(54:17 min)
Transcript
00:00
thank you very much so nice to be with
00:09
you America continues to gain ground in
00:12
the war against the virus I want to
00:15
thank the American people for answering
00:18
the call following our guidelines and
00:21
making these sacrifices required to
00:23
overcome this terrible threat more
00:27
aggressively we commit to social
00:30
distancing so important social
00:33
distancing such an important phrase and
00:36
we do it right now the more lives that
00:40
we can save and the sooner we can
00:42
eventually get people back to work back
00:45
to school and back to normal and there
00:49
are large sections of our country
00:52
probably can go back much sooner than
00:53
other sections and we’re obviously
00:56
looking at that also people are asking
00:59
is that an alternative I say absolutely
01:02
it is an alternative I have now approved
01:05
major disaster declarations for New York
01:09
California Washington Iowa Louisiana
01:12
Texas and Florida that has great
01:16
significance as you know and legal
01:17
significance we’re in a constant
01:24
grouping and I can say this we have a
01:27
large grouping of people that does
01:28
nothing but communicate with the various
01:31
officials including we’ve been spending
01:34
a lot of time with New York officials
01:36
because that really is by far the
01:37
hottest spot they’ve got a number of
01:42
very tough weeks ahead of them the
01:46
governor’s doing a very good job I spoke
01:47
to the governor Governor Cuomo last
01:50
night and this morning and he mentioned
01:53
that in his remarks that he’s using the
01:57
that we are using and I think he feels
02:00
because he understands negotiation he
02:02
thinks we’re using very appropriately
02:04
the defense production act and we are
02:08
we’re using it where needed
02:09
it’s a great point of leverage it’s a
02:12
great negotiator
02:13
cool but I’ve really I will tell you
02:16
this tremendous spirit from people and
02:18
tremendous spirit with respect to these
02:22
companies and I don’t have to use it
02:26
very much at all they want to do it as
02:29
you know General Motors is involved
02:32
Ford’s involved 3m s involved others are
02:34
involved and they’re all working very
02:36
hard to produce product different all
02:38
different products we had very little
02:44
product when we came we built it up and
02:47
we’ve we give it away as fast as we can
02:49
to the different states we’re also as
02:52
you know building numerous hospitals and
02:54
medical centers throughout certain areas
02:58
in New York it’s at the convention
02:59
center the Javits Convention Center
03:02
we’re doing for hospitals and we’re
03:05
doing throughout the state for medical
03:07
centers they’re somewhat different I
03:09
want you to know that I’m doing
03:12
everything in my power to help the city
03:13
pull through this challenge I’m working
03:15
very hard in New York it’s really by far
03:18
our biggest problem maybe it will be
03:20
maybe it won’t be but there’s a lot of
03:23
good capable people working on it with
03:25
us and our teams are working very well
03:26
with the state representatives we’re
03:30
also doing some very large testings
03:34
throughout the country I told you
03:37
yesterday that in South Korea this is
03:40
not a knock in any way because if I just
03:42
spoke with president moon we had a very
03:45
good conversation about numerous other
03:46
things but they’ve done a very good job
03:50
in testing but we now are doing more
03:52
testing than anybody by far we do more
03:56
in eight days and they do in eight weeks
03:58
and we go up on a daily basis
04:02
exponentially so it’s really good by the
04:05
way while I’m on it I’d also spoke with
04:07
Prime Minister Robby of Japan last night
04:10
and I congratulated him on a wise choice
04:12
I think it’s going to be a fantastic
04:14
Olympics 2021
04:15
I think it’s going to be a fantastic
04:17
Olympics it was the absolute right
04:19
decision to delay it for a full year and
04:22
now have a full beautiful Olympics it’s
04:24
going to be very important because
04:27
it’s probably the first time maybe ever
04:29
or certainly in a long time that it was
04:31
on a year so he’s on an even year they
04:36
tell me but he’s gonna have a fantastic
04:38
success and now that I’ve even more time
04:40
he didn’t need any more time everything
04:41
was perfectly ready what a job they’ve
04:43
done but you pay and I want to
04:45
congratulate Japan the IOC and Prime
04:49
Minister are you on a great decision I
04:51
think it’s going to be a fantastic
04:52
Olympics I told them I’ll be there I’ll
04:55
be there as we fight to protect American
04:59
lives we’re also protecting American
05:01
livelihoods Democrats and Republicans in
05:04
the Senate are very close to passing an
05:06
emergency relief bill for American
05:09
workers families and businesses this
05:11
legislation in addition to the two bills
05:13
I signed this month that includes you
05:17
know sick leave and we have all sorts of
05:20
things and for the workers for families
05:23
but we have a tremendous paid sick leave
05:27
provision for workers at no cost at all
05:32
to the employers and that’s a big thing
05:34
no cost to the employers we want to get
05:36
everybody back working together this 2.2
05:41
trillion dollar legislative package is
05:44
bigger than anything I believe ever
05:47
passed in Congress perhaps relatively
05:54
speaking if you go back look during the
05:57
FDR New Deal days there was something
06:00
that if you time value it you could say
06:03
it was bigger I don’t know but this is
06:04
certainly in terms of dollars by far and
06:06
away the biggest ever ever done and
06:11
that’s a tremendous thing because a lot
06:13
of this money goes to jobs jobs jobs and
06:17
families families families the Senate
06:22
bill as you know includes 350 billion
06:24
dollars in job retention loans for small
06:26
businesses with loan forgiveness
06:29
available for businesses that continue
06:32
paying their workers they continue
06:34
paying their workers that’s what we want
06:35
we want them to keep their workers and
06:37
pay their workers
06:38
this will help businesses keep workers
06:40
in the payroll that allow our economy to
06:42
quickly accelerate as soon as we defeat
06:44
the virus 300 billion dollars in direct
06:47
cash payments will be available for
06:50
every American citizen earning less than
06:52
99 thousand dollars per year that would
06:56
be three thousand four hundred dollars
06:58
very quickly for the typical family of
07:01
four nothing like that’s ever been done
07:04
in our country up to two hundred and
07:08
fifty billion dollars in expanded
07:09
unemployment benefits the average worker
07:11
who has lost his or her job will receive
07:14
100% of their salary for up to four full
07:18
months unlike normal unemployment
07:20
benefits independent contractors and the
07:23
self-employed will be eligible so you
07:25
have independent contractors and
07:28
self-employed people will be eligible
07:32
for this over 100 billion dollars to
07:35
support the heroic work of our doctors
07:38
nurses and hospitals they’ve been
07:40
incredible forty five billion dollars
07:42
for disaster relief fund so we are
07:45
setting up a fund to forty five billion
07:48
dollars for disaster relief that’s more
07:52
than doubling the amount available to
07:53
support my national emergency and
07:56
disaster declarations
07:57
it’s a doubling up twenty seven billion
08:00
dollars to build up the strategic
08:02
national stockpile with critical
08:05
supplies including masks respirators
08:08
pharmaceuticals and everything you can
08:11
imagine because it was very depleted
08:14
like our military was depleted now we
08:16
have a brand new military and they’ve
08:18
had a military like this we have
08:20
equipment either coming or it’s already
08:23
come for the most part it’s already come
08:25
but we have a lot of things that will
08:27
soon be coming planes missiles rockets
08:30
lots of things but the stockpile was
08:34
very depleted like everything else this
08:38
will also include significant funding
08:40
for the development of vaccines on top
08:42
of the eight billion dollars we approved
08:45
several weeks ago over five hundred
08:48
billion dollars in support for the
08:50
hardest
08:51
hit industries with a ban on corporate
08:54
stock buybacks which is something I
08:56
insisted on and frankly I tell you the
08:59
Republicans wanted that and the
09:02
Democrats wanted that we want them to
09:04
use the money for the companies and the
09:07
planes or whatever they may be helping
09:10
to get over this rough patch and I don’t
09:14
think it’s gonna end up being such a
09:15
rough patch I think it’s gonna when we
09:17
open especially if we can open it the
09:18
sooner the better
09:19
it’s gonna open up like a rocket ship I
09:22
think it’s going to go very good or very
09:24
quickly and you can have some tough new
09:27
limits on executive compensation also
09:30
they need the money
09:32
they’re gonna have to sort of just make
09:34
things work because we’re interested in
09:37
the workers the jobs and we’re
09:39
interested in the companies because
09:40
that’s really what what fuels the
09:43
workers in those great jobs and we also
09:45
have 16 billion dollars in funding for
09:47
the purchase of personal protective
09:50
equipment you know about that such as
