President Trump Briefing Apr 16th

Watch HERE

The White House Task Force's Plan to Reopen the Economy 

 @15 minutes in

President Trump

We have made great progress, incredible - through this unified national effort

Slow the Spread has saved 100's of thousands of lives

models predicted 1.5-2.2 million US deaths

100k-240k deaths with mitigation

looks like we will come far under these lowest numbers

Thanks to the military and devotion of our people 

There is no such thing as an optimistic prediction on death - one is too many

More than 850 counties - more than 30% of our country have reported NO NEW CASES in last 7 days.

Avoided healthcare rationing and deadly shortfalls that have hit other nations.

In America - NO PERSON WHO HAS NEEDED A VENTILATOR has been denied a ventilator. 

Delivered thousands to the states. Incredible operation.

Started with very little. Ended with a lot.

USA lower mortality rate than almost all other countries.

Team of Experts agrees to begin the next front of our war.

Calling OPENING UP AMERICA AGAIN.

We are opening, we have to 

America wants to be open and Americans want to be open.

A national shut down is not sustainable long term solution.

To preserve the health of our citizens - we must also preserve the health of the economy. You cannot do one without the other.

These chains have to be taken care of so delicate - the balance is delegate.

Want to deliver food and medical supply and have a working economy.

I believe it will boom. 

Combined lockdown and enforced economic situation.... another toll.... suicide, alcohol, drug abuse... medical care on hold presenting new hazards on public health... people are suffering

THEREFORE - new guidelines allowing GOV to take a phase and individual approach to opening their states.

a long time and good relationship... based on good hard verifiable data.

DR BIRX, scientists, experts, medical professionals across the board - have all helped with this

Dr. Fauci

All have worked together and worked together well.

They are interested in the health of our country.

We closed the greatest economy in the world to win this war

NOW - Restore our economic life - one step at a time - not all at once

some states open before others

Starting our life and rejuvenation of our economy in a safe, structured, responsible fashion

the military will work to protect senior citizens and other populations while allowing others to do their business - hard at work - 

thankful for our military for what they have done

focus on SHELTERING the HIGHEST RISK INDIVIDUALS

clear, scientific benchmarks on testing

new case growth on hospital - must be met before advancing to each phase on the reopening of our country

restrictions can be eased and come off

citizens called upon to use all their weapons:

• vigorous hygiene
• teleworking
• staying home if sick
• sanitizing surfaces
• highly conscious of our surroundings

GOV tailor approach of states diverse circumstances

backing up what GOV want to do

also want states to harmonize together -work closely together

continued challenges and hardships ahead - goal to identify any outbreaks and put them out rapidly

if returns in the fall (some scientists think it will) - these guidelines will help put it out quickly

 Clinical Trials under way - at least 35 

• antiviral therapies
• immune therapies
• plasma therapies

come a long way 

Also continued to expand testing capacity - we've done more per capita than S Korea

suspended dangerous foreign travel

continue to work with GOV to do surveillance and testing

more than 6 million ABBOTT ID TESTS - positive or negative within 5 minutes

decrease on number of tests at hospitals

more tests in a day than any country

new solutions come online - lab tests dropped from 100k to 75k in the last week - bc we have so many tests we don't have to go through the labs - states feel free to use them still - media reported this as a bad thing but it is a good thing bc indicates states moving to faster on the spot testing - this is an affirmation that testing at an all time HIGH is growing at a historic rate - the labs are great but now have forms much quicker and better we don't have to use the labs - but they are there

1 million tests per week excess available for use and capabilities growing weekly 

begin a SCIENCE BASED reopening - be vigilant to block abroad

travel restrictions important

Sacrifices our citizens have made - remembered, studied, honored, praised for generations to come - we are all working together - not about parties - about our country

American people ready to rise and show world we can defeat any challenger

• rebuild this land we love
• reclaim destiny we share
• carry our nation forward to new heights of greatness and glory

Thank Dr Birx and Dr Fauci and Vice President Mike Pence who has devoted 24 hours a day to the task force and done a great job.

