Trump delivers remarks at Coronavirus Task Force Briefing
Well thank you very much. And good afternoon. Today i want to provide, an update, on our, response. To the china virus. And what my administration. Is doing to get the outbreak. In the sun belt, under control, seems, largely, in sun belt but could be spreading. My team is also working night and day with capitol hill to advance, the next economic. Relief package, we're working very hard on it we're making a lot of progress, i also. Uh. Know that uh both sides want to get it done. We'll call it phase four i think we're going to get it done we'll. Protect our workers, our schools, and our families, and, protect them very strongly. As one family. We mourn, every precious. Life that's been lost. I pledge in. Their honor that we will develop a vaccine. And we will defeat, the virus, we're doing very well with vaccine, development, and therapeutic. Development. But i want to thank our brave doctors, and nurses, and front line responders. The job they do is incredible, and they are truly brave. My administration. Will. Stop at nothing to save lives, and, shield the vulnerable, which is so important. We've learned so much about this disease. And we know who the vulnerable, are and we are going to indeed shield them. And again the vaccines, are coming and they're coming a lot sooner than anyone thought possible. By years. If you look at the old system and look at the new system, i think by years. The china virus, is a vicious and dangerous, illness but we've learned a great deal about it. And who it targets. We are. In the process, of. Developing. A, strategy, that's going to be, very very powerful, we've developed. As we go along, some areas of our country are doing very well others are doing less well. It will probably. Unfortunately, get worse before it gets better. Something i don't like saying, about things but that's the way it is it's the way it's what we have you look over the world it's all over the world. And it tends to do that the governors, are working, very very hard. And we are supporting, them 100 percent, everything, they. Need they get. And we are taking good care we have tremendous, supplies, and, a great supply, chain. Whether it's ventilators. Or, gowns, or. Just about anything they need. So that's a big, difference, from. Inheriting, very very empty, cupboards. The median, age of those who succumb, to the chiana virus, is 78. Years old. Roughly, half of all deaths have been individuals, in nursing homes or long-term. Care. In one study 90, of those hospitalized. Had underlying, medical, conditions. Whether it's heart or diabetes. But usually, it's. Some kind of a condition, it seems that people have that and if they do it's a problem no question about it. Young adults may often have mild or even. No symptoms, they won't even know they're sick. They won't have any idea, that they have a virus. They won't have any idea at all. America's, youth will act responsibly. And we're asking everybody, that. When you are, not able to socially, distance, wear a mask, get a mask. Whether you like the mask or not. They have an impact they'll have an effect, and we need everything we can get. Data shows children have the lowest, fatality. Risk. 99.96. Of all, virus. Fatalities. Are, in adults, think of that. So that's. Much much much less than one percent. For children. Young people. By understanding, these risk profiles. And. Learning how to treat the disease. We've been able to greatly reduce, mortality. In the united states, in fact we'll show you. A chart. And, how, well we do compared to the rest of the world we've. Have several treatments, already available, that significantly. Reduce, the severity, and, duration, of the disease, including, remdissevere. Which has been very successful. And. A widely available. Steroid, treatment. And we have many more happening and coming out we've learned. Best practices, for treatment of the virus. At every stage. And have shared these findings, with, medical, providers, and we've shared them all over the world. The relationship. With other countries, has been very strong we're all working together, this includes, ensuring, all hospitals. Are aware of the importance, of, different approaches, to, oxygen, treatment. Including, high flow oxygen, the importance of steroid, treatment for those. On ventilators. And, when you're on a ventilator. We've learned a tremendous, about the use of the ventilator. And. At the beginning, people. Never had an experience, like this. Where we needed so many ventilators, so fast and even the use of the vent letters but the doctors, have become.
