So did the GOP get its way in not agreeing to make the vaccines and tests affordable to average folks who may be uninsured or underinsured, as is the case for so many millions of Americans ? If so, many of us will be heading to Canada for vaccines, or planning a trip to Europe--which is likely to be more cost-effective than the GOP sanctioned price -gouging that will definitely occur on vaccines and tests!!
2
This health emergency might be the turning point where Trump's followers finally acknowledge his incompetence. The administration can spin, minimize and lie all they want; when our population falls ill and perishes in increasing numbers they'll have to face the truth. And no, it's not Obama's fault. If Obama is not responsible for the nation's economic success over the last three years (prior to coronavirus), then he's not responsible for the current health crisis. We need a competent administration, not one which "fakes it until you make it"; keep this in mind Nov 3rd.
2
So Pence states tests will be available to "Americans"? Is he saying non-citizens won't be tested? Science denial at its best.
2
Pence's roller coaster:
1. Need to prepare to become president if my beloved Mr. Trump is impeached.
2. Need to prepare to be fired or not chosen as VP in next election run so I can take the hit for the coronavirus failures.
2
This is not something that can be dealt with as isolationists, yet our current govt. apparently will be isolationist at all costs. We aren't doing our part to help contain the virus as best we can, which is a criminal act in my view and I hope it is seen as such on the world stage.
2
"...2,500 test kits could be available by the end of the week, with each kit capable of 500 tests. Later in the day, Mr. Pence repeated that number to reporters, saying the kits amounted to 1.5 million tests."
I appreciate the dry wit of the journalists in simply stating, without any judgment, "[Pence said] the kits amounted to 1.5 million tests." Made my day.
(As my fourth-grader would tell you, 2500 x 500 equals 1.25 million, a quarter of a million less than Pence's computation. We should sleep easy tonight knowing that a genius like Pence is in charge of dealing with this.)
2
"Any American can be tested, no restrictions" differs from "new "people who fear they have the virus, even if they are displaying mild symptoms."
We have a situation with a cruise ship arriving in SF tomorrow night. On that cruise ship was a man who subsequently died from COVID19. When the passengers arrive, will ONLY those with symptoms be checked or everyone? When we've been told many people who carry the virus are asymptomatic, I should hope that ALL the passengers will be tested and self-isolate for two weeks in what may be an excess of caution. Or just wisdom.
2
Pence: “Today we will issue new guidance from the C.D.C. that will make it clear that any American can be tested, no restrictions, SUBJECT TO DOCTORS ORDERS. Any American can be tested. We’re removing that barrier.”
With so many millions without medical insurance in the USA, getting a doctor involved is a barrier.
5
I was in the grocery store and commented to the checker how the hand sanitizer really was all gone. She told me "this has been around for years you know, it's a hoax." I told her "That's not true where did you hear that?" "It's all over the internet." I realized the Rush Limbaugh's and Fox News hosts and our own President that pass crazy conspiracy theories poison our society. Who needs Russia intervention when our own President is so effectively confusing the public.
2
Once again the fat con man from New york lays the blame on obama for some regulation that prevented labs from making test kits that could not meet CDC approval. The Con man had three years plus the first two with complete Republican control to change this regulation, he did not. Now in true trump fashion he refuses to blame himself for this coming crisis. He did nothing hoping not to scare the stock market. Which in his lame world is how you tell how the economy is doing. He does not read, he knows nothing so how can we expect him to do the right thing. China closing down Wuhan give us maybe 5 weeks to get ready for what is coming. Trump got is wrong so now he blames Obama, what else is new. Believe the head of the NIH not Pence. Hope that the regular people don't get stuck paying for the test if they have to get one. If you believe in god, pray. If you don't, all you can do is hope they get this right.
2
Well I spoke to an Emergency Room physician physician on Friday. He said his hospital still didn't have any PCR testing kits ; they can only send throat or nasal swabs to the CDC labs. Then wait 2 or 3 days for the results, while the patient is released back into the community. With a possible COVID-19 infection.
The CDC also have very restrictive criteria for who can even be tested, Serious flu symptoms with recent travel to China for instance,,
2
And the tests will be free and easily accessed by everyone? Because if they are not, millions will go untested. Perhaps this debacle will finally make an impression on voters who think our healthcare system is just fine. It is severely broken, folks.
3
We had two months lead time and we are just getting to preparing the test kits. We had two months lead time and we are just setting out to making a vaccine (I know we can't have vaccines overnight or even in weeks or months, it takes a year or two but we are behind in everything by two months). Let the incompetence sink in.Trump hated Obama so much that he undid everything Obama had done. Let the petty jealousies and the racist attitudes sink in. Trump can tout his horn as much as he wants to but he can not even come close to Obama's brilliance. Yes black men can be brilliant, which, is what Trump does not believe.
3
Hey Pence, it’s about time! My question to you and to the clueless administration. Do you have a detail plan on how your going execute this plan and without creating further confusion and chaos? Please share that with the public!
We absolutely do not trust you!!!
2
Re Dr. Fauci’s comment: How is it that there’s a fine line between going to war with the president and telling the truth? As a doctor in a time of medical crisis, does he have some other mandate than to tell the truth?
2
Good luck in actually finding a way to be tested. I've tried.
2
To say this outbreak in America has been fumbled badly is an understatement. Take Hawaii for example. 700 flights each week in and out of major Asian cities. A major tourist destination for the world. The proximity of Hawaii may make it one of the US' most high risk regions for Corona virus spread. Yet we hear of no cases at all in Honolulu! Amazing! Trump is giving himself a pat on the back. Hawaii Governor and public health officials are screaming. They still have no tests available for Covid 19. If you don't test for the virus, you have no cases unless someone walks into the hospital and ends up in the ICU.
3
I truly doubt that my doctor has a testing kit, even though he is one of many physicians in a large practice that might get priority due to the number of patients they treat.
Pence is again giving a political answer to a medical question.
2
It was one thing when we inexorably discovered over the past 3 years that federal agencies could no longer be trusted to provide truthful information about the economy, pollution, climate, immigration, or depredations on our lands and waters. With the disarming of the nation's health security capabilities and the muzzling of those who try to speak the truth about Coronavirus, the dangers that this hate-filled, kleptocratic administration poses are becoming clear to all Americans.
6
Somehow it's not reassuring that Trump has charged Mike Pence to be the coronavirus czar
3
And whenever (I just can’t say “now that” because we all know this is not immediately going to happen) the broader testing occurs, numbers of “cases” will sky rocket. Of course if one knows they’re positive they are more able to confine themselves. Also it’ll give us a better idea of the mortality rate when we see how many people are positive that aren’t that sick. Until then it’s all a giant, scary question mark.
