President Trump LIVE Briefing 03-29-2020 6:30 CST
In Rose Garden
Friday, FDA authorized Abbott Labs new COVID 19 test
FDA approved in 4 weeks (not 10 months as normal)
New lab test available - results in 5 minutes
Whole new ball game.
They will deliver 50k tests each day starting this week.
National Guard
Built 2,900 beds - Javits Center - did in less than 4 days
now moving to other locations
LA, NJ, and many others
worked around the clock
Gov Cuomo expressed his thanks.
deployment of rapid testing will accelerate our ability to defeat the virus...
to help them act quickly to shut it down
give cities and states information
hydroxy -chloroquine - being tested on 1100 patients in NY + Z Pack - Zythromycin
started 2 days ago - we'll see what happens
Thank you Stephen Hahn -? got approval for it fast - we'll see how it works
also FDA convolescent plasma - as treatment for seriously ill patients - taking blood from patients who have already recovered from the virus- means their plasma is rich in antibodies against the virus - and transfuse it to sick patients - to boost their immune system- some good early results - we'll see
Also looking at sterilization of masks - so they can use multiple times
Mike DeWine - Ohio - getting approval for sterilization of masks - strong material masks - can do it up to 20x - trying to get FDA fast approval
delivering millions of masks
a lot of research left to do -
plasma technique has been done in other countries - they are watching USA too to see how it goes
vaccines in progress
wants to do something therapeutically - for those already sick
techniques used in Spanish Flu Pandemic 1918 - 75-100 million people killed
other virus' like this one -
this is a tough one bc spread so easily and quickly
unleashing every tool in national mass arsenol - financial, military, etc.
State/ Local/ Federal govt all working to protect front line workers
Joining today - carninal health (MIKE), owens (ED), fed ex, UPS, more mentioned....
meeting to keep ways and supply chain delivery at top speed
@9:51 MIKE with CARDINAL
HHS, FEMA, CDC... all working together with distributors
they are working to take care of their customers who are taking care of the patients
good to see how all the govt agencies are working together
ED with Owens
40-50 million masks per month to get in the US Healthcare system - now
struggling with the demand increase
20k - 200k per week at one place - their increase in usage
were delivering 10-20k to that NY hospital and now 200-300k masks.
President Trump
Asked Reporters to look into how they are going from 10-20k to 200-300k masks at one hospital.
FEMA working to launch PRoject Airbridge - to expedite movement of critical supplies from other countries to here
first flight landed today (@JFK?)
with 80 tons of personal equipment 1.8 million face masks and gowns 10.3 million gloves ____ N95 masks
19 more flights scheduled - hope for 51 flights
UPS Spokeswoman:
495k UPSers ready to deliver
bringing in supplies from anywhere around the world as fast as they can
proud to partner with the States as well
Spokesman:
Operation Airbridge - first evidence it's working - the 51 flights - they want to build on that
thanks for terrific partnership and commitment to the people we think about most often - those on front lines protecting people
supply chain is working, it's resilient, supply is a challenge - we are tackling that
Spokesman:
Thanks to President, FEMA, HHS - working well.... involved in reprocessing masks - started at 100k masks per day and hope to expand from there
Spokesman:
#1. ?
#2 Get resources manufactured back here in America.
#3. Rapid antibody test.... proud to work with you
President Trump
many States are stocked up
question of hoarding ventilators
some hospital chains are holding them and don't want to let them up - we need them for certain areas - can't hold them for weeks down the road
Thank you UPS and FED EX - gone out of your way and delivered
Fed GOVT continues to mobilize every resource needed
USSN COMFORT departed for NY 3 weeks ahead of schedule -fully loaded (stats)
@18:39
HUMANA and CIGNA are waiving COPAYS (BIG DEAL) per FED request
Co-insurance and deductibles for COVID 19 treatments
unheard of!!!!
WOLFGANG PUCK - restaurant... mentions others in restaraunt business
Restaurant biz one of the hardest hit industries -
Pres Trump is telling Sec M and Sec of Labor to immediately start looking into the restoring deductibility of meals and .....so companies can send people to restauarants to keep them open. Some are closing now.
Restoring meals and entertainment so corporations can send people there and take a deduction.
FRI SIGNED 350 billion in job restoration and retention
loan forgiveness available for businesses that continue to pay their workers
300 billion direct cash payments to every AM citizen earning less than 99k
$3400 for typical family of 4
250 billion in unemployment benefits - 100% of their salary for 4 full months (up to)
thru existing STATE unemployment systems - Pres Trump was opposed to this bc States have old computer systems - and they are not set up for that.
