKING AT
CORONAVIRUS 19.
WE HAVE SYSTEMS ALL THE WAY DOWN
TO THE COUNTY LEVEL WHERE WE CAN
SEE THERE ARE RESPIRATORY TRACT
ILLNESS.
IT'S NOT JUST TAKING A TEST, IT
IS MONITORING THE SYSTEMS THAT
HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED OVER
DECADES.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE ONES.
THIS IS MONITORED IN EMERGENCY
ROOMS, LOOKING AT SYNDROME
DIAGNOSES AND THEY SHOW THE SAME
THING.
SO, WE ARE WELL EQUIPPED TO
MONITOR TO SEE WHEN RESPIRATORY
TRACT VIRAL DISEASE WILL COME
AND IT BECOMES A VERY GOOD
SURROGATE FOR WHEN YOU CAN BEGIN
TO UNDERSTAND WE NEED TO BE
LOOKING MORE IDEOLOGICALLY ABOUT
WHAT IS GOING ON.
YOU CAN SEE IN WEEK 15, WE ARE
COMING DOWN TO THE BASELINE
BACKGROUND IN TERMS OF OUR FLU
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM FROM THE
OVERALL CORONAVIRUS SITUATION
RIGHT NOW.
THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO SAY
IS CDC CONTINUES TO ENHANCE THE
STATES PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITY TO
ACCELERATE THEIR ABILITY, AS
TONY TALKED ABOUT, AS CRITICAL
AS WE OPEN AMERICA AGAIN, TO
DIAGNOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT
PRESENT WITH INFLUENZA-LIKE
ILLNESS OR CORONAVIRUS-LIKE
ILLNESS, TO DIAGNOSE THEM, TO BE
ABLE TO ISOLATE THEM, AND TO
CONTACT TRACE AROUND THEM AND
DIAGNOSE THE CONTACTS AND THOSE
THAT ARE CORONAVIRUS POSITIVE,
TO GO BACK AND DO THEIR
CONTACTS.
THIS IS THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH
WHICH WAS STARTED IN THIS
OUTBREAK IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY
AND WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL AND, AS
I MENTIONED BEFORE, THROUGH
FEBRUARY 27, THIS COUNTRY ONLY
HAD 14 CASES.
WE DID THAT ISOLATION AND
CONTACT TRACING, AND IT WAS VERY
SUCCESSFUL, BUT WHEN THE VIRUS
MORE EXPLODED AND NOT BE ON THE
PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITY.
RIGHT NOW, THE CDC IS ENHANCING
THAT CAPACITY AND DEFY CAN GET
THE SECOND SLIDE, THIS IS
SHOWING AS WE SIT HERE TODAY
THAT CDC HAS EMBEDDED IN THESE
HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND STATES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY MORE THAN 500
INDIVIDUALS.
WE ALSO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL
ALMOST 100 INDIVIDUALS WORKING
ON CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAKS GOING
THROUGH THESE STATES.
FINALLY, AT THE DIRECTION OF THE
PRESIDENT, WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO
FURTHER ENACT THIS DEPLOYMENT
ACROSS THE STATES SO THERE IS
ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO
ACCELERATE THE STATE'S ABILITY
TO BASICALLY MOVE FORWARD
AGGRESSIVELY AND WE ASSIST THEM
SO THEY CAN OPERATIONALIZE THE
PRESIDENT GUIDELINES TO OPEN UP
AMERICA AGAIN.
I WANTED TO MAKE THOSE POINTS
TODAY.
DR.
- BIRX: THANK YOU MR. VICE
PRESIDENT, DR. FAUCI AND DR.
REDFIELD.
IF WE COULD HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE,
I WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT DR.
FAUCI WAS TALKING ABOUT ABOUT
THE TWO TYPES OF TESTS AND I'M
GOING TO TALK ABOUT A THIRD ONE.
WE ALL KNOW ABOUT SAMPLING IN
THE FRONT OF YOUR NOSE, TO ALL
OF THE LABS OUT THERE AND
PROVIDERS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE
THE NASAL SWAB ANYMORE.
YOU CAN DO FRONT OF NOSE
SAMPLING.
THAT IS SAMPLING FOR THE VIRUS
ITSELF.
THAT REPLICATES IN YOUR NOSE AND
THROUGHOUT SOME OF THE
RESPIRATORY TISSUES.
THE SECOND TEST IS YOUR IMMUNE
RESPONSE TO THE INFECTION IN
YOUR NOSE AND THAT IS THE
ANTIBODY TEST.
THOSE ARE THE TWO TESTS WE WANT
TO TALK ABOUT, BUT I WANT TO
TALK ABOUT SOMETHING BOTH DR.
FAUCI AND DR. REDFIELD SAID AND
WE COVERED YESTERDAY.
TESTING IS A PART OF THE
EXQUISITE MONITORING THAT NEEDS
TO OCCUR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CDC
AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT,
UTILIZING THE SURVEILLANCE
SYSTEMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE --
WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, THE
FLU SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM BECAUSE
WE NO LONGER HAVE THE FLU AND
THE SYNDROMIC RESPIRATORY
SYSTEM.
THAT IS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
AND YOU CAN SEE IT IS GOING BACK
TO BASELINE SO WE CAN SEE AT THE
COMMUNITY LEVEL ANY DEVIATION
FROM THAT BASELINE.
IN ADDITION, WHAT WE TALKED
ABOUT WAS ADDING THAT
ASYMPTOMATIC COMPONENT.
AS MORE AND MORE ARTICLES COME
OUT FOR SURVEILLANCE AND
MONITORING THAT OTHER STATES
HAVE DONE, HIGHER AND HIGHER
ANTIBODIES IN MULTIPLE
INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T REMEMBER
HAVING A SICKNESS.
THAT IS OUR ASYMPTOMATIC
MONITORING IN THE SENTINEL
MONITORING SITES.
WE TALKED ABOUT NURSING HOMES,
WE TALKED ABOUT INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE, AND WE TALKED ABOUT
VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN THE
INNER-CITY, REALLY ENSURING
SOMETHING THAT IS SO SMALL THAT
CANNOT EVEN BE SEEN ON THE
SURVEILLANCE MONITORING WILL BE
ABLE TO BE SEEN IN THE
ASYMPTOMATIC.
THOSE ARE THE TWO TESTS WE HAVE.
ONE AVAILABLE NOW, TO THAT HAVE
BEEN APPROVED, THREE BY THE FDA.
I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH MY LAST
CONCEPT ON THE ANTIBODY TEST.
ANTIBODY TESTS HAVE DIFFERENT
SPECIFICITY AND SENSITIVITIES.
THE FDA, WE HAVE MADE THAT --
THE FDA HAS BEEN VERY CAUTIOUS
ABOUT THE ANTIBODY TEST BECAUSE
I KNOW YOU SEE REPORTS EVERY DAY
OF COUNTRIES THAT HAVE ORDERED
THE ANTIBODY TEST AND FOUND THEY
WERE 50, 60, 70% FAULTY.
SO WE ARE TAKING THAT VERY
SERIOUSLY BECAUSE YOU NEVER WANT
TO TELL SOMEONE THEY HAVE AN
ANTIBODY AND POTENTIAL IMMUNITY
WHEN THEY DON'T.
THOSE TESTS PERFORM BETTER WHEN
THERE IS A HIGH PREVALENCE OR
HEIGHT INCIDENCE OF DISEASE.
SO, WE WANT TO WORK WITH MAYORS
AROUND THE UNITED STATES AS
THOSE ANTIBODY TESTS BECOME
AVAILABLE TO REALLY SEE WHAT IT
IS IN FIRST RESPONDERS AND
HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN THE
HIGHEST PREVALENCE STATES SO
THAT WE CAN KNOW ABOUT THE
QUALITY AND THE REAL-LIFE, REAL
FIELD EXPERIENCE.
THINGS CAN LOOK GOOD IN THE LAB
AND THEN WHEN YOU TAKE THEM INTO
THE FIELD, SOMETIMES THEY ARE
NOT AS GOOD.
I HAVE LEARNED THIS LESSON
REPEATEDLY WORKING AROUND THE
GLOBE.
NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE ASKED
COMMERCIAL AND DIAGNOSTIC
COMPANIES TO BE WORKING ON.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
MULTIMILLIONS WORTH OF TESTS,
THE WAY WE DO THIS IN THE UNITED
STATES TODAY FOR STREP,
INFLUENZA, AND MALARIA IS WE
TEST FOR THE ANTIGEN.
WE DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW IF YOU
SHED ANTIGEN IN THE FRONT OF
YOUR NOSE.
THAT IS THE QUESTION SCIENTISTS
AND COMPANIES ARE WORKING ON
RIGHT NOW.
THAT BECOMES A SIMPLER TEST.
THE FLU TEST, I THINK MANY OF
YOU WILL LOOK IT UP TONIGHT, YOU
WILL SEE OUTSIDE OF THE FLU
SEASON, BECAUSE OF THE
SPECIFICITY OF THE TEST, IT DOES
NOT WORK SO WELL.
THESE ARE TESTS WE ARE WORKING
ON THAT WOULD BE LIKE A
SCREENING TEST.
IF YOU ARE POSITIVE, IT'S A GOOD
TESTS, BUT IT MAY MISS THAT YOU
ACTUALLY HAVE THE FLU, SO THEN
YOU WOULD MOVE INTO THE NUCLEIC
ACID TEST.
WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD AN
ALGORITHM OF TESTS THAT BRING
THE FULL TALENT OF THE SCIENCE
OF THE UNITED STATES INTO THE
REALITY OF THE CLINIC.
BENCH CLINIC.
SLIDE.