VP Mike Pence

 The new guidelines = the best science + the best common sense

No higher priority than the health and safety of American people

• more than 640k Americans contracted the Coronavirus
• more than 30k lost their lives and some continue to struggle with the consequences of it

truth is - President's early decisive action to stop travel, screen passengers, partnerships across America, efforts of healthcare workers, the cooperation of American people and God's grace = We are slowing the spread, flattening the curve, preserved our healthcare system and protected the vulnerable

We've saved lives - every American should be comforted by that

You can see it in the numbers - his charts 

GUIDELINES 

downward trajectory, healthcare has capacity

state preparedness recommendations - Pres Trump told Gov today fed admin will continue to work day in and out to have medical supplies and expand testing

• Mar 11th - 23, 588 tests done
• 83,500 Mar 18
• 3.5 million April 16
• 5 million will be tested by end of April - continue to scale those resources

Propose a PHASED approach to reopening the economy - based on up to date data and readiness - fed will keep giving the state health officials their data

focus on re-emergence ?, and on most vulnerable

NEW GUIDELINES can be implemented STATEWIDE BASIS or COUNTY BY COUNTY BASIS

VP - thanks to Dr. Birx, Dr. Fauci, and every member on the task force

Thankful for Pres leadership and theirs

Dr. Birx

going over fast bc she knows they already talked about them on TV

Slide - gatekeeping criteria

every family knows how to access this on CDC website

their surveillance program can be used for a lot of issues but in this situation will be tracking respiratory illnesses

Next slide - charted early March in New Orleans respiratory diseases started to show in ER, cases, testing, positives... see the early alert was present from the ER -it pre-dated the cases.... so in the summer we can follow this syndromic pattern city by city, county, state by state etc

Next slide - flu B, flu A, coronavirus... you can see it's decline by baseline -this allows them to see local variations

Next slide - brought CDC and talented individuals and abilities to this response and the surveillance we need

Third bullet on the graphic - setting up sentinal surveillance sites to identity symptomatic individuals - find in communities of vulnerability - nursing homes, federal clinics inner city, indigenous populations

go for the syndromic, flu-like, cases... doing contact support

making sure all healthcare facilities have what they need to handle the surge and increased capacity

every state to have a plan for the health and safety of critical workers and industries, nursing homes, etc.

their surveillance always picked up nursing homes early

not going into the details of xyz

Next slide  - what to do - 

• using face coverings in public
• washing hands and surfaces
• stay home when you feel sick

Next slide - EMPLOYERS: ensure social distancing, temp checks, disinfectants in high traffic areas (like break rooms), no nonessential travel, contact tracing of all individuals who are sick

 ****************************************

PHASE 1 - gating criteria - 14 days - testings

• all vulnerable individuals continue to shelter in place - co-morbidities - those vulnerable to not go out in public first
• continue 6 ft distancing, avoid gatherings, avoid nonessential travel
• accommodations for people who are vulnerable and cannot telework
• every employee should encourage work return in phases
• if schools already closed - remain closed
• all senior citizen and hospitals - prohibit 
• large venues - protocols and 6 feet and gyms
• elective surgeries - resume on out patient basis

  ****************************************

PHASE II - another 14-day decline

• vulnerable shelter in place (NO TIMELINE - the governors with their data set those up)
• maximize physical distance - can now have 50 individuals
• nonessential travel can resume
• employers still offer telework and close or distant common areas
• relief to many households with small kids - schools, daycares, and ... can reopen
• visits to facilities... still no
• surgeries can be outpatient and... ?