09:53
masks and respirators through the
09:55
strategic national stockpile I encourage
10:00
the house to pass this vital legislation
10:01
and send the bill to my desk for
10:05
signature without delay I will sign it
10:08
immediately we will have a signing and
10:10
it’ll be a great signing and a great day
10:12
for the American worker and for American
10:15
families and frankly for American
10:18
companies some of which were having the
10:21
best years they’ve ever had his last few
10:24
years and then a little bit less than a
10:28
month ago
10:29
they went into a position that they
10:31
haven’t seen because of the hidden enemy
10:34
the virus earlier today I spoke to the
10:37
leaders of many of America’s amazing
10:39
nonprofit organizations I thank them for
10:42
their unwavering and unwavering devotion
10:45
to American people to American families
10:49
to our nation and they have been
10:53
fantastic they’ve been collecting
10:55
supplies distributing food supporting
10:57
health care workers caring for
11:00
vulnerable workers and families I
11:03
encourage that
11:04
to continue to do it but I’ll tell you
11:06
the nonprofit’s have been fantastic
11:07
they’ve been great they’re great people
11:09
actually I know a lot of them finally I
11:11
want to provide a brief update on the
11:13
critical supplies through FEMA the
11:16
federal government is delivered or is in
11:18
the process of shipping nine point four
11:20
million n95 respirators think of that
11:24
nine point four million twenty million
11:27
surgical masks and we have others that
11:29
we think are going to be delivered
11:31
pretty quickly the whole world you know
11:33
it’s not just us it’s not just the
11:36
states the whole world is trying to get
11:37
these things so come in competition with
11:39
many many countries I believe today you
11:43
broke the hundred and fifty mark for the
11:46
virus we have a hundred and fifty
11:47
countries over a hundred and fifty
11:48
countries where you have this virus and
11:52
nobody would ever believe a thing like
11:54
that’s possible nobody could have ever
11:56
seen something like this coming but now
11:59
we know when we know it can happen and
12:01
happen again and if it does somebody’s
12:05
going to be very well prepared because
12:06
of what we’ve learned and how we’ve done
12:08
it’s been incredible how we’ve done
12:10
remember there’s more tests than anybody
12:12
by far and the news the reporters the
12:17
media it was likes to bring South Korea
12:19
they called me and they told me it’s
12:21
amazing you’re testing procedures are
12:22
amazing plus we have a test that’s a
12:24
very high level test and it’s a test
12:27
that’s very accurate 3.1 million facials
12:30
2.6 million surgical gowns 14.6 million
12:34
gloves and almost six thousand
12:36
ventilators which go to the areas of
12:40
greatest needs we sent over the last day
12:43
four thousand ventilators to New York
12:46
and I spoke with the governor about that
12:50
he was happy I spoke with the mayor also
12:52
about that Merida Blasio he was very
12:55
happy it’s hard not to be happy with his
12:59
job we’re doing that I can tell you
13:01
throughout this national emergency every
13:04
day heroes continue to step forward and
13:06
demonstrate the extraordinary character
13:08
of our nation including the people
13:09
behind me by the way these people are
13:13
amazing they are amazing people and they
13:15
become I don’t know maybe I should just
13:18
speak for myself but to me they’d become
13:20
friends maybe they don’t like me maybe
13:21
they don’t maybe they do I don’t know
13:23
all I can tell you is if they’re
13:25
talented people they work very hard in
13:27
Maryland a seven-year-old boy used his
13:30
own birthday money to buy meals for
13:31
dozens of senior citizens in Nevada a
13:35
college student recruited 90 of her
13:38
friends to help deliver groceries and
13:39
supplies to the most vulnerable this is
13:42
happening all over the country thousands
13:44
and thousands of instances I could stand
13:46
up here all day and tell you about other
13:48
things in Minnesota hundreds of medical
13:50
students have volunteered to provide
13:52
child care for hospital workers helping
13:55
to keep our doctors and nurses on the
13:57
front lines fighting to save lives these
14:01
inspiring Americans remind us that we
14:04
all have a role to play in winning this
14:06
great national battle and it’s really a
14:08
worldwide battle we’re dealing with
14:10
other nations all the time the people
14:13
here are I am a little bit I take calls
14:16
from a lot of people they’re in trouble
14:18
a lot of countries are in big trouble so
14:20
now we will hear from our great
14:24
Secretary of the Treasury he’s been
14:26
working rather hard I will tell you
14:29
Steve malucci’s is a fantastic guy and
14:33
he loves our country and he’s been
14:35
dealing with both sides Republicans and
14:37
Democrats he sort of lived over in that
14:39
beautiful building it’s a very beautiful
14:41
building to me one of the most beautiful
14:43
buildings actually in the world and he’s
14:44
gotten to know it Steve very well so if
14:48
we could have a little update stage
14:49
would be fantastic as to how we’re doing
14:51
and what it’s looking like thank you
14:53
thank you very much mr. president
14:57
and first let me say I would like to
14:59
thank Mitch McConnell for his leadership
15:01
and I’d also like to thank Chuck Schumer
15:04
for the enormous bipartisan support we
15:06
had on this bill and the many senators
15:09
both Republicans and Democrats that
15:11
worked tirelessly over the last five
15:13
days on all the task force the president
15:16
said I got to live in the LBJ room for
15:19
the last five days and we couldn’t be
15:21
more pleased with the unprecedented
15:24
response from the Senate to protect
15:27
American workers and American
15:29
business in this situation the president
15:32
has outlined many of these but let me
15:34
just quickly go through them again small
15:37
business retention loans this will cover
15:39
roughly 50% of the private payroll in
15:42
small businesses where we will
15:44
immediately make loans that will supply
15:47
eight weeks of salaries as long as they
15:51
keep workers employed and overhead and
15:54
those loans will be forgiven at the end
15:57
of the period as long as they keep
15:59
workers employed these are SBA loans but
16:02
the Treasury will be issuing new
16:03
regulations authorizing almost every
16:06
single FDIC insured bank to make these I
16:10
expect by the end of next week we will
16:13
have a very simple process where these
16:15
can be made and dispersed in the same
16:18
day so this will be a very simple system
16:21
to get money into small business hands
16:25
for companies that don’t qualify that we
16:28
have a economic program of tax
16:33
incentives to retain workers and as the
16:36
president said we have enhanced
16:37
unemployment insurance for people don’t
16:40
fit into these two programs that will be
16:42
administered through the states we also
16:45
have economic impact payments these will
16:48
be within the next three weeks direct
16:51
payments into most people’s deposit
16:54
accounts and for those that don’t have
16:56
it we will be having the the checks in
16:58
the mail
17:00
Treasury will have additional
17:02
authorities we have five hundred billion
17:04
dollars that we can use to work with the
17:07
Federal Reserve for emergency programs
17:09
that will create up to an additional
17:11
four trillion dollars if needed to
17:14
support American business and American
17:16
workers in an unprecedented way and then
17:19
finally the president mentioned a
17:21
hundred billion dollars to hospitals and
17:23
a hundred and fifty billion dollars to
17:25
states that have specific coronavirus
17:28
expenses as well as many additional
17:30
things mr. president I especially want
17:32
to thank you and the vice president you
17:34
were constantly available to us we spoke
17:37
constantly throughout the day you gave
17:39
us guidance and
17:41
decisions on many issues and again thank
17:44
everybody for this great bipartisan work
17:46
this is going to be enormous help for
17:48
the American workers in the American
17:50
economy the president was very
17:51
determined that Congress would move
17:54
swiftly to protect hardworking Americans
17:57
in business in this unprecedented
17:59
situation thank you
18:02
day and night that was there’s a lot of
18:07
work and we’ll see how it all goes we
18:09
still need a vote Steve don’t really
18:11
hand you have a question yes you think
18:13
this bill will keep the economy afloat
18:17
we have to go back we have to go back
18:20
we’re gonna take care of the American
18:21
worker we’re gonna take care of these
18:22
companies that fuel this country and
18:24
make the country great it’s not their
18:27
fault it’s not their fault what we think
18:35
this one quicker but we expect that this
18:40
is a significant amount of money if
18:43
needed to cover the economy and don’t
18:45
forget a lot of this is going to be to
18:47
keep companies that are very strong
18:48
triple-a rated companies previously to
18:51
keep them going and it’s gonna be in the
18:53
form of loan so the money’s gonna come
18:55
back this baby’s got a lot of this
18:56
money’s coming business absolutely let
18:58
me ask you about something you said
18:59