Incredibly. And nurses, and helpers, have become. Incredibly. Good at the use of a ventilator, which is actually a very. Complicated. Procedure. And allocating. Remdi severe, to hospitals, based on new, admissions, since it works best early in hospitalization. And that's something that they've really started they're using it much earlier. Fatalities. Nationwide. Have fallen, 75, percent. Since mid-april. It's a great number. As cases, and fatalities. Rise in certain hard-hit, states which you're, looking at right now. We're surging, personnel. Supplies, and therapeutics, we again have. Tremendous, amounts of supplies. We are. In very good shape and we can move them quickly. Our case, fatality. Rate has continued, to decline, and. Is lower. Than the european, union, and almost everywhere, else in the world. If you watch american, television, you think that the united, states was the only country, involved, with and, suffering, from the china, virus. Well the world is suffering. Very badly. But the fact is that many countries. Are suffering. Very very very badly. And they've been, suffering, from this virus for a long time. We've done much better than most and with the fatality. Rate at a. Lower rate than most it's something that we can talk about but we're working again with them because we're helping a lot of countries, that people don't even know about i get calls all the time asking for help. Especially. As it pertains, to the ventilators, they need, help with ventilators, they have to get them, they're very hard to get. We're making thousands, now a month thousands of ventilators, a month it's been, quite amazing, we. Keep doing the good job and things will get. Better and better we'll be putting up charts. Behind me showing. Different, statistics. And different, rates of. Success, and i guess you could say also. Things that we can do better on. But you'll see them, they'll be, put up as we go in april. The average age of individuals, who tested positive, for the virus, was. Over 50 years old. Today the average age is significantly. Younger, hospital, lengths. Of, stay are almost, half, of what they were in april. So the stays are about half the rate of, cases, requiring, hospitalization. Has been reduced, and, mortality. Among those admitted to the hospital. Is nearly, one half of what it was in april we've learned a lot. We've learned a lot about this disease how to handle it the doctors, have learned a lot. Not only in the use of the ventilators, but in many other. Things and. Things are happening too like the rem deserver. And other elements steroids, etc, but these trends could change. Without our continued. And relentless. Focus and that's what we have we have a relentless, focus and it's been that way from the beginning. But we've learned so much. As you know in recent weeks we've seen a. Concerning, rise in the cases, in many parts of our. South. If you look at south, southwest. And west. This growth in cases, first began to appear in mid-june. Primarily, among 18, to 35, year olds. Many of whom were, asymptomatic. We're also facing the challenge, of a significant, spice in virus, cases, across the, rest of the western, hemisphere, including, mexico, mexico's. Been hit very very very hard. As you know the president, the great gentleman, was. Here two weeks ago and they have really been hit hard. Because we've achieved. A nearly, four-fold. Increase in testing capacity, in two months we're. Successfully. Identifying. More asymptomatic. And, mild, cases. Some cases so mild that you really don't even treat them, some cases. With children. Where they don't even know, that they're ill. And i guess they're not very ill, because they recover almost immediately, per capita, the u.s is, conducting, 50 percent, more tests than europe. And we've conducted, nearly three times as many tests as all of the other countries, in the western, hemisphere. Combined. The over, 50 million, tests. This allows, us to isolate, those who are infected. Even those without, symptoms. So we know exactly, where it's going, and, when it's going to be there. We're also working to reduce turnaround, time my administration. Has been aggressively, responding, to case growth. In the sun belt and we continue, to do so working very close with all governors, but, right now in particular, those governors, we're.