AS I PROMISED, BOTH THE SENATORS
AND THE GOVERNORS, THIS IS THE
UNITED STATES CURRENT PLATFORM
CAPACITY, DESIGNATED AS HIGH AND
LOW THROUGHPUT.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE HIGH
THROUGHPUT FLAT -- HI THROUGHPUT
PLATFORM OF ROCHE, ABBOTT AND
OTHERS AND THE GENE EXPERT THAT
MAY BE MODERATE TO LOWER
THROUGHPUT.
I WANT YOU TO SEE HOW IT IS
DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE UNITED
STATES.
THESE ARE THE CURRENT PLATFORMS
AVAILABLE TODAY THROUGHOUT THE
UNITED STATES FOR COVID-19.
AS YOU HEARD FROM DR. FAUCI,
EVERYTHING HAS TO BE WORKING
FROM THE SWAB TO THE TRANSPORT
MEDIA TO THE LABORATORY TO
REALLY GET THOSE TESTS RUN AND
THE RESULTS BACK TO THE CLIENT.
NEXT SLIDE.
THEN, WE LOOKED AT ALL THE
TESTING CAPACITY FROM THOSE
PLATFORMS AND THIS GIVES YOU AN
IDEA OF WHAT THAT CAPACITY IS.
THE DARKEST RED YOU CAN SEE IN
TEXAS AND NEW YORK, THOSE ARE
STATES THAT HAVE LOTS OF
DIFFERENT PLATFORMS, AS YOU SAW
ON THE PLIER -- ON THE PRIOR
SLIDE.
IF YOU ADD UP THE POTENTIAL FOR
TESTS OF OVER A MILLION TESTS
PER MONTH.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING WITH
EACH OF THOSE STATES ON
UNLOCKING THAT FULL POTENTIAL.
HOW ARE WE DOING THAT?
WE ARE CALLING ON THE AMERICAN
SOCIETY OF MICROBIOLOGISTS.
THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH 300 LAB
DIRECTORS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE TALKED WITH THEM THIS
MORNING.
AND THE WALTER REED TEAM WHO
DEVELOPED THE ENTIRE HIV TESTING
PROGRAM FOR THE MILITARY 35
YEARS AGO AND CALLED THEM INTO
SERVICE.
THEY ARE CALLING LAB MY LAB TO
FIND OUT WHAT ARE THE TECHNICAL
DIFFICULTIES TO BRING UP ALL THE
PLATFORMS THAT EXIST IN YOUR
LABS.
IS IT SWABS?
IS IT TRANSPORT MEDIA?
THEY HAVE WORKED THROUGH 70 PLUS
LABORATORIES TO UNDERSTAND AND
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF
MICROBIOLOGISTS AND THE ACADEMIC
SOCIETIES OF THE LABORATORIES
ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE
ALL OF THIS POTENTIAL CAN BE
UNLOCKED.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE WE TALKED A
LITTLE BIT YESTERDAY ABOUT NEW
ORLEANS AND THE PRESIDENT TALKED
ABOUT HOW MANY TESTS NEW ORLEANS
HAS DONE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS WANING.
THEY HAVE DONE THROUGHOUT THE
LAST MONTH, 27 TESTS PER 1000
NEW ORLEANS AND LOUISIANA AND.
27 PER THOUSAND.
THAT IS A GOOD MARK AND THAT IS
WHAT ITALY HAS DONE, ABOUT 20
PER THOUSAND.
IN EVALUATING AN OUTBREAK AND TO
GET CONTROL OF THIS OUTBREAK,
THEY DID ABOUT 27 TESTS PER
THOUSAND.
USING THAT AS A MEASURE, WE
LOOKED ACROSS ALL THE STATES OF
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND
LOOKED FOR STATES THAT HAD 30 OR
MORE, ABILITY OR -- ABILITY TO
DO 30 OR MORE TESTS PER THOUSAND
OF THEIR INHABITANTS IN EACH
STATE.
YOU CAN SEE ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
EXCEPT FOR OREGON AND MAINE -- I
WORKED OVERSEAS WAY TOO LONG --
THANK YOU.
THOSE ARE THE THREE STATES WE
ARE WORKING ON BUILDING CAPACITY
AND.
THIS IS TO GIVE A PERSPECTIVE OF
HOW SERIOUSLY WE ARE TAKING THE
TESTING ISSUE.
WE MEASURED EVERY SINGLE
PLATFORM IN EVERY SINGLE STATE.
WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE
BY GEOGRAPHY, ADDRESS, ZIP CODE,
WHAT THEIR CAPACITY IS, WHAT
THEIR ROADBLOCKS ARE ON THAT
ABILITY TO RUN THEIR FULL
CAPACITY AND WE ARE ADDRESSING
THIS BECAUSE EACH ONE OF THOSE
IS DIFFERENT AND YOU HAVE TO
ADDRESS EACH OF THEM ONE BY ONE
WITH THE GOVERNORS, WITH THE
STATE AND LOCAL LABS AND WITH
ALL OF THE HOSPITALS.
I HAVE NOT COME ACROSS ONE
LABORATORY, ONE LABORATORY
DIRECTOR OR ONE SOCIETY THAT
DOESN'T WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO
SOLVING THIS ISSUE ON TESTING
AND ENSURING THIS TESTING IS
AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE.
JUST AS ALL THE AMERICANS HAVE
SOCIAL DISTANCE, IN KIND
EVERYONE, WE DON'T ALWAYS TALK
ABOUT THE LABORATORIES, BEHIND
ALL OF THEM ARE THE LABORATORY
TECHNICIANS AND DIRECTORS WHO
ARE COMING IN EVERY DAY AND
PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER TO BE
SURE EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT
NEEDS TO BE DIAGNOSED IS
DIAGNOSED AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN
SEE FROM THESE SLIDES THAT THERE
IS CAPACITY OUT THERE.
IT IS OUR JOB WORKING WITH THE
STATES AND HAVING THE STATE IN
LEADERSHIP ROLE AND LABORATORY
DIRECTORS AND THE LEADERSHIP
ROLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO
ENSURE ALL THE POTENTIAL FOR
TESTING IN THE UNITED STATES IS
BROUGHT TO BEAR.
I WANT TO END WITH THESE ARE
NUCLEIC ACID TESTS.
THERE WILL NEVER BE THE ABILITY
ON A NUCLEIC ACID TEST TO DO 300
MILLION TEST TODAY OR TO TEST
EVERYBODY BEFORE THEY GO TO WORK
OR TO SCHOOL, BUT THERE MIGHT BE
WITH THE ANTIGEN TEST.
THAT IS WHY THERE IS A ROLE FOR
NUCLEIC ACID TEST, A ROLE FOR
ANTIBODY TEST AND A ROLE FOR THE
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE KEY
TESTS TO BRING THE FULL ABILITY
TO THE UNITED STATES.
SO WHEN WE FINISH THIS, WE WILL
BE TALKING TO ALL AMERICANS
BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER TESTS
AMERICANS SHOULD HAVE AND THIS
HAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT THE
IMPORTANCE OF DIAGNOSIS.
WE WILL TALK TO YOU FURTHER
ABOUT HEPATITIS C, TB, AND OTHER
THINGS WE CAN DO TO ENSURE EVERY
AMERICAN IS HEALTHY BECAUSE THIS
HAS RAISED THE AWARENESS AMONG
ALL AMERICANS ABOUT HOW YOU DO
TESTS FOR DIFFERENT PARTS OF
YOUR DISEASE STATE AND WHAT IS
LONG-LASTING IMMUNITY AND WHAT
MAY BE LONG-LASTING IMMUNITY AND
WHAT IS A NUCLEIC ACID TEST AND
WHAT IS AN ANTIGEN TEST?
WITH THAT, ADMIRAL GERARD?
ADMIRAL GERARD --
VICE PRES.
- PENCE: LET ME CLARIFY
ONE POINT TO CLARIFY OUR
APPROACH AND THE EFFORTS TO PUT
IT AWAY.
GOVERNORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY
WITH US TO ROLLOUT THE LEVEL OF
TESTING WE HAVE TODAY.
ALL OF THE INFORMATION WE
PRESENTED TO YOU IS GOING TO BE
REVIEWED IN THE DAYS AHEAD WITH
ALL OF OUR GOVERNORS.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO CONNECT
EVERY OF AMERICA'S GOVERNORS AND
STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS TO ALL OF
THE LABS CURRENTLY ABLE TO DO
CORONAVIRUS.
AS DR. BIRX, DR. FAUCI BOTH
DESCRIBED, WE BELIEVE TODAY THAT
WE HAVE THE CAPACITY IN THE
UNITED STATES TO DO A SUFFICIENT
AMOUNT OF TESTING FOR STATES TO
MOVE IN TWO PHASE ONE IN THE
TIME AND MANNER THEY DEEM TO BE
APPROPRIATE.
WITH THAT, I WILL ALLOW ADMIRAL
GERARD TO COMPLETE OUR BRIEFING
AND WE EXPECT THE PRESIDENT TO
RETURN.
ADMIRAL
- GERARD: THANK YOU, MR.
VICE PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU TO
ALL OF MY GREAT COLLEAGUES.
CAN I HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE?
I WANTED TO START BY WHERE WE
ARE TODAY, JUST TO VISIT WHERE
WE HAVE COME IN SUCH A SHORT
TIME.
AS EVERYONE ON THE STAGE AS SAID
BEFORE, OUR TESTING RIGHT NOW IS
WELL OVER 3.7 8 MILLION TESTS
THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
IF YOU ARE IMPRESSED BY BAR
GRAPHS, THAT IS OVER 1.2 MILLION
TESTS REPORTED JUST IN THE LAST
WEEK.
