Transcripts For CSPAN White House Coronavirus Task Force Holds Briefing 20240712

Goodpresident pence morning. The White House Coronavirus task force met at the department of education on our ongoing effort to save lives, meet the needs of our state and our healthcare workers, to protect the vulnerable and to safely reopen america and reopen americas schools. As you will hear today from admiral giroir, we have tested 39 million americans. Among those, or than 3 million have tested positive and more than 1. 3 million americans have recovered. 133,000re than americans have lost their lives and our sympathy is with all of the impacted families. Because of what the American People have done, the extraordinary work of our healthcare workers around the country, we are encouraged that the average fatality rate continues to be low and steady. Days earlier this week, it was 90 lower than at the height of the pandemic. Again, it is a credit to the sacrifice the American People have made, the extraordinary work that healthcare workers are doing. Forcedge that this task working in partnership with governors across the country will continue to work our hearts out 24 hours a day to continue to give our losses low. In a few moments, dr. Deborah birx will outline the data that we are seeing around the country. We are tracking statebystate, county by county. As she will describe, we are seeing early indications of a percent of positive testing flattening in arizona, florida, and texas. Governors in each of those states have taken strong steps to flatten the curve and again, as dr. Birx will describe, we are beginning to see early indications of positivity flattening. In arizona and florida, we are beginning to see declining numbers of emergency room visits. We believe the take away from this for every american in those states that are impacted is keep doing what you are doing because we are starting to see the first indications that as we are able to do in the northeast, in new orleans, michigan and other places, through putting into practice those dedication efforts mitigation efforts. We are beginning to say that they are having a good affect. We are focused on the states are more than half of the new cases arizona,en texas, and california have received encouraging reports even through this morning. Strong supplies of ppe. Hospital Capacity Remains strong. The one need we heard from governors across the region is for personnel. Over the last week working through fema, the department of defense and hhs, we have been processing a request to Deploy Doctors and nurses and medical personnel. 525 doctors and nurses are on the ground in arizona, california, and texas. We are processing a request from florida for an additional amount. We have made it clear as we deal direction,residents active duty medical personnel to new york, new jersey, etiquette, michigan in louisiana and we are in the process of doing that again just to make sure that those dedicated doctors and nurses and healthcare workers have the relief that they need as we see cases rising in various communities across the sun belt. We had the Conference Call yesterday with the nations governors. We are in the process of continuing to send every week a detailed summary to governors that are being implemented and well received. We are also issuing renewed guidance on preservation and reuse of ppe. What we are hearing and not just speaking to governors, but talking directly to hospitals, frankly because of the historic effort that President Trump implemented, sending hundreds of millions of supplies of gloves and masks and face shields as well as the construction of ventilators we now have 59,000 ventilators in our supply. Hear remains very strong. We are encouraging healthcare workers to begin to use some of the best practices that we learned in other parts of the country to preserve and to reuse the ppe supplies. Our focus is to make sure states have everything they need when they need it and we are working closely with the governors to make that a reality. What brings us to the department of education as we see to the needs of our states, we are looking to reopen america and to reopen americas schools. Aesident trump convened summit of education leaders and Health Officials at the white house. As the president made clear yesterday, it is time. It is time for us to get our kids back to school. At the summit yesterday, it gave us an opportunity to outline and to learn what we might be able to do that. I will ask secretary devos to talk about the approach the department of education is taking to assist local communities and states in bringing schools back online. We will hear from dr. Redfield since early in the pandemic providing guidance to schools and will be issuing Additional Guidance next week. I did not want to pass the opportunity, not just as Vice President , but as someone who has been married to a School Teacher for five years, to say thank you to all of the teachers for 35 435 years years. They learned how to do distance teaching and have done a remarkable job. Often times they have had to take care of their own children. To all of americas teachers, we say thank you. We also want to say thank you to the parents who had to step in and become educators for all of their kids. It has really been remarkable when you see what our kids have been able to accomplish during this difficult time. What we heard yesterday from education officials and what we heard from the American Academy of pediatrics, it is absolutely essential that we get our kids back in the classroom for inperson learning. We cannot let our kids fall behind academically. But it is important that the remember thate for children that have Mental