>>> THIS IS AN NBC SPECIAL 
REPORT.
HERE IS LESTER HOLT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE WE'RE
COMING ON THE AIR TO BRING YOU A
NEWS CONFERENCE FROM PRESIDENT 
TRUMP IN WHICH HE IS EXPECTED TO
DECLARE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY TO 
COMBAT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.
HERE IS THE PRESIDENT.
>> BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE ROSE 
GARDEN.
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY BEING HERE.
TODAY I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE AN 
UPDATE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ON
SEVERAL DECISIVE NEW ACTIONS 
WE'RE TAKING IN OUR VERY 
VIGILANT EFFORT TO COMBAT AND 
ULTIMATELY DEFEAT THE 
CORONAVIRUS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD ON 
THIS.
WE'VE MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS.
WHEN YOU COMPARE WHAT WE'VE DONE
TO OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD, 
IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE
EARLY DESIGNATION AND THE 
CLOSING OF THE BORDERS.
AND AS YOU KNOW, EUROPE WAS JUST
DESIGNATED AS THE HOT SPOT RIGHT
NOW AND WE CLOSED THAT BORDER A 
WHILE AGO.
SO THAT WAS LUCKY -- THROUGH 
TALENT OR THROUGH LUCK -- CALL 
IT WHATEVER YOU WANT BUT THROUGH
A VERY COLLECTIVE ACTION AND 
SHARED SACRIFICE, NATIONAL 
DETERMINATION, WE WILL OVERCOME 
THE THREAT OF THE VIRUS.
I ALSO ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY 
NIGHT, FOLLOWING THE ADVICE OF 
OUR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, WE'RE
DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB AND WE 
APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH THAT WE 
ARE SUSPENDING THE ENTRY OF 
FOREIGN NATIONALS WHO HAVE BEEN 
TO EUROPE IN THE LAST 14 DAYS 
FROM ENTERING THE UNITED STATES.
CITIZENS, PERMANENT RESIDENTS, 
AND OUR FAMILIES, ANY OF THE 
FAMILIES RETURNING FROM EUROPE 
WILL BE SUBJECT TO EXTRA 
SCREENING AS WELL AS 
SELF-ISOLATION FOR A PERIOD OF 
14 DAYS.
AS THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
CONFIRMED TODAY, MANY OF THE 
THINGS, WHAT WE SAID WERE 100% 
CORRECT, INCLUDING OUR 
DESIGNATION BEFORE THEM OF 
EUROPE.
LIKE OUR EARLIER, VERY 
AGGRESSIVE ACTIONS WITH CHINA, 
THIS MEASURE WILL SAVE COUNTLESS
LIVES.
I APPRECIATE THE NUMBER OF THE 
FOLKS BEHIND ME.
A NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME
SAID THAT THAT SAVED A LOT OF 
LIVES, THAT EARLY DESIGNATION.
BUT IT IS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF 
WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING AND NOW 
WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT PHASE.
WE HAD SOME VERY OLD AND 
OBSOLETE RULES THAT WE HAD TO 
LIVE WITH.
IT WORKED UNDER CERTAIN 
CIRCUMSTANCES BUT NOT UNDER MASS
CIRCUMSTANCES.
THEY WERE THERE FOR A LONG TIME.
THEY WERE IN PLACE FOR A LONG 
TIME.
AND WE'RE BREAKING THEM DOWN 
NOW.
THEY'RE VERY USEABLE FOR CERTAIN
INSTANCES BUT NOT FOR THIS.
TO UNLEASH THE FULL POWER OF THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THIS 
EFFORT TODAY I AM OFFICIALLY 
DECLARING A NATIONAL EMERGENCY.
TWO VERY BIG WORDS.
THE ACTION I AM TAKING WILL OPEN
UP ACCESS TO UP TO $50 BILLION 
OF VERY IMPORTANTLY, VERY 
IMPORTANT AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF 
MONEY FOR STATES AND TERRITORIES
OR LOCALITIES IN OUR SHARED 
FIGHT AGAINST THIS DISEASE.
IN FURTHERANCE OF THE ORDER 
EMERGING EVERY STATE TO SET UP 
EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTERS 
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM 
SOME OF THE LARGEST COMPANIES 
AND GREATEST RETAILERS AND 
MEDICAL COMPANIES IN THE WORLD.
THEY'RE STANDING RIGHT BEHIND ME
AND TO THE SIDE OF ME.
I'M ALSO ASKING EVERY HOSPITAL 
IN THIS COUNTRY TO ACTIVATE ITS 
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN SO 
THAT THEY CAN MEET THE NEEDS OF 
AMERICANS EVERYWHERE.
THE HOSPITALS ARE VERY ENGAGED.
NEW YORK AND VARIOUS OTHER 
PLACES ARE VERY ENGAGED.
I JUST SPOKE WITH GOVERNOR 
CUOMO.
WE HAD A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION.
WE'RE WORKING VERY STRONGLY WITH
MANY STATES, INCLUDING NEW YORK.
THE EMERGENCY ORDERS I'M ISSUING
TODAY WILL ALSO CONFER BROAD NEW
AUTHORITY TO THE SECRETARY OF 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
THE SECRETARY OF HHS WILL BE 
ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY WAIVE 
PROVISIONS OF APPLICABLE LAWS 
AND REGULATIONS TO GIVE DOCTORS,
ALL HOSPITALS, AND HEALTH CARE 
PROVIDERS MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY TO
RESPOND TO THE VIRUS AND CARE 
FOR PATIENTS.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING 
CRITICAL AUTHORITIES.
THE ABILITY TO WAIVE LAWS TO 
ENABLE TELEHEALTH, A FAIRLY NEW 
AND INCREDIBLE THING THAT'S 
HAPPENED IN THE NOT SO DISTANT 
PAST.
I TELL YOU WHAT THEY'VE DONE 
WITH TELEHEALTH IS INCREDIBLE.
IT GIVES REMOTE DOCTORS VISITS 
AND HOSPITAL CHECK-INS THE POWER
TO WAIVE CERTAIN FEDERAL LICENSE
REQUIREMENTS SO THAT DOCTORS 
FROM OTHER STATES CAN PROVIDE 
SERVICES IN STATES WITH THE 
GREATEST NEED.
NUMBER TWO, THE ABILITY TO WAIVE
REQUIREMENTS THAT CRITICAL 
ACCESS HOSPITALS LIMIT THE 
NUMBER OF BEDS TO 25, AND THE 
LENGTH OF STAY TO 96 HOURS.
THE ABILITY TO WAIVE THE 
REQUIREMENTS OF A THREE-DAY 
HOSPITAL STAY PRIOR TO ADMISSION
TO A NURSING HOME, BIG THING.
THE AUTHORITY TO WAIVE RULES, 
HOSPITALS' ABILITY TO BRING 
ADDITIONAL PHYSICIANS ONBOARD OR
OBTAIN NEEDED OFFICE SPACE.
THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT.
THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO 
DO.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
NOW THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM 
GETTING IT DONE.
THE AUTHORITY TO WAIVE RULES 
THAT SEVERELY RESTRICT WHERE 
HOSPITALS CAN CARE FOR PATIENTS 
WITHIN THE HOSPITAL, ITSELF, 
ENSURING THAT THE EMERGENCY 
CAPACITY CAN BE QUICKLY 
ESTABLISHED.
WE'LL REMOVE OR ELIMINATE EVERY 
OBSTACLE NECESSARY TO DELIVER 
OUR PEOPLE.
THE CARE THAT THEY NEED AND THAT
THEY'RE ENTITLED TO.
NO RESOURCE WILL BE SPARED.
NOTHING WHATSOEVER.
TEN DAYS AGO I BROUGHT TOGETHER 
THE CEOs OF COMMERCIAL LABS AT 
THE WHITE HOUSE AND DIRECTED 
THEM TO IMMEDIATELY BEGIN 
WORKING ON A SOLUTION TO 
DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE 
AVAILABILITY OF TESTS.
OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE CALLED US 
AND WORKED WITH US AND THEY ARE 
DOING SIMILAR TNGS OR WILL BE 
DOING SIMILAR THINGS.
AS A RESULT OF THAT ACTION 
TODAY, WE ARE ANNOUNCING A NEW 
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE 
SECTOR TO VASTLY INCREASE AND 
ACCELERATE OUR CAPACITY TO TEST 
FOR THE CORONAVIRUS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE 
WHO NEED A TEST CAN GET A TEST 
VERY SAFELY, QUICKLY, AND 
CONVENIENTLY.
BUT WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE
A TEST IF -- IF WE FEEL THAT 
THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING IT.
WE DON'T WANT EVERYONE RUNNING 
OUT AND TAKING IT.
ONLY IF YOU HAVE CERTAIN 
SYMPTOMS.
USING FEDERAL EMERGENCY 
AUTHORITIES THE FDA APPROVED A 
NEW TEST FOR THE VIRUS.
WE DID THIS WITHIN HOURS AFTER 
RECEIVING THE APPLICATION FROM 
ROCHE, A PROCESS THAT WOULD 
NORMALLY TAKE WEEKS.
WE THEREFORE EXPECT UP TO 
500,000 ADDITIONAL TESTS WILL BE
AVAILABLE EARLY NEXT WEEK.
WE'LL BE ANNOUNCING LOCATIONS 
PROBABLY ON SUNDAY NIGHT.
I WANT TO THANK ROCHE.
A GREAT COMPANY.
FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE WORK.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THERMAL 
FISHER.
THE FDA GOAL IS TO HOPEFULLY 
AUTHORIZE YOUR APPLICATION 
WITHIN 24 HOURS.
IT'LL GO VERY QUICKLY AND IS 
GOING VERY QUICKLY.
IT WILL BRING ADDITIONALLY 
1.4 MILLION TESTS ONBOARD NEXT 
WEEK AND 5 MILLION WITHIN A 
MONTH.
I DOUBT WE'LL NEED ANYWHERE NEAR
THAT.
AT THE SAME TIME WE'VE BEEN IN 
DISCUSSIONS WITH PHARMACIES AND 
RETAILERS TO MAKE DRIVE THROUGH 
TESTS AVAILABLE IN THE CRITICAL 
LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED BY PUBLIC 
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
THE GOAL IS FOR INDIVIDUALS TO 
BE ABLE TO DRIVE UP AND BE 
SWABBED WITHOUT HAVING TO LEAVE 
YOUR CAR.