AMBASSADOR BURKS TALK TO ME
EARLIER AND SAID WE ONLY DO
ABOUT 2 MILLION MOLECULAR TESTS
A YEAR FOR HIV, SOMETHING THAT
HAS BEEN DONE FOR DEVELOPED, 435
YEARS.
WE ARE NOW DOING TWICE THAT
NUMBER OF TESTS IN A MONTH FOR A
DISEASE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN
KNOWN BEFORE, THAT THERE HAS
NEVER BEEN A TEST DEVELOPED
BEFORE, AND THAT IS WHERE WE
ARE.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF
THE LIGHTER BLUE OR LIGHTER GRAY
IS OUR ID NOW TEST.
WE TALK ABOUT THEM A LOT BECAUSE
THEY ARE A POINT-OF-CARE TEST
THAT CAN BE BETWEEN FIVE AND 15
MINUTES AND THEY HAVE A VERY
SPECIFIC ROLE, BUT THEY ARE NOT
FOR EVERYBODY.
IF YOU HAVE TO SCREEN A FEW
THOUSAND PEOPLE, FOR TESTS AND
OUR DOESN'T GET YOU THERE ON A
MACHINE.
YOU HAVE TO USE THE HIGHER
THROUGHPUT ITEMS.
COMING INTO THE MARKET AT 50,000
A DAY IS AN IMPORTANT ADJUNCT TO
US.
SHE TALKED ABOUT THE GENE EXPERT
, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, WE DON'T
TALK ABOUT THAT VERY MUCH, BUT
IT IS ONE OF THE BACKBONE MOBILE
POINT-OF-CARE, NOT AS EASY TO DO
AS ABBOTT, BUT IT IS A
POINT-OF-CARE TEST THAT CARRIES
TUBERCULOSIS SCREENING ALL
THROUGH AFRICA.
THERE ARE THESE MACHINES, YOU
SAW THAT ON HER SLIDE -- EVERY
ONE OF THE 50 STATES HAS THIS
AND THEY HAVE DONE OVER SEVEN
THOUSAND TESTS -- 700,000 TEST
ON THAT RELATIVELY LOW
THROUGHPUT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF
HOW THE TESTS ARE DISTRIBUTED
AND HOW THEY ARE CHANGING OVER
TIME.
ON THE LEFT ARE THE STATE PUBLIC
HEALTH LABORATORIES.
ALTHOUGH THEIR NUMBERS ARE
RELATIVELY SMALL, ABOUT 350,000,
THE STATE PUBLIC LABORATORIES
ARE ABSOLUTE CRITICAL.
THEY ARE A CRITICAL CORE
COMPONENT OF OUR TESTING.
NOT ONLY WERE THEY THERE EARLY
AND FIRST, BUT THEY DO THINGS
LIKE SUPPORT OUTBREAK
INVESTIGATIONS IN NURSING HOMES
OR INVESTIGATIONS IN CERTAIN
PLANTS THAT HAVE A CLOSE
PROXIMITY WITH EVERYONE BECAUSE
OF THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENTS.
THEY DO TESTING ON MANY PEOPLE
WHO DO NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE TESTED ELSEWHERE.
THEY ARE PERFORMING OUTSTANDING
AS WELL.
THE AMERICAN CLINICAL LABORATORY
ASSOCIATION IS AMERICA'S
COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL BACKBONE
THAT WE ARE STANDING BEHIND THE
PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT,
AND WHEN I WAS THERE A FEW WEEKS
AGO IN THE ROSE GARDEN, THIS IS
THE LABCORP, THE QUESTS, THE
BIOREFERENCE LABORATORY, MAYO,
SONIC AND A RUP.
THEY HAVE DONE ALMOST 2.3
MILLION TESTS.
THIS IS A HIGH-THROUGHPUT
MACHINE THAT DR. BIRX TALKS
ABOUT.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS
GROUP -- IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE
YOU ARE.
I JUST TOOK ONE OF THE LARGEST
LABS AND SAID MAP OUT FOR ME
WHERE YOU ARE WITHIN 10 MILES
EVERY SITE IN THE COUNTRY AND
WHEN YOU DO THAT, WITHIN 10
MILES OF A SITE OF ONE OF THESE,
93% OF THE U.S. POPULATION IS
COVERED.
THESE ARE TRULY NATIONAL
REFERENCE LABS THAT COVER ALMOST
EVERYBODY WITHIN THE UNITED
STATES.
IF YOU CANNOT GET A TEST AT YOUR
HOSPITAL, THE CHANCES ARE
OVERWHELMING YOU CAN SEND THIS
TO THESE LABS THAT ARE FULLY
CAUGHT UP NOW.
THEY HAVE NO BACKLOG OF TESTS.
THEY HAVE RAMPED UP THEIR
PRODUCTION, SO THEIR TURNAROUND
TIME IS ABOUT 48 HOURS BECAUSE
YOU MAY NEED TO TRANSPORT IT
FROM THE MIDDLE OF AMERICA OUT
TO A LAB AND RESULT THAT, BUT
THAT IS VERY GOOD.
THE AMERICAN SAW -- THE AMERICAN
HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, AS THE
VICE PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT
HAVE SAID, IS -- AS MORE AND
MORE LABS, ONLINE, THEY ARE
INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF TESTING
DONE AT THE HOSPITALS OR
ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTERS, NOW
ALMOST AT 600,000 TESTS.
MATCHING THE OTHER SLIDE I HAD,
JUST TO GIVE YOU A DISTRIBUTION.
THAT POINT-OF-CARE TEST IS BEING
USED VERY IMPORTANTLY IN VERY
SELECT POPULATIONS WHERE A
POINT-OF-CARE TEST IS NEEDED.
THAT COULD BE IN SOME HOSPITALS
WHERE SOMEONE NEEDS TO KNOW
EXACTLY IF A PERSON NEEDS TO GO
ON A CLINICAL TRIAL OR NURSING
HOME INVESTIGATION OR TO GET
PEOPLE SCREENED TO GO BACK INTO
THE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
THE POINT-OF-CARE TEST DOES NOT
REPLACE THE MILLIONS OF TESTS
HERE ON THE OTHER SLIDE.
NEXT SLIDE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW INTERESTED YOU
ARE IN SWABS.
I DID NOT KNOW A WHOLE LOT ABOUT
SWABS BEFORE A FEW WEEKS AGO,
BUT THERE ARE A FEW POINTS I
WANT TO MAKE.
YES, THERE HAVE BEEN
CONSTRAINING ELEMENTS AND THEY
HAVE BEEN CONSTRAINED FOR A
COUPLE OF REASONS.
THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED SCALE
UP OF THIS TYPE OF SOPHISTICATED
MOLECULAR TEST THAT HAS NEVER
PUT A DEMAND ON THE SYSTEM LIKE
WE HAVE.
WHEN WE STARTED A FEW WEEKS AGO,
THERE'S VERY SPECIFIC, ONE TYPE
OF SWAB, YOU CAN ONLY GET ONE
PLACE IN THE U.S., ONE PLACE IN
ITALY, AND WE WERE STUCK WITH
THAT FOR A WHILE BECAUSE IT'S
NOT JUST THE QUANTITY, IT'S THE
QUALITY.
WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS PUT A
LOT OF THINGS IN THE SYSTEM TO
MAKE PEOPLE THINK IT IS A GOOD
TEST WHEN IT HASN'T BEEN
VALIDATED BY THE FDA.
OVER THE PAST WEEK, BUT THE
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY, THE GATES
FOUNDATION, ACADEMIC MEDICAL
CENTERS, THE FDA HAVE REALLY
OPENED UP OUR ABILITY TO NOT
STICK ALL THAT BACK INTO YOUR
PHARYNX, BUT TO PUT IT IN YOUR
NOSE AND ON THE AMOUNT OF SWAB
TYPES AVAILABLE.
WE ARE AT A POINT RIGHT NOW THAT
OVER -- BY THE END OF APRIL, WE
WILL PUT ANOTHER 5 MILLION SWABS
IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING OUT
THERE NOW, AND BY THE END OF
MAY, OVER 12 MILLION NEW SWABS
IN THE SYSTEM, MORE THAN ENOUGH
TO ATTAIN THE CAPACITY WE NEED.
NEXT SLIDE.
FOR THESE MOLECULAR TESTS, YOU
TAKE A SWAB AND STICK IT IN A
TEST TUBE.
THAT TEST TUBE HAS TO HAVE A
SPECIFIC KIND OF LIQUID.
IT WAS A VIRAL TRANSPORT MEDIA,
A SPECIAL KIND OF MEDIA.
THE CDC HAS A MAKE YOUR OWN
RECIPE.
IT HAS A LOT OF INGREDIENTS THAT
GO IN THERE, BUT STILL VERY
LIMITING.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH MANY
DIFFERENT LABORATORIES, WE HAVE
WORKED WITH THE FDA.
A LABORATORY GRADE SALT WATER
CAN BE USED FOR THIS.
THIS GREATLY OPENS THE ABILITY
TO EXPAND THE TESTS TO SUPPORT
THE CAPABILITY DR. BIRX TALKS
ABOUT.
BY THE END OF APRIL, WE WILL
HAVE PUT WELL OVER 5 MILLION NEW
TUBES OF TRANSPORT MEDIA OR
SALINE INTO THE SYSTEM.
I AM GOING TO GET TO A
CONCLUSION HERE, BUT THIS IS
MORE OF A TECHNICAL BRIEFING.
NEXT SLIDE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT
THE SCIENCE TELLS US THAT WE
HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE
ENOUGH TESTS TO SAFELY GO INTO
PHASE ONE.
LET ME BE VERY GRANULAR ABOUT
THIS.
WE HAVE ALREADY HEARD THAT IT IS
BEYOND THE POSSIBILITY TO TEST
EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY EVERY
DAY.
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE.