Health issues, for special needs nutrition, for children in communities facing persistent poverty, that school is the place where they receive all of those services. This is not simply about making sure our kids are learning and advancing academically, but for their Mental Health, for their wellbeing, or their physical health, have to get our kids back to school. As you heard the president yesterday and again this morning, we are absolutely determined to work in partnership with our states to give the guidance for states and communities to be able to safely reopen schools. The cdc will issue new guidance next week as part of a fivepart series of recommendations that will give all new tools to our schools. Like dr. Redfield made clear want federal dont guidance to be a substitute for state and local laws and rules and guidance. There here to assist with shared objective that i think is shared by every parent in america, which is we want to get our kids back. We want them back in the classroom, we want our teachers back in front of those classrooms and we want our kids learning in person once again. Recess but is in will gather soon, we are in discussions about potential support. We were able to remind governors 14. 33 million billion is available to assist them as we rollout and restart schools across the country. We learned yesterday that only 1. 5 of those funds has been drawn down by states and we encourage governors to take advantage of those. Our objectives are to save lives , meet the needs of states and healthcare workers, protect the most vulnerable, and safely reopen america and our schools. The good news is we are reopening america. The jobs report last thursday spoke for itself. Nearly 5 million jobs created. I can tell you, evidence around the country is that the American People are finding a way to do their part, to but the health of their neighbors first, even while we all find a way to get back to work, worship, and to school. We all have a role to play to slow the spread, to protect the most vulnerable, and to safely reopen our country and our schools. I turn just close before the podium over to dr. Birx for her report to simply say thank you to the American People. Thank you for what you have done so far. Iq for the weight you put the health and wellbeing thank you for the way you put the health and wellbeing of not just family members but strangers that you did not know, first. Keep doing what you are doing. Heating the guidance of local authorities. Theeep heeding guidance of authorities. Wear a mask when you cannot engage in social distancing. This is the role that each of us can continue to play. We are seeing early indications in some of the most impacted states that americans are doing just that. That weto encourage you will continue to do our part. I am absolutely confident, just as we proved when the pandemic was striking so deeply in the northeast, when it was striking in louisiana and michigan, the American People know what needs to be done. We know we can do it. We flattened the curve before. We slowed the spread before, and we can do it again. What have to all do our part and we will do it together. With that, dr. Deborah birx and then we will get a report from admiral gerard. Thank you, mr. Vice president. If i could have the first slide. I know some of you do watch what i wear. Im wearing this especially today. This came from the salt river tribe. I want to thank them, it was a real pleasure to be out and speaking to individuals around the United States about the issues they are facing with covid19. To be able to meet with immunities, hospital personnel, africanamerican communities, hispanic communities and our tribal nations, that was a privilege. I want to start with arizona just to pick up where the Vice President left off. At orange line is the number of tests performed and the blue line is the test positivity. This is at the level of the state. Arizona does have three counties that we are tracking closely. This does show that the blue line which is a seven day average and 92 the data team for these slides. The 7day average is showing flattening thank you to the data team. It is encouraging because we know that the test positivity is beginning to increase and we are hoping it heralds a stability in arizona of at least reaching a plaque to. The redline represents emergency room visits for covid like symptoms. This is also an early indicator and we find that encouraging. The next slide shows the counties we are tracking. The largest county being Maricopa County with the largest number of infections. There are other issues. The Vice President mentioned the weekly reports to governors is what the report looks like. Alaskas. On the front page is our interpretation of what we are seeing relevant to their epidemic with specific recommendations related to where we see them as far as being in a danger zone. By yellow and red. It follows everything you are seeing on that first report and warning boxes and each of the counties are represented so that they have in one place five pages from the white house that summarizes what we are seeing and that goes out weekly. Next slide. This looks at florida. You can see in the same way the redline is early suggesting decreasing emergency room visits for covid and some stability starting in that blue line, hoping that heralds stability in the number of reported cases. We understand that we went through a Holiday Weekend and Holiday Weekends can impact data. On the reporting through the weekend and catch up reporting on monday, tuesday and wednesday after a Holiday Weekend. Next slide. This is the counties of florida we are tracking. These are the top 10 counties in florida. You can see each of