yesterday you said we should never be
19:02
reliant on a foreign country for the
19:04
means of our own survival what did you
19:06
remember Santa Rosa
19:07
well we’re relying to many countries
19:10
where we give up our supply chains we
19:13
give up our factories we give up our
19:15
production facilities and we can buy at
19:17
someplace else for a little bit lower
19:19
price but it’s really costing us more
19:22
when that happens because we lose jobs
19:24
we lose everything and we lose our
19:26
independence and we can’t let that
19:27
happen so we’ll be making some changes
19:30
we have been making those changes in an
19:31
executive order to basically ban the
19:34
export of medical equipment I don’t know
19:36
that we’ll need that but I think it’s
19:37
happening by itself I think a lot of
19:40
things are happening well some people we
19:42
make the best medical equipment in the
19:44
world and you have some people like the
19:46
European Union they don’t take it
19:49
because they have specifications that
19:53
don’t allow our
19:54
equipment in because it’s designed in a
19:57
different way even though it’s a better
19:58
way it’s designed they’re all they’re
20:01
all playing games against us okay
20:03
they’ve been playing games against us
20:05
for years and no president has ever done
20:07
anything about it but the European Union
20:10
you look at medical equipment we make
20:12
the best medical equipment in the world
20:13
but we can’t sell it because or not
20:17
appropriately and yet we take their
20:20
medical equipment in our country we’re
20:22
changing things Steve all this is
20:23
changing but they have specifications so
20:27
that our equipment designed specifically
20:29
so that our equipment can’t come into
20:32
their countries it’s a very terrible
20:36
thing that’s happened to our country and
20:39
let me tell you some of the people that
20:40
took the biggest advantage of us our
20:42
allies you know we talk about allies
20:45
they took advantage of us in many ways
20:48
but financially as well as even
20:50
militarily when you look at look I got
20:54
if you look at NATO the abuse that was
20:58
given to our country or NATO where they
21:02
wouldn’t pay and we were paying for
21:05
everybody we’re pretty now because of me
21:07
they paint a lot now they paid a hundred
21:11
and twenty five hundred and thirty five
21:12
billion dollars more and then ultimately
21:17
Secretary General Stoltenberg oh I think
21:20
what you would say is maybe my biggest
21:21
fan we got him to pay an additional four
21:24
hundred billion dollars billion other
21:26
countries and but but you know that and
21:29
then there’s the trade they make it they
21:32
make it almost impossible for us to have
21:35
a fair deal they know this day no I’m
21:37
just waiting we have all the advantages
21:39
by the way it’s going to be easy when I
21:40
decide to do it but this isn’t the right
21:43
time to do it but we’ve been treated
21:44
very very unfairly by the European Union
21:49
mr. mr. president for Republican centers
21:53
indicated the extra $600 for
21:56
unemployment insurance may encourage
21:58
workers to leave their jobs even though
22:01
you can only collect unemployment if
22:03
you’re fired
22:04
I’m curious what you think of that
22:05
concern well I know the issue very well
22:07
we talked about it just a little while
22:08
ago
22:09
I’ll let Steve let you maybe discuss
22:11
their short no the president I spoke to
22:13
several of the Senators today but let me
22:15
just explain the issue which is we
22:18
wanted to have enhanced unemployment
22:19
insurance
22:20
most of these state systems have
22:23
technology that’s 30 years old or older
22:25
so if we had the ability to customize
22:28
this with much more specifics we would
22:31
have this was the only way we could
22:33
assure that the states could get money
22:34
out quickly in a fair way so we used
22:37
$600 across the board and I I don’t
22:40
think it’ll create incentives most
22:42
Americans what they want they want to
22:44
keep their jobs and I said for 50% of
22:47
these these businesses they will have
22:49
the businesses keep those jobs so this
22:53
was in our number one issue was how do
22:55
we make sure that American workers who
22:58
needed to keep getting paid this is no
23:01
fault of their own that businesses have
23:04
been shut down the president and
23:06
vice-president wanted to make sure those
23:07
hardworking Americans got money and this
23:10
was the most efficient way of doing it
23:11
did she spoke with are they in agreement
23:13
now I’m not gonna comment on the
23:16
specifics of where they are but I would
23:19
say you know our expectation is this
23:21
bill passes tonight and gets to the
23:23
house tomorrow and they pass it we need
23:25
to get this money into the American
23:27
economy in American workers that’s the
23:28
importance of this one good thing when
23:31
you think about that people had to get
23:33
actually more money but we don’t want to
23:36
give a disincentive but they have been
23:38
talking about that it’s a good question
23:39
actually
23:41
thank you family of another subject the
23:44
family of retired FBI
23:46
Robert Levinson says that US officials
23:49
have concluded that he’s died in Iranian
23:51
custody were you aware of that and shot
23:54
in US officials yeah you know I’ve been
23:57
very much involved in that and he was a
24:01
great gentleman and a great family it’s
24:04
just I mean I have to say this and
24:07
they’ve been making the statement to the
24:10
family I believe but it’s not looking
24:12
good he wasn’t well for years anyway in
24:16
Iran it’s not looking promising we’ve
24:20
gotten so many people back we’ve got two
24:23
people back this week but Robert
24:26
Levinson who was outstanding he was he’s
24:29
been sick for a long time and in it some
24:33
rough problems prior to his detainment
24:37
or capture and we feel terribly for the
24:41
family but no I don’t accept that he’s
24:45
dead I don’t accept it I mean I’m
24:47
telling you it’s not it’s not looking
24:49
great but I won’t accept that he’s dead
24:51
they haven’t told us that he’s dead but
24:54
a lot of people are thinking that that
24:56
is the case tweeted earlier linking the
25:02
closing of the country to your election
25:04
success in in November is this Easter
25:07
timeline based on your political
25:09
interest action success no you said that
25:12
the media wants the country remain close
25:14
to her I think ya know the media would
25:17
like to see me do poorly in the election
25:19
I think I think
25:25
what is that plan based on just so you
25:27
understand are you ready I think there
25:30
are certain people that would like it
25:31
not to open so quickly I think there are
25:33
certain people that would like it to do
25:35
financially poorly because they think
25:37
that would be very good as far as
25:38
defeating me at the polls and I don’t
25:42
know if that’s so but I do think it’s so
25:44
that a lot of that there are people in
25:46
your profession that would like that to
25:48
happen I think it’s very clear I think
25:52
it’s very clear that there are people in
25:54
your profession that write fake news you
25:57
do she does there are people in your
26:00
profession that write fake news they
26:02
would love to see me for whatever reason
26:04
because we’ve done one hell of a job
26:06
nobody’s done the job that we’ve done
26:08
and it’s lucky that you have this group
26:11
here right now for this problem or you
26:13
wouldn’t even have a country left okay
26:15
go ahead once you sign the 2 trillion
26:20
dollar package how soon or how rapidly
26:22
do you expect they’re gonna throw you it
26:24
I’m a CPA we’re pushing for April 6th I
26:34
would say our expectation is within
26:37
three weeks we will have direct payments
26:39
out where we have depository information
26:42
and we’re looking to get a lot more
26:44
information and we have procedures to do
26:46
that so three weeks for that and I would
26:49
say the end of next week we want all the
26:52
banks to be able to originate loans same
26:54
day Thank You mr. president I have two
26:57
questions for you one is this that’s
26:59
more until at least
27:00
with the g20 leaders and I want to know
27:03
if you’re gonna lead an effort to craft
27:05
a wolf-like ban on wild animal market so
27:07
as to prevent another pandemic given the
27:10
mid-nineteen isn’t zoonotic that was
27:12
transferred to humans in trade to exotic
27:15
Adam yeah I don’t know that that
27:16
subjects gonna come up there is a lot of
27:18
talk that that’s how this all happened
27:20
came out of China and they say that’s
27:22
how it happened in China so it’s
27:25
something maybe will be talked about but
27:27
it’s not the top of my list and also and
27:34
dr. Hershey Schaaf who is the head of
27:36
Harvard’s Global Health Institute says
27:38
the key to getting this economy open as
27:40
soon as possible is to test everyone who
27:43
needs testing so we can quarantine all
27:45
infected individuals and allow everyone
27:47
else to go back to work immediately
27:49
would you subscribe to that strategy no
27:52
but I we have tested more than anybody
27:54
as I saw and if not how many deaths are
27:56
acceptable yeah how many none okay how
28:01
many deaths are acceptable to me and
28:03
none okay none if that’s your question
28:07
look I saw him I saw his statement we
28:11
have tested by far more than anybody