4
It's funny how people want a smaller government and lower taxes until they need what government can best provide--public health resources such as vaccines, testing kits, coordination across states--and want it for free.
7
Many Americans don't have the money for virus testing. We are not going to get the virus under control with untested carriers walking around. For crying out loud, the Communists in China effectively dealt with the virus better than the Trump administration and the Republicans are doing.
4
When they say 'any' American can be tested a certain group, the less than thoughtful, will hear 'every' American can be tested. I see a run on health clinics in the very near future. I doubt many people caught the 'subject to doctors orders' part of this. The trump administrations response to this is the same as everything else. Chaos. Remember the travel ban in 2017. This situation is going to prove just how dangerous trump really is.
3
If one were to take a really close look at the infection rate and compare it with the number of those who have died, the infection rate in the United States is grossly under-reported. Worst case scenario is that we have an infection rate similar to South Korea. In this case, the US would be under-reporting case by about 15x. So, not having test kits is leaving the country open to widespread infection, the implications of which will only be felt months into the future. Current reports indicate that the death rate with CoVID-19 is about 20x higher than the flu and even though the death rate is "only" 2%, that would mean that about 2 of every 100 people who get the virus die. Think about how many people you know. I know about 600 people as fiends and close acquaintances (people I would sit and have a long conversation with). These stats would suggest that if all 600 people I knew got sick, about 12 would die as a result of the infection. This virus is serious. We need to get a handle on it and it begins with testing kits.
3
Missouri and Kansas have announced they can't test because they don't have test kits. So, how are we supposed to get tested, then?
3
We missed the most important part: who would cover the cost of >$3000? Sometimes multiple tests are needed. Wow, I need to find another job. BTW we are the richest country in the world, can our government do something like other countries do to their people?
5
Subject to doctor's orders. What? Many people don't have a doctor or can't afford to go the the doctor. Is there a "free clinic" they can go to, Pence?
6
Dictators control the information the public can access. They restrict what the media can report. They do not permit others to criticize them or challenge the truth of what they say. They fire, sue, or otherwise threaten and punish those who do.
Hmmm.
Trump has told the CDC and others that all coronavirus “messaging” must go through his anti-science VP Mike Pence. He has told our military leaders not to take actions to protect their troops from the virus without first clearing those actions with the VP. He lies to the press about the facts of the coronavirus crisis and minimizes the risks, suggesting that any crisis is merely a hoax, an exaggeration created by the media. He has sued the Washington Post and the NYT for daring to write articles critical of him. He has fired an astounding number of federal employees, including his own staff, for having the temerity to disagree with him. He not only has fired a man for testifying to Congress during the impeachment process, he has actually fired the man’s twin brother. He thus threatens not only individual retaliation but retaliation against family members.
What will it take for Trump’s base to finally become frightened of the raging dictator they have allowed to decimate all that is good about our proud nation? Are they willing to risk their own and family members’ lives because of his lies about the dangers of coronavirus?
8
When I read the news across the country, contrary to statements by Pence, there is not enough test kits for point of care service and the test kit, itself, can not be trusted since there is evidence of false negatives. Read what is happening in San Antonio. When we watch the coverage of a hurricane we see with our eyes where and how people are being protected. We need news coverage that clarifies the distance between what is and the goal post of what is considered competent protection. Give government the feedback that forces movement toward that goal post. Factual feedback,politically neutral. For now the news seems muddled.
4
"Tests COULD be available." Really?
Italy has already tested 30,000 people. That is why the numbers seem high, and why controls are so rigid.
No tests = nobody is reported as infected. What a nice trick to keep us ignorant of the danger and how to protect ourselves.
8
Alex Azar, Head of Health and Human Service medical experience: an attorney for Big Pharma.
Obviously, no education in medicine. Obviously not a doctor.
Appointed by Trump, of course.
10
Glad to live in the Canadian province of British Columbia, where, according to one local report, more people have been tested for Covid-19 than in the entire United States. And the tests were all free.
8
Thanks mike pence. Stop saying things that aren’t true. I am a pulmonary and critical care physician and an expert in viral pneumonia in a major metropolitan city just hit by a tornado. I have been trying to get a covid 19 pcr on a patient with classic viral pneumonia, who is on life support, for two days.
Just because you say it, doesn’t make it true. We need to separate health care from lying politicians.
22
Bingo! Same boat. How is your PPE? We have less than three weeks of REGULAR use of N95s left. We are running short of gowns already, and gloves are next. We don’t even have enough masks to FIT test employees! FYI Zosyn is set to go on critical shortage, then the broad spectrum cephalosporins. We are up a creek without a paddle! No one is listening
7
STOP LYING TO US! If SARS-CoV-2 is similar to the "Spanish Flu" of 1918-1919 - as many scientists are using it as a comparison - with 325,000,000 Americans we will need 97,500,000 to test NOT ALL Americans, but a third of Americans. And at a cost of $3000 and above, a doctor's order for a test won't to a thing to help millions upon millions of Americans to PAY for it.
8
@Jan N We must have FREE tests, NOT $3000 each.
This is not a private decision, it's a national health emergency requirement. Stop robbing us!
7
Why the heck did he restrict this in the first place?
And pay for it too?
Utter insanity!
The Trump Administration wants “message discipline” - which means Trump’s message discipline!
And Trump reality.
Trump’s agenda is WRONG: it’s entirely politically self serving to HIS agenda, and his view of how things are going, or should be going.
Enough of this! If America is to have a realistic response, and a chance to save many lives, Trump’s agenda needs to be ENTIRELY REJECTED!
The pathological narcissist cannot win here, or control events: this is not all about him.
Republicans: get this madman out of the way. The lives saved may well be your own!
11
A couple lessons from Republican philosophy.
1- Do not expect handout
2- Healthcare is privilege , You have to earn it ( Coronavirus test kit is a part of healthcare)
3- Price is expensive than all other countries in the world, because our kits are better.
What else you want?
Additionally, Our Glorious leader doesn't like who caught in war or during pandemic. ( see his ideas about Vietnam veteran J.McCain ) Be great and strong and skirt Coronavirus, don't fall in to it and don't be victim.