I WANT TO THANK GOOGLE.
GOOGLE IS HELPING DEVELOP A 
WEBSITE THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY
QUICKLY DONE UNLIKE WEBSITES OF 
THE PAST TO DETERMINE WHETHER A 
TEST IS WARRANTED AND TO 
FACILITATE TESTING AT A NEARBY 
CONVENIENT LOCATION.
WE HAVE MANY, MANY LOCATIONS 
BEHIND US BY THE WAY.
WE COVER THE -- THIS COUNTRY AND
LARGE PARTS OF THE WORLD BY THE 
WAY.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE TALKING 
ABOUT THE WORLD RIGHT NOW BUT WE
COVER VERY STRONGLY OUR COUNTRY.
STORES IN VIRTUALLY EVERY 
LOCATION.
GOOGLE HAS 1,700 ENGINEERS 
WORKING ON THIS RIGHT NOW.
THEY'VE MADE TREMENDOUS 
PROGRESS.
OUR OVER RIDING GOAL IS TO STOP 
THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS AND TO 
HELP ALL AMERICANS WHO HAVE BEEN
IMPACTED BY THIS.
AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT EVERYBODY 
TAKING THIS TEST.
IT IS TOTALLY UNNECESSARY.
THIS WILL PASS.
THIS WILL PASS THROUGH AND WE'RE
GOING TO BE EVEN STRONGER FOR 
IT.
I WANT TO THANK DEBRA BURKS AND 
ASK HER TO MAYBE COME UP AND SAY
A FEW WORDS AS TO WHAT IS 
HAPPENING.
DR. BURKS IS A HIGHLY RESPECTED 
PERSON.
I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW HER VERY 
WELL OVER THE LAST SIX DAYS AND 
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS REBUILT 
SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY OLD, 
VERY OLD FASHIONED.
SOMEWHAT OBSOLETE.
CERTAINLY OBSOLETE WHEN IT COMES
TO THE KIND OF NUMBERS WE'RE 
TALKING ABOUT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH 
ALL OF YOU.
I THINK YOU KNOW AT THE 
BEGINNING OF THIS EPIDEMIC HHS 
THROUGH CDC PROACTIVELY 
DEVELOPED AN ASSAY BUILT ON THE 
EXISTING FLU SURVEILLANCE 
SYSTEM.
IT WAS THEN CONVERTED TO 
DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM.
BUT LAST TUESDAY, SEEING THE 
SPREAD OF THE VIRUS AROUND THE 
GLOBE, THE PRESIDENT REALIZED 
OUR CURRENT APPROACH TO TESTING 
WAS INADEQUATE TO MEET THE NEEDS
OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.
HE ASKED FOR AN ENTIRE OVERHAUL 
OF THE TESTING APPROACH.
HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE 
PRIVATE SECTOR LABORATORIES TO 
THE WHITE HOUSE AS NOTED AND 
CHARGED THEM WITH DEVELOPING A 
HIGH QUALITY PLATFORM THAT CAN 
MEET THE NEEDS OF THE AMERICAN 
PUBLIC.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO LAB CORP AND 
QUEST FOR TAKING UP THE CHARGE 
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MEETING 
AND WITHIN 72 HOURS BRINGING 
ADDITIONAL TESTING ACCESS 
PARTICULARLY TO THE OUTBREAK 
AREAS OF WASHINGTON STATE AND 
CALIFORNIA AND NOW ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.
WE ARE ALSO VERY GRATEFUL TO THE
UNIVERSITIES AND LARGE HOSPITAL 
SYSTEMS THAT TOOK UP THE CHARGE 
TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN QUALITY 
TESTS MADE AVAILABLE BY NEW FDA 
GUIDANCE.
THIS HAS RESULTED IN EXPANDED 
TESTING ACROSS NEW YORK, 
CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, 
COLORADO, AND YOU SEE SOMETIMES 
THOSE DRIVE THROUGH OPTIONS THAT
HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH
THESE HIGH THROUGHPUT OPTIONS.
FOLLOWING THE MEETING LAST WEEK 
MAJOR COMMERCIAL LABORATORY 
EQUIPMENT AND DIAGNOSTIC 
COMPANIES TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION 
TO ADOPT AND DEVELOP NEW TESTING
SYSTEMS.
LAST NIGHT, THE INITIAL COMPANY,
ROCHE, RECEIVED FDA APPROVAL, 
MOVING FROM REQUEST TO 
DEVELOPMENT TO APPROVAL IN 
RECORD TIME.
THIS INNOVATIVE APPROACH 
CENTERED FULLY ON UNLEASHING THE
POWER OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR 
FOCUSING ON PROVIDING CONVENIENT
TESTING TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF AMERICANS WITHIN SHORT 
TURN-AROUND TIMES.
IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TOGETHER,
WE HAVE DEVELOPED A SOLUTION 
THAT WE BELIEVE WILL MEET THE 
FUTURE TESTING NEEDS OF 
AMERICANS.
I UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT THIS 
HAS BEEN.
I WAS PART OF THE HIV/AIDS 
RESPONSE IN THE '80s.
WE KNEW FROM FIRST FINDING CASES
IN 1981 IT TOOK US TO ALMOST 
1985 TO HAVE A TEST.
IT TOOK US ANOTHER 11 YEARS TO 
HAVE EFFECTIVE THERAPY.
IT IS BECAUSE OF THE LESSONS 
LEARNED FROM THAT THAT WE WERE 
ABLE TO MOBILIZE AND BRING THOSE
INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE KEY TO THE
HIV RESPONSE TO THIS RESPONSE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF THIS 
BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACTION OVER 
THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS WAS 
INVISIBLE TO THE PRESS AND THE 
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
THIS INTENSE EFFORT HAS NOT ONLY
RESULTED IN INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
BUT IN AUTOMATED, HIGH 
THROUGHPUT SYSTEM BRINGING THE 
AVAILABILITY OF THESE QUALITY 
CORONAVIRUS TESTS TO THE 
AMERICAN PEOPLE AT UNPRECEDENTED
SPEED.
FINALLY, I WANT YOU TO KNOW IN 
SOUTH KOREA THEY DID HAVE A 
LARGE NUMBER OF TESTS AVAILABLE 
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS.
THEIR POSITIVITY RATE IS BETWEEN
3% AND 4%.
WITH LAB CORP AND QUEST EXPANDED
TESTING THEIR POSITIVE DITTY 
RATE IS BETWEEN 1% AND 2%.
WE WANT TO ALSO ANNOUNCE THIS 
NEW APPROACH TO TESTING, WHICH 
WILL START IN THE SCREENING 
WEBSITE, UP HERE, FACILITATED BY
GOOGLE, WHERE CLIENTS AND 
PATIENTS AND PEOPLE OF INTEREST 
CAN GO, FILL OUT A SCREENING 
QUESTIONNAIRE, MOVE DOWN FOR 
SYMPTOMS OR RISK FACTORS, YES, 
THEY WOULD MOVE DOWN THIS AND BE
TOLD WHERE THE DRIVETHROUGH 
OPTIONS WOULD BE FOR THEM TO 
RECEIVE THIS TEST.
THE LABS WILL THEN MOVE TO THE 
HIGH THROUGHPUT, AUTOMATED 
MACHINES TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE 
RESULTS IN 24 TO 36 HOURS.
THAT IS THE INTENT OF THIS 
APPROACH.
WE HAVE SEEN IT WORK.
JUST IN OUR OWN UNITED STATES.
AND WE WANT TO BRING THIS ACROSS
THE CONTINENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> I'D LIKE TO HAVE TONY -- I 
THINK EVERYBODY OUT HERE KNOWS 
YOU PRETTY WELL BUT TONY HAS 
BEEN DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB 
WORKING LONG, LONG HOURS AND 
YOU'VE SEEN A LOT HAPPEN BUT 
THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE
AND WORKING WITH YOU HAS BEEN 
TERRIFIC.
TONY, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. 
PRESIDENT.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ANOTHER 
EXAMPLE OF WHAT I HAVE BEEN 
REFERRING TO IN MY DISCUSSIONS 
WITH MANY OF YOU IN THE 
AUDIENCE.
AS A PROACTIVE LEANING FORWARD, 
AGGRESSIVE, TRYING TO STAY AHEAD
OF THE CURVE.
AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING NOW WITH 
THIS ORDER IS THAT WE'RE GOING 
TO BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE 
CONSTRAINTS SO THAT PEOPLE AT 
THE STATE, LOCAL LEVEL, THE 
INDIVIDUAL PHYSICIAN, ALL THE 
WAY UP THROUGH THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE AS MANY 
CONSTRAINTS AS POSSIBLE REMOVED 
FOR THEM TO DO EVERYTHING THEY 
POSSIBLY CAN SO THAT WE CAN 
IMPLEMENT THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN 
TALKING ABOUT.
THE CONTAINMENT, THE MITIGATION,
SO THAT AS I'VE SAID MANY TIMES 
THAT CURVE THAT I REFERRED TO 
THAT GOES UP, WE DON'T WANT TO 
HAVE THAT CURVE.
WE WANT TO SUPPRESS IT DOWN TO 
THAT SMALL MOUND.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'VE DONE 
TODAY IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING
TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT ELEMENT 
IN HAVING US BE SUCCESSFUL IN 
DOING THAT.
WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
THERE WILL BE MANY MORE CASES.
BUT WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT.
AND ULTIMATELY AS THE PRESIDENT 
SAID, THIS WILL END.
BUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE TODAY 
IS GOING TO HELP IT TO END 
SOONER THAN IT WOULD HAVE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, TONY.
IF I COULD, SOME OF THESE FOLKS 
WE KNOW, CELEBRITIES IN THEIR 
OWN RIGHT, THE BIGGEST BUSINESS 
PEOPLE, THE GREATEST RETAILERS, 
ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
AND ONE OF THEM IS DOUG McMILLAN
FROM WALMART.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE DOUG, IF YOU 
WOULD, SAY A FEW WORDS WHEREVER 
YOU MAY BE.
DOUG, PLEASE.
>> WHEN WE GOT THE CALL 
YESTERDAY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE 
WE WERE EAGER TO DO OUR PART TO 
HELP SERVE THE COUNTRY AND GIVEN
WHAT WE'RE FACING THAT IS 
CERTAINLY IMPORTANT TO DO.