28:13
we’re testing more than anybody right
28:15
now there’s nobody even close and our
28:18
tests are the best test they’re the most
28:20
accurate tests but if you’re saying
28:22
we’re going to test 350 million people I
28:25
watched his statement I disagree with it
28:29
we can go to certain states I could name
28:30
them now but I’m not gonna do that but
28:33
we can go to certain states right now
28:34
they’re virtually no problem we’re a
28:36
very small problem we don’t have to test
28:39
the entire state in the middle west or
28:42
wherever they may be
28:44
we’d have to test the entire state I
28:46
think it’s ridiculous we don’t have to
28:47
do it a lot of those states could go
28:49
back right now and they probably will
28:51
because at some point in the
28:53
not-too-distant future certain states
28:56
are gonna come off the rolls maybe New
28:58
York can’t and maybe California can’t
29:00
maybe the state of Washington can’t
29:02
although if you look at them their
29:04
biggest problem was in one nursing home
29:06
yeah go ahead but the states aren’t
29:07
silent and so I mean somebody if you
29:09
test one state and then the
29:11
over to the other state well then you’re
29:14
gonna just look at that but if you take
29:15
a look at the states and many states
29:17
that I’m talking about they don’t have a
29:19
problem we have some big problems but
29:21
it’s confined to certain areas high
29:23
density areas so why would we test the
29:26
entire nation 350 people with that being
29:30
said I’m going to say it again
29:31
we tested far more than anybody else we
29:35
are we have the ability to test
29:37
I mean we’ve come a long way from an
29:39
obsolete broken system that I inherited
29:41
we have now tested with the best test
29:44
far more than anybody else I want to see
29:48
anybody else I’m talking about other
29:49
countries no country is even close they
29:52
came out with a statistic I guess
29:55
yesterday that I heard from dr. Burks
29:59
where it’s four eight eight days here
30:03
more than eight weeks in South Korea and
30:05
South Korea has done a good job but we
30:07
did in eight days more than South Korea
30:10
did in eight weeks that’s a big number
30:12
and we’re getting I said before
30:16
exponentially better every day is going
30:19
up substantially we have an incredible
30:21
apparatus built now but no I I don’t
30:24
want to test 350 million people I think
30:28
it’s ridiculous yes please because there
30:33
you ain’t asked the g20 countries to do
30:36
for more resources for a coordinated
30:38
stimulus package ban on tariffs waive
30:41
all sanctions to try to prevent what
30:43
they call and apocalyptic pandemic would
30:47
you consider those measures and with
30:49
respect to work tariffs and also related
30:54
also to wait tariffs and also we have
30:58
strong borders and
31:00
would you consider to join these global
31:02
efforts so before I came here we weren’t
31:04
into borders we had a country people
31:07
could come in we had a whole different
31:09
deal now we’re up to almost a hundred
31:11
and sixty four miles think of that 164
31:15
miles of wall big beautiful wall and in
31:20
those areas it’s very very tough to come
31:22
in we’ve been very tough on the borders
31:24
I mean where we have the wall built
31:28
where nobody’s getting through now
31:30
they’re going around but that’s a long
31:32
trip if they’re going around that’s the
31:33
way they get through but now I’m very
31:36
strong on borders and I don’t want
31:38
people coming in here what I want is if
31:40
they’re gonna come in to have to come in
31:42
Legally they have to come in through
31:43
Merritt
31:44
we’re not having the people that you’re
31:46
talking about coming to our country
31:50
question for you then for professor
31:52
you’ll let me both Republican and
31:54
Democrat packages of the stimulus
31:57
included 25 million dollars worth of
32:00
funding for the Kennedy for its Arts
32:01
Center here in Washington DC shouldn’t
32:05
that money be going to masks respirators
32:07
know what I approve that and I knew it
32:10
was 35 million and we actually took off
32:11
ten but I’m a fan of that although I
32:16
haven’t spent time there because I’m far
32:18
too busy I’d love to go there evenings
32:20
but I’m too busy doing things because
32:23
that’s more important for me than going
32:25
there but the Kennedy Center has
32:27
suffered greatly because nobody can go
32:30
there it’s essentially closed and they
32:33
do need some funding and I said look
32:35
that was a Democrat request that was not
32:37
my request but you got to give him
32:40
something it’s something that they
32:41
wanted you know it works that way where
32:43
the Democrats have treated us fairly I
32:45
really believe that we’ve had a very
32:47
good back-and-forth and I say that with
32:49
respect to Chuck Schumer I spoke to him
32:51
a number of times but you know they had
32:53
requests also so that was a request
32:55
there were 35 yes you know and it came
32:57
down to 25 we got it down to 25 we
33:00
agreed I said that’s a lousy tip
33:02
soundbite that’s not a good sound bite
33:04
but that’s the way life works
33:06
with that being said the Kennedy Center
33:08
they do a beautiful job an incredible
33:10
job David Rubenstein does a fantastic
33:13
job he’s
33:14
very much involved and he puts up a lot
33:16
of money and he does things that a lot
33:18
of people wouldn’t be able to do or do
33:19
but they’ve been essentially closed they
33:23
have tremendous deficits in a built up I
33:25
mean this thing has been devastating to
33:27
it so I didn’t have a big problem with
33:29
it but this was a request from the
33:31
Democrats because of the fact that they
33:33
have a facility that’s essentially
33:34
closed up another question sir
33:36
you couldn’t go there you wanted to if I
33:38
wanted to go there tonight to look at
33:40
Romeo and Juliet I’d love to see Romeo
33:42
and Juliet tonight you know what
33:44
happened they said sorry
33:45
250 people or 50 people whatever it
33:48
might be down to good and then earlier
33:49
today Senator Marco Rubio told RCP that
33:53
quote the World Health Organization
33:55
showed favoritism to China
33:56
unquote and then representative Michael
33:58
McCall the ranking member on the the
34:00
House Foreign Relations Committee he
34:02
questioned the integrity of the World
34:03
Health Organization’s director saying
34:05
quote that there were several red flags
34:07
in his past with respect to his
34:09
relationship with China do you agree do
34:13
you think the World Health Organization
34:14
showed favoritism and then once all the
34:17
dust settles do you think that the
34:19
United States should restore its
34:21
relationship with the World Health
34:22
Organization I think there is a lot of
34:24
certainly a lot of talk that has been
34:26
very unfair I think that a lot of people
34:30
feel that it’s been very unfair it’s
34:32
been very very much sided with China and
34:35
a lot of people are not happy about it
34:37
at the same time doctor foul chair
34:39
myself and other people there are people
34:40
on there that we like and we know a lot
34:43
of I think your friends are a lot of
34:45
good people a lot of good professionals
34:46
I don’t know be interesting to hear if
34:48
you’d like to talk about the world WHL
34:51
but the fact is that I have heard for
34:54
years that that is very much biased
34:57
toward China so I don’t know no I don’t
35:03
want you to do that but I will so Ted
35:07
Rose is really an outstanding person
35:09
I’ve known him from the time that he was
35:11
the Minister of Health of Ethiopia I
35:13
mean obviously over the years anyone who
35:15
says that the w-h-o has not had problems
35:17
has not been watching the w-h-o but I
35:20
think under his leadership they’ve done
35:22
very well he has been all over this I
35:25
was on the phone with him
35:27
few hours ago leading a whu-oh call no
35:31
sir no I’m not sure I’m not talking
35:33
about China you asked me about Ted Rose
35:35
will help organization praising China
35:37
for its transparency and leadership on
35:39
their response the pandemic you know I I
35:41
can’t comment on that because I mean
35:43
that I don’t have any viewpoint into it
35:46
I mean I don’t I don’t even know what
35:47
your question is let me just tell you I
35:55
have heard that for years I spoke to him
35:57
yesterday seems fine to me I don’t know
35:59
but we’re the ones who gave the great
36:01
response and we’re the ones that kept
36:03
China out of here and if I didn’t do it
36:05
you’d have thousands and thousands of
36:07
people died would have died that are now
36:10
living and happy if I didn’t do that
36:12
early call on China and nobody wanted
36:15
that to happen everybody thought it was
36:17
a just unnecessary to do it and if we
36:21
didn’t do that thousands and thousands
36:23
of people would have died more than
36:24
what’s happened so that’s it right maybe
36:27
one more Steve guy when you have this
36:29
g20 meeting tomorrow what sort of
36:31
coordinated response are you expecting
36:33
to have a meeting with the 20 nations
36:37
total including us and there’ll be it’ll
36:40
be a conference call tomorrow morning
36:41
sometime I look forward to people I know
36:44
I like I think in every instance I like
36:46
every one of them but it’ll be an
36:49
interesting call you’ll be the first to
36:50