7
The most important thing at the moment is the credibility of the C.D.C. With rampant rumors, understandable fear, profit-seeking hustlers, and political opportunists everywhere, there must be one voice that Americans can count on to present the best understanding of the nature of the disease and its spread. This is a moment when the individuals who work for the C.D.C. must stand up as responsible Americans and not let external political pressure influence their best judgement.
hus it is quite problematic that the article, "U.S. Plans ‘Radical Expansion’ of Coronavirus Testing" stated, "The kits had three components but some of the components were producing an inconclusive result for many public health labs using the test. On Thursday, the agency announced that labs with two of three working components could go ahead and use the C.D.C. tests...."
Why should we have confidence in results of the "new" test? If the C.D.C. originally thought that all three elements were necessary for an accurate test result, how does simply eliminating one problematic element solve the problem and produce accurate results? Why should this not be viewed as more of a political solution -- let's get lots of "tests" out there to look good -- rather than a genuine public health/medical solution?
6
Our long national nightmare has no end.
13
It seems, at least with thinking people, that credibility is the biggest problem on the surface. It is very difficult to determine the situation when confronted with facts, but impossible when confronted with purposeful political dishonesty and propaganda from the administration and Fox News. Maybe I'm cynical, but can't help but wonder if the lack of testing (Pence finally says they will strop restricting testing...why in the first place?) f in addition to gross underfunding and purposeful delays, is a way of keeping the public in the dark to spread their "hear no evil, see no evil..."
When testing finally catches up so that effective strategies can be implemented, it will be too late. When the numbers come in, Trump will do the same thing he does with the global warming science and call it Democratic politics and a good opportunity to buy stocks. Speaking of numbers, Trump and company keep saying 2% mortality. According to their numbers 9 deaths and 122 cases in the US. That is over 7% in one of the most advanced countries in the world and is considerably higher than the .1 (1 in 1,000) for the flu which they keep saying is the same rater of mortality. Wait unto those without health insurance become sick.
Whom do you trust?
8
Here in Seattle, I've had a serious fever and cough for five days. The nurse at my doctor's office gave me a phone number to call about testing and in case I have breathing difficulties. It automatically disconnects after two minutes on hold. There is no concrete information online on how to get tested. Based on my experience, the problem in Seattle is far larger than anyone imagines.
I've been regularly searching for information about what I should do and it just doesn't exist. The King County Health Department phone number runs an old message. There are no basic fact sheets easily accessible online. Even information on basic symptoms is conflicting. The Pence team's priority should be working with Google to surface basic answers to common questions. Not pleasing Trump every news cycle.
I read these articles about political posturing and messaging and shake my head. Please New York Times et al, focus on how regular people are getting authoritative basic information. It just isn't out there.
16
@Jane Searching on Covid-19 yields good results from the CDC and WHO. Still, a search on coronavirus should show the same info.
1
Fever, cough, and feeling tired. I would suggest you first get tested for the flu. If negative then a respiratory panel looking for other culprits. If those are negative then Covid could be on the differential. The problem is that the flu and Covid have almost identical symptoms.
3
In his determination to get rid of this coronavirus problem before November, trump may or may not have accepted Fauci's timeline of a year to year and a half for clinical trials of a new vaccine. But, no worries! trump was excited to say that therapies, 'sort of another word for cure,' are coming 'at maximum speed.'
Because 'cures' don't need to be tested in clinical trials like vaccines-----right? RIGHT??
Stop trump before he starts peddling internet potions!
13
Turn to your governors especially in blue states. Write them to ask for local testing and plans. The US administration and the GOP creates its own reality and their own interests are the primary concern.
10
So, I’m expected to pay for this myself? You’ve got to be kidding.
Let the implications of that sink in.
57
@Rick one of the cruise ship passengers that was brought back to California was presented with a bill over $2000 for some testing he needed. Think about the long term implications of that with around 27 million people without health insurance
22
@Rick
Trump gave money to Rich, so you know , you have to pay, sort of, it is your problem not Trump's.
13
@Rick You pay for a CBC, a CMP or BMP when you have a wellness check up. For some reason, the HHS did not include those as 'preventative.' You also pay when you see a doctor or go to a clinic. Heck, you pay to be tested to see if you have the flu and whether treatment will help. Why would this be any different? Did you think it was free to develop a fast tracked test, that those working to ramp up test kit manufacturing should do it for free? The question is how much will it cost? Same as testing for any flu virus? More because it was fast tracked or less because the billions requested by the House will subsidize the costs? Answers aren't here yet, nor would I expect them to be given this is a new virus.
1
I am serious about this. We have a debt clock & a doomsday clock. They report on things that are relevant & often urgent.
We need a daily Trump Report that reports on his mental capacity, his ability to speak, his ability to comprehend, how drugged he appears to be on any given day, and what he is doing in his infinite spare time.
If you had done this while the virus was cooking in the United States, we'd have known whether he was responding to the crisis or playing golf. Nine people are now dead.
If the NYTimes does a Trump Report faithfully & accurately every day, Trump will not be re-elected. For the survival of our country, he really needs to not be re-elected. You could even have a little window with the number of fatalities - and then a report on his actions & behavior.
Please stop treating him like an intelligent human being. He's not. People are dying because he's not.
10
Trump had eliminated and defunded all that Obama's administration had done to deal with this very kind of emergency, and at the first White House press conference in a very very long time, hearing and watching a whole stage of people say nothing but praise for each other, we heard Vice President Pence say his team would "follow the facts, listen to the experts and pay attention to the science." The hoax, however, is not the coronavirus we're battling, but the confidence this administration has in itself. It's a con.
104
@DBR
That was established in 2016 election.
8
@DBR And there are enough Americans that will ignore what is happening, or not read about it, and so will still vote for him. I saw a clip where Trump was speaking at a podium recently and he squatted in an exaggerated way in an effort to mimic Bloomberg's short stature. The audience stood and cheered. Yep, those are the same people who will defend his handling of this virus.
1
Just read through 20 or so comments and the most important one states... don't listen to Trump or Pence, if you want to know what's going on listen to Dr. Fauci and go to the CDC and NIH websites. We all need to heed this advice and pass it on to our family and friends.
63
@S.
Shhh! If Pence sees this, he will insist that both website get 'pre-cleared.'
5
@S., keep in mind, however, that the NIH website as of a few days ago was altered and important information was deleted. So no - we sadly can't even rely upon these former bastions of objective science to tell us the truth - unless Dr. Messonier and Dr. Fauci continue to speak out. And I'm sure you're aware, they are already on Trump's List of Number One Enemies of his regime and are most definitely on the hit, smear and kill list.
15
@S. go to world health organization website for information. not directly controlled by trump administration
8
There is nothing inconsistent with how this administration is behaving versus any other challenge: incompetence and indignant denial are the normal response.