WE SHOULD ALL BE DOING THAT.
WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO MAKE 
PORTIONS OF OUR PARKING LOT 
AVAILABLE IN SELECT LOCATIONS IN
THE BEGINNING AND SCALING OVER 
TIME AS SUPPLY INCREASES SO THAT
PEOPLE CAN EXPERIENCE THE DRIVE 
THROUGH EXPERIENCE THE PRESIDENT
DESCRIBED.
WE'LL STAY INVOLVED IN EVERY WAY
WE CAN FROM THE SUPPLY CHAIN 
POINT TO BE OF ASSISTANCE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'LL STAY RIGHT OVER HERE.
RICHARD, IF YOU WOULD COME UP 
PLEASE.
WALGREENS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
SIMILAR TO DOUG AND WALMART WE 
ARE HAPPY TO STAND IN HERE AND 
HELP IN COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS 
AMERICA BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES 
WHEN WE HAVE NATURAL DISASTERS, 
OUR STORES ARE A BEACON IN THE 
COMMUNITY, AND THIS SITUATION IS
NO DIFFERENT.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING
WITH THE CDC, THE 
ADMINISTRATION, HHS, AND THE 
TASK FORCE AND SPECIFICALLY TO 
THE VICE PRESIDENT IS DOING SUCH
A FANTASTIC JOB WE'RE READY TO 
ENGAGE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BRIAN CORNELL, TARGET.
THANK YOU, BRIAN.
>> WELL, MR. PRESIDENT, THANK 
YOU FOR INVITING US HERE TODAY, 
ALONG WITH OUR COLLEAGUES FROM 
WALMART AND WALGREENS AND OUR 
PARTNERS AT CVS.
NORMALLY YOU WOULD VIEW US AS 
COMPETITORS BUT TODAY WE ARE 
FOCUSED ON A COMMON COMPETITOR 
AND THAT IS DEFEATING THE SPREAD
OF CORONAVIRUS AND LOOK FORWARD 
TO WORKING WITH THE 
ADMINISTRATION TO DO OUR FAIR 
SHARE TO ALLEVIATE THIS GROWING 
THREAT.
SO THANK FOR INCLUDING US TODAY.
IN THE NEAR TERM WE'RE ALL 
COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE WE'RE 
KEEPING OUR STORES OPEN TO SERVE
THE AMERICAN CONSUMER WHO IS 
RAPIDLY STOCKING UP ON HOUSEHOLD
ESSENTIALS, KEY FOOD AND 
BEVERAGE ITEMS THAT THEY NEED 
DURING THIS TIME, MAKING SURE WE
RUN SAFE STORES, AND CREATING AN
ENVIRONMENT THAT'S SAFE FOR OUR 
TEAM MEMBERS, MAKING SURE THEY 
FEEL SUPPORTED DURING THIS VERY 
CRITICAL TIME.
THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING US.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GREAT JOB.
IS TOM HERE?
PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AS 
CEO OF BECK AND DICKINSON ONE OF
THE LEADING PROVIDERS OF MEDICAL
DEVICES AS WELL AS COLLECTION 
PRODUCTS FOR TESTING OF 
CORONAVIRUS, WE ARE RAMPING UP 
OUR MANUFACTURING CAPACITY TO 
ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT COLLECTION
DEVICES AND TESTING EQUIPMENT 
ARE READY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
>> GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
STEVEN RATAJKOWSKI, QUEST 
DIAGNOSTICS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AS MENTIONED WE WERE CALLED 
THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE 
VICE PRESIDENT LAST WEEK TO COME
TOGETHER AS AN INDUSTRY AND WE 
TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT 
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE 
FDA, TO WORK WITH THE CENTER FOR
DISEASE CONTROL, AND WE ARE UP 
AND RUNNING WITH TESTS IN A 
NUMBER OF OUR FACILITIES.
AS THE PRESIDENT MENTIONED WE 
NOW HAVE CAPABILITIES FROM ROCHE
DIAGNOSTICS WE WILL BRING INTO 
OUR FACILITIES THIS WEEKEND AND 
I KNOW, MYSELF, AND US, MY 
COLLEAGUE AT LAB CORP WILL BE 
DOING THE SAME.
SO THE CAPACITY AVAILABLE TO THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC TO SUPPORT THIS 
ACTION WITH CONSUMERS WILL BE 
CONSIDERABLY INCREASED IN THE 
NEXT FEW WEEKS.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE IT.
AND MATT, THANK YOU, MATT, OF 
ROCHE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
SO FROM ROCHE WE WANT TO THANK 
THE FDA FOR THEIR RAPID APPROVAL
OF OUR CORONAVIRUS TEST.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE 
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CDC AND FDA
TO GET THAT TO MARKET AS FAST AS
POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT IS CRITICAL 
FOR US TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE TO
HELP PATIENTS IN NEED AND 
WORKING WITH LABORATORIES TO GET
IT UP AND GOING IN THE NEAR 
FUTURE WHICH WILL BRING HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF TESTS AVAILABLE 
TO PATIENTS IN NEED IN THE 
UNITED STATES.
THANK YOU.
>> YOU CAN DO IT.
YOU CAN DO IT.
GREAT COMPANY.
DAVID PIERRE OF SIGNIFY HEALTH, 
PLEASE?
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
WE ARE THE LARGEST HOUSE CALL 
PROVIDER IN THE U.S. AND WE GO 
TO THE HOMES OF THE MOST 
VULNERABLE, ELDERLY, AND THROUGH
OUR NETWORK AND OUR LOGISTICS 
ENGINE WE STAND READY TO HELP 
AND PROVIDE OUR CLINICIANS TO BE
WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED WHETHER IN 
RETAIL CLINICS OR IN THE HOME 
AND WE'RE HERE TO ASSIST.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL BE CHANGING A LOT OF THE 
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR FUTURE
SHOULD THIS HAPPEN IN THE 
FUTURE.
WE'RE HOPING IT NEVER HAPPENS 
BUT IT WILL, THERE ARE SOME BAD 
ONES OVER THE YEARS AND I GUESS 
THAT'LL CONTINUE TO AN EXTENT 
BUT WE HOPE IT NEVER HAPPENS BUT
WE ARE GOING TO BE CHANGING A 
LOT OF THE OLD RULES AND 
SPECIFICATIONS AND REGULATIONS.
ADAM SHECHTER, WHO'S REALLY BEEN
OF TREMENDOUS HELP, LAB CORP, 
PLEASE?
ADAM?
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
AT LAB CORP WE'RE WORKING EVERY 
SECOND OF EVERY DAY TO INCREASE 
THE NUMBER OF TESTS THAT WE CAN 
RUN.
WE'RE WORKING WITH ACADEMIC 
MEDICAL CENTERS, WITH OUR 
COLLEAGUES AT QUEST, WITH OTHER 
HOSPITAL AND OTHER LABORATORIES 
TO ENSURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING 
WE CAN TO INCREASE THE TESTING 
AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I CAN TELL YOU WE UNDERSTAND HOW
IMPORTANT THE TESTING IS AND WE 
ARE COMMITTED TO DOING 
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE.
>> THANK YOU.
GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU.
THOMAS MORIARITY, CVS.
WE ALL KNOW CVS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED SINCE THE 
START OF MAKING SURE OUR 
PATIENTS AND THE CUSTOMERS WE 
SERVE HAVE THE INFORMATION AND 
SAFETY THEY NEED.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH
THE ADMINISTRATION AND LOCAL 
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS TO MAKE 
THIS WORK AS WELL.
AND THANK YOU, SIR, FOR THE 
HONOR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANKS.
>> GREAT JOB.
AND BRUCE GREENSTEEN, LHC GROUP,
TREMENDOUSLY TALENTED PEOPLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR 
THE HONOR OF BEING HERE.
THE HOME HEALTH INDUSTRY HAS 
BEEN TREATING PATIENTS AND 
SENIORS IN THE SAFETY AND 
COMFORT OF THEIR OWN HOME FOR 
DECADES.
WE'RE VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF 
THE EQUATION FOR TESTING IN 
THEIR OWN HOME.
FOR AMERICANS THAT CAN'T GET TO 
A TEST SITE OR LIVE IN RURAL 
AREAS FAR AWAY FROM THE RETAIL 
ESTABLISHMENT, WE'RE HERE TO 
HELP TO PARTNER WITH HOSPITALS 
AND PHYSICIANS AS WELL AS PEOPLE
WE HAVE HERE TODAY DOING TESTING
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
THANK YOU.
>> PRACTICE THAT.
>> OKAY.
I LIKE THAT.
THAT'S GOOD.
ALSO ANNOUNCING THE FOLLOWING 
EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE ACTIONS 
TODAY.
TO HELP OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR 
FAMILIES I'VE WAIVED INTEREST ON
ALL STUDENT LOANS HELD BY 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND 
THAT WILL BE UNTIL FURTHER 
NOTICE.
THAT'S A BIG THING FOR A LOT OF 
STUDENTS THAT ARE LEFT IN THE 
MIDDLE RIGHT NOW.
MANY OF THOSE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN 
CLOSED.
BASED ON THE PRICE OF OIL, I'VE 
ALSO INSTRUCTED THE SECRETARY OF
ENERGY TO PURCHASE AT A VERY 
GOOD PRICE LARGE QUANTITIES OF 
CRUDE OIL FOR STORAGE IN THE 
U.S. STRATEGIC RESERVE.
WE'RE GOING TO FILL IT RIGHT UP 
TO THE TOP SAVING THE AMERICAN 
TAXPAYER BILLIONS AND BILLIONS 
OF DOLLARS, HELPING OUR OIL 
INDUSTRY AND MAKING US EVEN 
FURTHER TOWARD THAT WONDERFUL 
GOAL WHICH WE'VE ACHIEVED WHICH 
NOBODY THOUGHT WAS POSSIBLE OF 
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE.
IT PUTS US IN A POSITION THAT IS
VERY STRONG AND WE'RE BUYING IT 
AT THE RIGHT PRICE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD 
HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN POSSIBLE A 
WEEK AGO.
THE PRICE OF OIL WENT DOWN QUITE
A BIT SO WE'RE GOING TO FILL IT 
UP.
THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO FILL IT 
UP.