know next week when the 15 day period
36:53
ends what should we expect that are you
36:56
going to extend it for another what are
36:58
you talking about I’ll be speaking I’ll
37:00
be speaking with Tony I’ll be speaking
37:01
with Deborah be speaking with some of
37:03
the people that they like and respect
37:05
and they’re gonna bring along with them
37:06
we’ll be speaking to vice president Mike
37:09
Pence and Steve and we’ll be speaking to
37:12
everybody I’m not gonna do anything rash
37:15
or hastily I don’t do that but the
37:17
country wants to get back to work our
37:20
country was built to get back to work we
37:22
don’t have the country where they say
37:24
hey let’s close it down for two years we
37:26
can’t do that it’s not our country so
37:29
we’re gonna be talking and it could be
37:30
will do sections of our country there’s
37:32
big sections of our country that are
37:34
very you know little affected by what’s
37:37
taking place then there are other
37:38
section
37:39
very heavily affected so there’s a big
37:41
difference but no I would say by Easter
37:43
we’ll have a recommendation and maybe
37:46
before Easter and at the end of the
37:48
fifteenth day or even during the
37:52
fifteenth day I think we’ll have some
37:53
kind of a recommendation but our country
37:55
wants to get back to work Steve I have
37:58
had so many people and they want to
38:00
practice social distancing and they want
38:02
to practice no hand shaking no hand
38:05
shaking they’re not gonna go walk around
38:07
hugging and kissing each other in the
38:09
office where they come back even though
38:11
they may feel like it they’re gonna do
38:13
they’re gonna wash their hands more than
38:15
they’ve ever done they’re gonna do all
38:16
the things you’re supposed to do but
38:18
Steve you know what it’s it’s time they
38:21
want people want to get back to work I’m
38:23
having I get you know I get it from both
38:25
sides in all fairness and maybe it’s a
38:27
combination of both Tony said before
38:30
combination of both is sometimes very
38:32
good but there are areas that possibly
38:35
probably they won’t qualify there are
38:38
other areas that qualify almost now so
38:41
we’re gonna have to see what happens but
38:42
it’ll be an interesting period of time
38:44
I’d like to get our country back I have
38:47
tremendous numbers of people wanting to
38:50
go back you have store owners where the
38:52
store is sitting there they don’t know
38:53
what’s happened they got to get back
38:54
your businesses that are going to be
38:56
closed the longer we stay out the longer
38:59
we do it we want to go quickly to longer
39:02
we stay out the harder it is to bring
39:04
this incredible we were having the most
39:06
successful years that we’ve ever had in
39:09
the history of our country you saw what
39:11
happened yesterday with the stocks and
39:13
today they’re up I’m telling you if
39:16
Steve gets the deal done the incredible
39:18
incentive just going to take care of
39:20
people it’s gonna take care of our
39:22
workers gonna take care of companies
39:23
that employ all these workers small and
39:25
big by the way I would say we spend more
39:28
time on the small company Steve than we
39:29
get in the big companies you know people
39:31
ask about that we spent more time
39:34
thinking about the small businesses than
39:36
the big and that’s but you know that
39:37
really fuels our country we want to get
39:40
back and the people want to get back we
39:42
want to get our country going again and
39:45
we’ll be able to do that so vice
39:47
president’s going to stay with you and
39:49
I’m gonna take a few more questions
39:51
specific
39:52
and I will see you tomorrow thank you
39:54
very much
40:06
well thank you all report on today’s
40:09
action by the White House coronavirus
40:13
task force the president and our entire
40:16
team continue to be inspired by the way
40:20
people all across this country we’re
40:22
putting into practice 15 days to slow
40:24
the spread we are 10 days into the 15
40:27
days and let me say again to every
40:31
American if you’re in an area that’s
40:33
been impacted by the coronavirus it’s
40:35
absolutely essential that you listen to
40:38
state and local authorities for guidance
40:40
but for every American what you can do
40:45
is implement the practices outlined in
40:49
the president’s coronavirus guidelines
40:52
today because we truly do believe that
40:55
as millions of Americans have done and
40:57
will continue to do that we can
41:00
significantly impact the the rate of
41:04
growth in this epidemic in our country
41:07
we can spare Americans from exposure to
41:10
the corona virus and we can save lives
41:13
and so on behalf of the President and
41:15
our entire task force I want to say
41:16
thank you to the American people thank
41:19
you for your cooperation thank you for
41:21
embracing the principles in 15 days to
41:25
slow the spread we heard about that
41:27
cooperation today in a series of
41:29
conference calls
41:30
we spoke with equipment manufacturers
41:32
who are stepping forward as as never
41:35
before to assist us in developing the
41:39
medical equipment that is essential
41:42
whether it be masks or other medical
41:44
supplies or ventilators FEMA reported to
41:47
our task force today that hundreds of
41:50
companies have stepped forward to be
41:52
involved in the supply chain and we are
41:55
we are vetting nearly 70 of those
41:58
countries for specific repurposing of
42:00
their manufacturing to produce
42:02
everything from mast
42:05
two gowns and of course two ventilators
42:08
we also had a very productive call with
42:10
secretary Betsy DeVos with education
42:14
leaders from around the country today
42:15
and let me say on behalf of the
42:16
President and a grateful nation thank
42:18
you to all of our teachers many of whom
42:21
are now home teaching children from afar
42:24
even in many cases while they have their
42:26
own kids home from school you are truly
42:29
heroes and the Department of Education
42:32
as well as your State Department of
42:34
Education are grateful to each and every
42:36
one of you who find yourselves educating
42:39
out-of-home and the Department of
42:42
Education has a helpful website on
42:45
coronavirus recommendations Edie govt /
42:50
corona virus and as we mentioned before
42:53
secretary Betsy DeVos and secretary
42:55
sonny perdue will be joining us at this
42:57
podium on friday to speak about distance
43:01
learning recommendations that have been
43:03
made not just for secondary or for
43:05
college education but also for K through
43:08
12 education we’re opening up avenues
43:11
creating new flexibility so that not
43:15
only college students can continue to be
43:17
involved in learning from afar but
43:19
children K through 12 can do the same
43:22
secretary of Purdue will also be here to
43:24
talk about the food lunch program and
43:27
free and reduced lunches today the
43:29
president and I also spoke to over 150
43:32
CEOs of the top nonprofit organizations
43:34
in the country we thanked them for their
43:37
ongoing work supplying the needs not
43:41
only of people impacted by the
43:42
coronavirus but the most vulnerable
43:44
among us in our communities
43:46
organizations like Red Cross the
43:49
Salvation Army feeding America are all
43:51
still working every day and we promise
43:55
to urge every American if you have the
43:57
means and have the ability continue to
43:59
be generous to nonprofit organizations
44:02
that are helping those most in need in
44:04
your community the president marshaled a
44:07
whole-of-government approach that means
44:09
working with our governor’s today and
44:12
the president I were in direct contact
44:13
with governors of New York California
44:15
Washington State New Jersey Michigan
44:18
and others and we continue to be
44:21
inspired and impressed by the leadership
44:25
that governor’s are providing in their
44:27
states making tough choices leading
44:30
their states and the President and I are
44:32
truly grateful the task force made a
44:35
recommendation and FEMA has assembled a
44:37
team for to provide technical assistance
44:40
to the state of New York and that team
44:43
was welcomed by Governor Cuomo will be
44:45
arriving on the ground there very soon
44:47
along with all the other resources that
44:49
the president recently announced would
44:52
be flowing to New York and to Washington
44:54
State and to California in my
44:57
conversation with governor Gavin Newsom
44:58
of California I was pleased to speak to
45:01
him and hear that our FEMA team is
45:03
literally at the table with the State of
45:05
California’s team working to meet their
45:08
supply needs working to work on capacity
45:11
and I want people to know in the states
45:13
that are most impacted by the corona
45:15
virus that we are with you we’re going
45:18
to stay with you we’re going to continue
45:19
to work around the clock to make sure
45:22
your courageous health care workers your
45:24
health systems and your state
45:26
governments have the resources to
45:28
support your response on the subject of
45:31
testing dr. Burks will reflect on what
45:34
the data is showing in just a moment and
45:36
not including local labs and hospitals
45:39
we are at four hundred and thirty-two
45:41
thousand tests completed and we’re
45:45
pleased to see that they’re literally
45:47
drive-through and community sites around