71
How soon before other countries deny entry to Americans? The risk is unknown, but likely far greater than the figures provided by our incompetent, secretive, paranoid maladministration. In the interests of containment, better to err on the side of caution.
67
Just wow.
Basically still no large scale testing and pumping money into an economy that cannot absorb it in the absence of workers and consumers.
The US are really a faith-driven country, ironically even more so than Iran.
106
@Ronald Grünebaum. that money will come out of taxpayers' hard earned money right into the hands of the billionaires who own Danaher Corporation (owner of a subsidiary that is currently manufacturing novel coronovirus test kids for the government) and whatever other corporations ultimately end up doing so as well. Depend upon it, the Billionaires' Club will make sure that plenty of those profits go right into PACs to fund the re-election of their major orange-faced benefactor.
20
@Ronald Grünebaum It's not faith; it's foolish belief in a con man.
3
The level of incompetence displayed by CDC is mind boggling and scary. Until 1st March non of the 40 labs had any functional test kit for testing on site. In the past CDC would provide the world with a test kit and guidance. WHO is using the test kit designed by Germany. Instead of using a proven test kit, the bungling agency tried and failed twice. The FDA that was sleeping at the wheel woke up on Friday to permit private labs to do the testing, removing the monopoly of a dysfunctional CDC. CDC to hide their inability and incompetence in getting test kits ready 2 months after Corona Virus spread in China, made rules that made it impossible for authorization of tests for people who showed symptoms. Politicians need to put politics aside and remove the dead wood in our federal agencies in order to restore confidence of Americans in this very difficult times.
26
@Ben Um, their entire division that was dedicated to just this kind of event was cut out of their budget.
11
@Ben Blame Trump, who cut 2/3 of the CDC budget because "I believe in hiring people when they are needed." As though epidemiologists do nothing except in times of crisis.
5
@Ben I think Trump claims he is "clearing the swamp". Then he hires people who aren't qualified for the role, but have show loyalty to him. And here we are.
3
Coronavirus testing is Comrade Trump's equivalent of the Chernobyl geiger counter. Only goes to 3 roentgens, so everything is always A-OK!
9
The map “Coronavirus cases in the United States” is the “perfect” picture of trump containment.
2
This is the very worst that could have happened - we should be literally on a war footing with plans to mobilize vast medical resources on this fight. South Korea already has drive through testing, we are barely ramping up. CDC has even removed tracking of the state by state numbers. The fact that we have a president that is constantly attempting to minimize and make light of the situation is such a vast failure that it is almost incomprehensible what level of pain that the country is potentially about to undergo. Hope to be very very wrong about this.
42
@SA
We do not need testing, We do not need health insurance either.
What Republicans told us, Health insurance can not be a right, it is a privilege.
14
@SU The bigger concern is that all nations do their part to contain this virus so it doesn't become a pandemic. This isn't about health coverage privilege, this about preventing devastation. Our country is capable of contributing significantly to preventing a pandemic where many countries are not or cannot. Our govt. bungled and now millions of people will pay out of pocket if not with their lives. We pay taxes for them to do their job and they failed. Talking about right to health care misses the mark and trivializes the severity of the govt's ineptness.
1
Why is anyone surprised? Other than Dr. Fauci, who is at least telling us the truth and is probably Target No. 1 of Donald J. Trump for doing so, this IS the Trump Gang That Can't Shoot Straight. They have proven so time and time again, and this time - with millions of American lives at stake, it's no different - just potentially deadlier.
27
I live 17 miles away from the Lifecare Center in Kirkland WA that has now seen 5 people die. A total of nine have now died in the county. I am 70 I have had a severe cough since I returned from a local music festival on September 23rd eight days ago. Today I attempted to get my self tested. Local Hospitals would not let me come in they are reserving tests for those with more serious symptoms. No one should believe a million test kits.This is a for profit healthcare system at work for you and me.
35
"And you don’t want to go to war with a president,” Dr. Fauci told Politico in an interview Friday. “But you got to walk the fine balance of making sure you continue to tell the truth.”
What "fine balance?" Between telling the truth and promulgating this ignorant, uncaring man's lies? There is NO "fine balance" to be had there.
"...don't want to go to war with a president?" Yes we do. Why not? This president has been at war with both the truth and the American people since the day he told his first presidential lie -- in taking the Oath of Office of the President of the United States.
34
Never in my life have I seen such incompetence in the Oval Office. The Washington Post today has an article about Trump's meeting with the CEOs of pharmaceutical companies about creating a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus. As usual, he sounded like a complete idiot, not understanding how vaccines are developed and tested. If Trump cannot even master the simplest of ideas about this global outbreak, what will he do if and when it gets worse?
20
Testing is the most important aspect of managing this situation.
Don’t hide this, recognize that testing and understanding the scope of the infection will lead to the plan to protect citizens globally.
Nothing else at this time is more important. Testing analysis, plan, implement, testing, analysis, plan and implement
10
I choose not listen to the President, nor to his administration because I know I can’t rely on the information. Their messaging has been irresponsible, inaccurate, unsupportive and offensive to those of us who do take this seriously. People panic because they don’t have adequate information. Thanks to the research and real time information provided by journalists and news organizations around the world, I’m not on the dark and can make informed decisions about my health and the health of my family.
18
I am impressed by Trump's appalling ignorance on this issue. It matches his lack of information on other topics, from trade issues to North Korea and the environment. He is too lazy to learn anything about the issues facing the country, and he doesn't even listen to the better informed advisors he has--though not all of his advisors are very well informed, either. His willful ignorance shows how little he cares about the country or the American people.
22
@David Nice, after listening to an audio clip of Trump's meeting with pharma reps and reps from the FDA earlier today who are currently working on developing a vaccine for COVID-19, it is blatantly clear that Trump is absolutely incapable of understanding even the simplest break-downs of the process in developing and then testing a potential vaccine. Trump kept insisting that this would all be done in a few months, and it was quite evident he was upset when it was finally broken down to him in baby words that it could be more than a year from now for a vaccine to be ready.
18
@David Nice
You are impressed and surprised, why?
1
The administration’s answer to any crisis is to trumpet another TV moment. Quick - round up the usual sycophants, sprinkled with a few legitimate professionals to serve as props for them. Then express shock - SHOCK! - that the facts contradict his alternate reality! (To wit: watch Trump trying to contradict Dr Sanjay Gupta about the relative mortalities of the flu vs. coronavirus).
Meanwhile, issue instructions that the rich soil being churned up by George Orwell spinning rapidly in his grave is to be farmed for additional fodder.