  ****************************************

PHASE III

• continue good hygiene practices, respect for space between individuals bc still an issue of the asymptomatic spread
• better finding symptomatic individuals - but put in place a safety net for nursing homes, native American people indigenous pops, inner-city groups

 ****************************************

Dr Fauci 

This is a robust program for re-entering normality

This is NOT a light switch on and off - this is done gradually

the safety and the health of the American public put into this as the dominating drive

You have to pass the hurdle = "gating in"

You don't get to PHASE I until you get through the Gating

if you get NO rebound and you satisfy the gating a second time then PHASE II

next checkpoint of safety - go through the gating again then PHASE III

If we carefully do this staggard again - we will get to the point sooner than later of some form of normality

no matter what phase you are in - there are certain fundamental things we have done (the new normal) - no matter what phase.... not game over- as we go the cycle around there may be this virus....

Question:

Q: Phase IV - after the vaccine is developed and available to everybody; will we see packed arenas in Phase III

A: Dr. Fauci - conceivable - but a tension to not do all that packing - you will have participants there - not sure if uniformally - if there is a rebound of any sort - when you are in that phase you can respond to that - 

there may be some setbacks - this is uncharted water

I do see us getting more towards normal

Q: gating criteria

A: Pres Trump - a number Gov said they are in very good shape, next few days I think you will have good things to report of states opening up; a lot of great work done on vaccines (but need testing) and therapeutics; in terms of sports - spoke with commissioners yesterday for every sport - many will start WITHOUT the fans - made for television - then start every 2 seats... then enjoy the way it used to be - 

when the virus is gone - we'll be back to normal

Q: 30 day period still in place?

A: in place to a large extent -and depends on what Governors want to do - Montana is a lot different than NY and NJ; in place dependent on what the Governor wants to do

Q: Montana, Utah - could they go to phase I tomorrow

A: literally yes - tomorrow bc met all the guidelines -go back 14 days, go back 1 month- they met those guidelines pretty long ago

Q: Protestors - MI - refusing to comply stay at home; isn't it important to go along with this

A: they have been going through it a long time - death and staying at home too - this country was not built on that principle - on the opposite - they want to get back - there were very strict sanctions put on people.... American people have been incredible - when you look at it all

Q: 

A: I think they're listening - they listen to me. They seem to be protestors who like me and listen to my opinion and most of the governors...

including masks in areas you wouldn't even think

Wyoming, Montana, N Dakota - where masks in case someone should come in from other areas; that will be the governors choice

Q: 350 billion cap, 250 not moving - what did you tell those bipartisan groups today

A: for the viewers watching this - exhausted is a good thing not a bad thing - it went quickly - 4000 banks... people want to keep this going - we are doing it to keep the small biz going and keep workers paid; popular program executed flawlessly - first day they changed the app a bit - Wells Fargo, Bank of America, community banks - incredible - we are negotiating with Democrats - they should approve it - it's a great thing - having a hard time getting them to approve it - it should happen unanimously but they are trying to get things and we are not happy with what they are trying to get

Q:

A: I want the governors to announce - they worked really hard. Some states got too much credit for what they've done and others haven't been given credit that did an incredible job. 

Q:

A: that's not going to be normal - where a restaurant had a lot of seats and loses them - that's going to happen and relatively quickly we hope - our normal is if you have 110k people in Alabama football game - normal you would have that - not 50k

Q: What is fed govt going to do to help local states pay for ...

A: watch over, see its working smoothly, in strong communication with the governors, testing

build up stockpiles and also help other countries who would never be able to build a ventilator - really tough

Q: how many states in good shape?

A: I think 29 states in that ball game - not for opening but will be able to relatively soon

NY NJ tough times - a later state obviously

just spoke with NJ GOV - Phil is working very hard - a democrat - we get along

NJ has been hit unbelievable hard - as hard as anybody - but they are doing a great job

through location, luck, and a lot of talent a lot of states getting ready to open

up to the GOVERNORS

a beautiful puzzle - 50 pieces all very different - a mosaic - when all done a very beautiful picture

could be in the fall some flare-ups -we will be in a very good position

I have a number of people who were great people that were decimated by what happened - some are dead - one unconscious the following day and 4 days dead

others just had sniffles and are supposedly immune - we will find out more about that 

Q: Public health experts have said - if comprehensive surveillance testing 

A: Dr. Birx - key is early alerts and getting in there before they even know they have a problem - CDC built these reports - Dr Redfield will be putting people in every state to make sure CDC is standing beside local health officials to make sure all those cases are put in - the asymptomatic for the most vulnerable (hasn't been done before with flu) - people coming to clinic will get testing for COVID19.