them have a different profile. I want to call your attention to the counties across the bottom that are more difficult to see. Some of those represent jacksonville and other large metros including tampa. When the governor talks about how they were steady and low for a long period of time after reopening, this is where that is weekscted from 5 after reopening. Clearly something happened. Whatever happened in florida happened across the sun belt. All of the findings are mirrored. If you remember in march and april, we were talking about the new york metro followed by boston, philadelphia, then chicago. New orleans was with the new york metro. It was a series of individual curves. In this case, whatever occurred occurred simultaneously across the south. We are investigating that closely to see the ideology behind that because it can help us as an Early Warning signal and help give guidance to the people of what we are asking them to do. Next slide. Texas is in a similar situation with their blue line. We are watching this closely across texas. Next slide. All of you know there is a series of major metros in texas with significant increase in cases from houston to dallas to antonio the el paso. The governors get this type of report with specific recommendations and finally, california next slide. Stabilityong time of but then an increase in the number of test positives and ripened increase in tested rapid increase in testing. Next slide. We see this through riverside, sacramento, and now San Francisco with increased number of cases. I want to finish with where the Vice President started with the sacrifices of the American People. In that recommendation are very clear recommendations that when you have a county with these cases, we are recommending everyone use a face covering. I think the studies have been done that show that cotton face coverings open up the ability for us all to have individualized face coverings that express our personality. In addition, the work that is governors have done in asking the American People to stop going to bars, to close the bars, moved to outdoor dining, to decrease indoor gatherings, to all of the americans out there in these four states and the state that have a report in the red zone because there are other states in that zone, it is really asking the people in those counties and states to not only use the face coverings, not go to bars, not go to indoor dining, but really not gathering in homes either and decreasing those gatherings back down to our phase one recommendation which was 10 or less. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Vice president. You, mr. Vice president. Since we are bragging on her face coverings, this was made by a religious community in pennsylvania who were helped by the Public Health service and they handsewed these. I wear this probably and i think of that Community Every single day think about that community day, everybody pitching in to help us all. Terms of testing, i want to cover three topics. The Vice President has already said your topping 39 million test across the country. States really crushed their goals in june. Thatumbers have finalized about 16. 5 million tests per june. Now,e doing a well right between 6000 and 700 per day. We are averaging about 6002300 tests per day. Media ripe with swabs and and we work to set those goals based on the state testing plan after technical assistance. That is along with the assistant secretary for preparedness and yesterdaye announced but we talked about a little bit last week that is the federal search site. There was a list of communities identified i dr. Birx and her team that had certain at theiristics infection trend but also met certain characteristics of their numerical numbers that search testing might have an impact over time. So our goal in those communities is to do at least 5000 tests per day in baton rouge, jacksonville and mcallen. We have many sites that we are working with. Again, this is a partnership with the state and local governments to make that happen. The other two sites start today and we already have almost 6500 appointments so that is going very, very well. I want to talk about is phoenix and i dont know if we have the slides for this. Im concerned when i hear things in the news like have not doing anything for phoenix, is that really does not correct and undermines a lot of things we are doing. Im going to show you some slides. You understand the demographics, the health disparity, the income levels. The race and ethnicity levels. This is how we really work the issues. First of all, we are in Constant Contact with the governor and his team. Frequent calls and i know dr. Redfield does this as well. Number two, we privatized provide support the state plan. We provide thousands of swabs to the media and the state to fulfill the plan. I was want to say yes we have lots of support in phoenix. Phoenix has three federally funded retail site. This was on a per capita basis. The Overall Program has tested just under one million individuals and has located cases in communities of high vulnerability. We also have 13 3. 