Test came out negative. [cameras clicking] [sneeze] good afternoon. Today summiteted lengthy meeting of the White House Coronavirus task force. At the president s direction we his continued to implement whole of government approach to bring the full resources of the federal government to bear to confront the spread of the coronavirus in the United States. Saying according to all of the experts gathered here and on our task force the risk to the American Public of contracting the coronavirus remains low. That said, we continue to lean into this effort in full partnership with state and local Health Authorities around the country. To ensure we do everything to prevent the spread of the disease. Expansion, and to provide necessary treatment to americans that have been impacted. First let me turn my attention before we speak about some of our broader efforts. And hear from members of the task force about to an issue on the hearts and minds of people across the country. The grand princess cruise ship has been mourned off the coast of california since wednesday night. Coast. Ed off the i want to commend the coast that flew coronavirus test kits to the ship. Results. Eceived those working close consultation with governor gavin newsom and the state of california have developed a process for addressing our findings. Resolving the circumstances facing americans and people from around the world and the crew on the grand princess. First the results. , 46 personstested were swapped. Those on the ship tested positive for the coronavirus. 24 tested negative. One test was inconclusive. 21 individualsay on the grand princess tested positive. Among those, were 19 crewmembers. And two passengers. Note ortant to positive . Yes. Among those positive for coronavirus were 19 crewmembers and two passengers. Note that thet to actually was on his second tour. Coronavirus infections from the first two are as well, with very, very difficult results. In the wake of these findings today, we have been working through the day with Governor Newsom and his administration through their unified command efforts in california. Cdc and hhs as well and we have developed a plan that will be implanted this weekend implemented this weekend. To bring the ship into a noncommercial port. All passengers and crew will be tested for coronavirus. Those who need to be quarantined will be quarantined. Those who require additional medical attention will receive it. Let me assure the american republic, as we did the American Public. As we did so with those returning from china and from the other cruise ship, we are taking all measures necessary to see to the health of the americans and those involved on the grand princess. Just as importantly to protect the health of the American Public and prevent the spread of the disease through communities in this country. Strongesttituting the testing protocols to ensure that not only those on board received ,he treatment that they need but they the American People can be confident there will be no erosion in our preventative measures and efforts to keep the coronavirus from spreading through the country. I want to express our gratitude to Governor Newsom and the state of california. For the full partnership. Not just in dealing with the grand princess, but throughout the advent of the coronavirus. California has been a strong partner. As i told the governor a few moments ago, we will continue to work very closely with his administration. And we will continue to put the health and safety of america first. With that let me turn my attention to the issue of testing, which has been much in the news of late. The president spoke about it a few moment ago. At cdc. It is important to note that because of President Trumps risk to leadership, the the American Public of contracting the coronavirus does remain low. Nevertheless, in Washington State where i visited yesterday with memories of our team, and in california, we have seen, as often describes, community transmission. Still less than 200 cases across the country. Most americans who cant product who contract this disease are being treated and on the road to recovery. Sadly, we all know of the loss of light and we agreed that along with their families. The lossoflife. American people deserve to know we are ready. Because of the president s leadership and because extraordinary efforts bite cdc and health and human services, and our partners and state labs around the country. By cdc. We have the tests necessary to be able to provide test to all the states requesting it. Yesterday i said we have been able to provide test to all the state jurisdictions and labs that have requested it. I am pleased to report that allstate labs have the tests. And now because of the change President Trump implanted at fda a week ago, now state labs can conduct coronavirus tests themselves. Test. State labs have the we disturbed it 900,000 tests across the country. Distributed 900,000 tests across the country including test that could allow 75,000 patients to be tested. As the hhs secretary described tomorrow 200,000 tests will be shipped. And by monday one million tests will be shipped with the excitation that by the end of next week for million tests will be shipped. The expectation. Yesterday, to meet future demand, this week the president brought together the leading commercial labs in america. Withked them to partner the United States in developing tests for the American People. Im proud to say we have in the last 24 hours lab core, qwest, two of americas leading commercial laboratories have announced that tests will be available by monday of this week. The reason that is important and the recent that meets future demand, is because the enormous capacity of these commercial laboratories and others in the country are precisely how we testinge