WHAT IT IS ALSO A BAD STRATEGY
BECAUSE TESTING A PERSON NOW
JUST MEANS THEY ARE NEGATIVE
NOW.
DR. FAUCI COULD BE POSITIVE
TOMORROW BECAUSE IT IS BREWING
IN HIS SYSTEM RIGHT NOW AND WE
DON'T KNOW IT.
THAT IS NOT THE WAY WE GO ABOUT
THINGS.
THE WAY WE GO ABOUT THINGS, AS
DR. REDFIELD SAID, THINK OF THE
WEATHER RADAR.
IF THE WEATHER RADAR IS CLEAR,
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE A
THUNDERSTORM OR TORNADO.
WHEN SOMETHING POPS UP, THAT'S
WHEN YOU HAVE TO GO WHERE THE
ACTION IS OR NO THAT YOUR
WARNING SYSTEM IS UP.
THINK OF THAT IN THE BACKGROUND,
THAT IS MONITORING.
LET ME TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH
TESTING WE NEEDED JUST FOR
OVERALL TESTING.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A NUMBER.
LET'S TAKE A NUMBER WE ARE GOING
TO ENTER PHASE ONE WHEN THERE
ARE 200,000 NEW CASES PER MONTH
IN THE UNITED STATES.
DON'T GET HUNG UP ON THAT.
LET'S JUST SAY 200 CASES.
HOW MANY TESTS WE NEED?
WE NEED TO TEST THE 200,000
PEOPLE.
WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
WHAT IS A SAFE NUMBER OVER THAT?
EVERYBODY IF -- IF EVERYBODY I
TEST HAS THE DISEASE, I'M NOT
TESTING ENOUGH.
BUT IF I'M TESTING 100 PEOPLE
AND ONE PERSON HAS THE DISEASE,
THAT IS OVER TESTING.
WE ASSUME A SAFE NUMBER IS ABOUT
ONE OUT OF 10 PEOPLE ARE
POSITIVE, WE KNOW WE ARE
OVERSAMPLING THE POPULATION
ENOUGH THAT WE ARE GETTING ALL
THE POSITIVES.
IF THERE ARE 200,000 CASES, I
NEED ABOUT 2 MILLION TESTS.
EACH ONE OF THOSE THAT ARE
POSITIVE HAVE CONTACTS THAT NEED
TO BE TRACED.
ON AVERAGE, THE CDC TELLS ME FOR
EVERY POSITIVE, THERE ARE FIVE
CONTACT THAT NEEDS TO BE TRACED.
LET'S ASSUME THOSE 200,000
PEOPLE HAVE FIVE CONTACT, SO NOW
WE HAVE AN EXTRA MILLION TESTS.
2 MILLION TESTS TO DETECT
200,000 CASES.
AN EXTRA MILLION TRACED AS
CONTACTS, SO WE ARE UP TO 3
MILLION CASES.
IF YOU WANT TO PUT A FUDGE
FACTOR, SAY THAT'S 4 MILLION
TESTS.
THOSE ARE GENERALLY DONE AT THE
MAIN HOSPITAL LABS, COMMERCIAL
LABS, STATE AND REGIONAL LABS.
AS WELL AS SOME OF THE LABS
TALKED ABOUT BY DR. BIRX.
NEXT SLIDE.
THE SECOND GROUP OF TESTING FITS
EXACTLY PERFECTLY WITH THE
INFLUENZA-LIKE SURVEILLANCE
SYSTEM DR. REDFIELD TALKED
ABOUT.
THIS IS THE RADAR, THE WEATHER
RADAR THAT WOULD BE OUT THERE.
WE ARE NOT TESTING PEOPLE WHO
ARE SYMPTOMATIC.
WE WANT TO DO PEOPLE -- WE WANT
TO DO TESTING ON PEOPLE WHO ARE
ASYMPTOMATIC.
YOU COULD HAVE THIS VIRUS AND
SHED IT AND NOT HAVE SYMPTOMS OR
ONLY MILD SYMPTOMS STOP SO WHAT
IS THE STRATEGY HERE?
THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED
STRATEGY.
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO BETWEEN
300000 AND 500,000 TESTS PER
WEEK IN THE MOST VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS THAT WE KNOW THE
VIRUS COULD CIRCULATE AND WHAT
ARE THEY?
NUMBER ONE, NURSING HOME AND
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES STOP
WE KNOW THAT FROM THE HISTORY OF
THIS VIRUS THAT IT CAN CIRCULATE
AND BE DEVASTATING AND IT COULD
CIRCULATE IN A WAY THAT YOU
DON'T HAVE SYMPTOMS.
SO WE ARE GOING TO SURVEY IN A
CONTROLLED WAY, DRIVEN BY THE
CDC, WE -- SURVEYING IN THE
AREAS TO COVER THE 15,000 OR SO
NURSING HOMES.
SECONDLY, WE WANT TO WORK IN
VULNERABLE MEMBERS IN CITIES.
THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT THAT IS
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS -- I'M
A HUGE FAN OF COMMUNITY HEALTH
CENTERS LED BY HERSELF -- LED BY
HERSA.
THEY TAKE CARE OF 30 MILLION
PEOPLE, CHILDREN, ADULTS, THEY
CARE FOR ABOUT ONE THIRDS OF
AMERICA ENDS -- AMERICANS BELOW
THE POP -- BELOW THE POVERTY
LEVEL.
WE WANT TO SURVEY ASYMPTOMATIC
PEOPLE IN THOSE COMMUNITY HEALTH
CENTERS.
WE ALSO WANT TO DO AND SOME OF
OUR INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS AND
YOU KNOW I WAS BRINGING MACHINES
TO THE INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE AND
1800 MEMBERS PROVIDE CARE TO THE
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE AND THEIR
DIRECTOR AND CHIEF NICKEL
OFFICERS ARE BOTH IN THE INDIAN
HEALTH SERVICES.
PARTICULATE FOR WORKPLACE
ENVIRONMENTS THAT MAY HAVE CLOSE
CONTACT OR MAY HAVE A HIGH RISK.
SOME OF THOSE COULD BE
AGRICULTURAL FACILITIES.
SO LET'S TOTAL THAT UP.
WE HAVE 200,000 PEOPLE WHO NEED
A DIAGNOSIS.
TO MAKE THAT DIAGNOSIS, WE WANT
TO TEST 2 MILLION.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTACT TRACE
WITH A MILLION.
LET'S THROW IN A FUDGE FACTOR OF
25%, SO THAT IS 4 MILLION.
THEN WE HAVE THIS BACKGROUND
TESTING OF ABOUT 400,000 PER
MONTH.
TO SAFELY DO THE TESTING, WE
NEED TO BE IN THE RANGE OF 4.5
MILLION -- YOU FOLLOWED MY
NUMBERS, I WANT YOU TO
UNDERSTAND, PER MONTH.
FOR PHASE ONE.
AND THAT IS HOW IT ADDS UP AND
THAT IS WHERE WE ARE.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE DOING ONE
MILLION TO 1.2 MILLION PER WEEK.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH
THAT FURTHER AND FURTHER AS WE
OPEN UP THE LABORATORIES AND ARE
ABLE TO OPEN ALL THE SUPPLIES WE
NEED FOR THAT AND I THINK THAT
IS WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO END.
THANK YOU.
VICE PRES.
- PENCE: I WILL ASK THE
TEAM TO STEP BACK UP FOR
QUESTIONS.
WE DO ANTICIPATE, SCHEDULE
PERMITTING, THAT THE PRESIDENT
WILL BE RETURNING MOMENTARILY.
-
>> TALKING ABOUT PHASE ONE, WHEN
WOULD BE ENOUGH TESTING FOR
PHASE TWO?
DO YOU HAVE TO RAMP UP?
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?
DR.
- BIRX: THAT IS A GREAT
QUESTION AND WHAT WE WILL BE
DOING IS MONITORING HOW MUCH WE
HAVE TO USE IN PHASE ONE TO HELP
INFORM PHASE TWO.
THE UNKNOWN IN THIS, TO BE
COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT, IS
SYMPTOMATIC AND A SYMPTOM ATTICS
SPREAD.
IF WE FIND THERE IS A LOT OF
ASYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUALS IN THIS
ACTIVE MONITORING AND WE ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE MOST
VULNERABLE, WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE
INCREASED TESTING TO COVER ALL
OF THOSE SITES.
VICE PRES.
- PENCE: AND AS WE HAVE
MADE CLEAR TO THE GOVERNORS AND
OTHER HEALTH OFFICIALS, WE ARE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO SCALE
TESTING.
AS THE PRESIDENT HAS MADE CLEAR,
WE WANT GOVERNORS AND STATES TO
MANAGE THE TESTING OPERATIONS IN
THEIR STATES.
WE HAVE GIVEN CRITERIA, WE HAVE
GIVEN GUIDANCE FOR HOW WE THINK
THAT WOULD BEST OPERATE, BUT WE
ARE LOOKING FOR THE STATES, FOR
THE GOVERNORS TO MANAGE IT.
IN THE MIDST OF THAT, ALL OF
THESE GREAT EXPERTS WORKING WITH
ALL OF THESE GREAT FACILITIES
WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THAT GREAT
-- WORK WITH THAT GREAT AMERICAN
INGENUITY IN TESTING FOR STATES
TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT AS THEY
MOVE CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THAT
DAY THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS OF
OFTEN WHERE WE REOPEN AMERICA
AND PUT ALL OF AMERICA BACK TO
WORK.
PRES.
- TRUMP: PLEASE, GO AHEAD.
-
>> EARLIER TODAY, JAY INSLEE
SAID YOUR TWEET ENCOURAGING --
JAY INSLEE SAID YOUR TWEET
ENCOURAGING LIBERATION IN MISSES
-- IN MINNESOTA AND VIRGINIA
WERE FOMENTING REBELLION.