Opponents wanted it - so if they don't get their money fast - Pres Trump will ask to go back to Congress and do something to take care of it.
States will get the money very quickly - but won't be able to distribute it quickly.
Remember he said that.
American people patriotism and will power ...
Social Distancing - that's the way you win.
These shared sacrifices are pulling our nation together like never before.
Old divisions are fading away.
Help our nation in this hour of need.
151 countries...
France & Spain are having BIG problems - good that we stopped the inflow from CHINA and then EUROPE at an early level.
We had never closed our borders to a country like that.
Dr Burkes and Dr Fauci modeling put together - healthcare experts - the best in the world - demonstrate the measures put in place will reduce # of infections and # of fatalities
You're saving lives.
The peak in death rate is likely to hit in 2 weeks.
Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before victory is won. Therefore the next two weeks and during this period it's important that everyone follow the guidelines. The better you do - the faster this whole nightmare will end. Therefore we will be extending our guidelines to April 30th to slow the spread.
More meetings Tues evening.
By June 1st we will be well on our way to recovery.
Every citizen take heart - we have the best medical, science, researchers, talent, working night and day to overcome this pandemic.
With the grace of God - we are rising to the occasion - proving no darkness....
We are learning so much where something like this can never hurt us like this again.
The strength of our people is our single greatest asset....
Questions:
Q: Could there by 1 million deaths?
Dr. Burke
HIME - Chris Murray website - concern with the growing number of potential fatalities
models show 1.6 - 2.2 million fatalities if we didn't mitigate
they worked very hard together to look at all the mitigations used around the world and bring to the President to consider extending
know they built this on scientific evidence with the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives
this is all to protect Americans and the healthcare providers on the front lines
there will be a comprehensive piece on Tuesday talking about diagnosing and increasing their surveillance - to contain quickly
President Trump:
Q: if we did nothing and just rode it out - 2.2 million people could have died if we did nothing - 2.2 trillion dollars no longer sounds like a lot... he now feels even better with what they did last week. If we can hold that down - to 100k-200k is what we have (? I assume he means infected not deaths)
Q: Was Easter a mistake?
A: No - it was an aspiration. That could be the peak before it starts coming down. But when you hear these kind of numbers - you don't want to spike up... we've gone through too much. He said it would be a great thing if we could do it by Easter - Easter should be the peak number and hopefully come down substantially by that point.
Q: Your approval ratings have been the highest they ever have been - some networks debating carring these briefing live ?
A: Good question. I don't want higher ratings with this... I wish we had our old life back.... we didn't have this plaque, scorge, virus... it doesn't matter to me - what matters to me is that we beat this virus as soon as possible . I want our life, country, world back again. Again 151 countries. We're going to do it, we're going to have a great victory.
Q: Humana and Cigna
A: They should be getting a lot of credit for that and they should. That's a lot of money they are waiving. Would there be other companies? Yeah - I'd love for them to do it. Now, there is a spirit like I have not seen. Even the media is more fair. They should be bc they should want this to end. This is about death. I want to thank Cigna and Human.
Q: Reimburse them?
A: They haven't asked. Waiving them doesn't mean we're going to reimburse them.
Q: Rent for the 1rst of the month.
A: Landlords are going to take it easy - we're going to put a statement out on that. A lot of concessions are being made that wouldn't have been thought of 3 weeks ago. A lot of positive things are happening.
Q: Why publically threaten quarantine on NY...
A: I didn't. Read the statement. I looked at it as a possibility bc professionals suggested it. (Bloomburg) The ultimate distancing.... concept was thrown out to me. I thought it was too much to do bc people are doing a great job - also it's hard to enforce.
Q: By speaking of it publically - do you think you frightened people?
A: No I think it made them aware to stay in their houses. You can read and see it simply. We are looking into it and before the end of the evening we decided to go with the advisory - which frankly I liked better.
Q: You said - on Sean Hannity Fox News
A: Why don't you act a little more positive? It's always getcha getcha - why people don't listen to the news any more... be nice...
Q: she keeps asking question
A: @44:49 We have done a great job delivering ventilators...
One example - we sent thousands of generators to NY - they put in a warehouse in Edison, NJ. Then we went other places giving thousands of them. NY never distributed them - maybe they didn't need them so badly.
Just so you know - we are all on the same team.
When journalist get up - questions so threatening.
If there is something wrong, we have to get to the bottom of it.
When the biggest man in the business is shocked...