45:49
the country and the US Public Health
45:50
Services assisting States in standing
45:53
those up each and every day we do remind
45:57
hospitals and labs around the country
45:59
and the moment the president signs the
46:01
bill that it that it is absolutely
46:04
essential that they provide the results
46:06
of the tests to us it gives us
46:08
visibility into what’s happening on the
46:10
ground but because of the public-private
46:13
partnership president Trump initiated
46:15
with these vast commercial lab networks
46:18
around the country we are adding tens of
46:21
thousands of tests every single day on
46:24
the subject of supplies before the end
46:27
of the week we’ll talk a bit more as the
46:29
President did moments ago about
46:31
the supply chain I was at FEMA last
46:34
night and literally saw a room full of
46:36
people with laptops and cell phones we
46:40
are literally leaving no stone unturned
46:41
as I told governor’s today to find
46:44
medical supplies whether it be whether
46:47
it be a mask or gowns or gloves or
46:50
ventilators and the team is working
46:52
around the clock to meet those needs a
46:56
few smaller items first and foremost the
47:01
CDC is developing guidance which we’ll
47:04
be publishing tomorrow about the best
47:07
way to utilize our natural resources at
47:09
our parks it would be several weeks ago
47:12
that our Park Service waived all
47:15
entrance fees and we directed the CDC to
47:18
produce guidance for how people can
47:20
still practice social distancing and
47:22
common sense but be out of doors and
47:25
enjoy our natural parks we’ll also be
47:27
sharing that guidance with the vast
47:29
state park systems around the country
47:32
and encouraging their support with that
47:35
let me let me last say again there is
47:37
nothing more important for the American
47:41
people to do to slow the spread than to
47:44
heed your state and local guidance in
47:47
areas impacted by the coronavirus and
47:49
for everyone else to put into practice
47:53
the 15 days to slow the spread
47:55
dr. Fauci will reflect on the importance
47:58
of mitigation and the impact that we
48:00
believe that it is having around the
48:02
country but it is the people ask me time
48:07
to time what can I do
48:09
and I say from my heart to every
48:11
American this is what you can do not
48:13
just to protect your own health and that
48:15
of your family but no American wants to
48:19
inadvertently spread the coronavirus
48:22
particularly to those that may be
48:24
vulnerable to serious health
48:25
consequences remember that the risk of
48:28
serious illness to the average American
48:30
remains low I mean the vast majority of
48:34
people that contract that coronavirus
48:36
will have mild symptoms – flu-like
48:37
symptoms and and and will recover but
48:42
for seniors with serious underlying how
48:44
conditions or with people with
48:46
immunodeficiencies everyone needs to
48:48
practice the principles of 15 days to
48:51
slow the spread the president announced
48:53
this week that we are looking forward to
48:55
the day that we can open up the country
48:57
and this team will be bringing in
48:59
recommendations about how we can safely
49:02
and responsibly do just that but for
49:05
every American that wants to see America
49:07
back in business
49:08
you can hasten the day by putting into
49:11
practice the 15 days to slow the spread
49:14
go to coronavirus cotton gov for details
49:16
and I truly do believe if all of us will
49:18
do all that we can do we will slow the
49:21
spread we will protect the most
49:22
vulnerable and we will heal our land
49:24
with that let me recognize dr. Tony
49:27
Fauci and speak about dr. Burks please
49:33
Thank You mr. vice president and thank
49:37
you for listening to us talk to the
49:39
American people we’ve been watching the
49:42
testing results very oh it’s very
49:43
critical to us it’s very critical to be
49:45
looking at that very carefully let me
49:47
tell you two things that are going on in
49:49
parallel our system to look at flu-like
49:52
illnesses is still up and running and in
49:55
County after County and state after
49:57
state and why is that important for
49:59
those who’ve been following the flu
50:00
epidemic this year you’ll remember we
50:02
had flu a then we had another peak of
50:05
flu B and those systems that are in
50:08
every single state and local government
50:11
is the platform where we can see whether
50:14
there’s any increase in flu-like
50:15
illnesses so if you have very few cases
50:19
in your state and in your counties
50:21
maintain your flu surveillance system
50:24
that you work closely with the CDC on
50:26
and look for changes in your slope of
50:30
new flu light illnesses and there are
50:32
enough test kits and there’s
50:34
particularly enough of the CDC test kit
50:36
where we started that runs on your flu
50:38
surveillance platform to be constantly
50:40
surveilling what those flu-like
50:42
illnesses are in our states and counties
50:45
that have very low number of cases we
50:49
have County still with zero to one cases
50:52
but they can participate in their
50:54
surveillance that we need to have out
50:56
there now by
50:57
using their flu-like surveillance system
51:00
and we thank all of the states who have
51:01
that up and running if you go to CDC gov
51:04
and go to flu surveillance you can see
51:06
state-by-state and you can be looking at
51:08
those curves with us it’s what we’re
51:10
looking at day by day in addition to the
51:13
testing results that are coming in for
51:15
the testing results still there’s four
51:18
counties that constitute the majority of
51:21
both the current cases and new cases I
51:24
think you know those are New York City
51:26
Westchester New York suffix and Nassau
51:33
County those are the four counties all
51:35
associated with New York in the New York
51:37
metro area there’s a few counties in New
51:39
Jersey but this is still where 56% of
51:42
the cases are and 56% of the new cases
51:45
it’s very important that people look at
51:48
the number of new cases per day remember
51:51
we told you was going to take us a while
51:52
to work through the testing backlog I
51:55
think we are close to working through
51:58
the testing backlog so that you can
51:59
interpret the number of cases per day
52:02
and you will see in New York City that
52:05
the number of cases per day has been
52:07
relatively constant over the last three
52:09
days those are the number of new cases
52:11
per day this is a real call to every
52:14
person in New York City in the New York
52:16
metro area to continue every one of
52:19
these 15 days to slow the spread and to
52:22
do that part of it at the same time that
52:24
they’re following the mayors and
52:26
governors piece yesterday we talked
52:29
about people that may have left the
52:31
metro area that were residents residents
52:33
of the metro area that may have gone to
52:35
secondary homes or other places went to
52:37
her side and we’ve asked all of them to
52:39
carefully monitor their temperatures and
52:42
self isolate from the communities where
52:44
they went just to ensure their own
52:47
health and the health of their
52:48
communities while they people move
52:50
around the country finally why this is
52:53
so important it’s very important to me
52:56
personally because my grandmother for 88
52:59
years lid with the fact that she was the
53:02
one at age 11 who brought home flu to
53:05
her mother named Leah for which I am
53:07
named
53:08
when her mother had just delivered and
53:10
her mother was succumbed to the great
53:14
1918 flu she never forgot that she was
53:19
the child that was in school that
53:21
innocently bought that flu home this is
53:24
why we keep saying to every American you
53:26
have a role to protect each and every
53:29
person that you interact with we have a
53:31
role to protect one another it’s why we
53:33
are social distancing and your social
53:35
distancing but to every American out
53:38
there when you are protecting yourself
53:40
you’re protecting others and if you
53:43
inadvertently I know brought this virus
53:46
home to someone with a pre-existing
53:47
condition I can tell you my grandmother
53:50
lived with that for 88 years so this is
53:53
what we’re trying this is the message
53:55
that’s important to everybody this is
53:56
not a theoretic this is a reality you
54:00
can see the number of deaths that are
54:02
occurring we all have a role in
54:04
preventing them so thank you for the
54:07
work that you do to get our message out
54:09
to others to really ensure that every
54:11
American understands how important their
54:14
role is as we move through these next
54:17
five days to not let up for an instant I
54:20
hear some reports that someone said oh
54:22
oh the new cases in New York are
54:24
increasing or the hospitalizations are
54:25
increasing the number of new cases over
54:28
the last three days have been consistent
54:31
but not rising any more than a
54:34
consistent day over day rise you will
54:36
see hospital cases continue to increase
54:39
because they are reflection of what
54:42
happened one to two weeks ago before the
54:45
full mitigation efforts were put into
54:47
place so each person in every place no
54:51
matter what County what community which
54:53
state can work with us to ensure that we
54:56
prevent the spread of this virus to
54:58
others so thank you