I'M WONDERING HOW THAT SQUARES
WITH THE SOBER AND METHODICAL
GUIDANCE YESTERDAY.
PRES.
- TRUMP: WE DO HAVE A
SOBERING GUIDANCE, BUT I THINK
SOME THINGS ARE TOO TOUGH.
IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE
STATES YOU MENTIONED, IT IS TOO
TOUGH.
NOT ONLY RELATIVE TO THIS, BUT
WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IN VIRGINIA
RELATIVE TO THE SECOND A MINION
-- SECOND AMENDMENT, THEY DID A
HORRIBLE THING.
HE IS A GOVERNOR UNDER A CLOUD
TO START OFF WITH.
WHEN YOU SEE WHAT HE SAID ABOUT
THE SECOND AMENDED -- SECOND
AMENDMENT, I FEEL VERY
COMFORTABLE.
GO AHEAD.
-
>> JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU TALK
ABOUT MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA,
VIRGINIA, DO YOU THINK THEY
SHOULD LIFT THEIR STAY-AT-HOME
ORDER?
PRES.
- TRUMP: I THINK WHAT THEY
HAVE DONE IS JUST TOO MUCH.
I HAVE ALREADY SAID.
CERTAINLY THE SECOND AMENDMENT
HAVING TO DO WITH THE STATE OF
VIRGINIA, WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IN
VIRGINIA IS JUST INCREDIBLE.
OK, PLEASE.
-
>> ARE YOU CONCERNED PEOPLE
COMING OUT IN PROTEST ARE GOING
TO SPREAD COVID TO OTHER PEOPLE
CONGREGATING IN WAYS THAT HEALTH
EXPERTS HAVE SAID THEY SHOULD
NOT?
PRES.
- TRUMP: THESE ARE PEOPLE
EXPRESSING THEIR VIEWS.
I HAVE SEEN WHERE THEY ARE.
THEY SEEM TO BE VERY RESPONSIBLE
PEOPLE TO ME.
THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TREATED A
LITTLE BIT ROUGH.
-
>> I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE
DYNAMICS WE MIGHT SEE AS THE
COUNTRY BEGINS REOPENING.
AS YOU MENTION, WE HAVE SEEN THE
CURVE BEGIN TO FLATTEN, BUT
OTHER LACES LIKE FLORIDA OR MORE
RURAL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, YOU
ARE EXPECTING THE CURVE TO
CONTINUE.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
DIFFICULTIES THE LATER PEEKING
STATES FACE IF THEY NEED TO STAY
LOCKED DOWN LONGER IF SOME
STATES AROUND THEM ARE STARTING
TO OPEN UP?
PRES.
- TRUMP: WE ARE SEEING GREAT
NUMBERS IN ALMOST EVERY STATE.
WE ARE SEEING BIG DROPS IN TERMS
OF BEDS, THE NUMBERS WE HAVE TO
LOOK AT ARE THE BEDS BEING
OCCUPIED, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY
PEOPLE GOING IN.
THAT MEANS YOU HAVE FEWER PEOPLE
THAT ARE SICK, FEWER PEOPLE THAT
FEEL THEY HAVE TO GO TO A
HOSPITAL, AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE
DROPPING PRECIPITOUSLY.
WE ARE JUST SEEING A LOT OF GOOD
SIGNS.
A PLACE LIKE NEW YORK, NEW
JERSEY AND CERTAIN PARTS OF
LOUISIANA, LOUISIANA HAS BEEN
INCREDIBLE LATELY WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THAT DROP.
THAT DROP HAS BEEN GREAT.
MICHIGAN HAS HAD A HARD TIME BUT
IT IS STARTING TO DO WELL.
I JUST THINK ILLINOIS IS ANOTHER
ONE.
YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE NUMBERS.
EVERYONE IS DROPPING AND THEY
ARE DROPPING RATHER QUICKLY.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY HOTSPOT THAT
HAS DEVELOPED WHERE ALL OF A
SUDDEN -- OTHER THAN WE HAD A
MEAT PLANT OR TWO WHERE,
INCREDIBLY, YOU SAW THE NUMBER
WAS RATHER INCREDIBLE THAT TOOK
PLACE IN THAT PLANT.
PEOPLE WOULD ASK ABOUT THAT.
I WONDER WHO OWNED THAT COMPANY?
THERE IS A WEIRD SITUATION, BUT
GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE NUMBERS
HAVE BEEN REALLY IMPROVING
GREATLY.
-
>> U.S. INTELLIGENCE IS SAYING
THE CORONAVIRUS LIKELY CAME FROM
A LEVEL FOUR LAB IN WUHAN.
THERE'S ALSO A REPORT THAT THE
NIH UNDER THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION GAVE THAT LAB
$3.7 MILLION IN A GRANT.
WHY WOULD THE U.S. GIVE A GRANT
TO CHINA?
PRES.
- TRUMP: THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION GAVE THEM A GRANT
OF $3.7 MILLION AND WE HAVE
INSTRUCTED IF ANY GRANTS ARE
GOING TO THAT AREA, WE ARE
LOOKING AT IT LITERALLY ABOUT AN
HOUR AGO AND ALSO EARLY IN THE
MORNING.
WE WILL AND THAT GRANT VERY
QUICKLY, BUT IT WAS GRANTED
QUITE A WHILE AGO.
THEY WERE GRANTED A SUBSTANTIAL
AMOUNT OF MONEY.
WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT IT AND
TAKE A LOOK.
I UNDERSTAND IT WAS A NUMBER OF
YEARS AGO.
WHEN DID YOU HEAR THE GRANT WAS
MADE?
-
>> 2015.
PRES.
- TRUMP: WHO IS PRESIDENT
THEN, I WONDER?
-
>> WE KNOW NEGOTIATIONS ARE
UNDERWAY FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF
FUNDING FOR SMALL BUSINESS.
TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WENT
IN A MATTER OF DAYS THE FIRST
TIME.
WILL THIS NEXT RELIEF PACKAGE BE
ENOUGH?
PRES.
- TRUMP: CERTAINLY IT IS
GOING TO GET US TO A POINT THAT
IS GOING TO BE RATHER BEAUTIFUL.
WE THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE
POINT BUT AT A CERTAIN POINT WE
ARE GOING TO STOP.
IT HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS
SUCCESS.
IT HAS BEEN EXECUTED FLAWLESSLY.
SBA HAS DONE A GOOD JOB, BUT THE
BANKS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB
WHETHER IT IS BANK OF AMERICA OR
WELLS FARGO.
THE COMMUNITY BANKS HAVE BEEN
INCREDIBLE.
I THINK WE HAVE 4000 BANKS -- A
LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD
THAT MANY BANKS.
IT IS SO ORGANIZED AND IT HAS
BEEN SUCH A GREAT PROGRAM.
ESSENTIALLY, WE ARE WAITING FOR
$250 BILLION.
THE DEMOCRATS ARE REFUSING TO --
THIS IS MONEY ESSENTIALLY GOING
TO THE WORKERS.
IT'S GOING TO KEEP THESE
COMPANIES WHOLE.
RESTAURANTS AND A LOT OF GREAT
COMPANIES.
IT IS A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY
RELATIVE TO WHAT IT REPRESENTS
BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS SMALL
BUSINESSES, IT REPRESENTS THEM
STAYING IN BUSINESS.
SMALL BUSINESSES REPRESENT
APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE POWER
OF OUR BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.
IT'S NOT ALL THE BIG MONSTER
BUSINESS AS READ ABOUT EVERY
DAY.
ALL OF THESE SMALL BUSINESSES
WHEN ADDED IS SOMETHING THAT
SHOULD BE APPROVED BY THE
DEMOCRATS.
THE REPUBLICANS WANT IT BADLY
AND THE PEOPLE WANT IT BADLY.
-
>> NEARLY 10% OF THE LOANS GIVEN
OUT WERE $5 MILLION.
SOME SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SAY
THEY CAN'T GET A LOAN FOR
$100,000.
PRES.
- TRUMP: NOBODY KNEW IT WAS
GOING TO BE THE SUCCESSFUL.
DON'T FORGET WHEN YOU SAY THAT
MONEY IS GONE, IT HAS BEEN A
TREMENDOUS SUCCESS AS A PROGRAM.
THEY REALLY WANTED AND SOME
PEOPLE WON'T BE ABLE TO KEEP
THEIR BUSINESS OPEN UNLESS THEY
GET THAT MONEY.
IT HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS
.
IT HAS BEEN EXECUTED FLAWLESSLY.
WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS, IT HAS
REALLY BEEN GOOD AND I THINK THE
DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO DO IT.
NANCY PELOSI IS AWAY ON VACATION
OR SOMETHING AND SHE SHOULD COME
BACK AND GET THIS DONE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY SHE'S NOT
COMING BACK.
THE FACT IS SHE'S NOT DOING HER
JOB AND THERE'S NOTHING UNUSUAL
ABOUT THAT FOR HER.
-
>> CONSIDERING ADDING FUNDING
FOR MORE HOSPITALS --
PRES.
- TRUMP: HOSPITALS ARE A
GOOD THING.
HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN DECIMATED.
THEY HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR
BUSINESS, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE
THEY DID THE RIGHT THING IN
ORDER TO TAKE CARE OF THE
COVID-19.
I'M WITH THAT ALL THE WAY.
IF THEY WANT TO ADD HOSPITALS,
WE CAN ADD IT INTO PHASE FOUR IF
WE DO A PHASE FOUR.
HOPEFULLY THAT WOULD BE
INFRASTRUCTURE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TALKING
ABOUT THE BEST THING WE COULD DO
FOR THIS COUNTRY WOULD BE THE
PAYROLL TAX CUT THAT I HAVE BEEN
SUGGESTING.