coronavirus available for your local dr. , to your pharmacy and broadly available to the American Public. To your local doctor. Tomorrow, dr. Steve han of the ensure youief you to every effort is being made to provide testing resources not just for state laboratories and state universities and hospitals in affected areas but for the announcement of these major commercial labs we trust that in a matter of weeks the coronavirus tests will be broadly available to the public and available to any american that is symptomatic and has a possibility ofhe having contracted the coronavirus. Of fdastephen hahn tomorrow. This weekend i will travel to florida to meet with cruise line executives. We will discuss with them in particular additional measures our cruise lines could take to ensure the health and safety of the American Public. I look forward to those conversations tomorrow. I want to introduce dr. Fauc for a comment. Then i will introduce the withl and bob kadlec regard to our plans about the cruise ship. Let me make one last comment before we hear from other embers of the task force. I have said it twice and let me say it again. The general risk to the American Public remains low. But if you are an individual with a serious Underlying Health elderly, and or our it is important to take precautions and use common sense. Particularly as it relates to travel. Recognize from the experience now of two cruise ships that cruise ships represent a unique challenge for health officials. So we would ask elderly americans to use common sense and caution. In planning any cruise ship vacation in the future. But they can be assured we are going to be working closely with some Great American companies in the cruise line and the cruise Light Industry to enhance and strengthen the screening procedures that take place as passengers board and as they disembark. And the cruise line industry. Let me yield for a few moments then we will and hear from other memos of the task force about the grand princess as well as testing. Thank you mr. Vice president. The last time i was at the podium we were talking about what the Vice President said about the risk of getting infected and how we need to distinguish that from if you are infected. Like the unfortunate situation we have seen in seattle and what we are seeing on cruise ships. In that group of people who get infected, the ones who are clearly the most vulnerable to getting the complications of serious disease and even death, are people with underlying conditions, particularly among the elderly underlying conditions. Those are heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, diabetes etc. Answer like to publicly a question i get asked every all the time. If youre a person with an underlying condition, the conditions i mentioned him a particularly if you are in elderly person, with that. Said, Vice President beyond even cruise ships, just use the common sense of trying to protect yourself. Because you are the most vulnerable. That is often referred to as social distancing. What we mean by that, is that if you are a person in that category, twice, even before you get on a plane for a long trip. Or you want to travel or you want to go to a place that is crowded where there may be people who have an infection of any sort. That does not have to be coronavirus. It could be influenza or anything like that. I want to publicly answer the question that i keep getting asked in a private situation. If you are in that category, or if you are the family of individuals in that category, take care to try to take care of the most vulnerable among them. There are simple things you can do. Practical common sense about not putting yourself in a situation, whatever that might be, that might increase the risk, given your situation. Thank you. Vp pence thank you, dr. Fauci, well said. I would like to introduce they admiral. The coast guard did a great job transporting tests to the grant andess grand princess he will pay the debts play key role as we resolve the impasse of the situation and who will play a key role as we resolve the impasse of the situation with the grand princess ship. Playing a key role getting the test kits out to the ship. It is great to have shipmates like that. The coast guard looks forward to operationalizing the best risk negation plan developed on medical science from the state, local and federal level. We use our captain and port authorities to direct the ship to execute that plan. Thank you. Kadlec is the assistant secretary coordinating the response to the ground princess. Thank you to Governor Newsom and his staff at the state Health Office of Emergency Management in california. They have been and extraordinary only duringrs, not this event as we develop a concept of operations, and planning to disembark passengers from that ship safely and effectively, ensuring their safety as well as the community they are coming into will be protected. I want to say they have been great partners and critical in in ourain efforts repatriation efforts from wuhan as well as from that diamond princess ship in japan. The details are becoming more apparent and we will brief you as those become more firm. I want to say this is a whole of government effort. We are working with the department of defense, the coast guard, the apartment of homeland security, our colleagues at cdc the department of homeland security, as well as the departments in california to ensure we bring people home safely and as quickly as possible. Vp pence dr. Birx . Will be athis comprehensive brand plan, that like the diamond princess was a comp ransom approach to ensure the health and welfare of citizens. As dr. Fauci discussed, we know many people on the cruise ship are in their 60s, 70s and 80s. We want to make sure, as we know that a similar bottle just a more vulnerable