President Trump LIVE Briefings March 26, 2020

I came in at @42 minutes into President Trump speaking

(If you are seeing this, I will try to come back and fill in the beginning notes if I can get time... still a mom and it's dinner time - LOL. Contact me to let me know you are counting on it - I may be more inclined to stay up to finish knowing it is making a difference.)

WATCH THE BRIEFING

NOTES: 

President Trump:

• using financial, scientific,  medical, military, pharmaceutical to halt this virus
• thank you Americans for practicing Social Distancing, maintaining good hygiene, following their guidelines
• Your commitment makes all the difference in the world.  Stay Home. Relax "for a while".
• They continue to gather info and accelerate testing. Doing record testing. 8 days here USA did more highly sophisticated test than South Korea did in 8 weeks.
• We will vanquish this virus. A lot of progress has been made.
• Today - sent a letter to American governors to update the data - social distancing - coordinated with public health and scientists
• We will achieve victory and quickly return to health and prosperity for all US citizens; people have to go back to work, they want to go back to work
  Will be talking dates.
  Country built on "getting it done".
  More information early next week. 
• Go back - practicing social distancing, washing hands, not shaking hands; but our country has to go back to work; our country is based on that. Will happen quickly.
• We may take sections of our country - large sections not so seriously affected.... more next week.

Questions:

Q: unemployment
A: nobody's fault. Good decision to not allow China to come here.  He heard 6 million. Currently at 3.2 million.  "Hidden enemy is a lot tougher than somebody that stares you in the face." They are fully expected numbers, at least.

Q: Why deploy troops necessary?

A: Mexico, Canada - he will find out about it  "Equal justice"

We do have troops on the border. 

Q: 

A: You don't know what the numbers are in China. Roach has been a great company - stepped up. Attribute to the amount of testing we are doing. We don't know what China is testing.

Q: Jobs 6-7 million - out of insurance, subsidies, expand Medicare? 

A: Trump said 3.3. What he read is what they have considered. People will get big checks. Not people's fault. We are taking care of people. Starting by sending family of 4 about $3k. This was a health/medical crisis - not a financial crisis.

Q: 3% of all restaurants have shut, 11% more will close in next 30 days. What to tell a restaurant owner.

A: Trump understands that business - not easy. Tough business, great people. He has heard 3-11% could be lost. They will all come back in one form or another. They are making it easy for people - loans, salaries, etc. They will all be back - may not be same restaurant or ownership - but they will be back.

Q: Defense Production Act - use?

A: Trump; has enacted it on 2 minor occasions and can withdrawl it - but companies haven't needed it - FORD, 3M, GM -- they are doing it - don't need a hammer telling them "DO IT".  When this is over - we will be fully stockpiled. Nobody thought this could happen to this country. We inherited a broken system. Not blaming anyone before him. DPA is wonderful - but haven't had to use it. They know it's activated and he could use it - but he hasn't had to.

Q: Cruise Liners - 

A: Fan of Senator Holly; some Senators didn't want to do anything; Ships are registered in different locations; likes the concept of registering here in the US; hard to loan a company when based in different country; cruise line business is very important; employs tremendous number of people outside the ships itself - look at the ports, shops, etc.  They will work hard on this business - he likes Senator Holly's concept itself.

Q: Use legislation to provide 17 billion in aid + 20 billion + 4 billion they could use (airline business)

A: Tough business - has everything; highly technological; unions; complex; we have to keep our airlines going; going to be using some, maybe a piece of the airlines for our country (loaning them money); airline biz vital to our country; we have to keep them going

Q: Bloomburg; On Monday did you speak with China

A: No, speaking to him tonight (the President of China). Someone at a lower level made a statement our soldiers brought it into China. No, it came from China. We just signed a big deal with China. They are paying tariffs. China had taken advantage of USA. Blaming everybody. Taking out 500 billion per year they were taking out - trade deficits. We gave some to our farmers - who are happy and got through a rough period. Plenty left over after that. Now negotiating with China - getting 25% on 250 billion and a lot of money after that. I don't blame China for taking advantage of USA _ I blame people here who should never have let that happen. 

Q: follow up - asks again if he was told to stop saying "chinese virus" name.

A: They never asked me to calm that language down. I think it was time though. I talk about the Chinese virus - and I mean it. That's where it came from. All these horrible diseases seem to come with the name from that location. But I don't have to say it if they feel so strongly about it - we'll see.