A LOT OF DEMOCRATS LIKE IT,
BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
THE PAYROLL TAX CUT.
ART LAFFER, WHO IS TREMENDOUS,
IN FACT HE RECENTLY GOT THE
PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM,
ECONOMIST, HE WAS WITH RONALD
REAGAN, HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S 45
YEARS OLD BUT I THINK HE MIGHT
BE OLDER THAN THAT, HE LOOKS SO
GREAT.
ART LAFFER SAID THE SINGLE
GREATEST THING YOU CAN DO IS THE
PAYROLL TAX CUT AND I WOULD JUST
ABOUT AGREE WITH THAT AND I
WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT.
I'M NOT SURE WE ARE GOING TO GET
IT, IT IS SIMPLE, IT IS GOOD FOR
THE COMPANY THAT EMPLOYS THESE
PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
EMPLOYED.
WE WILL SEE WHETHER THAT
HAPPENS, THE PAYROLL TAX CUT
WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS INCENTIVE
FOR THIS COUNTRY.
-
>> CHINA SAYS THE CORONAVIRUS
DEATH TOLL IN WUHAN IS 50%
HIGHER, UP TO ABOUT 4000.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A CREDIBLE
NUMBER TWO YOU?
PRES.
- TRUMP: I LISTEN TO THE
PRESS EVERY NIGHT -- WE DON'T
HAVE THE MOST IN THE WORLD
DEATHS.
THE MOST IN THE WORLD HAS TO BE
CHINA.
IT IS A MASSIVE COUNTRY.
IT HAS GONE THROUGH A TERM IN
THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS, A
TREMENDOUS PROBLEM.
THEY MUST HAVE THE MOST.
TODAY, I SAW THEY ANNOUNCED THEY
ARE ESSENTIALLY GOING UP ON THE
NUMBERS AND THAT IS ONLY IN
WUHAN, THEY ARE NOT TALKING
ABOUT OUTSIDE OF WUHAN.
IT IS WHAT IT IS, STEVE.
WHAT A SAD, SAD STATE OF
AFFAIRS.
-
>> THE INVESTIGATION INTO
WHETHER THE VIRUS ESCAPED FROM
THIS LAB IN WUHAN, HOW ACCURATE
IS THAT?
PRES.
- TRUMP: A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
LOOKING AT IT.
IT SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE.
THEY TALK ABOUT A CERTAIN KIND
OF AT BUT THAT BAT IS NOT IN
THAT AREA.
IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT, THAT IS
WHAT THEY ARE DOWN TO, BATS.
THAT BAT WAS NOT SOLD IN THAT
WET ZONE.
THAT BAT IS 40 MILES AWAY.
A LOT OF STRANGE THINGS ARE
HAPPENING, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF
INVESTIGATION GOING ON AND WE
ARE GOING TO FIND OUT.
ALL I CAN SAY IS WHEREVER IT
CAME FROM, IT CAME FROM CHINA IN
WHATEVER FORM.
184 COUNTRIES NOW ARE SUFFERING
BECAUSE OF THAT.
IT IS TOO BAD, ISN'T IT?
AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN SOLVED
VERY EASILY.
WHEN IT WAS JUST STARTING.
-
>> ABOUT THE 80 MILLION PAYMENTS
THAT HAVE GONE OUT -- LESS THAN
1% HAVE HAD SNAFUS, BUT THAT
COULD BE 800,000 SNAFUS.
PRES.
- TRUMP: IT'S LESS THAN 1%
AND THE SNAFUS ARE VERY MINOR.
THEY WERE 80 MILLION PAYMENTS
WENT OUT OVER A FEW DAYS.
THEY CAUGHT CERTAIN MISTAKES
THEY MADE, BUT THIS IS A TINY
AMOUNT OF MISTAKES.
I CAN TELL YOU MISTAKES WERE
MADE IN GOVERNMENT WHERE WHOLE
COUNTRIES WERE SIGNED.
80 MILLION -- THIS HAS BEEN A
TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.
ANY MISTAKE THAT WAS MADE, THEY
HAVE BEEN CAUGHT AND IT IS LESS
THAN 1%.
THAT'S A VERY GOOD PERCENTAGE.
HOW ABOUT THE OBAMA WEBSITE, THE
OBAMACARE WEBSITE WHERE THEY
SPENT $5 BILLION WHERE THEY
BUILT A WEBSITE YOU COULD HAVE
BUILT FOR PEANUTS?
-
>> CAN THE GOVERNMENT GET THAT
BACK?
PRES.
- TRUMP: SOMETIMES YOU TO
SEND A CHECK TO SOME BUDDY
WRONG.
PEOPLE DIE AND THEY GET A CHECK,
THAT CAN HAPPEN.
I GUESS THE NUMBER IS ABOUT 80
MILLION PEOPLE.
EVERYTHING WE ARE GOING TO GET
BACK, BUT IT IS A TINY AMOUNT
AND THEY HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC
JOB.
THIS WAS DONE IN A FEW DAYS.
-
>> YOUR CAMPAIGN SAID THEY ARE
PLANNING ON DOING RALLIES BEFORE
THE ELECTION.
IS THERE A TIMELINE YOU ARE
LOOKING AT?
WOULD IT BE RESTRICTED TO
CERTAIN STATES?
PRES.
- TRUMP: I HOPE WE CAN DO
RALLIES.
IT'S GREAT FOR THE COUNTRY, IT'S
GREAT FOR THE SPIRIT.
FOR ME, IT'S A TREMENDOUS WAY TO
GET THE WORD OUT.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR SUCCESS RATE,
WE HAVE HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.
OUR SUCCESS RATE IS
UNPARALLELED.
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE IT.
I CERTAINLY HOPE WE CAN HAVE
RALLIES.
WE WILL FIND OUT.
I DON'T LIKE THE RALLIES WERE WE
ARE SITTING LIKE YOU ARE
SITTING.
YOU HAVE MANY REPORTERS TRYING
TO GET INTO THIS ROOM AND IT
LOSES A LOT OF FLAVOR.
IT LOSES, TO ME, A LOT OF
FLAVOR.
I HOPE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE
RALLIES.
I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO BE
BIGGER THAN EVER.
THE RALLIES WE ARE HAVING UNTIL
WE HAD TO STOP WITH REGARD TO
THE PROBLEM WE HAD HERE, THE
RALLIES WERE BIGGER THAN THEY
WERE I EVEN THINK SUBSTANTIALLY
BIGGER, WE GO INTO THE BIGGEST
ARENA AND WE TURN AWAY 20,
30,000 PEOPLE.
IN ONE CASE IN NEW JERSEY, WE
HAD 100 75,000 PEOPLE SHOW UP
FOR AN ARENA THAT HOLDS 9000
PEOPLE AND THEY SHOWED UP.
AND THE REPORTERS EVEN REPORTED
THAT.
THAT WAS ALMOST SHOCKING TO ME.
I HOPE WE CAN RESUME RALLIES
BECAUSE I THINK THEY ARE AN
IMPORTANT PART OF POLITICS.
-
>> SOME WORKERS CAN GO BACK TO
WORK IN PHASE ONE, BUT MANY
PARENTS DON'T HAVE AN OPTION TO
WORK FROM HOME.
HOW CAN YOU GET BUSINESSES BACK
UP AND RUNNING AS LONG AS
SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED?
PRES.
- TRUMP: I THINK BUSINESSES
ARE GOING TO AND WE'VE GIVEN
BUSINESSES A POSITIVE JOLT.
THEY ARE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR
EMPLOYEES.
IF THE EMPLOYEES LEAVE THAT AREA
, WHO KNOWS WHERE THEY ARE GOING
OR IF THEY GET INTO THE JOB
MAYBE SOMEPLACE ELSE.
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE
SAME BUSINESS.
WE GAVE THEM MONEY TO HOLD THEIR
EMPLOYEES.
WE HOPE THEY CAN DO $250 BILLION
MORE.
IT IS SO INEXPENSIVE AND WE HOPE
THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN BUT I
REALLY THINK -- LOOK, YOU SEE IT
WITH THE STOCK MARKET.
THE MARKET WAS UP 700, 8 HUNDRED
POINTS TODAY.
IF YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD ME IF WE
WOULD HAVE A VIRUS THE LIKES OF
WHICH THIS WORLD HAS NOT SEEN
SINCE 1917, WHICH WAS THE
SPANISH FLU WHERE ANYONE FROM 75
TO 100 MILLION PEOPLE WERE
KILLED AND WE HAVE A STOCK
MARKET THAT IS NOT FAR BELOW ITS
ALL-TIME HIGH, AND IT IS
STARTING -- YOU HAD A THOUSAND
POINT INCREASE AND A 1200 POINT
INCREASE -- NOW WE HAVE A STOCK
MARKET THAT IS AT A POINT WHERE
IT IS NOT VERY FAR AWAY FROM
WHERE IT WASN'T AND WE HAVE GONE
THROUGH, IT CLOSED -- REMEMBER
THIS ALSO -- WE HAVE HAD A
CLOSED ECONOMY.
WE HAD THE BEST ECONOMY ANYWHERE
IN THE WORLD.
WE HAD THE BEST ECONOMY WE'VE
EVER HAD.
REMEMBER THIS -- THE DOLLAR IS
VERY STRONG.
STRONG DOLLARS ARE ALTHOUGH VERY
GOOD -- BUT IT IS HARDER TO SELL
OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY, IT'S
HARDER FOR MANUFACTURERS,
SOMETIMES IT'S A LOT HARDER.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO INVEST IN OUR
COUNTRY.
WE ARE PAYING ALMOST ZERO IN
INTEREST.
IN SOME CASES, ZERO.