group, we want to pay special attention to anyone with comorbidities or other conditions. We are working with people on the ship and the medical team to make sure their health and welfare is prioritized. Thank you. Vp pence good. With theephen hahn fda on abella velti of testing . On the availability of testing . Thank you. This is a swab test, not a pointofcare test. It has been developed by the cdc faced on their first obtained the next sequence of the virus. That test is very highquality. We have high confidence in that test. Is now available in all Public Health labs as described by the Vice President. In response to the demand we are seeing for the test, we are increasing the supply of this test, as described by the Vice President. And we believe that will be available significantly across the country and i can provide. Ore details tomorrow for specific numbers, as of yesterday, the cdc test was shipped out, 900,000 test. We have another 200,000 we expect to be shipped out tomorrow that have on through the Quality Assurance process. Another one million tests will be quality assessed this weekend and we expect those to go out early next week. Inexpect further Research Test capacity beyond that by the end of next week. And i am happy to provide you information. That is a question that should be addressed by cdc for the most accurate number. State labs questions. 40 expect people to be quarantined where do you expect people to be quarantined end of 19 crew and two passengers, why some any crew infected . It is likely the crew on the exposed oness was two different outings. We know the coronavirus manifested among the previous passengers. So we will find that out. But we will be testing everyone on the ship. We will be quarantined as will bey we quarantining as necessary. With the guard to the crew we expect they will be quarantined on the ship, will not need to disembark. But let me refer to secretary kadlec to respond. We are working hourbyhour with the department of defense and the state of california to identify military bases where we will do the testing of the remaining passengers. Thank you and it truly evolving now. There have been bases identified before. Travis and lackland. We are working with dod to identify appropriate settings and working to ensure the safety of passengers and the safety of communities around them. Happy to answer any more questions. Aipac Vice President , send out a notification to people who attended the virus saying to people from new york attended the conference tested positive for coronavirus. Are you concerned the virus is now here in washington, d. C. . A lot of memory of congress are you aipac. Concerned that some members of congress may have contracted the virus . Vp pence that is the first i have heard of it, and the mist of a busy day. And in theengaged Contact Tracing that we offer any case. Maybe dr. Fauci could speak to the concern about the Nations Capital that you raised . Dr. Fauci yes. Again, when you have a lack of information it is tough to make anything definitive. Obviously, if you have anyone who is here. The risk of their being a major being a of there major outbreak is what everybody think about. What would happen as those individuals affected would have Contact Tracing. That is the publichealth weapon that we have, to get those people isolated and do the Contact Tracing. We do not have enough information now come up because this is the first i have heard about it also, with a busy day. As soon as we get further information we would be happy to share with you. [indiscernible] short whiledent a ago said anybody that needs a test can have a test, they are all set. Can we drill down on that . What exactly will a person who feels like they may have coronavirus but can they go into their Doctors Office and get a test . In addition to that, mr. Vice president , short while ago the president described governor inslee of Washington State whom he met with yesterday as a snake. He also described the coronavirus test, compared it to the phone call he had with the leader of ukraine. As the president addressing the situation with the seriousness it requires . Vp pence i promise you President Trump has no higher priority. Than the health and safety of the American People. He has assembled an Extraordinary Group of americans and agencies. I am more than one week into leading the White House Coronavirus effort. And i cannot be more proud and more impressed with the team the president assemble. I think her first question is an important one, jim and i appreciate it. The president is exactly right. For the state laboratories, for the communities impacted, that have concerns about the coronavirus, we have been able to respond to requests for tests. Hear theally, you can test that has been made available since the first of this month. Literally amounts in the hundreds of thousands and millions of tests. But for the American Public to have access to the coronavirus test, it is the reason why President Trump trump brought in this week all of that ceos of the top commercial laboratories in the country. They are the ones we believe could spin up a new test very rapidly. They have enormous logistics and manufacturing capabilities. We said to them, we want you to all together because while state labs can now conduct their own test, and while i described described, we have distributed hundreds of thousands, in fact over a million tests across the country, to get it to your local doctor, to your pharmacy. To what when my kids were little we would call the med check. It will require these commercial labs. The good news is, it did not get to why they reported, but both labcorp and quest Just Announced that by monday they will have tests available for distribution and sale across the country. Mr. Vice president , if someone is