0 sites. Sites that can do that without a federal stipend or grant. Those are 60 and the federal sites we have in phoenix. Under the leadership of secretary azor, we have really surged into federally qualified health years. Ventures. These are medical homes for those who are underserved. We performed testing just in the phoenix area. We have also identified every single testing machine in phoenix. There are machines to do tens of andsands of tests per day we are seeing 100,000 each week. Things that happen on a regular basis. Ago, i heard that the mayor was unhappy because there was no federal support. I heard that on monday morning. It was clear to me that phoenix was not in tune with all the things the state was doing. We convened a call where we had the governors people on the phone and the mayors people on the phone. We got everybody together and understood where the caps are. Search of Arizona State and testing sites out there. Looked atng, governor everything and thought a search site would be helpful. He has requested that and we are contracting that right now. I just want to give you an example because it pains me when somebody says federal government is not doing any when we have 41 sites there and we work with the governor every day. Request,an appropriate we are contracting that this afternoon. Thank you, admiral. As he said, the focus today is about reopening our schools good schools. As we talked about, the cdc has been issuing guidance for schools and Childcare Services in early march, march 12, to be specific. Theives us 15 days to slow spread and encourages people to engage in schooling from home wherever possible. They can continue to develop reopening plan and just last week published new guidance for. 12 schools in a few moments, they will be touing five new documents encourage safely to decisionmaking parents and caregivers and crate symptom screening considerations. Clear, we are here to help. None of the cdc recommendations state,ended to replace local rules and guidance. Stands ready to work with local officials as they tailor their plan or reOpening Schools. We are all committed to getting your kids back in the classroom this fall. For that, i want the secretary of education to reflect on their efforts and then a few wrapup. Omments the secretary of hhs thank you for hosting the task force here today. We are so grateful to you and the leadership for doing what is right for students. A conversation with great leaders and parents that was insightful and inspiring. Months, parents have worn multiple hats. They really are our unsung heroes. Noted, as are the teachers who were often playing dual roles as parents themselves and continuing to help their students learn. He has also said we simply cannot leave out our schools and that is so correct. Continuemust and can to learn fulltime. Theyre getting ready to do it again this fall. A couple of great examples in. Arlem this academy moved to Distance Learning in one week. Theyre learning new materials right along with the students. They had made sure all the students had the needed tech they did not have at home ,nitially Miamidade County using instructional continuity plans to make a seamless transition. The International Leadership academy in texas started from the mindset that not learning is ,ot an option for many students delivering multilingual curriculums to alter student spirit all their students. They did an awesome job of transitioning the spring and there is a lot in which i and state School Leaders were disappointed, and that they did not figure out how to serve their students. Too many just gave up. The center for reinventing Public Education found that only 12 across the board found any real curriculum or instruction said, i haveas i talked to all of the state School Chiefs at least once and they told me that while many districts in their states have number of them were very disappointed in doing nothing. And as we talk about reOpening Schools, there are some creating false paradigms. County, one of the most wellfunded, i would call it an elite Public School system in america, offered families a socalled choice for this phone. Forer zero days in school their students were two days. For two days and their springtime attempt at Distance Learning was a disaster. I bring this as an example because things like this cannot happen again in the fall it would fail American Students and taxpayers who pay high taxes for their education. Its not a matter of if, it simply a matter of how. Schools must fully open and be fully operational and how that happens is best left to education and community leaders. Somethingte reiterated yesterday at the white house, the Surgeon Generals prescription for health care. First, ask yourself your individual serve stance. Are you or someone in your home vulnerable . Second, what is going on in your community . Kind ofhink about the School Activity that you are thinking about how to accommodate into deal with. What needs to be in place for things to be successful. They needed new data for education and communities and weigh the risk. Local committees need to ask all the questions and consider all the risks. Physical health and safety are factors, and so is Mental Health and social emotional development. , so our losttly opportunities for student, particularly the most vulnerable among us and students with disabilities. The American Academy of pediatrics noted that keeping schools closed and adolescents at considerable risk of morbidity and mortality. The pediatrics guidance concluded that everyone dark with a goal of having students physically present in school. Operational means that students need a full year or more. Is clear is that students in families and families need education. I have thought hard about how to expand education for all america always was and is a country of doers. We are confident that with grit and determination, we can and will do what is right for all the students in our nation. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, mr. Vice president. I want toforemost, make it very clear that the guidance the cdc 10 used to put for reopeningonal and keeping our schools open. That is its purpose. Is acognize that there variety of unique circumstances with Different School district and so we have outlined a number of strategies that those schools and administrators can use to accomplish this goal safely. Clearwant to make it very that what is not part of the cdc guidelines is to be used it as a rationale to keep schools closed. We are prepared to work with each school, each jurisdiction to help them use the different strategies we have proposed so they come up with the optimal strategy for those schools i think it is critical and i would be personally very disappointed if i saw my agency individuals using these guidelines as a rationale for. Ot reopening our schools the additional guidelines we are about to put out the community to help open safely. Guidelines have come out along with consideration documents for parents and caregivers and guidelines for schools to help symptomt understand surveillance characterized symptoms in the schools as a and guidelines to really work on the ins and outs of using face masks, as well as finding some guidance in helping the schools have systems in which to monitor their programs. By i want to close reiterating that the purpose of requirementsis not and its purpose is to facilitate the reopening and the keeping open of schools in this country. It was critical to keep things open and use it safely. They will develop their own team to accomplish that. Opening up schools is the right thing for our kids they dont fall behind academically. Health and nutrition needs have the support you receive at the schools. Note forortant to parents and working families speak about the impact is to put america back to work with making it possible for Single Parents back in the workforce, it is essential we get our schools open as well. Secretarys glia and of course the secretary of hhs to finish our remarks. Mr. Vice president , it is good to be with you all today. Mentioned having our schools open, and as the Vice President has said, it is very portent as well to working with men and women across the country who need to be able to structure their workdays in a predictable manner and the expectation that schools will be open and parents in turn can have a predictable schedule they bring to the work lease. Thats important to our business places as well and is critically important to our national reopening. One study has suggested that if we closed all our schools and daycare for just a month, the impact would be in the order of 50 billion. To give you some sense of the impact it would have on our national recovery. First, lower wage workers. Wasof the great triumphs how well low income men and women were doing in the workplace. We had record low unemployment for africanamericans and others and we had rising wages. Races actually rose 15 for lower income for men and women during these feast first three years. Unfortunately, a number of people have observed this. Income workers who have been adversely affected by the response to the coronavirus. Unemployment among the lower income workers has been higher than for other populations, and reopenm, having schools so they can themselves have protectable schedules. They have jobs that are less and there areobs burdens being placed on parents who are staying up later and getting up a lot earlier to care for their children. But for lower income men and women, that option is not even available. Second, i will comment briefly on working women. Studies show that it is women in the household who often bear the larger burden when it comes to caring for children. Covid, another great for the success another Great Success for the economy we were enjoying the employment rate for women. Unfortunately, and this is a statistic we have been tracking, we see the art employment rate for women now is higher than it was for men. President tension the thatordinary jobs report brought 7 million americans back to work in just two months and droppedployment rate nearly 7 in june. Women willt working have a harder time getting back to the workplace. They continue to cite childcare as a reason they are not able to work, and again, reopening our schools will be very important work. Important the pace and structure of our National Life is built around the expectation that our young , inle will be in School Person during the school year. Its important for them but also vitally important for their parents. To keep going, we need our schools open in the fall. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, mr. Vice president , for the leadership. And, for the focus you are now putting on getting our kids safely back to school. Perspective Opening School safely may be the single most important we can do to support families during this pandemic. All decisions about undertaking activities have to look at risk as a continuum. States and School Districts can think about the same things we urge individuals to that as secretary devos noted the Surgeon General has come out with his prescription for health. Ask yourself these critical questions. Are we at . Who are we talking about . What activities are we looking about . There are less risky activities for cools such as keeping kids in the same classroom, avoiding large gatherings and doing activities outside whenever possible. ReOpening Schools comes with risk, but there are risks to keeping kids at home. Kids arent benefiting from social stimulation. They may be falling behind in. Earning or vulnerable to abuse they may not be getting special services they need the nutrition they need at school. It may be difficult for parents to get back to work. This isnt about health versus the economy, but about health versus health. All of this is why the American Academy of pediatrics has strongly recommended the goal of having students physically present in school. Way to use theht extensive guidance the cdc has