55:02
Thank You mr. vice president I just want
55:04
to spend a couple of minutes telling you
55:06
a little bit about some information that
55:07
I got on our weekly call that we have at
55:10
least once a week with the W WH o which
55:13
is led by dr. Ted Rose and Mike Ryan was
55:15
the point man there to give us some
55:17
information and in that regard I want to
55:20
apologize for my current response to you
55:22
when you asked me about the China deal
55:24
because I shouldn’t have done that
55:26
that’s not my style but what I really
55:29
wanted to say is that my job is that I’m
55:31
a scientist I’m a physician and I’m a
55:33
public health person and I don’t like to
55:35
get involved and that stuff so anyway
55:37
getting back to the WH o so we learned
55:40
some really interesting information
55:41
because obviously the other countries
55:43
like China and others have had been hit
55:46
prior that we did one of the things that
55:49
was striking to me and I just throw it
55:50
out because it’s something that we will
55:53
face we’re not facing it now but we will
55:55
face our Chinese colleagues are very
55:58
concerned because they went through the
56:01
entire cycle of the curve to come down
56:03
they have very very few cases but what
56:07
they’re starting to see as they’re
56:09
relaxing the constraints on travel that
56:12
they’re getting imported cases and they
56:15
wanted to warn us that when we get
56:17
successful make sure you very carefully
56:21
examine how you’re going to release the
56:24
constraints on input so I know we’re
56:28
gonna be successful in putting this
56:29
under control but I think we’re gonna
56:31
have to remember we don’t want to import
56:33
cases in that’s the first thing for
56:36
today the second thing that was
56:37
important is that it was something that
56:39
dr. Burks mentioned and that is when you
56:42
look at the inflection of the curves we
56:45
now have multiple different countries
56:47
that have gone through various phases of
56:50
their individual outbreaks and you can
56:53
learn something from them about where
56:56
you are in your own outbreak for example
57:00
when China went up what happened is they
57:03
just didn’t turn around
57:04
they went from going to I’ll just take
57:07
an arbitrary number 500 new cases a day
57:09
the next day it was a thousand cases
57:12
than 1500 and then two thousand but once
57:14
they
57:15
number of new cases each day starts to
57:18
flatten out that’s when you get to that
57:21
point where the inflection goes down so
57:24
if you what things we want to look for
57:26
the things that dr. Burks had mentioned
57:28
that doesn’t mean you declare victory
57:29
when it does that but you know you’re at
57:31
least on the way to where you want to go
57:34
and I think that’s really very important
57:37
the third and final thing that I think
57:39
gets back to the question that many of
57:41
you in the audience have asked of us is
57:44
about would this possibly become a
57:46
seasonal cyclic thing and I’ve always
57:49
indicated to you that I think it very
57:51
well might and the reason I say that is
57:54
that what we’re starting to see now in
57:56
the southern hemisphere in southern
57:59
Africa and in the southern hemisphere
58:00
countries is that we’re having cases
58:03
that are appearing as they go into their
58:05
winter season and if in fact they have a
58:09
substantial outbreak it will be
58:11
inevitable that we need to be prepared
58:14
that we’ll get a cycle around the second
58:17
time what does that mean for us in what
58:19
we’re doing
58:19
it totally emphasizes the need to do
58:23
what we’re doing in developing a vaccine
58:25
testing it quickly and trying to get it
58:28
ready so they will have a vaccine
58:29
available for that next cycle in
58:32
addition to do the randomized controlled
58:34
trials of drugs so that we will have a
58:36
menu of drugs that we have shown to be
58:39
effective and shown to be safe because I
58:42
know we’ll be successful in putting this
58:44
down now but we really need to be
58:46
prepared for another cycle and what
58:49
we’re doing I believe will prepare us
58:50
well thank you we’ll take a few
58:54
questions
58:59
okay review today they suggested that
59:00
there’s only 16,000 in the national
59:03
stockpile can you just give us some
59:04
clarity
59:05
how many ventilators do you have the
59:07
national stockpile who else is making
59:09
them and how long will it take for them
59:11
to make a critical mass because based on
59:13
the Center for Public Integrity it
59:14
appears there aren’t enough if you are
59:16
going to die as a result the ventilators
59:18
is eveni
59:19
a singular focus of a good portion of
59:22
our supply chain stabilisation task
59:26
force at FEMA since the president stood
59:28
up FEMA’s National Response Center and
59:33
we’re making progress in a variety of
59:36
ways first there there is the national
59:39
stockpile which you refer and depending
59:41
on what’s been distributed we just
59:43
delivered four thousand ventilators to
59:45
New York including ventilators that we
59:48
sent to New York City but there’s that
59:51
that number of some some 20,000 less
59:55
than 20,000 I won’t dispute your number
59:57
beyond that there literally are by most
60:00
estimates more than a hundred and fifty
60:02
thousand ventilators in the broad
60:04
healthcare system all across the country
60:06
we also working with anesthesiologists
60:09
and there was a very important
60:11
conference call today we have determined
60:15
several weeks ago that the devices that
60:20
anesthesiologists used for outpatient
60:22
surgery can be converted with the change
60:25
of a single vent to a very useful
60:27
ventilator I actually spoke to Governor
60:30
Cuomo about that today he’s in the
60:32
process of surveying all of his surgical
60:34
centers as governor’s around the country
60:36
are doing we literally believe there’s
60:39
tens of thousands of ventilators that
60:41
can be converted now that the FDA has
60:44
given guidance and dr. Burks can
60:47
probably speak to that in a moment we
60:49
actually have produced a helpful video
60:51
to explain how quickly those devices can
60:54
be converted but we’re also working with
60:57
General Motors and and other companies
61:00
to immediately spin up production those
61:03
contracts are being reviewed we’re
61:05
vetting their capability but one of the
61:08
other ideas as we look at areas of the
61:10
country that
61:11
most impacted and now more than half of
61:14
the cases for coronavirus are in New
61:17
York State and in the region around
61:18
there but will focus will want to focus
61:22
our resources including ventilators on
61:24
where where communities are struggling
61:27
the most with coronavirus and so one of
61:30
the ways that we’re working through that
61:32
at FEMA now is by spinning up production
61:35
and at the same time working with the
61:38
existing national supply maybe from
61:39
areas that don’t have a particular
61:41
burden yet with the coronavirus and
61:44
making sure that we’re manufacturing
61:46
back filling and meeting that need but
61:48
what I can tell you is we’ve got an
61:49
extraordinary team Admiral pelagic is a
61:53
two-star Navy admiral who’s doing an
61:56
incredible job we literally are Dennis
61:58
identifying resources around the country
62:00
and around the world we’re contracting
62:02
and arranging transportation for those
62:05
but maybe maybe dr. Burks you can speak
62:07
to them so I just want to thank dr. Mary
62:12
Peterson and the whole team of the
62:14
American Association of anesthesiologist
62:17
because they immediately when we asked
62:19
them could these be modified they went
62:22
to mediate work on it they’ve done
62:23
they’re gonna have Q&A ZUP four but more
62:26
importantly every anesthesiologist in
62:28
every city has been working with their
62:30
state and local health officials to
62:32
really work with them how to change this
62:33
and I think it’s not only the
62:36
ventilators that they’ll be supplying
62:37
they have the people that run those
62:39
ventilators that are not any longer
62:41
doing elective surgery so changing that
62:45
electrics elective surgery piece over a
62:47
week ago has freed up a lot of
62:49
additional resources when I talk to you
62:52
about how we are we’ve done some things
62:54
that are very horizontal across the
62:56
country but we’re collecting data now in
62:59
a county-by-county granular way so it’s
63:02
like any epidemic it’s not equal
63:04
everywhere there are places that are
63:06
very spared and there’s paces where
63:08
there’s more we have a very vast country
63:12
with a lot of capacity and a lot of
63:13
infrastructure and so looking very
63:16
specifically about where the virus has
63:18
been where is it going
63:20
who’s got freed up resources from where
63:22
it has been because it didn’t hit all
63:24
it hit Washington State earlier than it
63:27
hit New York and looking at all of those
63:29
pieces to really ensure how we can
63:32
innovatively move equipment around based
63:35
on the need and so I know that it has
63:38
become a place where people are looking
63:40
at numbers rather than what is needed
63:44
because if you do these projections when
63:48
you got to those projections that said
63:50
like in Germany and others that implied
63:53
that 60 percent or 50 percent of the
63:55