feeling ill this weekend and they go to the doctor on monday, can the doctor request a coronavirus test . Any american in the country . Or are we not at that point . I want to make it sure is Crystal Clear in terms of expectations . Vp pence for any american who a symptom attic, speaking to your doctor, any american who has symptoms, speaking to your doctor if you have reason to believe you may be exposed to the coronavirus, i have every confidence in your state help officials will have access to the state lab. We have made that test of elbow to the state labs. I have spoken to the we made the test available to the state labs. I spoke to two governors today and last night. And we are working hard to make sure where we have suspected cases have been making kate tests available we have been making tests available. But you make a point about the wider availability to doctors and clinics will happen, we believe, because of the collaboration that President Trump forged with our commercial labs and the great news is that they announced yesterday, two of the largest commercial labs in america announced that by monday they will have tests and can take them to market. Two questions, one for workers and one for families. There a lot of americans worried about losing wages if they are forced to stay home because they are not on a salary. As the white house preparing any economic mitigation effort for workers who suffer wage losses here . The second on families, youre telling people to stay home if they feel sick. What is your advice to parents of children who may have voluble people in their household. Should they quarantine themselves with the children in the house . Ford and they need to quarantine themselves somewhere else, away from their own families and children . . Vp pence with regard to your first question, i will tell you that i have been inspired at the response of businesses around this country and their sensitivity and decisionmaking about americans who are potentially impacted by the coronavirus. But i will tell you, in the days ahead, and i was on capitol hill this week, meeting with republicans and democrats in the house and senate, we talked about, should this become much country,spread in the there were recommendations from congress which i know we would carefully consider. But let me, your second question may be the most important one. Is, for families, what are the best practices at home . Tould like to ask dr. Birx address that dr. Blix that is an excellent question. I come from a multigenerational household. I have a ninemonthold, twoyearold grandchildren and my parents live in the household, they are 91 years old and 96 years old. And my husband and daughter are there. This is a critical question. The last week we have been focused on who is the most vulnerable and who needs to be protected. And ensuring that every family understands that. Her question is critical because it comes back to what dr. Fauci said. If they follow good handwashing techniques, they ensure everything is washed that is used with the grandparents. If the and short that the children, if ill, are kept away from the grandparents and somewhat separated with the household, with strong cleaning and other handwashing and hand touching pieces. This is what social distancing can occur in the household. If they ensure that the children, if theyll come are kept away from greg pence. The awayp ensure from the grandparents. I want to make sure we have also emphasized that. Anyone who has an immunodeficiency independent of age is someone else we have to be careful with, ensuring we are protecting them. Should they send family memories who are not infected to stay somewhere else . So if you have kids, some infected and some who are not, should you send the ones were not infected somewhere else or do you need to quarantine everyone in the same house at the same time because thats on scary . I am looking at dr. Fauci and that is a great question. [laughter] dr. Fauci i do not think there really is a decisive answer about that. It depends upon the feasibility of, do you have some place to put the child . If youre in a situation where you really cannot do it, then you just sort of say well i am going to keep them together, realizing that with children, and this gets back to what i said a while ago, the risk of there being a problem of infection with a child and is very low. If you look at all reports from every place, from china, italy, korea. It is the same. [indiscernible] mr. Vice president , earlier question, if today any americans want to test cannot get a test, when is that target date . When to expect that any american who wants a test can same day be able to get it . Vp pence let me ask dr. Hahn to respond to that. When we met with the major commercial labs, in addition, and i want to emphasize that again, because of the changes the fda made, now, all state labs can perform a coronavirus test. I spoke to one governor about that today. And we clarify that with them. We disturb you to these kits. Hundreds of thousands. Over a million tests. More to come. Test widelythe disturbing it across the country , i cannot be more grateful that our commercial labs have already announced, two of the leading commercial labs in america, that they will create a product. N,t me let you talk to dr. Hah because the fda is working with those companies and to see if he has a sense. But i remember they told us that even their enormous production capability that in a matter of weeks, not months, we could be seeing a coronavirus broadly distributed around the country and then growing by the day. Dr. Hahn, is that right . Yes, mr. West president. Give a sense of how many mr. Hahn yes, mr. Vice president. Expect 1. 