WE'VE NEVER HAD THAT BEFORE.
PEOPLE WANT THE SAFETY OF OUR
COUNTRY.
BUT IF YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD ME WE
HAD THE MARKET WHERE IT IS TODAY
AND WE HAD ALMOST A 700 POINT
INCREASE AND WE ARE AT A POINT
THAT -- IT IS NOT WHAT IT WAS
BUT IT IS NOT THAT FAR OFF, I
WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU THAT'S GOT
TO BE AN IMPOSSIBILITY.
THE REASON THAT IS IS BECAUSE
THERE'S A GREAT, PENT UP MAN.
THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO COME
BACK AND COME BACK STRONG.
WE GOT TO GET RID OF THE VIRUS,
WE GOT TO OPEN UP OUR COUNTRY,
WE ARE GOING TO OPEN IT UP IN
QUADRANTS, SOME OF THE STATES
SHOULD GET TOGETHER AND WORK ON
THEIR OWN BORDERS BECAUSE YOU
DON'T WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE
POURING THROUGH THE BORDER OF A
STATE THAT IS NOT INFECTED AND
YOU HAVE PEOPLE COMING IT UP OUTSIDE
-- THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I
WAS ASKING TONY TWO DAYS AGO
ABOUT MASKS.
WHY IN WYOMING OR MONTANA WOULD
THEY HAVE TO WEAR MASKS?
THEIR NUMBERS ARE VERY GOOD.
THE REASON IS IF SOMEBODY COMES
FROM OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS
VERY SEVERE, BUT, AND AGAIN,
IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THEM,
IT'S A RECOMMENDATION, BUT WE
WILL SEE.
IF YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD ME HOW
WELL WE ARE DOING AFTER WE WENT
THROUGH THE WORST EVENT OF ITS
KIND SINCE 1917, IT'S PRETTY
AMAZING.
-
>> AMERICANS ARE NOT SURE HOW
THEY CANNOT GO -- HOW CAN THEY
HAVE THEIR KIDS TAKEN CARE OF IN
ADDITION TO HELPING EMPLOYEES
STAY EMPLOYED --
PRES.
- TRUMP: I THINK THE SCHOOLS
ARE GOING TO BE OPENED SOON.
I THINK EVAN OR'S ARE ALREADY
TALKING ABOUT SCHOOLS BEING
OPENED.
WE DO HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR
SENIORS BECAUSE WE LEARNED A LOT
ABOUT THIS DISEASE.
WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THIS
PLAGUE AND WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE
OF OUR SENIORS.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF A
LOT OF PEOPLE.
THE SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE OPEN
SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
SOME GOVERNORS ARE ALREADY
THINKING ABOUT GETTING THE
SCHOOLS OPEN.
I HAVE A YOUNG BOY WHO GOES TO
SCHOOL.
IT'S AS GOOD AS HOME IS WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEE HIM GO TO SCHOOL
SOON.
-
>> I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT
SOME OF THESE AREAS YOU WOULD
LIKE TO OPEN UP -- YOU SINGLED
OUT VIRGINIA, MICHIGAN -- THEY
DON'T HAVE A DECLINING CASES
YET, YET YOU TWEETED OUT TODAY
YOU WOULD LIKE TO LIBERATE THEM.
PRES.
- TRUMP: THEY -- WHAT THEY
HAVE DONE IS VERY POWERFUL IN
TERMS OF -- YOU CAN GET THE SAME
RESULTS DOING A LITTLE LESS,
WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO SOME
PEOPLE IS VERY UNFAIR.
IN VIRGINIA, I'M GOING ABOVE AND
BEYOND WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
WITH THIS HORRIBLE PLAGUE.
THEY WANT TO TAKE THEIR GUNS
AWAY.
THEY WANT TO TAKE THEIR GUNS
AWAY.
THAT'S THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
THAT'S VIRGINIA.
YOU HAVE A GOVERNOR -- I GUESS
HE SHOULD BE UNDER SIEGE.
HE SEEMS NOT TO BE.
IF HE WERE A REPUBLICAN, HE
WOULD BE UNDER SIEGE, BUT HE
SEEMS TO HAVE ESCAPED SOMETHING
THAT IS REALLY BAD, INCLUDING
WHAT HE SAID ABOUT MANY
DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT
IS GOING ON IN VIRGINIA, THEY
WANT TO TAKE AWAY SECOND
AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND THAT'S WHAT
THEY WANT TO DO.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LIBERATE
OR LIBERATION, YOU CAN CERTAINLY
LOOK AT VIRGINIA -- GO AHEAD,
ANYBODY ELSE?
-
>> SO WHICH STATES ARE READY TO
OPEN IN YOUR MIND?
PRES.
- TRUMP: I WANT TO LET THE
GOVERNORS MAKE THAT DECISION.
IF WE SEE SOMETHING HAPPENING
BAD THAT IS WRONG, WE ARE GOING
TO COME DOWN VERY STRONG ON
THEM.
VERY, VERY STRONG.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS A LOT
TO SAY.
WE HAVE A LOT TO SAY BEYOND WHAT
ANYONE UNDERSTANDS.
AND I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW MANY OF
THE GOVERNORS, MANY DEMOCRATS,
TOO.
I KNEW SOME OF THE DEMOCRATS,
BUT I GOT TO KNOW SOME OF THEM.
IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE HANDS OF
A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE.
A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE WANT TO DO
WHAT IS RIGHT.
-
>> THE VICE PRESIDENT IS
TRAVELING SOON.
WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO BE IN A
POSITION TO TRAVEL AGAIN?
- PRES. TRUMP: THEY WOULD RATHER
NOT HAVE ME TRAVEL.
I THINK I'VE BEEN IN THE WHITE
HOUSE FOR MONTHS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT IS, BUT
IT'S FOR MONTHS.
I DID LEAVE TO SAY GOODBYE TO
OUR BEAUTIFUL SHIP, THE COMFORT,
AS IT LEFT VIRGINIA, WHEN IT GOT
OUT OF DRYDOCK.
IT GOT OUT OF MAINTENANCE VERY
EARLY.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE FOR
FOUR WEEKS AND IT WAS THERE FOR
A FEW DAYS, LITERALLY WE GOT IT
TO NEW YORK.
I'M GLAD THEY DIDN'T NEED IT.
THEY DIDN'T NEED IT, THAT WAS A
GOOD THING.
THEY DIDN'T NEED THE CONVENTION
CENTER.
DEPENDING ON YOUR DEFINITION --
WE ULTIMATELY CONVERTED IT TO
COVID.
THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND
FEMA, THE JOB THEY DID WAS
INCREDIBLE.
BUT THAT'S A SIGN THEY ARE
MAKING PROGRESS IN NEW YORK.
WE BUILT IT, IT WAS READY, IT IS
THERE NOW.
WE CONVERTED IT TO COVID.
IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE FOR
THAT.
AT THE REQUEST OF OUR SIDE AND
ULTIMATELY WE CONVERTED IT BUT
THERE IS MUCH LESS DEMAND,
THAT'S SUCH A GOOD THING.
I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT.
THAT MEANS NEW YORK IS MAKING
PROGRESS.
-
>> DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE VICE
PRESIDENT IS GOING TOMORROW?
PRES.
- TRUMP: HE'S GOING TO
COLORADO?
I THINK HE'S GOING TO THE AIR
FORCE TO MAKE THE COMMENCEMENT?
IF HE'S GOING TO MAKE THE
COMMENCEMENT -- I HEAR THEY ARE
GOING TO HAVE -- THEY ARE GOING
TO BE -- I WILL SAY THEY ARE
GOING TO BE SOCIALLY, THEY ARE
GOING TO BE VERY FAR APART.
IT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING.
I WILL WATCH THAT ONE.
THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD
SPREAD, A GOOD DISTANCE APART.
I SPOKE TO MIKE ABOUT IT.
I THINK MAKING THE COMMENCEMENT
-- I'M DOING IT AT WEST POINT,
WHICH I'M DOING, I DID IT LAST
YEAR AT AIR FORCE, I DID IT AT
THE COAST GUARD ACADEMY AND I'M
DOING IT AT WEST POINT.
I ASSUME THEY'VE GOT IT AND I
UNDERSTAND THEY WILL HAVE
DISTANCING, THEY WILL HAVE SOME
BIG DISTANCE, SO IT WILL BE VERY
DIFFERENT THAN IT EVER LOOKED.
DO I LIKE THE LOOK?
NO, I DON'T.
NEXT YEAR, THEY WILL HAVE A
COMMENCEMENT WHICH WILL BE LIKE
IT HAS BEEN, WHEN PEOPLE LIKE
THIS, OUR GREAT ADMIRAL HAS DONE
SUCH A GREAT JOB.
WHEN HE GRADUATED FROM WHERE HE
GRADUATED, PEOPLE WERE NICE AND
TIGHT AND THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
AGAIN.
I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK
THIS IS GOING TO BE LIKE THIS
FOREVER, BUT FOR A TIME WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP IT THAT
WAY.
THAT INCLUDES BASEBALL GAMES AND
FOOTBALL GAMES AND OTHER THINGS.
BUT EVENTUALLY, AS THIS VIRUS
GOES AWAY, IT'S GOING TO BE
BETTER AND BETTER AND WE ARE
GOING TO GET OUR LIVES BACK TO
THE WAY THEY WERE.
ONE THING THAT BOTHERS ME -- A
COUPLE OF RESTAURANT TOURS
CALLED AND THEY SAID SIR, I
BARELY MADE A LIVING WITH 150
SEATS.
NOW, IF I DO WHAT THEY WANT ME
TO DO, I WILL BE DOWN TO 25
SEATS AND I CAN'T.
AND I SAID BUT YOU ARE NOT GOING
TO BE THERE FOREVER.