to move through a safe reopening. We put out guidance around. Esting for k12 schools its guidance from one students and staff should be tested. Its a perfectly appropriate surveillance technique where the capacity exists. We talked to colleges and universities who are able to use their research lab capacity with their pooling of multiple samples to test their whole student bodies and staff thanks to regulatory flexibility that cms and the fda have provided. They are testing before returning to school and sentinel surveilled. On top of that, the measures we recommend universally like keeping distance and wearing face coverings are effective and can be applied in the collagen k12 setting. We put out guidance to enable and support School Districts reopening safely. The toolsem to use available to reduce risk and will put out more guidance on how to use these tools. On top of that, i will reiterate that our set of tools is expanding all the time. Just yesterday we signed a new agreement to provide billions in support for promising therapeutics all the way to manufacturing hundreds and thousands of doses for the American People. The initial doses would be available as soon as the end of the summer or early fall. That is the first of a number of therapeutic agreements. Promising therapeutics are already being administered every day with our Historic Health care workers. I want to thank these workers who continue to put themselves at risk. We know many frontline workers have gotten sick and some have given their lives, including to my employees in the Health Service at america is deeply grateful. We talked about how to bring American Kids and teachers back to school safely. This has to be a top priority. So thank you to mr. Trump and the president for putting such a focus on this important aspect. N the road to recovery mr. Vice president. In the president s call to reopen schools, is there a situation in some state where the Health Situation does not allow for this with states continuing distancelearning. We now see the present threatening to cut off funding for schools. Is that a serious threat and what would that look like . The government is trying to provide federal support as the state manages their own response. In the weekly reports we provide governors we are down to the county level in terms of new cases. I think you would account for the fact that while we hope every school in america is able to open this fall, there may be some states and local communities that given cases are positivity in that community that may adjust to a certain set of days and we will be very respectful of that. The president has made clear is that we think it is absolutely imperative that every state and territory in this country make steps and take steps to get kids back to the classroom in the fullest extent possible. Believe that every state has the ability to do that, but for individuals who may be seeing outbreaks, give them guidance and support to be able to implement the policies they deem most appropriate. Our mission here is to safely reopen our schools, and as you have heard, it is not just about kids learning and not falling behind academically. It is about all the Vital Services children receive letters. Its about working families in opening up america again. Wouldr second point, i tell you that 90 of Education Funding comes from the states, roughly 10 . As we work with congress on the next round of state support, we are going to be looking for ways to get states a strong incentive and encouragement to get kids. Ack to school the president tweeted this morning that he disagrees with the cdcs tough and expensive guidelines for reOpening Schools. You also disagree, and are you concerned you may be putting students and teachers at risk . The president and i spoke about that this morning. Think what you will see in the is very consistent with the president s subjective. We dont want cdc guidance to be a reason schools dont open. We want to partner with states with local education initiatives with governors and Health Officials to find a way to meet their needs and open up. President s statement this morning is simply reflective of that desire but we remain very that we are seeing not but 4712 education states and two territories have already published plans and guidance for reopening cools and we have reiterated that we are here to achieve that. As we said this morning, if there are aspects of recommendations that are ,rescriptive serve as a barrier that we want to governors and local officials to know that we are here to work with them. Here to support the measures they are putting into place. Every american knows that we can safely reopen our schools. Sure thatnt to make what we are doing doesnt stand in the way. When we are talking about the health of children shouldnt guidance be tough and shouldnt no expense be spared russian mark im going to ask bob redfield to speak to that. One thing ive seen as Vice President at this task force, ive been grateful for it, is that apart from having an Underlying Health condition, children do not appear to be susceptible to serious illness from the coronavirus. Dr. Birx can speak to that on a global basis and that has been a. Lessing americans as the secretary just said, we know that the risk of serious illness to children is very low and there are measures we can sure we place to make dont see the spread of the by having children learn outside or not go into larger settings. This is all guidance the cdc is putting forward, but im going to let bob redfield speak to that. We really do believe we can open given what weely have seen in terms of outcomes among children and the kind measures we think we can put into effect to prevent