Q: my second question
A: That's enough
Q: Peak in 2 weeks; how bad will it be so American people will be prepared for it?
A: We think it will hit (we don't know)
Dr Burke
80-200k people succumbing to this WITH the mitigation - the model
BUT we are still hoping we can do even better than the model
We need the American public to know how important it is that they stay doing this.
We have to be attentive to this for all people - children and adults.
We don't want to lose any American.
@50 minutes
Dr Fauci -
Models are good but often generate anxious question you asked.
A model is good as the assumptions you put into the model.
Many of these assumptions are based on a complexity of issues that are not the same with all countries.
You have the best and worst extremes in the model. Worst is if you did NOTHING.
He likes to look at the data as it's evolving and do everything you possibly can to mitigate that - don't go to the extremes.
We want to make sure we don't pre-maturely decide we're doing so great - we want to push to April 30th to make sure.
President Trump
We don't want to do well and then end early and have it start going up again. That would be a disaster.
Q:
A: Sending them things we are not needing and helping them monetarily. We are working closely with Italy, and Spain.
Their mortality rate is very high. Big meeting on it last night.
Admiral G - tremendous success made on testing
Admiral
over 894k tests as of last night
performed: hospitals, public health labs, large reference labs (American Clinical Lab Association)
fully committed to meeting demand
Point of Care - get the result right there (by Advent ?)
Time to swab to positive result = 5 minutes and at most 15 minutes if negative
18,000 of these toaster sized machines across the country in Dr offices and hospitals
A will provide 50k + per day starting April 1
Also have moderate platforms in hospitals in larger clinics
Also very large test - Roasch test
painting this very complex ecosystem so everyone who needs a test can get one
Still prioritizing ICU and HOSPITAL people bc it makes a difference to their care
Nursing facilities - high risk
FDA approved last week - instead of a provider (PPE changes), self-swab of your nose option available - implementing that this week to increase speed and save resources
Q: Will everyone who needs a ventilator in 2 weeks get one? Which "problem children companies"?
A: Not giving their names bc they have come in line. GM is doing a fantastic job -
reason we show more cases is bc more testing than anyone in the world. We started with a system broken for many years. Other administrations and pipeline had little in it. Now we have ammunition - hopefully more than we will ever need and a pipeline that is packed. Now we have 10k ventilators we can use. Want them to have quickly so not giving them out and then taking them back if they need to use them somewhere else.
Q:
A: Most states ... Gov call yesterday - they were happy with the job we were doing - falsely reported by a couple of people. FL and MI has been taken care of. MI - bringing car companies back to them. Massachusettes - trying to get things to them as rapidly as possible.
Q: Why has FL gotten their things?
A: FL is very aggressive .... but getting things out to others like never before. We have mobilized private enterprise and greatest companies in the world. Included Advit (?) comes out of nowhere with this test. Dealing with Democrat Gov - if that's what she was implying.... Gov Murphy of NJ is terrific and he has a hot spot and we are getting a lot to him. Last night I spoke to Gov of CT - great talk. Gavin Newsom, CA GOV - we sent boat way ahead of schedule (the MERCY), been in LA 3 days already. I think they are really happy. IN NY we built 2,900 hospital room beds - no one has ever seen this before. This was done by FED govt - not STATE. Opening it tomorrow - I wanted to be there so bad but Secret Service etc won't let me - for obvious reasons. We have mobilized and getting better and better every day. The task force - doesn't even sleep.
Q: Letter sent to GOV at the end of the week to develop criteria to classify counties - can you rank the counties
A: Yes, we are ranking counties and states. People reporting false info bc they don't know what they are talking about. We had a broken system. Now we have the best test in the world - "the quick test". We are getting along great with the Governors.
Q: Strategy to unveil on Tues - what factors? What should American people expect? Could April 30 be extended?
A: We hope not. We have aspirational thoughts. We could have done it on Easter but there's a good chance... it was too soon - we can't take a chance. BC what we have done - stopped coming from China so quickly... we did models... 2.2 million people would have DIED. I was going to announce it on Tuesday - so I did it now to get rid of all the leaks - so it was nice and clean.
I think we will be in great shape.
we have to get businesses open, restaurants, planes, cruise ships...
we had the greatest economy 3 weeks ago - we are paying people not to work - that's not for us...
I am so glad Dr. Burke and Dr Fauci gave us a number. 2.2 million people and now we are looking at numbers that will be much much much lower than that.
Q: More people might die from the economic tragedy? What health officials are telling you that - mental health and suicide - will it outpace the virus?