Dr. Fauci - in beginning focusing on mitigation and ventilators etc.... now grace period lets us figure out what are missing, what is percentage of people infected out there, ...may get a good feel about the level of protection in society

2 things - antibody tests (for society) and tests for who has the disease (for contact tracing)

By the time we get to the fall, I think we will be in good shape.

President Trump

As we see a hotspot, we will be able to whack it/ suppress it we think - watch it very closely.

BOB

early recognition, isolation, contact tracing

we were able to contain the outbreak (he gave history)

mitigation will continue

early recognition, isolation, and contact tracing - CDC will continue to help build that capacity among the states

President Trump

Senators on the call today too.

Some places with wide-open places - no need to do that

Q: Clear scientific benchmark on testing; are you opening up without widespread testing bc no capacity or not necessary

A: We have the capacity - there are states with no need

Q: campaigning

A: this is not campaigning - I want to make our country better

Pete - tornados this week - he has been unbelievable - thanking us (FEMA)

This is a war - I want to heal this country - 

the invisible energy more dangerous - tougher

in the G7 - country by country today - we get along great - there are 184 countries

others have been devastated by this

I was angry bc it should have been told to us a lot sooner

people knew and didn't want to talk about it - going to get to why

Germany, France, EU was there - their economies have been devastated but they will build them back

We'll build our economy back : bigger, stronger, better than ever before

we have stimulus

infrastructure - roads, bridges, 

good news - interest rate is close to 0% - good thing when it comes to building infrastructure back

Q: anticipate at each holiday milestone ie July 4

A: I don't like to anticipate - in terms of dates -but I think we are going quickly now - we are beating the date - I said MAY 1st - here we are - nice surprises over the next few days - it will be added on and on 

I don't want anyone to come back too early - if not position to come back

Gotta be safe.

Q: Has govt modeled the possibility if a widespread resurgence if this doesn't work?
A: if we didn't do what we did we were talking 2.2 million deaths - if everything happens properly and everything goes well... significantly less - we will be under 100k (1 is too many)  

military operation incredible private help - Rosche - Johnson & Johnson (vaccine) - incredible

Q: WA and CA guidance

A: up to them; they have to make that determination; Gov cannot find cotton - swab is hard to get - they need to do some of it - we can't do everything (that's a Q tip)

ventilators are so hard - like building a car and the price is the same too

Q: for states not ready to go through Phase I - 

how many tens of millions of tests are they going to need to get through those phases

A: Dr Birx - have a whole team running lab by lab to turn them on - tests and equipment sitting there - now need to figure out what they really need - the lab directors explained how to run the equipment - takes a tech full time - at $100 a test it is - making changes bit by bit - committed to work with labs to answer every issue with the state and local government - making sure every governor and health official knows where the tests are so they can all be run - yes there is twice the capacity right now

President Trump

We have tremendous testing capacity. Gone down bc other tests - new saliva test came out yesterday -probably easiest one. A college is using that. don't have to use the labs anymore. We have tremendous testing capacity.

CONCLUDE

We are opening up our great country again over a period of time - working with great people who have become a friend of mine - including democrat and republican governors - with a few exceptions - the relationship has been outstanding.

Head of FDA has broken hurdles that years ago would have taken years. Thank you, Dr Hahn, of the FDA.

We are bringing our country back - bigger and stronger than ever before - we have learned a lot about ourselves.

Thank you very much.

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