Coordinating. Closely with hospitals, and governors, in the last three weeks i've, sent senior, officials. Into nine states to meet with, governors, and provide, recommendations. To the. Various, leaders of the state including. Hospital, administrators. Etc. My administration. Currently has zero. Unfilled. Requests. For. Unfulfilled. Requests, for. Equipment, or anything else that they need from the governors, no governor, needs anything, right now and we think we'll have it that way. Till, the end because frankly. We are, stocked up and ready to go wherever we have to go we've nearly. Seven thousand, national, guard and military, medical, personnel, in texas, california, florida. And arizona, that's helping us greatly. Want to thank them very much the military, has been fantastic. We're closely, monitoring. Hospital, capacity, in these states hospitals, are open, for elective, surgeries. And other procedures, so hospitals, are open for elective, surgeries. We want americans, to get the medical, treatments, they need all of the governors. We've spoken with say they have. Enough bed capacity, that's a great thing. Our initial. Shutdown, was to prevent the overflow. Of our hospitals, and to allow us to meet the demands, caused by this global, pandemic. Including, the ventilators. And a permanent, shutdown, was. Really never an option in terms of what we're doing right now, this would be completely, unsustainable. Produce. Debilitating. Economic, fallback, and lead to catastrophic. Public health consequences. There are consequences. To shutdowns. And. We've saved. Potentially, millions, of lives by doing the initial, shutdown, but now we're. Very aware of this disease we understand the disease to a large extent, nobody's, going to maybe ever fully understand, it but we'll end up. With a cure, we'll end up with therapeutics. We'll end up with a vaccine, very soon. All three. We're instead asking, americans, to use masks. Socially, distance, and employ, vigorous, hygiene. Wash your hands every chance you get while sheltering. High risk, populations. We are imploring, young americans, to avoid, packed bars, and, other crowded, indoor gatherings, be safe. And be smart. We're surging, testing capacity. To identify, and isolate, cases, this includes, a newly approved testing, platform. To nursing homes across the south we're being very very vigilant, with respect to nursing homes because you know all of the problems, that we've had. With so many people so sadly. They were infected. So that all of the staff and residents, can be routinely, tested and isolated. To ensure our elderly are even more strongly, protected, than anybody else that's really the. High-risk. People, the high-risk. Wonderful, people. Once this current surge in cases declines, this same testing, platform, will enable people to visit. Their loved ones. After taking a test which is a big difference, ultimately, our goal. Is, not merely, to, manage, the pandemic, but to end it we want to get rid of it as soon as we can. That is why getting a vaccine, remains, a top. Priority. Two vaccine, candidates. Are entering the final stage of clinical, trials, this month. This was achieved in record time it used to be. Years before you were. In a position, like we are right now, four other vaccines, will enter final, trials, in. The following, weeks and we're mass producing, all of the top candidates, so that the first approved vaccine, will be available, immediately. And logistically. We have the military, ready to go we have. Great people logistic. Military. People a wonderful, general, who's. Waiting for the vaccine, so they can distribute, it in record time that's what's going to happen so, our military, is all set to go. We will deliver a vaccine. Therapeutics. Whatever it is is necessary. And defeat the virus, once and for all, and i'll take a few questions, if you'd like. I will say this i want to thank all of the staff the white house staff. All of the doctors, that we've been working with so closely, and it's just a lot of, very positive, things are happening it's a nasty. Horrible. Disease, that should have never been allowed to escape, china but it did. And it infected, the world, and the world is suffering, but we're going to get it taken, care of, and we're helping lots of other countries. John. Mr president, uh first i just wanted to get a clarification.
Your Press secretary, said today that you, sometimes, take more than one test a day, why is that, and how, well i didn't know about more than one i do take, probably, on average a test every uh two days three days and, i don't know if any time i've taken two tests in one day but i could see that happening, so republicans, and democrats, of on capitol hill both said that they want to see. More money for testing they want to send billions of dollars to the state so they can do more testing. And you probably saw mick mulvaney, the other day, i said that, his kids it took him a week to get test results back he said this is simply, inexcusable. Given where we are in the pandemic. Do you think we have a problem with testing in this country right now and are you in favor of more money for testing, we've done more testing by far than anybody, some of the tests because it is massive volume, it takes longer others of the tests as you know are very quick they're five minutes and 15-minute, tests. And those are frankly the ones that i prefer. But we're doing, massive, numbers, and the numbers are coming down. And as we go as an example, there are thousands, and thousands, of, kits being made right now which give you a 15, minute and a five minute test, so we'll be able to get those numbers down, those numbers are similar in other places. Uh they're also. Doing massive, numbers, numbers like nobody thought possible. But those numbers will be coming down i agree i think it's a good thing if we can do it are you in favor of more money for testing, well they're going to make a presentation. To me tonight, and tomorrow, on that. And again we're leading the world i think the second, country, at 12 may we're, we're going to be over 50, million tests. Second country is india, with 12 million. Then you have, 7 million 6 million and four million. I think that uh. We are doing tremendous, amount of testing but if if, if the doctors, and the professionals. Feel. That. Even though we're at a level that nobody ever dreamt possible, that they would like to do more, i'm okay with it why are your doctors not with you here today where's dr saucy dr burks well dr burks is right outside, yes please thank you mr president i've got two questions for you that's alright, um number one i just wanted to know, in november, do you want the american people to judge you. Do you want the american people to judge you on the ballot, in november, by how you've handled this pandemic, so far. This among other things i think the, american, people will, judge, us on this but they'll judge us on the economy, that i created, and that already we're creating we're setting record job numbers as you know. Uh i think we're going to have a very strong, year next year i think we're going to have a very strong third quarter. A very good. Fourth quarter but i think next year is going to be a record year, and i think they're going to judge me of that i think they're going to judge me on the tax cutting and the regulation. Cutting which, nobody's, ever done to the extent that we've been able to do it, on rebuilding, the military.