LIKE TO ASK MIKE PENCE TO SAY A 
FEW WORDS, PLEASE, V.P.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
IT IS -- THIS DAY SHOULD BE AN 
INSPIRATION TO EVERY AMERICAN.
BECAUSE THANKS TO YOUR 
LEADERSHIP, FROM EARLY ON, NOT 
ONLY ARE WE BRINGING THE WHOLE 
OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO 
CONFRONTING THE CORONAVIRUS, 
WE'RE BRINGING AN ALL OF AMERICA
APPROACH.
MR. PRESIDENT, FROM EARLY ON YOU
TOOK DECISIVE ACTION.
YOU SUSPENDED ALL TRAVEL FROM 
CHINA, YOU CREATED TRAVEL 
ADVISORIES, SOUTH KOREA AND 
ITALY, WE SCREENED ALL TRAVELERS
FROM ALL AIRPORTS IN BOTH OF 
THOSE COUNTRIES.
AND ON THE UNANIMOUS 
RECOMMENDATION OF YOUR HEALTH 
EXPERTS, YOU AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT
WILL EFFECTIVELY SUSPEND ALL 
TRAVEL FROM EUROPE AND AMERICANS
THAT WERE RETURNING WILL BE 
SCREENED AND ASKED TO 
VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE IN A 
14-DAY QUARANTINE.
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, MR. 
PRESIDENT, YOU'VE PUT THE HEALTH
OF AMERICA FIRST.
BUT YOU'VE BROUGHT THE BEST OF 
AMERICA TO ADDRESS IT.
IT'S NOT JUST AT THE FEDERAL 
LEVEL.
AS YOU SAID, MR. PRESIDENT, 
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STATES 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE ISSUED BROAD GUIDELINES FOR 
EVERY AMERICAN BUT THIS WEEK AT 
YOUR DIRECTION WE TAILORED 
SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FROM 
CDC FOR NEW YORK, WASHINGTON 
STATE, CALIFORNIA, 
MASSACHUSETTS, AND FLORIDA.
AND WE'VE BEEN IN CONTINUOUS 
CONTACT, AS YOU SAID, WITH 
GOVERNORS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE FORGED A
SEAMLESS PARTNERSHIP WITH EVERY 
STATE AND EVERY TERRITORY IN 
THIS COUNTRY TO PUT THE HEALTH 
OF OUR NATION FIRST.
BUT TODAY I TRUST THAT PEOPLE 
AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT ARE 
LOOKING ON AT THIS EXTRAORDINARY
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP 
TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF TESTING 
WITH PARTICULAR INSPIRATION.
AFTER YOU TAPPED ME TO LEAD THE 
WHITE HOUSE CORONA TASK FORCE, 
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU SAID, THIS IS
ALL HANDS ON DECK.
AND YOU DIRECTED US TO 
IMMEDIATELY REACH OUT TO THE 
AMERICAN BUSINESS SECTOR, 
COMMERCIAL LABS, TO MEET WHAT WE
KNEW THEN WOULD BE THE NEED FOR 
TESTING ACROSS THE SPECTRUM.
AND TODAY WITH THIS HISTORIC 
PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WE 
HAVE LAID THE FOUNDATION TO MEET
THAT NEED.
FOR AMERICANS LOOKING ON, BY 
THIS SUNDAY EVENING WE'LL BE 
ABLE TO GIVE SPECIFIC GUIDANCE 
ON A -- ON WHEN THE WEBSITE WILL
BE AVAILABLE.
YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE AS THE
PRESIDENT SAID.
YOU TYPE IN YOUR SYMPTOMS AND 
YOU'LL BE GIVEN DIRECTION 
WHETHER OR NOT A TEST IS 
INDICATED.
THEN AT THE SAME WEBSITE YOU'LL 
BE DIRECTED TO ONE OF THESE 
INCREDIBLE COMPANIES THAT ARE 
GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF 
THEIR PARKING LOT SO THAT PEOPLE
CAN COME BY AND DO A DRIVE BY 
TEST.
MR. PRESIDENT, I WANT TO JOIN 
YOU IN THANKING WALMART AND CVS 
AND TARGET AND WALGREEN.
THESE ARE COMPANIES THAT ARE 
SYNONYMOUS WITH COMMUNITIES, 
LARGE AND SMALL, WHERE PEOPLE 
COME TOGETHER.
AND NOW THEY'RE GOING TO COME 
TOGETHER TO MEET THE NEED OF THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC.
THESE COMMERCIAL LABORATORIES, 
LABCORP AND QUEST AND ROCHE HAVE
DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB STEPPING 
FORWARD AND ARE GOING TO 
LITERALLY MAKE HUNDREDS OF 
THOUSANDS OF TESTS AVAILABLE AND
BEING PROCESSED WITH RESULTS TO 
PATIENTS IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE
BUT IT'S ALL A RESULT OF YOU 
TASKING US WITH BRINGING 
TOGETHER, NOT JUST GOVERNMENT 
RESOURCES WHICH ALL STATE LABS 
CAN NOW TEST ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
CDC IS TESTING.
BUT YOU SAID, MR. PRESIDENT, WE 
WANTED TO BRING ALL OF THE 
RESOURCES OF THE COUNTRY 
TOGETHER AND THAT'S WHAT THIS 
PARTNERSHIP REALLY MEANS.
THE TRUTH IS THAT WE HAVE 
CORONAVIRUS CASES NOW IN 46 
AMERICAN STATES.
WHILE THE RISK OF SERIOUS 
ILLNESS OF THE CORONAVIRUS 
REMAINS LOW, WE WANT TO 
ENCOURAGE EVERY AMERICAN TO 
PRACTICE COMMON SENSE, PRACTICE 
GOOD HYGIENE, GO TO THE CDC'S 
WEBSITE TO SEE WHAT THE GUIDANCE
IS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY OR FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE BROADLY.
AND AS THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID, 
IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT NOW 
THAT WE LOOK AFTER SENIOR 
CITIZENS WITH CHRONIC, 
UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS.
LAST WEEK THE PRESIDENT DIRECTED
THE CENTER FOR MEDICAID AND 
MEDICARE SERVICES TO RAISE THE 
STANDARDS IN OUR NURSING HOMES, 
INCREASE INSPECTIONS AT OUR 
NURSING HOMES.
AND TODAY WE'RE OFFERING VERY 
SPECIFIC GUIDANCE, WHICH WE'LL 
ARTICULATE ABOUT VISITATIONS AT 
NURSING HOMES.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THEY
WERE THERE FOR US WHEN WE WERE 
GROWING UP, MR. PRESIDENT.
THEY HELPED US WITH OUR 
HOMEWORK.
THEY TUCKED US IN AT NIGHT.
THEY CHEERED US ON AS WE PURSUED
EDUCATION, CHEERED US ON IN OUR 
CAREERS.
NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO BE THERE
FOR THEM AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT 
SENIORS WITH CHRONIC HEALTH 
CONDITIONS ARE THE MOST 
VULNERABLE AND AMERICANS CAN 
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
SO WASH YOUR HANDS, USE COMMON 
SENSE, LOOK AFTER THE MOST 
VULNERABLE, AND, MR. PRESIDENT, 
I KNOW I JOIN YOU IN SAYING THAT
EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD BE PROUD 
OF THIS INCREDIBLE 
PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP 
THAT'S GOING TO BE SPEEDING 
ACCESS OF TESTING TO MILLIONS OF
AMERICANS IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.
AND TOGETHER, AS YOU'VE SAID 
MANY TIMES, TOGETHER WE'LL GET 
THROUGH THIS.
TOGETHER WE'LL PUT THE HEALTH OF
AMERICA FIRST.
>> I'D LIKE YOU TO MAYBE TAKE 
THAT A STEP FURTHER PLEASE ON 
NURSING HOMES?
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU TO THE PRESIDENT 
FOR THE DECLARATION.
IT ALLOWS MY AGENCY CMS THAT 
RUNS MEDICARE AND MEDICAID AND 
HAS OVERSIGHT OF ALL OF THE 
NATION'S HEALTH CARE FACILITIES,
TO SUSPEND REGULATIONS THAT 
COULD GET IN THE WAY OF TREATING
PATIENTS DURING THIS TIME.
THESE TEMPORARY NATIONAL BLANKET
WAIVERS ARE RESERVED FOR THE 
RAREST OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND THEY
REPRESENT A MASSIVE MOBILIZATION
OF OUR COUNTRY'S RESOURCES TO 
COMBAT THIS TERRIBLE VIRUS.
THE FLEXIBILITY WE ARE OFFERING 
WILL BE A GOD SEND TO THE 
PROVIDERS, CLINICIANS, AND 
FACILITIES ON THE FRONT LINES OF
THIS FIGHT.
LATER CMS IS GOING TO BE ISSUING
GUIDANCE DIRECTING NURSING HOMES
TO TEMPORARILY RESTRICT ALL 
VISITORS AND NONESSENTIAL 
PERSONNEL WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS 
SUCH AS END OF LIFE SITUATIONS.
WE FULLY APPRECIATE THAT THIS 
MEASURE REPRESENTS A SEVERE 
TRIAL FOR RESIDENTS OF NURSING 
HOMES AND THOSE WHO LOVE THEM.
WE ARE DOING WHAT WE MUST TO 
PROTECT OUR VULNERABLE ELDERLY.
THANK YOU.
>> AS I SAID IN MY ADDRESS TO 
THE NATION THE OTHER NIGHT, ALL 
AMERICANS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN
DEFEATING THIS VIRUS.
OUR MOST EFFECTIVE WEAPON RIGHT 
NOW IS TO LIMIT THE DAMAGE TO 
OUR PEOPLE AND OUR COUNTRY AND 
SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS, 
ITSELF.
THE CHOICE WE MAKE, THE 
PRECAUTIONS WE PUT INTO PLACE, 
ARE CRITICAL TO OVERCOMING THE 
VIRUS, REDUCING ITS SPREAD, AND 
SHORTENING THE DURATION OF THE 
PANDEMIC, WHICH IS WHAT IT IS.
THE CDC HAS PUBLISHED GUIDELINES
ON THE CORONAVIRUS.GOV TO 
ENABLE -- IT'S CORONAVIRUS.GOV 
AND ITCORONAVIRUS.GOV.
