The country inclusive for everyone. And help is on the way the british developed trying thats taking a heavy load of aid to isolated areas. Of a number of confirmed coronavirus cases around the world is now more than 10000000 and there are warnings that time is running out to get the pandemic under control in the west affected country the United States several states are reporting record numbers of new infections the spikes are mainly concentrated in southern and western states mostly controlled by republicans even as Vice President mike pence claim to the country is flattening of more than 2500000 and factions have now been recorded across the us india has also announced its highest ever daily jump with nearly. In 2000 cases confirmed on sunday that takes the countrys total to nearly 530000 china says its launched a mass coronavirus testing scheme in beijing aiming at screening all 3000000. 00 people in the Education System tests have already begun for University Students and teaches
This hearing will come to order. I would like to welcome dr. Robert redfield, director of the centers for Disease Control and prevention and we thank you for being here this morning. Dr. Redfield, to discuss the cdc and the on going response to covid19. I also want to welcome the subcommittee members, Ranking Member congressman thomas pole and our full Committee Chair. I want to thank you to the subcommittee members here in person as well as subcommittee members who are participating by secure video teleconference. Before i move to my Opening Statement, and because this is our first labor hhs and education appropriation subcommittee hearing with some members participating remotely, i would like to begin by offering a brief explanation of how it will work in order to benefit both members and the public. This hearing room has been configured to maintain the recommended six foot social distancing between members, witnesses, and other individuals in in the room necessary to operate the hea
It has been several year, march of 2016, since our last hearing on the budget of the nations leading Public Health agency. Before i do a formal welcome and so forth, i want to i was made aware of this issue which is really very, very troubling and that is that the administration has ordered the Immigration Court to immediately remove coronavirus posters and it just says that the Immigration Court staff nationwide have been ordered by the administration to take down coronavirus posters from courtrooms and waiting areas. The executive office for immigration review which falls under the department of justice told all judges and Staff Members in an email monday that all of the coronavirus posters which explain in english and spanish thousand prevent catching and spreading the virus had to be removed immediately. I just want to say that whatever ones view is on any issue that we face in this nation, whatever your personal views are, whatever your ideology is, that we cannot, we cannot in th
Outbreak a global pandemic. Cdc has now reported that we have almost one thousand confirmed cases. That is up from 100 reported cases a week ago. A 900 increase. Americans are worried. They are scared. It is essential that we are able to hear directly from the Health Officials leading this effort with just the facts. Im going to go to the republican side first, which is where we left off. Before i do that, without objection, the following three letters we sent on march 3rd to hhs and cdc requesting basic information including about testing are entered into the record. We have not gotten any response to those letters. And with that i recognize mr. Higgins. Thank you, madam chair. Dr. Fouci, gentlemen, thank you for returning today. And let me ask dr. Fouci, do you lead the executives task force regarding our nations response to coronavirus . No, i dont, sir. Your status is what on the task force . I dont lead the task force. The task force is led by the Vice President. Youre the lead sc
Respirators used in manufacturing and in mining and in construction could be used in health care settings. They are very similar but not the same but could be used that way. And the only thing thats keeping a lot of manufacturers from selling those masks to the Broader Health care population is because of Liability Provisions or lack of liability protections. There is the public readiness Emergency Preparedness act passed in 2005 that basically indemnifies manufacturers, distributors, and users of these mafpks pardon me of users of products defind as a device or covered counter measure. So i happen to be on the staff that did that legislation in 2005. We did not consider a situation like this today. We thought about cac vaccines. Therapeutics. But not respirators to be the first and only line of defense for Health Care Workers. Thats an important capacity and capability is to include language or modify the prep act to include language to include rest pritory protective devices for that