On How we've handled the va on the va. We got veterans, choice nobody thought that would be possible, that's been many decades, they've been trying to get veterans, choice. It's called, choice. Where they can go get a doctor if they have to wait online for two weeks or five weeks or two days. And frankly, that's been a great thing uh veterans accountability. I think they'll judge me on that. They'll judge me in all of the things we've done i don't think. And i think we can say this we're sure and it's never been even challenged, in three and a half years the first three and a half years. The first years of a presidency, i don't think any administration. Any president, has. Accomplished, so much as we've accomplished, from energy. To health to so many other things. And then this came in and, the the plague, i call it the plague, the plague came in, terrible, thing should have been stopped, wasn't stopped. It came in we had to shut things down to save. Potentially, millions of lives we did that, and now we've started, them up and uh. I think we've really started it up very successfully. Mr president, thank you mr brother i you've been saying for months the virus, would simply, disappear. And now you're saying that it's likely to get worse before it gets better, if it does keep getting worse if americans, keep dying, are you, responsible for that well the virus will disappear, it will disappear. I think that, i always like to say as you know either way when you look at it the governors, are working with me i'm working with the governor we're working. Hand in hand i think we're all responsible. I view it as a team. Very good relationships. With the governors, very very good relationships. Uh i could say i'm fully responsible. But you know one day we had a virus come in, and i closed the borders did a lot of things that were very good in fact dr fauci, said we saved, tens of thousands, of lives when i closed the border and nobody wanted to do it i wanted to do it, we closed the border. To china we put on the ban we didn't want people coming in from heavily infected, china. Fairly, shortly thereafter, i closed the borders, from, europe coming in from europe. Those were tremendous, moves we would have. If it's one person it's too much but we're at let's say 140. 000, we could have double triple quadruple, that, number if we didn't so, we did a lot of things right we did a lot of things right including, with equipment. So uh. It's a shame that it happened it shouldn't have happened, china should have stopped. It. My first question is we have a, very quick testing, platform here at the white house yes it's great you get tested you know very quickly. Do you think that, it would be easier to reopen, and restart, businesses, if we could produce more of those machines we're trying to do that great question we're trying very much to do that so, rather than sending your tests in and you know goes through the mail one day comes back another day no matter how, they send them, it's a day and a day so that's two days already wasted. And then if it spends by the time you get it back it's three or four days if they do an efficient job we're trying to get the testing on site, thank you i like it the best, my follow-up, my second question now it's a little bit, different topic but it's one that a lot of people are talking about. Um, just lane maxwell. Is in prison. And so a lot of people want to know if she's going to turn in powerful people and i know you've talked in the past about prince andrew. And, you've, criticized, bill clinton's behavior. I'm wondering. Do you feel that she's going to turn in powerful men how do you see that working out, i don't know i haven't really been following it too much i just wish her well frankly.