A: It's common sense - you are going to have mental depression from people - large numbers of suicides - look at what happens in recession - more than anything else - drug addiction - bc people at the top of their business - and in one day they have nothing, wiped out... from our enemy... this invisible horrible scourge. Massive drug use, massive mental depression, massive numbers of suicide, anxiety causes disease they say.... hopefully we get the most of both worlds - less deaths and get our country running again.
Q: CNN? Release by region
A:@1:08 I don't think so. His 2 people did not like the idea. We could do it - but I don't think we will.
Q: Reporter is challenging a statement Pres Trump said....
A: I didn't say that.... I want them to be appreciative of me... your statement is a lie.... I don't call.... he's (a Gov) he's a failed Pres candidate, he's a nasty person... so I don't call I get ... to call...that's why people aren't watching CNN any more ... even knowing the truth for days now you bring up the old lie... you have to put in the rest of the statement. It said FEMA and ARMY CORP of ENGINEERS - when you disrespect me you disrespect our government... I want them to appreciate the incredible job we are doing... for political reasons democrats don't want to give us credit.. but our VP has to deal with it... that's why CNN isn't trusted anymore - they are fake news... yes you are.
Q:
A: that's going to be the bottom of the hill - we think June 1... we got lucky - we stopped China from coming in.. and they got unlucky - Italy and Spain; I have confidence in the 2 doctors -could be later and could be sooner.
Q: 2.2 trillion relief bill; another one necessary
A: I am prepared to do whatever is necessary to #1 save lives and #2 bring back our economy as it was before. We are going to be making a lot of money... I don't want to talk about making money - a lot of it's coming back... I want to talk about #1 saving lives and #2 bring back our economy
Q:
A: Ratings were low this man wouldn't be here... We help their ratings bc their ratings are very low.....
@1:15
The American public should ultimately be the decider - if they don't want to watch then they shouldn't watch.
Like Monday night football ratings and like Bachelor Finale.
When they (the press) don't want the Pres of the US to have a voice, you're not talking about democracy anymore.
Q:
A: If we had just "rode it like a cowboy" - 2.2 million would die; you always here about the flu - bad flu season last year... 35-37k people die sometimes more and sometimes less - the unknown and viciousness of it; his friend (older and heavy) the other day and a day later he's in a coma unconscious. The speed and the viciousness, especially if it gets the right person - it's horrible.
Q: LA rumors - getting hit next bc Mardi Gras - is that contributed to it?
A: It's not a rumor - it's a fact. I spoke with the Gov.
Dr. Burke -
A week ago they were worried about numbers increasing in LA, Cook County, Deerborn, Detroit
Some people do very poorly
Metro - rapid expansion of this virus
Don't like to look backwards, look forward - putting all of our effort - to the people...
Rockland, Burgen (NY) are growing
50,-100-500-2000-4000-10,000 Cases can grow
Dr. Fauci
This can happen anywhere. Why we are so reluctant to pull back
Don't get complacent
Don't take solace when you see low levels bc very vulnerable for an explosion
Q:
A: I am waiting for the 5 minute test. I think I will take it again if it's appropriate. Take the test if you need it if you have the symptoms. If you don't, don't. Put out by the professionals.
I grew up in Queens, NY. Next to Elmhurst Hospital. I know it very well. I have been watching that for the last week on television -watching them bring in freezer trucks bc they can't handle the bodies. I've seen things I've never seen before in our country.
Vice-President Mike Pence
Thank you to the American people.
Every American should have a grateful heart:
- for the Medical Workers on the front lines - the hands and feet (we are working to make sure you have what you need)
- for American Businesses generosity shining forth - the two insurance companies mentioned providing full coverage for the full treatment; stepping up with a "spirit"
- for the healthcare team, FEMA, HHS, all State and Local Partners (Fed committed to be with you)
There may be modest frustration or disappointment, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. As you continue to put into practice the guidelines - Social Distancing, avoid groups of any more than 10, heed domestic travel CDC issues Sat night, drive thru food only, etc.
While there are challenges in the weeks ahead, there is hope as every single one of us continues to do our part. We will get through this.
When American people know how tall the hill is we've never failed to get over it and then some.
We'll get through this and we'll get through this together.
President Trump
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Please forgive any misspellings or omissions. Trying to type this as it happens in real-time. Please contact me if you can volunteer to assist with any edits or typing the future (or past) press briefings. The American people need access to this information.
Stay in Faith & Hope,
~Rachelle :)