We just made a great deal with China. Maybe they want to wait like IRAN to see if Trump gets beat in the election (Nov 3); it would be sad if we blew all the advantages we have right now bc we have great trade deals. We have changed the whole thing around. (names countries)

Q: John

A: We have to open up. 

Q: What do you want to talk about with him?

A: His call. I will talk with whatever he wants to talk. Tonight at 9pm. We will talk about the virus.

Q: Dow - largest since 1931

A: Economic concern has not passed but come a long way. doing a good job. Keeping people informed - there was a great fear. Mortality rate in my opinion is way way down - takes a lot of fear out. One thing to have it - another thing to die. When I first was involved, I was told numbers higher than it seems to be. Spoke to 2 people who had it - never went to a doctor. Hundreds of thousands of cases like that - so add that to the case load also. The people that actually die is much less % ...

Q: Venezuela

A: We don't look at a weak point. This is a serious problem for over 150 nations. Those charges were made (drug).  We are watching it closely.

Q:

A: We will give you that notification.

Q: 

A: I want guidelines to be open... maybe we won't shake hands anymore. Regular flu would be cut down if we didn't do that. A lot of deaths and problems with flu too. When we are open - that doesn't mean you will stop with the guidelines. Try to distance yourself but not as much bc trying to lead a life.

Q: 

A: Very important tweet to me. We have to protect our Asian Americans. 

Q: how combat the hate crimes towards Asians

A: Asian Americans are doing a fantastic job; a great part of our country. Why I put that tweet out. 

* * *

Vice President: Mike Pence

1. slow spread
2. advance testing
3. work on critical supplies

FEMA in the lead; our response is locally executed, state managed, federally supported

Thank you to all Governors; incredible leadership and partnership with this admin

NY, NC, FL, TX, IL    Declarations

Importance of Recovery before House of Reps tomorrow

Thanks for unanimous SENATE VOTE

$3400 Direct Payment - family of 4 

Small businesses keep people on payroll even if business is not open. 

Direct Aid to States, Hospitals, Expansion of Unemployment Benefits to help States 

Testing: Available in all 50 states; commercial labs; 552k tests completed

Thank American Hospital Association - just now reporting test results

tomorrow President will sign the law to make reporting required

Report back to CDC and FEMA to give full visibility to provide Pres with good council

Point of Care Test - go to your Doctor to get test done - results in 15 minutes

Dr. Steve H will be here tomorrow to talk about this (?? Laboratories)

Swab front of the nose - appropriate - self-collection; saves personal equipment

Supplies: already shipped out from National Strategic Stockpile

• 9 mill
• 20 mill
• 6000
• millions gloves and face shields

working to manufacture ventilators and working with state leaders to get ventilators in state and private hospitals

Thank you to anesthesiologists - tomorrow hosting a webinar to help them see how to convert to a ventilator (very easy); adds tens of thousands to supply (Thank you Dr. Peterson)

5/10 counties being in NYC Metro area; any resident of NYC who has traveled to anywhere within the last 2 weeks - check temp; self-isolate 14 days; don't carry the coronavirus to a community or family member

Inspiring to see how American people are responding to this moment. 

Awaken to record unemployment numbers, not unexpected. 

Walmart hiring 150k new associates, Amazon hiring 100k, CVS providing bonuses and hire 50k workers, Pizza Hut hiring 30k permanent employees = 500k jobs

Generosity; Busch - 5 million to Red Cross, Hotels Free Rooms for medical, Pharma Co donating 25 million, 

Businesses stepping up to partner with us. 

We can do this America, but it will take all of us. We are all in this together. 

Put into practice the President's guidelines. 

This too shall pass with cooperation, generosity, and prayers of the American people. 

(skipped)

We will heal our land.

Dr. Burke

19/50 states had early cases and at this point less than 200 cases; 40 % of our country with low numbers; they are testing 

Advit (?) test kits

55% of all cases and new cases out of NY METRO area (NJ and NY) - not including CT or others

Are concerned other counties - Michigan, Chicago Cook County

alerting FEMA for next hot spot

hot spots in Urban areas or communities that serve that urban area

New Platforms added: 

adapting and adopt allocations - equipment

still running 14%, 86% of people with significant symptoms are negative (IMPORTANT FACTS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE)

UK report 500K in UK, 2.2 million in USA

20k in UK adjusted that number - we are looking into it to understand their adjustment

In the model -you either have to have a large group either asymtomatic -never tested to get to 6 million people infected; in no country to date have we seen an attack rate over 1: 1000. So either we are only measuring symptomatic cases... we are working to get antibody test. Or we have the transmission completely wrong.