19
Anthony Fauci: "You should never destroy your own credibility. And you don’t want to go to war with a president."
Dr. Fauci, you cannot reconcile those two statements with this president.
You WILL have to deliver bad news to both the public and your uncomprehending, unsurpassably self-absorbed boss in the Oval Office. No matter how carefully you word that bad news, the latter will not take it well. He will pressure you to soften your public statements beyond what a conscientious man can permit. Knowing you will balk, he will seek to preempt you with his own grotesque distortion of your news, or perhaps to silence you altogether.
At that point you will have to decide which of your statements to honor.
Either you will sacrifice your credibility, or you will do what so many other honorable, public-spirited experts have done: you will tell the public the truth, and let this president again hang himself with his own fatuous, self-serving words.
35
The Trump administration moves to strenuously protect Trump‘s reputation in the face what has been total incompetence. Actions that have put the health and well-being of Americans at risk
One has to ask the question, is this more evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors?
22
Close your eyes and click your heels, then the million test kits will appear.
Remember, Trump lies all the time, He will just say we have a million test kits, even if we have only a dozen. Fox News will do their work to convince his supporters that all is good, even as people drop like flies.
21
We should keep in mind that this virus is smart. That is, it infects people but does not always make them sick. And those infected, unsick people may unknowingly spread the virus to others who may or may not get sick. And so it goes. Stealthily.
9
@pat, but we KNEW that going into this. And yet a Trump appointee in the State Department deliberately CHOSE TO INTEGRATE INFECTED PEOPLE from the Diamond Princess in with people who had otherwise tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. It was also the Trump administration, this time the HHS under Alex Azar, who sent untrained, unprotected workers to meet and process Wuhan, China evacuees, and then let them go back to work and to their homes. Is it any wonder that the first case of "community spread" occurred not too far away from Travis AFB, where some of the Wuhan evacuees were quarantined for 2 weeks? And obviously, one or more of those same workers lived in the vicinity of Kirkland, Washington where it's now genetically clear that the novel coronavirus had been circulating for at least 6 weeks among unsuspecting people in the community. Viruses mutate and adapt, but they also can and have killed their hosts. The virus doesn't distinguish between infecting a healthy younger person and a senior citizen and/or somebody with underlying health conditions that increase the risk of serious complications and death from COVID-19. It also doesn't distinguish between Trump true believers and everybody else. People are dying right now and will continue to die. The only question is how bad will it get? This is all on Trump and his army of incompetents.
8
Trump is running the most inept, incompetent, corrupt administration ever assembled. Every stumbling, bumbling sycophant Trump has left on his "Ship of Fools" is selling lies and fantasies without any factual basis. They are all floating down the Rubicon, without a paddle or a test kit amongst them.
21
It's easy to criticize. America, now is the time to show you can do better than China in dealing with this virus, with the advantage of democracy, freedom of speech and, most of all, the wisdom of hindsight on what happened in China.
3
@Zed, and what would you recommend, organizing and attending yet another Trump pep propaganda rally with thousands of people packed in together while he assures us and them that it's safe to meet in large crowds because the risk of catching the novel coronavirus is low so don't worry about possibly dying all you obese people, you people with high-blood pressure, you people with heart conditions, you people with heart conditions, lung disease, diabetes, etc., oh yeah!
4
Even the first step in uncovering the unknown unknowns of the coronavirus - widespread testing - is being politicized into the usual rhetoric, “how great we are, how grateful to our dear president”. That’s the first clue to any untruth, alternative facts spreading as fast as the virus itself.
Beyond that is the wreckage of past attempts to provide universal healthcare insurance. Alex Azar has already stated that HHS cannot control the patient cost of any expected vaccine (translation: expect aggressive gouging from the pharma companies). Not to mention the cost of quarantine or hospitalization.
Obamacare has been largely dismantled by Trump and many red states decided not to expand Medicare. Therefore expect great reluctance on the part of lower and middle class people to self-report and check themselves into care facilities. Instead they’ll just hope to recover on their own. Who wouldn’t wish to avoid the crippling bills? Needless to say this would only exacerbate the problem.
Deafening silence from Trump’s team on how patients are supposed to pay for coronavirus treatment.
24
Are we too proud to accept testing kits from the WHO? No, more likely we need to make sure our friends make money paid for by the deaths of our own citizens. This is a travesty. We ALL need to demand action. Demand the WHO testing kits. Demand publicly funded testing. I'd say take to the streets but that seems a little dangerous given how little we know about the presence of this virus in our country right now. What a disgrace.
18
Total lack of competence. These kits and testing should have started much earlier than now. The virus became known more than two months ago. Trump might be able to fool his voters, but this is plain as the day is long.
16
To call what Trump has created an “administration” is far too generous.
Abomination is more accurate given the “president” is more concerned about the market and the effect on his claim to be the savior of the market.
People will become ill. Many will die. And it will be due to the inaction of our “president”.
But, perhaps another round of golf, at our expense, is needed in this time of crisis.
Abomination, yes. Administration-not in any definition of the word.
17
No matter this administration’s so-called “mixed message,” one can be sure it’s going to be 100% lies. That is the only Trump consistency: he lies, all the time.
21
@Americanitis The reason it's "mixed" is that professionals like Fauci toss out the truth, and Trump mixes it with his usual nonsensical politicized ranting. Thus "mixed"...truth with lies.
6
Trump thought that this would not hit the US. The numbers were low for long simply because no testing took place. Early detection was not possible, which may explain the high number of deaths relative to cases.
The response from a country "with the best medical system in the world" (not my words) is not adequate. Too little, too late, faulty test kits....not impressed.
15
Now, an emergency bill to help with the Coronavirus is being held up by Republicans, and it's no surprise why: they are trying to eliminate the “fair and reasonable price” standard for vaccines and treatments that will be developed and purchased with the emergency funds.
“Fair and reasonable price” is a basic standard to prevent price gouging in federal contracts.
Nope, nope, nope. Can't stand in the way of price-gouging, esp in an epidemic so ripe for abuse. That's how insane Republican "free market" ideology has become.
26
@Sherry If they need funding, let them them strip it back from the Wall. It's not keeping me safe, but testing will.
8
No one should have to walk a balance between getting along with a president and telling the truth, let alone a public health official.
25
How on earth can anything useful be said about the spread of the virus if there are insufficient test kits to do widespread testing? Basically it seems reported infection numbers are a lower bound. Until more extensive testing is done, we don’t really know much.
12
Statistically, as I type this, the covid-19 mortality rate in the US hovers at around 7%
Over 3 times the rate in China.