I've Met her numerous times over the years especially, since i lived in palm beach and, i guess they lived in palm beach. But i wish her well. Whatever it is uh i don't know the situation, with prince andrew, just don't know not aware of it. On, unemployment, insurance. How much below, six hundred dollars, are you willing to go, and, you said that the economy is bouncing back strong so why do we need to even cut it at all. Well the economy, is getting stronger, and i think we have a chance to have a very strong economy, especially, if some of the things that i just spoke about work. We want to have people. Go back and want to go back to work as opposed to be sort of forced into a position where they're making more money than. They expected, to make and the employers are having a hard time getting them back to work. So, that was a. Decision, that was made i was against that original decision, but they did that, it still worked out well because it gave people a lifeline, a real lifeline now we're doing it again. They're thinking about doing 70. Of the amount the amount would be the same but doing it in a little bit smaller, initial, amounts. So that. People are going to want to go back to work as opposed to making so much money, that they really don't have to, but we were very generous, with them i think that, uh, it's been a tremendously, successful, program the whole thing has been successful, if you look i mean we have, we're in a pandemic. And yet we're producing, tremendous, number of jobs, that was something that nobody thought possible. Okay mr president thank you very much yesterday, you said that wearing a mask was an act of patriotism. If that is the case why don't you do it more frequently, well i do actually do it when i need i mean i carry the mask when i have to go. I went into walter reed hospital. The other day i have the mask right here i carry it and i will use it gladly. No problem with it and i've said that and i say. If you, can. Use the mask, when you can use the mask, if you're. Close to each other if you're in a group i would put it on when i'm in a group, uh if i'm in an elevator, and there are other people with me including, like security, people, it's not their fault they have to be in the elevator i want to protect them also. I put on a mask. I will have i have no problem with the masks. I view it this way. Anything that potentially, can help, and that certainly can potentially, help. Is a good thing i have no problem, i carry it i wear it you saw me wearing it a number of times and i'll continue, please thank you. Thank you go ahead please are you sending mixed messages, yesterday you tweeted out an image wearing a mask, and then last evening, we saw you not wearing a mask at your hotel. Well i don't know uh the hotel i was pretty far away from people but, i would say this uh, i've explained it i think very. Well. If you're close together, i would put on the mask and if you're not, i would say that if you're. For instance i'll see like here you've been all tested i've been tested. Often times i'll be with people that are fully tested i've been tested. In theory you don't need the mask. I'm getting used to the mask and the reason is. Think about patriotism. Maybe it is, it helps. It helps, now. We have experts, that have said in the recent, past that masks. Aren't necessarily, good to wear you know that. But now they've changed their mind if they change their mind that's good enough for me so i wear it, when appropriate, please thank you mr president. Thank you sir, a, lot of americans, though may be surprised. At your, change of tone. Over all of this some more perhaps realistic, tone some would look at it that way, the sudden embrace of masks. Social, distancing. The, uh well i've always agreed with that i mean i've never fought. Either one but certainly, social distancing. I want to. It's it's that's common, sense, six feet to me is common sense i'd like to say maybe make it a little bit further, the idea that. Things will get worse, perhaps, before they get better here, and perhaps the realization. That this resurgence. If you will. Is for real when you used to talk about it in terms of little fires being put out, here and there, would you have that responsibility, no we have embers, and fires, and we have big fires, and, unfortunately, now florida, is uh. In a little tough, uh or in a big tough position. Uh you have a great governor, there you have a great governor in texas, you have, people that are very. Very skilled, people and i think they're going to handle it very well. Uh their hospital, capacities. Are holding, up, but texas, is a big state and it's very well run and so is florida, and, i think they'll do a very good job changing your tone though. Ask you about the issue of vaccines, which you already mentioned. Yesterday, a study by a chinese, company showed some promising, results for its coronavirus.
Vaccine, Candidate. If china were first in developing, the vaccine, or even if it weren't, would the administration. Be willing to work with china to bring a successful. Chinese vaccine, to the u.s, yeah we're willing to work with anybody, that's going to get us a good result. We're very close to the vaccine, i think we're going to have some, very good. Results we're already in testing nobody thought that would be possible, under the old system would be a year to two years before you could even think about, using the word testing. So i think we've had a lot of, and and the reason we're testing, they've had good results so now we have to see in the testing, also for safety. Because i have to make sure it's safe. And i think you're going to see something, over the next, fairly short period of time maybe very short period of time having to do with therapeutics, and vaccines. That are very good so we'll be doing these, quite often, we're going to keep you abreast, of this and we'll also talk about some of the other topics, like our economy, which is, doing well the stock market had another good day. I think they have a good day because they see, a lot of positive, things happening on this front too, thank you very much.
2020-07-29 00:32