population we get infected the I want to
63:57
be very clear the only way that happens
64:00
is is this virus remains continuously
64:04
moving through populations in this cycle
64:08
in the fall cycle and another cycle so
64:12
that’s through three cycles with nothing
64:14
being done and so we’re dealing with the
64:17
cycle a right now not the one that could
64:20
come in the fall of 2020 are though
64:22
we’re getting prepared for it by the
64:23
innovations that are being worked on and
64:25
not the 2021 we’re really dealing with
64:28
the here and now why we’re planning for
64:30
the future and I think the numbers that
64:33
have been put out there are actually
64:36
very frightening to people but I can
64:39
tell you if you go back and look at
64:40
Wuhan and who Bay and all of these
64:43
provinces when they talk about 60,000
64:48
people being infected even if you said
64:50
oh right well there’s asymptomatic sand
64:52
all of that so you get to 600,000 people
64:55
out of 80 million that is nowhere close
64:59
to the numbers that you see people
65:01
putting out there I think it is
65:02
frightened the American people I think
65:05
on a freely on a model that you just run
65:07
full out you can get to those numbers if
65:09
you have zero controls and you do
65:12
nothing and we know that every American
65:15
is doing something and so I think what
65:17
our job right now is is to carefully
65:20
detail on a hospital by hospital state
65:23
by state county by county to outline
65:25
what the infrastructure needs are and
65:28
ensure that we’re meeting them both from
65:30
the stockpile and from the generosity
65:33
and movement of the American people and
65:35
other hospice
65:36
a lot of folks out there
65:37
well-intentioned are sewing cloth masks
65:40
and donating them to hospitals a year
65:42
dr. pouchy can you weigh in on that
65:44
because obviously people have great
65:45
intentions but there’s some mixed
65:47
feedback on whether that’s a good idea
65:52
so clothing manufacturers volunteers
65:55
dropping them off at hospitals is that
65:57
necessary is that helpful is it
65:59
something you’d recommend you would only
66:02
recommend that on the desperate
66:03
situations if you don’t have any masks
66:05
but what we’re seeing now is as you’ve
66:07
heard is a rather significant inflow of
66:10
masks that are coming in that are gonna
66:11
be available I mean obviously if you
66:13
don’t have a mask and you need a mask
66:15
and it’s appropriate for you to be aware
66:17
it you do what you can but I don’t see
66:19
that now as a necessity giving what’s
66:21
going on right now we can keep hearing
66:30
reports of competition among the states
66:32
that are trying to apply this necessary
66:34
equipment on to private market and the
66:36
governor of Kentucky said yesterday that
66:38
his state was in line to buy some
66:41
equipment but FEMA came in and bought it
66:44
purchased it from under them so he says
66:45
this is creating a real problem but
66:47
space because on the one hand they’re
66:49
being repelled to get the equipment
66:50
themselves if they can but on the other
66:52
hand the federal government is buying up
66:54
the supply chain so is this a problem
66:56
that you’re hearing about and what is
66:57
your advice to states like Kentucky
66:59
they’re having this issue I actually
67:03
spoke to the governor of Michigan today
67:05
governor Whitmer and I about just that
67:08
and we put our FEMA regional
67:12
representative right on the case we want
67:15
to make sure that we are what we’re
67:18
acquiring every bit as much as we can
67:20
through FEMA but as we’ve worked with
67:23
the supply chain we want to have full
67:24
coordination with the states and the
67:27
requests they’re making in hospitals
67:29
that they’re making and and we’re
67:32
looking into those matters but make no
67:35
mistake about it this FEMA team at the
67:39
president’s direction is leaning into
67:40
this effort leaving no stone unturned
67:43
literally searching not just the nation
67:46
but the world
67:47
all these critical supplies and and as
67:49
the president just reported to you we’re
67:51
in the process of shipping nine point
67:53
four million in ninety five respirators
67:56
20 million surgical masks 3.1 million
67:59
face shields and the list goes on and
68:01
we’re gonna be shipping those every
68:03
single day but as I told a governor
68:05
Whitmer today who’s leading her state
68:08
through all of this with great energy we
68:12
want to partner with her we want to
68:13
partner with every governor and make
68:16
sure that the left hand knows what the
68:18
right hand is doing in terms of
68:19
acquiring resources so report that their
68:33
master agent when timelines for making
68:37
sure well I’m gonna let dr. Burks
68:45
address that as well but let me say
68:47
again I just received a report we’re
68:49
gonna be detailing it before the end of
68:51
the week where we vite we’ve literally
68:55
identified significant resources not
69:00
just around the country but around the
69:01
world of the mass that can be used by
69:04
healthcare workers and but as dr. Burke
69:07
said we are focusing those resources in
69:11
the areas where health care workers are
69:14
most exposed to the prospect of
69:16
contracting and the coronavirus
69:18
president’s made it clear from early on
69:20
right after seeing in the needs of
69:22
Americans who are struggling with the
69:24
coronavirus making sure they have the
69:27
support that they need on the same level
69:30
of priority we want our health care
69:31
workers to have the personal protective
69:34
equipment to be able to do their job
69:38
safely and we’re working on that I will
69:41
tell you I spoke about this today to
69:43
several governors not only the governor
69:46
of Michigan but the governor of Indiana
69:47
and president of Trump and I couldn’t be
69:50
more grateful the way governor’s around
69:53
the country are joining us in calling on
69:55
businesses to go back to their
69:57
warehouses
69:58
and identify industrial masks n95 masks
70:03
that because of the change that
70:04
President Trump insisted on in the law
70:06
can now be used by hospital workers and
70:09
their their perfectly acceptable to
70:11
protect a healthcare worker from the
70:13
possibility of a respiratory disease but
70:16
we’re calling on and our governors are
70:18
joining us in calling on every business
70:21
across America during this time of great
70:25
challenge where many businesses are
70:26
idled go back to your storehouses
70:28
identify n95 industrial masks and as I
70:33
told our governors today they can call
70:34
FEMA they can call the state the state
70:37
health care services or they can just
70:39
load them up on a flatbed and drive them
70:42
over to their local hospital and
70:43
literally we hear stories in every state
70:45
in the Union of people doing that and so
70:48
it’s it’s happening all at the same time
70:51
and we’ll be detailing the progress
70:53
we’re making on masks anything further I
70:57
just wanted to add one piece and this is
70:59
really a call to every state out there
71:02
in every County that has been doing
71:04
community-based testing the FDA put out
71:07
new guidance we talked about it several
71:09
days ago that people can do self testing
71:13
in the drive-through where you give them
71:15
the materials to do it in their car and
71:19
you pick it up in a biohazard bag this
71:22
would free up all of that PPE that you
71:25
see being utilized in those drive
71:27
throughs back to the hospitals and back
71:30
to the clinics that need it the most we
71:32
have to move to the new technology
71:34
whipped FDA worked tirelessly to get
71:37
that out there so that it could be
71:39
sparing of gowns and gloves and full
71:43
respiratory on and 95s this is the
71:47
moment to move to that self testing
71:49
front of nose with the new applicators
71:52
that can be utilized so that every
71:55
single bit of the n95 s can be put into
71:58
the hospitals that need it just let me
72:05
just say we look forward to seeing you
72:07
all tomorrow
72:07
we’ll be back here with further progress
72:11
and news but if I could just say to
72:14
every American we’ll get through this
72:19
we’ll get through this but we’ll get
72:22
through this together every American
72:25
needs to understand that whether you are
72:27
in an area that’s impacted by the
72:29
coronavirus or an area where there’s
72:31
very few cases if you do your part to
72:34
put into practice 15 days to slow the
72:36
spread you will do just that
72:39
you’ll love you’ll impact the spread of
72:42
this coronavirus epidemic in our country
72:44
these experts tell me that we can
72:46
significantly reduce the number of
72:48
Americans that would be exposed to the
72:49
corona virus as every American continues
72:52
to put these guidelines into practice
72:55
and we just know that with all of the
72:58
extraordinary effort that’s being done
72:59
at the federal level by this tremendous
73:02
team and all of our agencies all the
73:03
great leadership by governor’s in both
73:05
parties across the country with all the
73:08
incredible and courageous work by health
73:11
care workers with the cooperation and
73:13
the prayers of the American people we
73:16
will get this done we will we will not
73:19
only we will not only slow the spread
73:22
would protect the vulnerable and will
73:24
heal our land thank you