All on Mr Trump's watch.
All while his minions blame political opposition and media.
Mr Trump assuring us that big pharmaceutical companies will soon have great things on the market.
He makes no mention of who will be able to afford them, nor the entitlements and profits big pharma' will reap.
His cuts to prior administrations health initiatives have only exacerbated problems.
Mr Trump may be working hard
But not for the benefit of the majority of American citizens.
17
A million tests! I thought everything was under control and only in a few isolated clusters? Why would we need a million test? Unless...
18
We need to fight this thing like its world war 2 when FDR challenged manufacturers to produce airplanes, tanks, uniforms, etc in record numbers, the numbers were so high nobody thought they were possible, we exceeded them. Give the American people a goal in a time of crises than look out. The problem is that not only is a Trump not FDR, he is the least FDR than any modern President.
The American people are scared, they are more scared than they have been since 9/11, but this is 9/11 potentially everywhere.
FDR knew how important morale was, he bombed Japan in 1942 not because it did any thing significant but because it boosted morale.
Trump hasn’t done a thing, and the virus continues to spread. It is amazing , how ill prepared we were for this, and telling people this is nothing more than the flu isn’t working, it might be true, than it winds up no worse than the flu, except it is much more contagious, and the flu can kill.
What we need to see. Complete travel ban from affected countries. The kits, millions and millions of kits, show the factories that are making the kits, rally the workers, call them heroes. Produce millions, and millions of N95 masks, show them being made. Have a cough ban, like they have in Japan ( where the virus is not spreading ) if you have a cough, don’t go to work, don’t go to school, stay off mass transit.
And tackle this with the attention it deserves even if it’s just to boost morale - and stop making this about politics.
11
“We are only testing places with no viruses.” There’s an election coming, ya know.
14
This situation, where health officials are afraid to test or tell the truth, is truly alarming
35
Yes the fact that Dr. Fauci has to decide whether or not to go to war with the president or give the public the facts speaks volumes. Like the man doesn’t have enough to deal. Now he has to walk this fine line.
13
"Let compare" South Korea now has drive-through testing for the Covid-19 virus (CNN).
And us? Not even enough test kits for those we know are sick, let alone their suspected contacts.
27
The president of the United States lies about the weather.
You think he won’t lie about this?
69
This is what happens when you fear that telling the truth will get you fired by a President who thinks that all is under control. How dare him by the way, to say such things when people are getting sick and dying.
23
The trump administration is incompetent from top to bottom, not the administration to deal with the current very serious health threat of the coronavirus. Time to start keep ion gotta score. By the end he will not only be impeachable but treasonous and potentially greater crimes than impeachment would necessitate!
16
Do not Do Not, Do not buy respirators, cartridges, or masks off of ebay.
Caveat emperator.
It appears that some scammers are selling expired, mold covered,fake, and possibly all three at once at rip off pricing.
If you must cough without protection, cough into a half filled old fashioned glass with Wild Turkey 101 in it neat to kill the viruses.
15
Anthony Fauci looks like a hostage in those appearances with Trump. He should resign from the NIH in protest and not allow himself to be visual stamp of approval of Trump's lunacy in handling the crisis.
23
No way, we need his experience and expertise!
6
We have a genuine emerging health crisis coming at the nation like a freight train. The virus has clearly broken out of containment.
What we need right now from the White House is for the White House to stop doing it's very best impression of multiple personality disorder. It's not helpful, and it is going to cost American lives and is disgusting.
16
That’s not a freight train. Hear that, Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability.
In this case, the inevitability of reality coming to settle up with an administration that thinks reality can be ignored.
With apologies to the Wachowskis.
10
@Chuck The real dangerous infection can be found in the White House.
Make America Great Again? Laughable. What Trump is doing is making America cringe, gag and succumb to illness.
7
This administration sends mixed signals period.
7
Viral Infection testing can be tricky depending on the sensitivity and specificity of the test and the stage of infection. If one tests just after exposure and before an infection with sufficient detectable viral multiplication has occurred, then one will get a false negative result. The window of detecting infection with absolute certainty opens up when there is viral presence even as low as a few virions (complete virus particles) in the specimen being tested. Well into the infection roughly 2-3 weeks from exposure one can confirm the presence of the virus indirectly by detecting by a different test, specific antibodies developed against the virus by the immune system of the person exposed to the virus. Firstly, it should be possible to test for the corona virus anywhere in a qualified and certified laboratory in the entire USA and not just in a centralized location. Besides the complexity of testing and interpretation, time is of the essence and sending specimen for testing from one end to some far away location in the country by air courier, is ridiculous. If a decision was made to have the patient in WA tested for Corona virus, it should have been possible to have the testing done right there and within hours the result be made available to the doctors treating the patient. It is scary to imagine a patient who tested positive longer than he or she was found to be positive walking around exposing others who were in contact with that person. Hopefully a lesson learned.
9
I would like an over the counter test. Why isn't Trump devoting resources to developing this.
8
@me He isn't devoting resources to it because he doesn't care whether Americans have access to health care, judging from his conduct in office.
7
I think the “million” number was just something that popped out of Trump’s marketing talk. He likes his nice numbers. Not a realistic target.
20
When the ministry of propaganda is exposed for the fraud that it is, what is next?
When does Pence, the deep state democrat, get fired?
31
Went to Costco today. For the first time ever, since they’ve been open, they are sold out of Toilet Paper and water. Plenty of packages of paper towels. Parking lot was full, like before Christmas.
17
Republicans holding up emergency coronavirus spending to protect drug company price gouging after Trump Whitehouse meeting with Drug company CEOs
26
Why are hospitals turning away people who want to be tested for the coronavirus?
15
@Nicolas No kits? No $$$?
10
The vast majority DO NOT HAVE KITS.
7
I’m stimulating the economy. Today I bought every Lysol spray and wipe, every hand sanitizer and wipe, the last bottle of CVS extra strength Excedrin left on the shelf, Kleenex, cold medication, rubber gloves and lots of soap.
And then I stocked up on non-perishables for our household and my daughter’s...enough to last two weeks. And filled the freezer with meat and other necessities.
Given that we live in a semi-rural area with limited shopping opportunities and many bare shelves, it was now or never.
And with the poor messaging from this administration, one doesn’t know what is coming down the pike.
But we are now as prepared as we will ever be as cases appear all around us.
It’s just a matter of time.
13
Do you have a generator? Gas to run it for 2-3 weeks?
6
@Mark Why? Do you expect all electricity generation to cease?