The model predictions don't match reality on the ground of China, S Korea, Italy

We are 5 times bigger than Italy. Italy should have 400k deaths with the models -they are not close to that.

We need the predictions to be more sound.

We don't have data that matches the 20% getting sick.

STILL ICU beds remaining, 100-200k ventilators have NOT been used yet. Please for the reassurance for people around the world.... waking up seeing people talking about DNR - no situation warrants that discussion. To make the implication the hospital will not have what we need - we don't have the evidence of that right now. It is our job to make sure that doesn't happen.

There are lots of ventilators in other areas not needing them right now - we can be creative and responsive.

No model that X% of Americans are going to get infected in the next few weeks.

Learning from S Korea, Italy, and Spain.

1:1000 are only seen with people with very small populations like Monico and Lichtenstein.

Dr. Fauci

 To prepare for the rebound / cycling in the season: 

Timeline for Vaccines

Phase 1 trial; 

There is more than 1; couple of handfuls of vaccines at different stages of development. 

45 people certain age group; all healthy; none at great risk of getting infected; takes 3 months (make sure it's safe)

Phase 2 - 3 trial; 

Put a lot of people in there. Likely we will get an efficacy signal to know if it works. Hope to rush it to have some impact in recycling in the next season - could be 1 year to 1 year and a half.

Stumbling block = even before you know something works; at risk you have to start producing it.

So we are working with a variety of companies to take that risk. We didn't do it with ZEEKA or SARS. So we are pushing to have it ready IF in fact it works.

It's not only SAFETY when you inject somebody - and they get a little reaction or a little pain.

Does the vaccine make you worse? 

They get infected with what you are trying to protect them with and they get worse?

We will try NOT to get enhancement - worse thing you could possibly do.... so animal trials. 

Therapies: 

Best way to get best drug as quickly as possible to do a randomized control trial to know is it SAFE and is it EFFECTIVE

if yes - get off the board, NEXT thing  (??)

We will have some sort of therapy to give at least partial protection against the disease

Q: Phase 2 trials - 

A: Even before - want to find someone to make it when I go into Phase 2. Investments by the companies, some federal government. You have to give "back up"... I wouldn't hesitate to do that... give them hundreds of billions of dollars

Q: 

A: Dr. Burke -need highly responsive collaboration between counties to understand where the virus is and isn't in real-time

Q: 

A: CDC Is extraordinary in outbreaks; therefore they will be the workforce for strategies and surveillance; antibodies (by Eliza) ; trying to not just do Eliza's but have rapid care like drop of blood to tell you if positive (IGG to measure ) - not helpful in diagnosis - helpful to know how many asymptomatic cases there were; FDA is working on this around the clock; call for applications that are coming in; if you have an IGG assay rapid test (not an ELIZA) - original SARS antigens react very well to current antibodies - need therapeutics that can be plasma driven

Q: how soon to classify these counties

A: States have continued to test and do surveillance; never gets reported bc not that exciting they've identified 10 cases - but some states are doing that; we have to expand testing for surveillance; the flu platform is driven off emergency rooms and hospitals reporting to state and local govt - this will trigger getting people tested - they are not used to doing the testing this late in the season; we are asking them to continue the activation of flu-like illness; 

Q: 

A: laser-focused approach and horizontal approach - we do that in Africa now for HIV; we have granular data down to GPS point - think same thing can be done....

Q: 

A: Fed govt has to talk with State/Local Govt - inspirational to see how the Governors understand what we need to do; we have been able to define these clusters - we can see that spread throughout the region - so we are talking about how to do surveillance etc to prevent that spread

Q: timeline

A: we have to get all data together - owe it to President

VP Mike Pence

President sent a letter to Governors today. Still in 15 days to slow the spread.

This weekend they will present recommendations and guidance to move forward. 

Will open up the country responsibly and based on the data.

Q: Phase 4 Need?

A: VP: Thankful for extraordinary bipartisan work done on Capitol Hill.

• Paid family leave
• free CV testing
• Federal Resources
• "We will do whatever it takes."

Governors are asking for additional resources; they will evaluate them carefully. 

The unity this President has marshaled across the country - we will continue to march forward.