IT'S VERY HEAVILY USED RIGHT 
NOW, I WILL SAY, TO ENABLE EVERY
AMERICAN TO RESPOND TO THIS 
EPIDEMIC AND PROTECT THEMSELVES,
THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR 
COMMUNITIES.
WHILE THE RISKS TO YOUNG AND 
HEALTHY AMERICANS REMAINS VERY 
LOW.
WE'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THIS 
OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
ANYONE CAN BE A CARRIER FOR THE 
VIRUS AND RISK TRANSMISSION TO 
OLDER AMERICANS AND THOSE WHO 
UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS AND
THOSE WHO ARE MOST AT RISK, 
THEY'VE NOT DONE VERY WELL, 
OLDER AMERICANS WHO ARE -- 
ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE A HEALTH
PROBLEM.
THEY HAVE NOT DONE WELL.
WE MUST TAKE ALL PRECAUTIONS AND
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIONS 
THAT WE TAKE AND WE SEE OTHER 
PEOPLE TAKE.
WE WANT TO PREVENT THE SPREAD 
AND TRANSMISSION OF THE DISEASE.
IT'S INCREDIBLE WHAT SPORTS -- 
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE 
SPORTING WORLD WHERE SO MANY OF 
THE GREAT SPORTS WE'VE GOTTEN SO
USED TO THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, 
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE MEETING 
AND THEY'VE DONE A GREAT SERVICE
ACTUALLY BY THAT.
ANOTHER WAY PROBLEMS COULD BE 
CAUSED.
BUT THIS IS WHY I OUTLINED ON 
WEDNESDAY NIGHT MY 
ADMINISTRATION, THE FACT WE 
ISSUED A REQUIREMENT SUSPENDING 
ALL MEDICALLY UNNECESSARY VISITS
TO VARIOUS PLACES BUT IN 
PARTICULAR NURSING HOMES.
WE SHOULD ALL BE WORKING OFF THE
SAME PLAYBOOK WHEN IT COMES TO 
PROTECTING AMERICANS, WE HAVE 
TO.
WE NEED TO BE CONSISTENT 
ADOPTING MEASURES AND THE SPREAD
OF THE VIRUS.
THE VIRUS IS THE SAME WHETHER 
IT'S SPREADING IN CITIES, TOWNS 
OR RURAL COMMUNITIES.
THE TOOLS AND TACTICS FOR 
ATTACKING IT ARE SIMILAR NO 
MATTER WHERE YOU GO.
YOU HAVE HOT SPOTS THROUGHOUT 
THE WORLD RIGHT NOW THAT PEOPLE 
WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT 
POSSIBLE.
AND THEY'RE BEING VERY SERIOUSLY
AFFECTED.
AMONG THESE EFFORTS ARE BREAKING
CHAINS OF TRANSMISSION BETWEEN 
PEOPLE.
THESE MEASURES BEING ADOPTED BY 
MANY COMPANIES, UNIVERSITIES AND
SCHOOLS.
WE WANT TO PROTECT THE SAFETY 
AND HEALTH OF THEIR EMPLOYEES 
AND THEIR STUDENTS.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO FOLLOW 
THE GUIDELINES WE ISSUE BY THE 
CDC AND COMMON SENSE MEASURES.
A LOT OF IT IS COMMON SENSE.
FOR THE AREAS WHERE THE VIRUS IS
SPREADING, THE CDC IS ADVISING 
COMMUNITIES TO POSTPONE LARGE 
GATHERINGS, POSTPONE ASSEMBLIES,
SOCIAL FUNCTIONS AND SPORTING 
EVENTS, STAGGER RECESS AND LUNCH
FOR SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT 
CANCELED, LIMIT IN-PERSON 
MEETINGS, CANCEL WORK-SPONSORED 
TRAVEL.
AMONG NUMEROUS OTHER STEPS THAT 
COULD BE TAKEN.
AMERICANS ARE THE STRONGEST AND 
MOST RESILIENT PEOPLE ON EARTH.
AND IN THE COMING WEEKS, WE WILL
ALL HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES AND 
SACRIFICES BUT THESE 
SHORT-MATERIAL SACRIFICES WILL 
PRODUCE LONG-TERM GAIN.
AGAIN, I'VE SAID WE'RE LEARNING 
A LOT FOR THE FUTURE, AND FUTURE
PROBLEMS LIKE THIS OR WORSE.
OR WORSE.
COULD GET WORSE.
THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS ARE 
CRITICAL.
WE CAN LEARN AND WE WILL TURN A 
CORNER ON THIS VIRUS.
SOME OF THE DOCTORS SAY IT WILL 
WASH THROUGH.
IT WILL FLOW THROUGH.
INTERESTING TERMS.
AND VERY ACCURATE, I THINK, 
YOU'RE GOING TO FIND IN A NUMBER
OF WEEKS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY ACCURATE
TERM.
IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP THE TRUE 
CHARACTER OF AMERICA ALWAYS 
SHINES THROUGH.
WE LIVE IN THE COMPANY OF THE 
GREATEST HEROES AND MOST 
ASPIRING CITIZENS ANYWHERE IN 
THE WORLD.
WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR 
PEOPLE.
WE WANT TO DRAW ON THE STRENGTH 
OF OUR HISTORY, DRAW ON THE 
STRENGTH OF OUR PEOPLE, AND WE 
WILL GET THROUGH THIS ALL 
TOGETHER.
WE WILL JUST GET THROUGH IT.
SO MUCH PROGRESS HAS ALREADY 
BEEN MADE.
FRANKLY, THE NUMBERS BECAUSE OF 
THE STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN 
ARE AT A LEVEL THAT A LOT OF 
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU COMPARE THEM
WITH OTHER PLACES.
FAR, SMALLER POPULATIONS.
THE SPIRIT OF THE WILL OF OUR 
NATION IS UNBREAKABLE.
WE WILL DEFEAT THIS THREAT.
WHEN AMERICA IS TESTED, AMERICA 
RISES TO THE OCCASION.
TO THOSE FAMILIES AND CITIZENS 
WHO ARE WORRIED AND CONCERNED 
FOR THEMSELVES AND YOUR LOVED 
ONE, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW YOUR 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL UNLEASH 
EVERY TOOL AT ITS DISPOSAL TO 
SAFEGUARD THE LIVES AND HEALTH 
OF OUR PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF 
THE WAY.
NO NATION IS MORE PREPARED OR 
MORE EQUIPPED TO FACE DOWN THIS 
CRISIS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE RATED NUMBER 
ONE IN THE WORLD.
WE'RE ALSO HELPING OTHER 
NATIONS, MANY OTHER NATIONS, 
WE'RE HELPING THEM A LOT AND 
THEY'RE DOING OKAY IN SOME CASES
AND IN SOME CASES THEY'RE NOT 
DOING WELL AT ALL.
BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH A LOT OF 
GROUPS OF PEOPLE AND A LOT OF 
OTHER NATIONS.
WITH FAITH AND HEART AND HOPE 
AND LOVE AND DETERMINATION, WE 
WILL SUCCEED, WE WILL PREVAIL, 
WE WILL BE VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL
AND WE'LL LEARN FOR THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE 
CAN TAKE SOME.
JOHN, PLEASE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK SOME OF
THE FOLKS UP HERE, IT WOULD BE 
TYPE. 
>> MR. PRESIDENT, WHERE ARE YOU 
WITH THE HOUSE BILL?
YESTERDAY WE TALKED TO YOU IN 
THE OVAL OFFICE, YOU WERE 
OPPOSED TO IT.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN, 
AND WHAT'S THE HOLDUP ON THAT?
>> WE JUST DON'T THINK THEY'RE 
GIVING ENOUGH.
WE DON'T THINK THE DEMOCRATS ARE
GIVING UP.
WE'RE NEGOTIATING.
WE THOUGHT WE HAD SOMETHING AND 
ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY DIDN'T 
AGREE TO CERTAIN THINGS THAT 
THEY AGREED TO.
SO WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING BUT 
WE DON'T THINK THEY'RE GIVING 
ENOUGH.
THEY'RE NOT DOING WHAT'S RIGHT 
FOR THE COUNTRY. 
>> IF I CAN ASK DR. FAUCI. 
>> GO AHEAD, PLEASE. 
>> YOU JUST MENTIONED WAIVING 
INTEREST FOR STUDENT LOANS, 
TALKED ABOUT BUYING OIL FROM THE
FBR.
WHAT OTHER SPECIFIC TARGETED 
MEASURES IS YOUR ADMINISTRATION 
THINKING ABOUT TAKING?
TREASURY SECRETARY STEVE MNUCHIN
SAID WE'RE JUST IN THE SECOND 
INNING OF THINGS WE MIGHT GO 
THROUGH?
>> YES, IT IS AND SOME OF THEM 
HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT WIDELY.
BUT WE WILL BE RELEASING A PAPER
IN ABOUT TWO HOURS STATING QUITE
A FEW OTHER STEPS, VERY 
IMPORTANT ONES.
PLEASE, GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. 
PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU ARE IN 
CONTACT WITH THE BRAZILIAN 
PRESIDENT AFTER MAYBE OF HIS 
DELEGATION, WHO WAS WITH YOU 
SATURDAY, HAS TESTED POSITIVE?
AND I WANT TO ASK ANOTHER 
QUESTION, IF YOU WILL LET ME, 
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM AND 
SENATOR RICK SCOTT ARE 
SELF-ISOLATING.
ARE YOU PLANNING TO TAKE ANY 
KIND OF PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE TO
PROTECT YOU AND ALSO YOUR STAFF 
WHO WERE THERE WITH HIM?
>> NO, WE HAVE NO SYMPTOMS 
WHATSOEVER.
AND WE HAVE -- WE HAD A GREAT 
MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT OF 
BRAZIL, BOLSONARO.
GREAT GUY.
VERY TREMENDOUS.
HE'S DOING A FANTASTIC JOB FOR 
BRAZIL.
AS YOU KNOW, HE TESTED NEGATIVE,
MEANING NOTHING WRONG THIS 
MORNING.
AND WE GOT THAT WORD TOO.
BECAUSE WE DID HAVE DINNER WITH 
HIM.
WE WERE SITTING NEXT TO EACH 
OTHER FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
>> ARE YOU IN CONTACT WITH HIM 
OVER THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS?
>> NO, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT 
COUNTRY TO COUNTRY BUT WE DID 
DISCUSS IF HE HAD A PROBLEM.