2
@It’s About Time - Well done. Or you could, you know, wash your hands regularly and keep them away from your face. But your call.
2
Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus crisis is focused on the economic and political impact in an election year.
Coupled with Trump's disdain for science and lack of respect for facts he put is sycophant Vice President Mike Pence in charge.
Pence once proudly proclaimed that he was ' a Christian, a conservative and a Republican in that order.' But neither prayer nor an income tax cut no more spending on the military- industrial complex addresses coronavirus.
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@Blackmamba
Pence, like many of Trump's supporters, is an
'a la carte christian' -
one from column A, two from column B ...
His handling of the drug crisis as governor of Indiana made this obvious. If first hit inner-city residents of Indianapolis, and they somehow 'deserved' to suffer. When it hit the nice little middle class towns, he had quite a revelation.
3
The most important thing at the moment is the credibility of the C.D.C. With rampant rumors, understandable fear, profit-seeking hustlers, and political opportunists everywhere, there must be one voice that Americans can count on to present the best understanding of the nature of the disease and its spread. This is a moment when the individuals who work for the C.D.C. must stand up as responsible Americans and not let external political pressure influence their best judgement.
hus it is quite problematic that the article, "U.S. Plans ‘Radical Expansion’ of Coronavirus Testing" stated, "The kits had three components but some of the components were producing an inconclusive result for many public health labs using the test. On Thursday, the agency announced that labs with two of three working components could go ahead and use the C.D.C. tests...."
Why should we have confidence in results of the "new" test? If the C.D.C. originally thought that all three elements were necessary for an accurate test result, how does simply eliminating one problematic element solve the problem and produce accurate results? Why should this not be viewed as more of a political solution -- let's get lots of "tests" out there to look good -- rather than a genuine public health/medical solution?
17
Absolutely zero discussion of the elephant in the room. Who is going to pay for the test and how much is it going to cost? Other countries take the logical approach that it is the public interest to test as many people as necessary as rapidly as possible. Apparently insurance companies in the US are telling people that they are NOT covered for the test and that they will have to pay over $3000! for their test. This is insane. There is also discussion of how much Big Pharma will charge for any vaccine! Great approach. Discourage testing and then price gouge on any vaccine to prevent poorer people from getting vaccinated and protecting the rest of the population
45
@ianstuart New York has made it very clear there will be no charge for the test for anyone.
8
@ianstuart We have to maintain our global position as #1! That's the most expensive healthcare "system" on the planet, to be clear. 37th in quality of care.
16
@DCM No it hasn't. And it couldn't. It has no discretion over how much insurance companies or testing laboratories will charge. Yesterday's NYT said that " Surprise Bills From Coronavirus Testing Spark Calls for Government to Cover All Costs"
8
I have zero confidence in this administration’s ability to acknowledge, confront and solve this looming pandemic. From the moment he was elected and insisted on inflating the size of his inaugural crowd, to the false information being peddled regarding coronavirus, Trump and his bumbling criminal syndicate of supposed ‘experts’ resemble more hapless clowns than skilled professionals. When it matters most, we’re saddled with the least-qualified team and leader in American history. We’re on our own here. This is why God made the Internet; get your information from reliable online sources and discard anything Trump and his minions proffer.
52
Mixed signals? Business as usual is more like it. And so far it has worked. In any case, the President has been careful to set up a number of scapegoats to use when one is needed.
41
If you want to know what is going on with Covid 19, go to the CDC or NIH websites. Don't listen to "press conferences" where spin is applied. Remember, these folks are primarily politicians. They are not health professionals. Neither Trump nor Pence are particularly strong on science, shall we say. Just "pray it away" and "hope for a miracle". In my experience as a physician for 30 years, neither approach works particularly well, yet these are direct quotes from our "leaders". Listen to Dr. Fauci. He is one of the worlds leading virologists.
57
@betty Fauci said that no vaccine will be available to the population until 12/18 months; be ready to have a lot of people sick and in need of medical support...I hope the services will be available without cost!
9
@AliceP I just went on the website right now. It's there. Just Google CDC website.
5
Taking a look at the death rates and the reporting rates from the top 10 nations, it seems that the number of infections in the US at 115 is wildly under reported. It seems that with 9 deaths, the number of infect individuals should be closer to 350-540 individuals rather than 115 individuals. Given that the medical care in the US is comparable to South Korea, the US infection number might be as high as 1666 individuals. Regardless, the current reported infection numbers are way lower than would be expected and so the spread of the virus is much greater than what is currently reported as being. This discussion is NOT intended to make people panic, but to raise an alarm about how serious the problem is. Washing hands, self-sequestering if you have a fever, and contacting medical personnel if you are having trouble breathing might be a really good idea right now. The very low infection numbers is likely due to the lack of available testing kits. The United States is completely unprepared for this problem.
71
Testing kit availability is the bottleneck. That suggest that you are entirely accurate. Reported infection numbers mean nothing until significant testing has been done.
9
I'm starting to wonder if I have or had Coronavirus. A month ago when this was taking hold, I had lunch next to a guy who does business in Wuhan routinely. I know this because the bartender, who happened to be Chinese, asked him if he was worried about the virus in response to a news story on the TV. I was sick for weeks afterwards. My wife was sick a week later, still is a little. My son who is in school was sick for a little less time. I assume it wasn't Covid because I got sick pretty quickly. But a test would be nice.
21
@somebody You & family should be tested. Check w/Health dept or your Dr. You could be shedding infective virus to others. Good luck
1
Please call it what it is. The Trump administration is blocking and delaying testing to avoid an economic downturn in an election year.
68
@Anna That suggests a cynical control of the test kit supply that I'm afraid does not exist. Remember, the first tiny batch of kits (CA got 200!), didn't work.
I'd rather do the Occam's razor thing and believe there was simply incompetence to blame, especially after the fraud fired the Pandemic Response team, along with their chain of command, and cut the CDC's budget.
14
@Slann Germany had a perfectly good test that they supplied to most european countries, but the USA made it's own- and had issue with procedure and contamination. Why not buy temporarily from Germany or elsewhere?
18
@Slann I hope your read is correct. If the US hadn't had turned down - and continue to turn down - the working kit developed in Germany and approved by the WHO that other countries are using I'd be less cynical.
10
It’s as if trump has no relationship with the truth.
Public health emergencies don’t seem to respond the way republican elected and appointed officials do.
Go figure.
26
The Key Stone Kops would be more reliable and honest than the traveling circus called the Trump Administration. Misinformation and lies. Nothing new here.