the spread. Thank you, mr. Vice president. To be clear that our recommendations for opening the schools are really based on sound Public Health and safety and health of children. I think youve heard already from some of the speakers that there are substantial Health Consequences the bfc as a consequence of schools being closed, whether it is access to Mental Health services or nutrition. Clearly, we know a lot, and i think it is important we dont react emotionally but based on data. Ability of this virus caused significant illness in children is very, very limited. We knew of the inflammatory disease but it is very rare. General, this virus is not caused significant illness to children. Secondly, unlike influenza, we have been able to show that it is schools in children to the , werument of transition really dont have evidence that children are driving the transition cycle of this. The most important thing is that we reopen schools and that we are prepared to work with every School District to help find the right mixture of strategies for them to do this safely. Our recommendations are not requirements and they are not prescriptive. We do want to reiterate is to remember the importance of protecting the vulnerable. That, we will be strong on. It is important to limit the ability of individuals with significant comorbidities, individuals who happen to be elderly with comorbidities. We want to limit those interactions in general and society, independent of schools. Let me say in response to your question, i would recommend the every American Review guidance issued by the American Academy of pediatrics, that released an important report indicating there are real physical and mental costs for children to be deprived of an inclassroom setting ranging from nutrition to children with special needs. We heard from the doctor that some 7 million children in america deal with Mental Health issues and the services and counseling they receive, they receive at their schools. So we want to put the health and wellbeing of our kids first. The fact that children do not seem to be susceptible to serious outcomes, we want to put the totality of their health and wellbeing forward. That tells this task force that we need to get our kids back to school. You have articulated the problem about the myriad risks your students face but what is your plan . To support thean schools. As you know, schools work built to socially distance, they were built to pack in as many kids as humanly possible, which is why one district that reason some districts have moved to this hybrid approach. . O what is the plan the plan is to continue to do would be have done from the very you heard the admiral describe the extraordinary commitment just one community alone and will be conveyed to governors is whatever support they need to get kids back to school, we make sure they have. We have the testing resources and are currently educating states on the possibility of working with commercial labs and what is called pooling come up so that literally there can be one test there aresamples that particularly universities that have already built their plans. We have made it very clear, whether it is testing, ppe, or other resources. To provide those resources to the states and we reiterated that once again to the governor. , because of the historic mobilization that President Trump initiated, we literally have hundreds of millions of supplies and personal protective equipment, 59,000 ventilators. Testing is scaling all across america and we know that come the school year, we will be ready to meet those needs. What is the infection rate among children and what do you know about how the virus transmits to older adults . Nearly a third of teachers across this country are 80 or older and what is the best practice in terms of testing children . Ive never heard of a case where a schoolchild was tested for covid19. Those are all good questions and it really comes to the Evidence Base of what we have in testing in children. If you look across all the tests we have done, the portion that has been the lowest tested portion is the under timyearold 10yearold. So we are putting in ways to get results and look at antibodies. Animatehave really done a great job in protecting their children and keeping infection rates in these new cases. Originally, we saw great protection of people with comorbidities. We are worried that as cases spread, it is getting to the older parents and grandparents. I call on every multigenerational household to get tested and we do know that there children with vulnerabilities. Certainly within the department of transportation it is protecting those people from getting exposed to the virus. We do now that there are children with korma bit these and children with cancer comorbidities and children with cancer. He said early on to test if you have symptoms, and we know that if you are under 18, the majority dont have symptoms. There are universities working around the country on a saliva test so it is easier for tube andto spit into a looking at that kind testing. Into bothat a quick vulnerable areas like nursing house assisted living and other places but also considering how a School District would use that would make it much easier to beingo all of those are worked on and why we are pushing on the antigen tests. We think it is important for testing of students and universities. But our data is skewed, originally to people with symptoms come and then to adults over 18, so we are looking very closely into the category using antibody tests. I think the Vice President cover that incredibly well. We know that mortality rates in under 25 is less than. 1 and so that has been holding. Until we know how many