1row we million tests to have been shipped to laboratories. Those would have gone to mostly nonPublic Health laboratories. In answer to your question because i am thinking like a doctor here, if i work a patient who came in and wanted a test, what i would recommend to the provider is to contact, as the Vice President said, their local Public Health group. Because they are going to know about availability in that state. As the Vice President says, with these large commercial labs having the ability to now scale up tests, this is a critical part of this. In addition to the millions of send out this upcoming week as well as what we have done, we expect that to surge abstention late. How many do we need . Are we talking where we need a test available for every american . What is our target . Abouthn we will talk this tomorrow. It is a complicated answer. And i do not want to mislead the public. One test does not necessarily equal one patient. That is worth discussing in more detail. [indiscernible] mr. Vice president . Let me make a follow on. The president has directed a whole of government approach. We are leaning into this effort. We will work with our commercial partners and with cdc. And we are going to meet that need for the American Public. I am confident of that. ,articularly as i see the way frankly see the way, State Governments, state health ,epartment, public laboratories and our commercial laboratories have stepped up. Let me also say that as i said yesterday when we were in Washington State, one of the things cdc has done is, in the mist of these numbers that could get blurry at time, we will make sure you have all of them in detail. Detail ithn will tomorrow. We have prioritized areas of the country where we have community transmission. The recommendation of our experts is, we have been focusing tests in california and in Washington State. I have had those conversations with both of those governors. And we will continue to do that even as he worked to build a wider avella melody. [indiscernible] president you have encourage caution and social distancing to elderly americans and people who have preexisting conditions. Government statistics, people over 65, that is 50 million americans and people with preexisting conditions that is 50 million to 100 million americans. Are you saying essentially that one third of the country, up to half of the country may have should have caution before traveling . If that is the case, should Major Conferences and political rallies just be canceled at this point because they would include a large percentage of elderly americans and people with preexisting conditions . Let me try again. A lot of facts and a lot of information curl may be as clear as i can. What i want to say today a lot of information. Let me be clear. As we look at the data, the initial data in this country at data from around the world, elderly with serious Underlying Health conditions are the most vulnerable. To the coronavirus. Let me say that again. Elderly individuals with Underlying Health conditions are the most vulnerable to serious results from the coronavirus. So, today, we say with great today, we say with great respect, that it is a good time for any american who is elderly, by however they define it, and has a serious Underlying Health condition, to think carefully about travel. And i think dr. Fauci was clear on that. I would like him to have the last word. Dr. Fauci the numbers and statistics you said are correct. But there is a difference between an underlying condition, and eight serious underlying condition that would actually compromise you. And a serious underlying condition. Someone with high Blood Pressure who is on a Blood Pressure medication and has a down we will has an underlying condition. With intermittent oxygen is a serious underlying condition. Theres a big difference between somebody with controlled hypertension and 70 with congestive Heart Failure and pulmonary disease. So why your numbers are correct it is not really one third of the american population. Somebody with congestive Heart Failure and permit our disease. [indiscernible] do have a number at cdc . Do define a number . Do you define a number . Any number would be nice. To follow the federal response to the coronavirus outbreak go to cspan. Org coronavirus. You can find all of our coverage including hearings, briefings, and reviewed the latest events any time at cspan. Org coronavirus. Former Vice President joe biden holds a Community Event saturday in st. Louis. Ahead of missouris democratic president ial primary. Watch that live at noon eastern on cspan. Listen live. Org or on the freight cspan radio app. Online at cspan. Org. Sunday, Bernie Sanders holds a rally in grand rapids, michigan ahead of the states democratic president ial primary. Watch live at 12 30 p. M. Eastern on cspan. Online at cspan. Org or listen live on the free cspan radio app. It comes out to be a campaign in which we have one candidate standing up for the working class and the middle class, we are going to end that election. For those who have been knocked down, counted out, left behind, this is your campaign. Possess a primary and caucuses continue to say for six states in quitting idaho omma michigan, mississippi, missouri, north dakota, and washington. Watch our campaign 2020 coverage of the candidate speeches and results, tuesday evening, live on cspan, cspan. Org, or listen from wherever you are in the free cspan radio app. Six states including. Earlier today President Trump joint tennessee governor bill lee for a tour of the tornado damage in cookeville. Here is a look. [cameras clicking] does governor bill lee. He has done a fantastic job of working with fema and the federal government and State Government and everybody, bill. This is real devastation. Like youll never see. Hopefully again. This was about as big a tornado
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