HE THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO
MOVE IT DOWN TO 25, 50 SEATS AND
I SAID DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
EVENTUALLY, YOU ARE GOING TO BE
BACK TO THE SAME YOU USED TO
HAVE, WHICH WAS -- LOOK -- I'M
NOT GOING TO DO IT BECAUSE I
DIDN'T WANT TO BRING IT UP, BUT
I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT EVENTS THAT
TOOK PLACE AND I SAID THINGS
LIKE YOU WILL NEVER DO THAT
AGAIN OR YOU WILL NEVER DO THIS
AGAIN, AND I DON'T WANT TO
MENTION THE EVENT OR WHAT YOU
ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING BECAUSE
-- YOU KNOW ONE OF THEM WAS SO
HORRIBLE.
I SAID A CERTAIN INDUSTRY WILL
BE OUT OF BUSINESS, NEVER HAPPEN
AGAIN.
TWO WEEKS LATER, IT WAS LIKE
NOTHING EVER HAPPENED.
HOPEFULLY WE GET RID OF THIS.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS TALENT UP
HERE, ALL OVER, INCLUDING
GOVERNORS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS,
STATE GOVERNMENTS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE TIME WHEN
WE CAN REALLY NORMALIZE, BUT
NORMALIZING IS BEING BACK TO
WHERE WE WERE.
-
>> SOME OF YOUR ALLIES ARE
CALLING FOR CHINA TO BE STRIPPED
AS HOST FOR THE 2022 OLYMPICS.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD
CONSIDER?
PRES.
- TRUMP: I JUST MADE A DEAL
WITH CHINA WHERE THEY ARE GOING
TO PUT IN $250 BILLION OF
PRODUCT, THEY ARE GOING TO BE
-- I WANT TO SEE WHAT'S
HAPPENING WITH CHINA.
HOW THEY'RE DOING ON FULFILLING
THE DEAL, THE TRANSACTION.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS
GOING ON WITH CHINA.
LET ME JUST PUT IT THIS WAY, OK?
I'M NOT HAPPY.
I'M NOT HAPPY.
I SPOKE TO THEM AND THIS COULD
HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN A LONG TIME
AGO.
THEY KNEW IT AND WE COULDN'T GET
IN AND IN ALL FAIRNESS, WORLD
HEALTH COULDN'T GET IN.
THAT'S WHY I WISH THEY'D TAKEN A
DIFFERENT STANCE.
THEY TOOK A VERY PATHETIC AND
WEAK STANCE.
BUT ULTIMATELY THEY GOT IN BUT
THEY DIDN'T REPORT WHAT WAS
HAPPENING INSIDE OF CHINA.
NO, I'M NOT HAPPY WITH CHINA.
-
>> MR. PRESIDENT, I WANTED TO
ASK DR. FAUCI, CAN YOU ADDRESS
THESE SUGGESTIONS OR CONCERNS
THAT THIS VIRUS WAS SOMEHOW MAN
MAILED, POSSIBLY CAME OUT OF A
LABORATORY IN CHINA?
YOU'VE STUDIED THIS VIRUS.
WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS OF THAT?
DR.
- FAUCI: THERE WAS A STUDY
RECENTLY THAT WE COULD MAKE
AVAILABLE OF YOU WHERE A GROUP
OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED EVOLUTIONARY
BIOLOGISTS LOOKED AT THE
SQUENLSES THERE AND THE
SQUENLSES IN BATS AS THEY EVOLVE
AND THE MUTATIONS THAT IT TOOK
TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS
NOW IS TOTALLY CONSISTENT WITH A
JUMP OF A SPECIES FROM AN ANIMAL
TO A HUMAN.
SO, I MEAN, THE PAPER WILL BE
AVAILABLE.
I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORS RIGHT
NOW BUT WE CAN MAKE THAT
AVAILABLE TO YOU.
-
>> WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE WANTING
ECONOMIES TO OPEN.
DOES THAT CONCERN YOU, THOUGH,
AS A HEALTH EXPERT, WHEN YOU SEE
FOLKS CONGREGATE AND ARE YOU
WORRIED IF THAT'S ENCOURAGEED?
DR.
- FOULY: I'M LOOKING AT FRIT A
PUBLIC HEALTH STANDPOINT.
I SRNL CAN UNDERSTAND THE
FRUSTRATION OF PEOPLE BUT MY
MAIN ROLE IN THE TASK FORCE IS
TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO
PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND I WOULD
HOME PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT.
THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE DOING
WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOPEFULLY
WE'LL PUT AN END TO THIS
-
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I'M VERY, VERY
SATISFIED WITH THE DECISIONS
WE'VE MADE.
LISTENING TO THE EXPERTS, MY
GUT, THE FEELING OF THE VICE
PRESIDENT AND MANY OTHERS.
WHEN WE PUT IT ALL TOGETHER --
LOOK, IF WE DIDN'T DO WHAT WE
DID AT THE TIME, WE COULD HAVE
LOST MORE THAN 2 MILLION PEOPLE.
I REALLY BELIEVE THAT I COULD
SHOW YOU CHARTS OF OTHER PLACES
THAT GAVE IT A SHOT AND THEY'RE
NOT DOING WELL.
I WOULD SHOW IT TO YOU RIGHT
NOW.
I DON'T WANT TO EMBARRASS
ANYBODY.
THEY GAVE IT A SHOT.
IT'S AN AUTOMATIC.
EVERYBODY WOULD SAY LET'S DO
THAT UNTIL THEY SIT DOWN AND
START THINKING AND WE COULD HAVE
LOST MORE THAN 2 MILLION.
WE HAD ONE THAT SAID FROM 1.6 TO
2.2 BUT IT COULD HAVE REALLY
BEEN MORE THAN THAT.
I LOOKED AT ONE COUNTRY IN
PARTICULAR, USING THE HERD
MENTALITY.
NOT WORKING OUT VERY WELL.
WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, WE
HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK.
WE'LL BE CROSSING LINES VERY
SOON IN MANY CASES.
IN SOME CASES WE'RE WELL ON THE
WAY DOWN.
IN OTHER CASES WE'RE RIGHT AT
THE TOP AND HEADING DOWN.
WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION.
I SAW SOME NUMBERS FROM NEW
JERSEY, WHICH WAS HAVING A VERY
TOUGH TIME.
HE'S DOING A TERRIFIC JOB, THE
GOVERNOR, PHIL MURPHY.
STARTING TO GET SOME REALLY GOOD
SIGNS.
I LOOKED AT SOME OF THE NEW YORK
NUMBERS.
THEY'VE BEEN DEVASTATED,
OBVIOUSLY, BUT SOME REALLY GOOD
THINGS ARE STARTING TO HAPPEN.
SO IF WE WOULD HAVE DONE
SOMETHING DIFFERENT -- FIRST OF
ALL, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
SUSTAINABLE.
YOU WOULD HAVE HAD PEOPLE THAT
WOULD HAVE BEEN FURIOUS AT AND
YOU ME AND EVERYBODY UP HERE --
IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
SUSTAINABLE.
YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE
HOSPITALS AS AN EXAMPLE.
A CERTAIN HOSPITAL RIGHT WHERE I
GREW UP IN QUEENS AND BODY BAGS
ALL OVER THE FLOOR OF THE
HOSPITAL.
YOU KNOW THE ONE I'M TALKING
ABOUT.
NOW, MULTIPLY THAT TIMES 12 OR
15 BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF
NUMBERS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
12 OR 15.
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN IN
SCREX.
-- INVECTION.
NOBODY WOULD HAVE UNDERSTAND --
UNDERSTOOD THAT.
WHEREAS RIGHT NOW, NOBODY CAN BE
BLAMED.
THIS IS NO BLAME.
WE'VE IN A SITUATION THAT SHOULD
HAVE BEEN SOLVED LONG AGO.
IT PROVEL COULD HAVE BEEN SOLVED
VERY EASILY.
IT'S A TOUCH ENEMY BUT PROBABLY
VERY EASILY IF A CERTAIN COUNTRY
DID WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE
AND WE'RE JUST STARTING TO LEARN
THOSE FACTS, BUT WHAT WE DID WAS
THE RIGHT THING WITH.
THAT BEING SAID, WE WANT TO GET
BACK AND WE'RE GOING TO BE
OPENING UP STATE.
THEY'RE BEING OPEN BY VERY
CAPABLE PEOPLE.
IT'S ALSO POINT OF SALE, AS THEY
SAY IN A DIFFERENT BUSINESS.
WHERE THE TESTING IS GOING TO BE
TAKING PLACE.
WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THE
STATS -- STATES AND HELP THEM
BUT THINK KNOW EVERY INCH OF
LAND IN THEIR STATES.
I WATCHED THE GOVERNOR OF
ARKANSAS, ASA, YOU SAW THAT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS -- HE WAS
TERRIFIC.
I WATCH IT WOULD GOVERNOR OF
OKLAHOMA BEING INTERVIEWED OVER
THE WEEKEND.
IT WAS TERRIFIC.
THEY'VE DONE ATE LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENTLY.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY TIGHT AND
STRONG AND THEY WERE VERY
SEXRARMEDE HAD MORE BEDS THAN
THEY NEED AND WOULD THAT'S A
GOOD THING.
I THINK YOU'LL HAVE SOME VERY
POSITIVE EVENTS TAKING PLACE
OVER A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF
TIME.
I THINK WITH THAT WE'LL SEE YOU
TOMORROW BUT REALLY, THIS HAS
BEEN A SITUATION WHERE A LOT OF
GREAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED
IN A -- AND A LOT OF GREAT
DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
.
-
>> ANY FOLLOW-UP QUELLS?
DR. FAUCI, YOU WANT TO STICK
AROUND?
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