have been infected, we have no evidence that there is significant mortality in children and thats what we are looking for right now. To turn over every rock and to understand that in great, great detail. Mr. Vice president we all know cdc guidelines are not requirements but advice. When this president calls it tough where impractical, it makes it easier to ignore that advice. I have every confidence that officials are going to implement policies they think are in the best interest of children and families. President s sentiment this morning is shared widely by the American People and certainly by members of this we want to make it very clear that the guidance they are issuing is not to supplant the laws and rules at the state level. It is meant to create a range of and what we made clear specifically was that we are prepared at the cdc to sit down with state officials and work through their plan. And to be able to advise and dialogue with them about the best way forward. That in this role over the last four months, i have been impressed by governors andoth Political Parties Health Officials and Health Officials in oliveira territories. This i havelso say a great sense talking to that this is something the American People want to see haven and this is why you states that have already issued plans and guidelines. I have a question for you and one for dr. Redfield. Can you explain why the president is threatening to cut funding from schools at a time when educators are saying they need more . Foremost, what you heard from the president is just his determination to provide the kind of leadership from the federal level that says we are getting her kids back to school. Thats where they belong. We know that based upon what our best officials tell us that we can do that in a safe and responsible way. , the currentar cares act provided billions to support education efforts in states. We expect there will be Additional Support in congress. Very serious is for all the reasons we discussed today. We believe it is essential for our childrens Academic Development and for their and emotional health, to be back in the classroom, and we are going to provide that leadership from a federal level. You, iid i will tell sense a great desire among governors around the country to find a way forward and we have made it very clear to them that we are going to partner with them and provide them with the resources to unpack that. You have been describing it as a local decision. Decidet up to them to and not the president to pressure them to do so . We are going to respect those committees that may have challenges. I think if you look at the nation as a whole with the president of the United States is made clear is that he thinks as we reopen america, we need to pen American School spirit schools. Youre seeing the president provide leadership, and what we are providing from the task forces partnership with governors and state Health Officials because we have just got to get our kids back. I tell you, the best expert i know on this topic is my wife and she spoke at the summit yesterday eric compellingly. A lot of our kids are hurting their. Theyre struggling with loneliness and social isolation. The American Academy of pediatrics spoke about that. Very forceful statement from across the country that says we need to get our kids back into school. So what you are going to see is the present will continue to provide leadership. I expect expect as the debate , we will expected to go forward in the present has made clear that we have got to get back to school, into the classroom, and we can do it in a safe and responsible way. Dr. Redfield, youre talking about the guidance the cdc put out. It sounds like you are saying it is in the best interest of students to open. Are you going to change that guidance if the president says he does not like it . Reiterate thatto we are going to continue to work with local states and jurisdictions. Out gives a we put series of different strategies for them to sit or what is the most appropriate in their unique , and ion to adopt again want to come back to the goal. The goal of this is to get schools to reopen. Goal iso reiterate that not just a goal to reopen because we believe that is in the Public Health interest of the students the reasons you have heard. To develop oure guidance to meet the needs of schools and state that we continue to assist. [indiscernible] im sorry, i cant hear your question. Recommendsance social distancing of students and thats why the schools are adopting these hybrid models, because they dont feel they can keep students six feet apart within the building. Im just wondering if that particular guidance is something you are rethinking or do you support that social distancing . President said today, we just dont want the guidance to be too tough. Thats why the cdc will be issuing more guidance going forward, but we know each School System has unique capabilities and different facilities. What parents around the countrys not that we are here to help here to work with governors and local leaders to get our kids back to school. The truth is that as we reopen america got to reopen our theirs, for kids and academic two for working , and as we saw this week with nearly 5 million jobs created, ill promise the American People that we are staying focused. Protecting the vulnerable and reopening americas economy, schools, work and worship. Thank you all very much. We will talk to you in a few days. And now live to a hearing on the federal sponsor the coronavirus pandemic. We join in progress. In the africanamerican community. They exist because we have not. Nvested in the communitys from my perspective, to counter this, he put a lot of testing