IT WAS REPORTED THAT HE MAY HAVE
IT AND HE DOESN'T, FORTUNATELY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. 
PRESIDENT.
DR. FAUCI SAID EARLIER THIS WEEK
THAT THE LAG IN TESTING WAS IN 
FACT A FAILING.
DO YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR 
THAT?
AND WHEN CAN YOU GUARANTEE THAT 
EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN WHO NEEDS 
A TEST WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A 
TEST?
WHAT'S THE DATE OF THAT?
>> NO, I DON'T TAKE 
RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL BECAUSE WE
WERE GIVEN A SET OF 
CIRCUMSTANCES AND WE WERE GIVEN 
RULES, REGULATIONS AND 
SPECIFICATIONS FROM A DIFFERENT 
TIME.
IT WASN'T MEANT FOR THIS KIND OF
EVENT WITH THE KIND OF NUMBERS 
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS 
REDESIGNED IT VERY QUICKLY WITH 
THE HELP OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND 
ME, AND WE'RE NOW IN VERY, VERY 
STRONG SHAPE.
I THINK WE WILL BE ANNOUNCING AS
I SAID SUNDAY NIGHT AND THIS 
WILL START VERY QUICKLY.
WE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO 
IN THE MILLIONS OVER A VERY, 
VERY QUICK PERIOD OF TIME.
SO NO, AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LEAVING A
VERY INDELIBLE PRINT FOR THE 
FUTURE IN CASE SOMETHING LIKE 
THIS HAPPENS AGAIN.
AND THAT'S NOT THE FAULT OF 
ANYBODY.
FRANKLY, THE OLD SYSTEM WORKED 
VERY WELL FOR SMALLER NUMBERS, 
MUCH SMALLER NUMBERS, BUT NOT 
FOR THESE KINDS OF NUMBERS.
>> MR. PRESIDENT -- 
>> BY SUNDAY NIGHT WILL EVERY 
AMERICAN BE ABLE TO GET A TEST?
>> JUST TO REITERATE WHAT I SAID
TO MANY OF YOU MULTIPLE TIMES, 
IT IS THE SYSTEM -- IT WAS NOT 
DESIGNED, FOR WHAT IT WAS 
DESIGNED FOR, IT WORKED VERY 
WELL.
THE CDC DESIGNED A GOOD SYSTEM.
IF YOU WANT TO GET THE KIND OF 
BLANKET TESTING AVAILABILITY 
THAT ANYBODY CAN GET IT OR EVEN 
DO SURVEILLANCE TO FIND OUT WHAT
THE PENETRATANCE IS, YOU HAVE TO
EMBRACE THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND 
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE 
SEEING BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO IT 
WITHOUT IT.
WHEN I SAID THAT I MEANT THE 
SYSTEM WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR WHAT
WE NEED.
NOW LOOKING FORWARD, THE SYSTEM 
WILL TAKE CARE OF IT. 
>> MR. PRESIDENT -- 
>> INTERESTINGLY, IF YOU GO 
BACK, PLEASE, IF YOU GO BACK TO 
THE SWINE FLU, IT WAS NOTHING 
LIKE THIS.
THEY DIDN'T DO TESTING LIKE 
THIS.
ACTUALLY, THEY HAD LOST 
APPROXIMATELY 14,000 PEOPLE.
AND THEY DIDN'T DO THE TESTING.
THEY STARTED THINKING ABOUT 
TESTING WHEN IT WAS FAR TOO 
LATE.
WHAT WE'VE DONE -- AND ONE OF 
THE REASONS I THINK PEOPLE ARE 
RESPECTING WHAT WE'VE DONE, 
WE'VE DONE IT VERY EARLY.
WE'VE GOTTEN IT VERY EARLY AND 
WE'VE ALSO KEPT A LOT OF PEOPLE 
OUT. 
>> MR. PRESIDENT, THE LAST 
ADMINISTRATION SAID THEY TESTED 
A MILLION PEOPLE AT THIS POINT.
>> THE SWINE FLU WAS A DISASTER.
NEXT, PLEASE.
>> YOU HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT THREE
YEARS -- 
>> THEY HAD A VERY BIG FAILURE 
WITH SWINE FLU.
VERY BIG FAILURE. 
>> MR. PRESIDENT, I WANT TO ASK 
YOU ABOUT THE EUROPEAN TRAVEL 
BAN THAT GOES INTO EFFECT AT 
MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AND THE 
EXEMPTION YOU OFFERED TO THE 
UKMENT THERE ARE 17 COUNTRIES IN
THE SO-CALLED SJENGEN ZONE THAT 
HAVE FEWER CASES THAN THE UK AND
JUST IN THE PAST 24 HOURS, THE 
UK HAS ADDED 208 CORONAVIRUS 
CASES TO THEIR TOTAL.
WHY DO THEY, MR. PRESIDENT, 
DESERVE AN EXEMPTION?
AND WOULD YOU CONSIDER ADDING 
THEM TO THE TRAVEL BAN LIST?
>> THAT WAS RECOMMENDED TO ME BY
A GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS AND WE 
ARE LOOKING AT IT BASED ON THE 
NEW NUMBERS THAT ARE COMING OUT.
WE MAY HAVE TO INCLUDE THEM IN 
THE LIST OF COUNTRIES THAT WE 
WILL -- YOU CAN SAY BAN OR 
WHATEVER IT IS, DURING THIS 
PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT THE NUMBERS HAVE GONE UP 
FAIRLY PRECIPITOUSLY OVER THE 
LAST 24 HOURS.
SO WE MAY BE ADDING THAT.
AND WE MAY BE ADDING A COUPLE 
OTHERS.
WE MAY FRANKLY START THINKING 
ABOUT TAKING SOME OFF.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
YOU HAVE MENTIONED THE NUMBER IN
CHINA HAS BEEN DECREASED AND 
CHINA HAS MADE TREMENDOUS 
PROGRESS IN THE PAST WEEK.
>>  TRUE. 
>> I'M WONDERING HOW MUCH 
CONFIDENCE DOES THIS GIVE YOU TO
CONTROL THE VIRUS IN THE UNITED 
STATES?
AND DO YOU SEE THE DATA TRYING 
TO BE SHARED WITH YOU IN THE 
UNITED STATES HAS BEEN HELPFUL?
>> I THINK IT HAS BEEN HELPFUL.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY MUCH 
WITH CHINA.
I HAVE SPOKEN, AS YOU KNOW, WITH
PRESIDENT XI.
THEY WENT THROUGH HELL AND THEIR
NUMBERS ARE STARTING TO LOOK 
VERY GOOD.
THEY REALLY ARE LOOKING VERY 
GOOD.
WE'RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
WE ARE SHARING DATA, YES.
IN FACT, WE'RE SHARING QUITE A 
BIT OF DATA, INCLUDING THE FACT 
SOME OF OUR PHARMACEUTICAL 
COMPANIES ARE WORKING OVER THERE
RIGHT NOW WITH LARGE GROUPS OF 
PEOPLE.
GO AHEAD, CHRIS. 
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
YOU SPOKE WITH CANADIAN PRIME 
MINISTER TRUDEAU YESTERDAY. 
>> YES. 
>> DID YOU DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL
CLOSING OF THE BORDER BETWEEN 
CANADA AND THE U.S.?
AND BY EXTENSION, ARE Y 
CONSIDERING WAYS TO SALVAGE THE 
$2 BILLION DALE YEAH TRADE 
BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES?
>> SO WE DIDN'T DISCUSS THE 
BORDER.
WE HAD A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
JUST ABOUT FINISHED WITH THE 
USMCA.
ACTUALLY, HE CALLED TO TELL ME 
THAT.
I THINK IT WAS THE PRIMARY 
REASON FOR THE CALL.
AT THE TIME HIS WIFE HAD NOT 
BEEN DIAGNOSED.
SHE'S A LOVELY LADY, WONDERFUL 
LADY, GREAT LADY.
AND SINCE THEN I HAVE HEARD, 
READ THAT THE RESULT WAS THAT 
SHE HAS IT.
AND I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED.
I THINK HE WAS SURPRISED ALSO.
WE DID DISCUSS IT PRIOR TO.
SHE'S GOING TO BE FINE.
BUT HE THOUGHT THAT SHE WOULD 
NOT MOST LIKELY HAVE THE VIRUS.
UNFORTUNATELY, SHE DOES.
BUT WE DIDN'T DISCUSS THE BORDER
YESTERDAY, NO.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE. 
>> IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR
THESE GREAT GENIUSES UP HERE, 
YOU SHOULD -- EVEN A BUSINESS 
QUESTION, RERELATE IT TO WHAT 
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, AS A 
RELATIVELY NEW FLORIDIAN, WHAT'S
YOUR MESSAGE TODAY TO THE CRUISE
LINE INDUSTRY AND TRAVEL 
INDUSTRY FLORIDA DEPENDS UPON?
AND SINCE SENATOR RICK SCOTT AND
MIAMI-DADE MAYOR CARLOS AMENZOUS
HAVE THE SAME EXPOSURE TO YOU 
AND THEY'RE SELF-ISOLATING, 
WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE TO THEM, 
THAT YOU SHOULDN'T BE?
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE 
EXPOSURE BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY OF
THE SYMPTOMS.
AND WE HAVE A WHITE HOUSE 
DOCTOR -- I SHOULD SAY MANY 
WHITE HOUSE DOCTORS, FRANKLY.
I ASKED THEM THAT SAME QUESTION 
AND THEY SAID YOU DON'T HAVE ANY
SYMPTOMS WHATSOEVER.
WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE WITHOUT 
SYMPTOMS TO GO AND DO THE TEST.
THE TEST IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT.
AS FAR AS THE CRUISE LINE 
BUSINESS, WE'RE WITH THEM ALL 
THE WAY.
IT'S A GREAT BUSINESS.
IT'S A GREAT U.S. BUSINESS, 
FRANKLY.
AND I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THEY 
ARE TO THE COUNTRY.
THAT INCLUDES AIRLINES.
BUT THE CRUISE LINE BUSINESS WAS
OBVIOUSLY HIT VERY HARD.
WE HAD A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS OUT 
IN OAKLAND WHERE WE MOVED, VICE 
PRESIDENT PENCE DID A FANTASTIC 
JOB WITH THAT.
WE WORKED WITH THE UK.
WE WORKED WITH CANADA.