40
Mixed signals? Or I have not got a clue what I am doing, so I will make it up as I go along. If it goes wrong blame the Democrats, they made me do it! Let’s all vote for trump in 2020 and make America third rate again!
19
It is not reassuring when leaders at the FDA either do not know the difference between 1 million and 2500, or they don't bother to get their "facts" straight. For the record, the difference is a factor of 400. It's the difference between 1 year, and 1 day. Reporters should know by now to double check numbers and data coming from anyone in this administration, and that they need to double if not triple check the numbers before publication.
28
@CitizenJ It said each kit could do 500 tests.
4
@stefanie Yes it did...2500 X 500=1,250,000 NOT 1.5Million as indicated. As a med technologist---the actual number of patients tested would be less..due to controls which MUST be ran w/each test batch
2
We'll know Trump is serious about combating the negative economic effects of this virus when he diverts funds for his wall toward lowering the virus impacts.
28
The last official count of tests done in the US was 472 on Saturday 2/29/20. That number didn’t change for two days, then on Monday 3/2/20 the CDC stopped reporting the number of tests done.
Be afraid. This government doesn’t know what it is doing.
81
@Donna Mac You mean under Trump it doesn’t know what it's doing. What should we expect from a man who has laid off so many scientist from the CDC? He seems to think he can wave his hand and magically have them all re-hired again. It's too little too late. The process should have started in January, and we don’t have enough staffing at the CDC to create enough test kits fast enough, nor are there enough labs to even do the testing. Sigh.
16
I’m sure the CDC stopped reporting because they simply became “tired of winning”.
14
@Donna Mac Worse it's hiding it's lack of organization and action to prop up an incompetent sociopath because it's an election year. Think of all the people in Puerto Rico that suffered and died needlessly while a hospital ship stood almost empty due to the Trump administration's criminal incompetence. He will let the same incompetence cause a lot more needless deaths with this pandemic and the sick evil people surrounding him will circle the wagons to protect him from the consequences all while Fox news keeps his gullible followers angry over immigrants and abortion.
11
I'm so glad that we have Mike Pence in charge here, with all communications having to go through the White House. That way we have very clear and consistent messaging. Oh, wait...
22
Fauci has to learn that everything trump touches dies. They have to stop protecting trump and let the chips fall where they may. The trump administration has been totally incompetent. They've begun dismantling the agencies set up to protect us and haven't taken the whole thing seriously. Putting Pence in charge is outrageous.
Every time any one speaks, they first have to praise trump. The one exception was Seema who didn't. We probably won't hear from her again.
40
Neither Trump nor Pence should be believed, ever. They lie, deny science, denigrate women and anyone who doesn’t resemble white plastic bread. Corrupt, venal and completely untrustworthy. Only medical experts should give advice, news and direction concerning COVID-19.
47
Typical trump, lacks knowledge, Predicts a miracle , blames scientists , blames his opponents. I can’ t believe this “ man “ was ever elected to anything.
30
The only universal recourse that seems to be agreed on is the use of hand wipes or sprays. Now, all stores are out of stock and price gouging is occurring - yet our government is doing nothing about it. It seems a no-brainer to order companies who make these to make a lot more to be sold at a fair price. This is an unprecedented national emergency, and that is the least that should be done.
20
Wait, don’t worry, it’s either a hoax or if the stock market fails on donnies watch, it will be over by April.
44
So you can’t trust anything coming from the Trump Administration.... Are we to be surprised? My only surprise is the numbers of Americans who still support him!
137
This is a complex and unprecedented national health emergency— I don’t think reducing it to the common denominator you mentioned is accurate or represents any particular value. Situations like this evolve rapidly and are very fluid and changing information is to be expected.
3
@Gabel Sad to say, they will support him until they are personally hurt quite severely! And he couldn't care less.
Lesson is apparently hard for some to learn.
27
@Jesse
The Trump administration cut the CDC by 19% in FY2017, 40% in FY2018 and 19% if FY2019.
If you didn't think this was coming, you haven't been paying attention.
85
“You should never destroy your own credibility. And you don’t want to go to war with a president,” Dr. Fauci told Politico in an interview Friday. “But you got to walk the fine balance of making sure you continue to tell the truth.”
So let him fire you because EVENTUALLY you will have to disagree with his facts and his ego in public which will embarrass him.
We already watched it unfold in a live conference. donnie crossed his arms and swayed in his seat to defuse his anger ant being crossed.
118
@Mandarine I think (I hope!) that even President Trump will find it too unpopular to fire Dr. Fauci because he has already signaled that things are going to get worse and the policies from the White House have made that more likely. Even true Trump-believers are going to be afraid ....
7
@Mandarine
Nobody can fire Fauci, not now, not ever, and Trump knows it. That's why, as a scientist, I find it so very delightful to listen to Fauci speak the truth right next to Trump.
5
"If there’s a need to stimulate the economy as a result of the coronavirus, I’m sure that infrastructure is a priority of the president"
Oh, yes. That infrastructure. Ever a priority, and never planned.
65
@David Weintraub
Wait, is it Infrastructure Week again already?
29
@J Anders It has the same "priority" it's had since January, 2017, and the same as during Infrastructure Week (who could forget that!).
19
@J Anders No, that was last week. I know it's hard to keep up with this administration.
12
Mixed signals or do you mean out right lies? They’ve had over a month to ramp up production of these test kits, yet trump wrongly believed that his flight stoppage would be the end of it, and while it may have slowed things down, that time was wasted and now here we are with community spread in several areas and no test kits.
86
Our do nothing , know nothing, totally incompetent president fearlessly smirks on while the financial markets crash, our health system is about to be buried under a tsunami of pneumonia. He cannot retain even a whit of the most basic concepts despite multiple training sessions. Is he still hoping for a miracle?
88
@Mark Well said...a "tsunami of pneumonia"!
6
@Mark -- "Is he [fake prez] still hoping for a miracle?"
If trump isn't, we the people surely are: Lord, deliver us from this (insidious) wide-awake nightmare. Please.
11
@Mark That Trump asked if we could use the flu vaccine to combat novel coronavirus pretty much sums up his understanding of this disease and viruses in general.
15
This confusion and lack of clear understanding of what can and will be done with regard to coronavirus testing is what citizens receive when their Federal Government lies, bluffs, blusters and accuses instead of responsibly assessing risks and developing cost-effective mitigation strategies to events beyond the control of other institutional structures. Are we surprised? Do enough people care to examine this response outside of the polarized glare of Trump, working only for political, financial and particularly egotistical benefit? Will truth be served, or will this urgent matter of national concern once again become a matter of who listens to whom?
56