THEY TOOK THEIR PEOPLE BACK TO 
CANADA, AND THE UK LIKEWISE TOOK
A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE BACK TO
THE UNITED KINGDOM.
WE HAD PEOPLE QUARANTINED.
IT WAS A BIG OPERATION AND IT 
WORKED OUT -- YOU DON'T HEAR 
ABOUT IT ANYMORE, IT, WOULDED 
OUT REALLY WELL.
MIKE, YOU MAYBE WANT TO SAY 
SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
THAT WAS REALLY DONE PROPERLY.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
AND THAT PROGRAM, "GRAND 
PRINCESS" SHIP, IS CONTINUING TO
BE ADMINISTERED IN THE HIGHEST 
STANDARDS, ORDERLY WAY, AS THE 
PRESIDENT DIRECTED.
AMERICANS THAT NEEDED TREATMENT 
HAVE RECEIVED THEM.
I SPOKE TO THE GOVERNOR OF IOWA 
TODAY AND SOME OF THOSE WHO NOW 
HAVE BEEN CLEARED ARE ABLE IN 
PROPER SUPERVISION TO BE 
RETURNING TO IOWA AND THEY'RE 
MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO DO THAT.
OTHERS IN TEXAS -- OTHERS IN 
GEORGIA, AGAIN, ANOTHER EXAMPLE 
OF THE EXTRAORDINARY 
COOPERATION, GOVERNOR ABBOTT, 
GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM, GOVERNOR 
BRYANT KEMP OF GEORGIA.
BUT TO ADD TO THAT, THE 
PRESIDENT DIRECTED ME LAST 
SATURDAY TO TRAVEL DOWN TO 
MIAMI.
WE MET WITH ALL OF THE LEADERS 
OF THE CRUISE LINE INDUSTRY.
SEVERAL CRUISE LINES HAVE 
ANNOUNCED A 60-DAY PAUSE IN 
OPERATIONS.
OUR DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 
SECURITY HAS PRAISED THEM FOR 
DOING THAT BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE
HEALTH CHALLENGES PARTICULARLY 
PRESENTED TO SENIORS WHO HAVE 
UNDERLYING CONDITIONS.
WE HAVE A PROPOSAL FROM THE 
CRUISE LINE INDUSTRY, BUT THEY 
ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING WHAT 
OTHER STEPS THAT THEY MIGHT 
TAKE, PERHAPS EVEN SIMILAR TO 
WHAT THOSE OTHER LINES HAVE 
TAKEN.
WE'RE ANTICIPATING SOME RESPONSE
ON THAT IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
BUT AS THE PRESIDENT SAID, THE 
AMERICAN PEOPLE CHERISH OUR 
CRUISE LINE INDUSTRY.
MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK ON THE 
SHIPS, MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK ON
THE SHORE, ALL OF THE ECONOMIES 
THAT ARE SO BENEFITED BY A 
VIBRANT CRUISE LINE INDUSTRY, 
WHAT THE PRESIDENT'S DIRECTED US
TO DO IS WHETHER THERE'S A PAUSE
IN THE MOMENT AS SOME CRUISE 
LINES ARE DOING AND AS WE ALL 
CONTINUE TO DISCUSS, WE WANT TO 
WORK WITH THE CRUISE LINE 
INDUSTRY TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE 
COME THROUGH THIS, THAT CRUISE 
LINES AND MEDICAL SERVICES THAT 
ARE AVAILABLE AND FOR THE 
PASSENGERS AND ALL OF THE CREW, 
THE CRUISE LINES ARE SAFER THAN 
EVER BEFORE AND CAN PROSPER FOR 
MANY YEARS TO COME.
>> GO AHEAD, PLEASE. 
>> THIS QUESTION IS FOR DOCTORS 
FAUCI AND BURKE.
DR. FAUCI, BASED ON WHAT YOU 
CURRENTLY KNOW, WHAT IS THE 
TRAJECTORY FOR WHEN THIS 
OUTBREAK WILL PEAK?
HOW LONG WILL THE AMERICAN 
PEOPLE HAVE TO REMAIN ON THIS 
EMERGENCY FOOTING?
AND FOR DR. BURKE, AS THE 
ADMINISTRATION TRIES TO GET ITS 
ARMS AROUND THIS TEST KIT 
SHORTAGE ISSUE, THE NEXT GLARING
NEED COULD BE RESPIRATORS AND 
RELATED HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT.
WHAT IS THE ADMINISTRATION DOING
RIGHT NOW TO MANY RAP UP 
PRODUCTION OF RESPIRATORS AND 
THAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT SHOULD 
THIS OUTBREAK PERSIST?
>> SO WHEN YOU HAVE AN OUTBREAK 
LIKE THIS, PARTICULARLY IF 
YOU'RE TRYING TO INTERFERE WITH 
IT, IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO 
PREDICT THE TIME ELEMENT OF WHEN
IT'S GOING TO PEAK AND WHEN IT'S
NATURALLY GOING TO GO DOWN.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SITUATION 
WHERE COUNTRIES REALLY DID NOT 
GET TO THE POINT OF TRYING TO 
CONTAIN AND MITIGATE VERY WELL, 
YOU SEE A PEAK OVER SEVERAL 
WEEKS AND THEN DOWN AGAIN OTHER 
SEVERAL WEEKS.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE
EFFORTS THAT WE'RE DOING IS 
BLUNT THAT PEAK.
I MENTIONED IT MANY TIMES, AND I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND 
APPROPRIATE TO MENTION IT AGAIN 
BECAUSE IT ANSWERS YOUR 
QUESTION.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PREVENTING 
INFECTIONS FROM WITHOUT IN, 
WHICH IS THE KIND OF TRAVEL 
RESTRICTIONS WE'RE TALKING 
ABOUT, HOW DO YOU HANDLE WHAT 
YOU ALREADY HAVE IN YOUR 
COUNTRY?
YOU CONTINUE SOME SORT OF 
CONTAINMENT BUT YOU ALSO DO 
MITIGATION.
AND YOU TRY TO PROPORTIONATE IT 
TO THE AREAS WHERE THERE ARE THE
MOST INFECTIONS.
THE SUCCESS OF THAT AND HOW MUCH
YOU MAKE THIS TURN INTO THIS IS 
GOING TO GIVE YOU THE AMOUNT OF 
TIME.
IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL, IT WILL BE 
LESS.
IF WE'RE NOT SUCCESSFUL, IT'S 
GOING TO BE MORE.
BUT THESE KINDS OF THINGS 
GENERALLY RUN OUT IN A FEW 
MONTHS.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL MAKE IT 
SEVERAL WEEKS, EIGHT, NINE, 
WHATEVER WEEKS.
BUT I CAN'T GIVE YOU A NUMBER.
IT DEPENDS ON HOW SUCCESSFUL WE 
ARE.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
DR. FAUCI AND I HAVE WORKED 
TOGETHER A LONG TIME AND I 
CONTINUE THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK 
WITH HIM EVERY DAY.
I THINK YOU CAN LEARN -- I 
APPRECIATE THERE WERE GRAPHICS 
DONE BY SOME OF THE REPORTING 
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS.
IF YOU ALIGN THE DATA FROM CHINA
WITH THE DATA WITH SOUTH KOREA, 
YOU CAN START TO SEE ALMOST A 
COMPLETE OVERLAY OF THAT DATA.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRACKING 
VERY CLOSELY AS WELL AS ITALY.
BUT YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT 
QUESTION.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE NOTE, IN
SOUTH KOREA -- I WANT TO 
REPEAT -- ONLY 4% OF THE TESTS 
WERE POSITIVE.
THAT MEANS 96% OF THE PEOPLE HAD
A DIFFERENT RESPIRATORY DISEASE.
BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF 
FLU SEASON, COLD SEASON AND ALL 
OF THE OTHER RESPIRATORY 
DISEASES WE GET EVERY DAY.
AND LABCORP AND QUEST EARLY 
DATA, THEY'RE RUNNING 1% TO 2% 
POSITIVE.
THAT MEANS WE HAVE A LOT OTHER 
RESPIRATORY DISEASE OUT THERE 
BESIDES THE CORONAVIRUS, AND 
THAT'S WHY THE SCREENING IS 
CRITICAL.
EVEN WITH THE SCREENING, WE'RE 
GOING TO RUN WHAT WE THINK ARE 
VERY LOW RATES.
NEEDLESS TO SAY THOUGH, WE'RE 
TAKING AN EXTRAORDINARY SERIOUS 
PLAN FOR WHAT COULD COME.
NOT WHAT DR. FAUCI TALKED ABOUT 
BLUNTING THE CURVE, THAT MAKES 
IT MUCH LESS HIGH NEED FOR THE 
PEAK OF THE CURVE WE'RE PLANNING
FOR.
WE'RE IN FULL INVENTORY BY ALL 
OF THE ASSETS AND THE PRESIDENT 
ON THE EMERGENCY ORDER AND HHS'S
ABILITY, IT UNLOCKS ALL OF THOSE
STOCKPILES OF NEEDS, WHAT THE 
V.A. HAS, DOD HAS, NATIONAL 
GUARD AND EVERY HOSPITAL HAS.
THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY 
PREPAREDNESS PLAN ALLOWS THEM TO
DEFER EE LECHTIVE ISSUES TO KEEP
THE HOSPITAL BEDS OPEN ISSUES 
FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT NEED IT.
SO WE'RE IN FULL PLANNING MODE 
FOR EACH OF THOSE THINGS. 
>> I MIGHT ADD WE'RE IN THE 
PROCESS AND IN SOME CASES HAVE 
DONE IT, ORDERED A LARGE NUMBER 
OF RESPIRATORS JUST IN CASE.
WE HOPE WE DON'T NEED IT, BUT WE
ORDERED A LARGE NUMBER.
GO AHEAD. 
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. 
PRESIDENT.
IN YOUR SPEECH TO THE NATION, 
YOU MENTIONED THE SITUATION IN 
CHINA AND SOUTH KOREA HAVE 
IMPROVED, AND YOU ARE THINKING 
ABOUT REMOVE THE RESTRICTIONS, 
ALSO THE WARNING IN PLACE RIGHT 
NOW. 
>> RIGHT.
>>  WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THAT 
ANNOUNCEMENT?
AND HOW DO YOU SEE THE OVERALL 
PROGRESS THAT ASIAN COUNTRIES 
MAKE?
>> WELL, SOME ARE MAKING 
PROGRESS, SOME ARE NOT, AS YOU 
KNOW.
SOME ARE MAKING PROGRESS.
AS THEY MAKE PROGRESS, AS THEY 
GET DOWN TO THE NUMBER THAT WE 
ALL THINK IS RIGHT, THEY KNOW IS
RIGHT, WE KNOW IS RIGHT, WE WILL
BE OPENING IT UP.
SOME ARE REALLY MOVING ALONG 
RAPIDLY.
WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO OPEN 
THINGS UP AS QUICKLY AS 
POSSIBLE.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE. 
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK SECRETARY 
AZAR AND DR. FAUCI -- DR. 
FAUCI -- 
>> BETTER.
NOT 100% BUT 90%.
GO AHEAD. 
>> THIS AFFECTS THE ELDERLY 
PRIMARILY AND IN THAT SENSE IT'S
AN UNUSUAL DISEASE.
IS ANY SPECIFIC RESEARCH BEING 
DONE AS TO WHY IT AFFECTS OUR 
SENIOR CITIZENS MORE THAN 
OTHERS?
>> SO I DON'T MEAN TO DIMINISH 
YOUR QUESTION, BUT WE ALREADY 
KNOW WHY IT WOULD AFFECT SENIOR 
CITIZENS MORE.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT 
ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES A ROBUST 
IMMUNE SYSTEM, AS YOU GET OLDER,
YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS NOT AS 
POTENT AS IT IS WHEN YOU ARE 
YOUNG.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY, WHEN YOU 
TALK ABOUT EVEN INFLUENZA, WHICH
WE HAVE EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE
WITH OVER DECADES AND DECADES, 
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY 
VULNERABLE ARE THE ELDERLY AND 
THOSE WITH UNDERLYING 
CONDITIONS.
THE SAME THING HOLDS TRUE FOR A 
VARIETY OF OTHER DISEASE.
WHY CANCER IS MORE PREVALENT IN 
MOSTLY OLDER INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE
THE IMMUNE SYSTEM THAT SCREENS 
FOR IT IS LESS ROBUST.
SO IT REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT 
IS KIND OF WELL KNOWN OVER A LOT
OF STUDIES.
>> OKAY.
OEN, PLEASE.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, THE CHINESE 
OFFICIALS ARE EXPRESSING SOME 
TONES OF DISCONTENT WITH HOW -- 
WHERE THE SOURCES OF THE VIRUS 
HAS COME FROM.
AND THEY'RE SPINNING SOME ODD 
NARRATIVES.
WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSE TO THE 
CHINESE OFFICIALS WHO ARE DOING 
THAT?
AND HAVE THEY SIGNALED ANY KIND 
OF RESISTANCE TO UPCOMING TRADE 
TALKS IN RESPONSE TO HOW WE'RE 
HANDLING THE VIRUS?
>> NO, WE WILL DEAL WITH CHINA.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE BUYING $250 
BILLION WORTH OF GOODS AND $50 
BILLION FROM OUR FARMERS AND 
THAT'S A GREAT DEAL FOR OUR 
COUNTRY.
IT'S ABOUT TIME SOMEBODY DID 
THAT.
AND, FRANKLY, PHASE TWO WILL 
START NEGOTIATING.
I DID READ ONE ARTICLE, BUT I 
DON'T THINK THAT ARTICLE WAS 
REPRESENTATIVE, CERTAINLY NOT OF
MY CONVERSATIONS WITH PRESIDENT 
XI.
THEY KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM.
WE ALL KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS YOU SAID 
YOU DON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY 
BUT YOU DID DISBAND THE WHITE 
HOUSE PANDEMIC OFFICE AND 
OFFICIALS THAT WERE WORKING IN 
THAT OFFICE LEFT AT THE LAST 
ADMINISTRATION ABRUPTLY.
WHAT RESPONSIBILITY DO YOU TAKE 
FOR THAT?
AND OFFICIALS SAID THEY LOST 
VALUABLE TIME BECAUSE THAT 
OFFICE WAS DISBANDED.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?
>> I THINK THAT'S A NASTY 
QUESTION BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE 
DONE -- AND TONY HAS SAID 
NUMEROUS TIMES, WE SAVED 
THOUSANDS OF LIVES BECAUSE OF 
THE QUICK CLOSING.
WHEN YOU SEE ME, I DIDN'T DO IT.
WE HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE.
I COULD ASK PERHAPS MY 
ADMINISTRATION BUT I CAN PERHAPS
ASK TONY ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I 
DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
YOU SAY WE DID THAT.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. 
>> YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE 
REORGANIZATION WITH -- 
>> PERHAPS THEY DO THAT IN A NEW
ADMINISTRATION.
PEOPLE LET PEOPLE GO.
IT USED TO BE YOU WERE WITH A 
DIFFERENT NEWSPAPER THAN YOU ARE
NOW.
LET'S GO.
WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
THESE PROFESSIONALS BEHIND ME 
AND GREAT, INCREDIBLE DOCTORS 
AND BUSINESS PEOPLE, THE BEST IN
THE WORLD, AND I CAN SAY THAT.
WHETHER IT'S RETAILERS OR LABS 
OR ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY, 
THESE ARE THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
WE HAVE 40 PEOPLE, RIGHT NOW, 
40.
COMPARE THAT WITH OTHER 
COUNTRIES WHO HAVE MANY, MANY 
TIMES THAT AMOUNT.
ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE 40 
AND OTHERS HAVE -- AGAIN, THAT 
NUMBER IS GOING UP, JUST SO YOU 
UNDERSTAND, AND A NUMBER OF 
CASES WHICH ARE VERY STRONG 
RELATIVELY CASES, IT'S GOING UP.
WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB BECAUSE 
WE ACTED QUICKLY.
WE ACTED EARLY.
THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD HAVE 
DONE THAT WAS BETTER THAN 
CLOSING OUR BORDERS TO HIGHLY 
INFECTED AREAS.
THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD. 
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I'M REPRESENTING LATIN AMERICAN 
COUNTRIES AND SPAIN AS WELL.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK TWO VERY 
BRIEF QUESTIONS.
ONE, FOR HOW LONG ARE WE GOING 
TO HAVE THE EMERGENCY -- THE 
NATIONAL EMERGENCY?
>> I HOPE NOT LONG BUT IT'S 
THERE NOW.
IT GIVES TREMENDOUS POWERS FOR 
THINGS THAT WE NEED, TREMENDOUS 
POWER ACTUALLY.
AND THE STAFFORD ACT AND VARIOUS
OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE INVOLVED
WITH HAVE STUDIED AND MEMORIZED 
IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND 
FORMS.
IT GIVES THE KIND OF POWER THAT 
WE NEED TO GET RID OF THIS 
VIRUS.
WE'RE GOING TO DO IT VERY 
QUICKLY.
I HOPE WE WON'T NEED IT VERY 
LONG BUT WHATEVER IT TAKES. 
>> SO FOR NOW WE DON'T KNOW FOR 
HOW LONG.
SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT I 
WANTED TO ASK YOU, DO YOU REALLY
THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL 
COORDINATING WITH OTHER 
COUNTRIES AND LEARNING FROM THE 
LESSONS THEY ALREADY SUFFERED, 
THE SAME SITUATION OF COUNTRIES,
OF COURSE, LIKE CHINA AND SOUTH 
KOREA BUT NOW RECENTLY ITALY AND
SPAIN, AND THAT COORDINATION 
DONE. 
>> YES, ITALY -- WE'RE IN TOUCH 
WITH ITALY.
IT'S A COUNTRY THAT WE LOVE.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS -- MILLIONS 
AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE 
ORIGINALLY, ORIGINS FROM ITALY.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM.
THEY'RE IN A VERY -- THEY'RE IN 
PROBABLY RELATIVELY SPEAKING, 
THE TOUGHEST POSITION OF ALL.
WE'RE IN TOUCH WITH EVERYBODY.
WE'RE IN TOUCH -- WHEN I SAY 
EVERYBODY, WE'RE IN TOUCH WITH 
MANY OF THE COUNTRIES THAT YOU 
KNOW ABOUT THAT YOU ARE WRITING 
ABOUT, AND THEY'RE CALLING US 
ASKING FOR ADVICE.
THEY'RE ASKING FOR THE ADVICE OF
THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME.
ITALY'S GOT A TOUGH SITUATION.
BUT THEY'RE REALLY -- THEY HAVE 
REALLY CLAMPED DOWN, AND I THINK
THEY'RE GOING TO SEE VERY GOOD 
RESULTS.
IT'S TOUGH WHAT THEY DID.
THEY REALLY TOOK THEIR MEDICINE.
THEY'RE GOING TO SEE SOME MUCH 
BETTER RESULTS.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
WITH REGARD TO DOMESTIC TRAVEL, 
SHOULD AMERICANS FEEL SAFE OR 
SHOULD AMERICANS AT ALL BE 
TRAVELING TO STATES SUCH AS 
WASHINGTON STATE, NEW YORK AND 
OTHER HOT SPOTS WITHIN THIS 
COUNTRY?
AND A FOLLOWUP ON BRAZIL, YOU'RE
ASKING PEOPLE WHO COME BACK FROM
EUROPE, AMERICANS COMING BACK 
FROM EUROPE, TO SELF-QUARANTINE 
FOR A COUPLE WEEKS.
YOU WERE IN A PICTURE WITH 
SOMEBODY WHO NOW HAS CORONAVIRUS
FROM BRAZIL AT MAR-A-LAGO.
HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT?
>> I'LL TELL YOU, FIRST OF ALL, 
I'M NOT COMING BACK FROM 
SOMEPLACE. 
>> BUT YOU WERE EXPOSED. 
>> THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO THEY SAY
HAS IT.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHO HE IS.
I TAKE PICTURES AND IT LASTS FOR
LITERALLY SECONDS.
I DON'T KNOW THE GENTLEMAN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT.
NO IDEA WHO HE IS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THE PICTURE.
I SAID THERE'S A PICTURE OF 
SOMEBODY.
I TAKE SOMETIMES HUNDREDS OF 
PICTURES A DAY.
THAT NIGHT I WAS TAKING HUNDREDS
OF PICTURES, SO I JUST DON'T 
KNOW.
I DID SIT WITH THE PRESIDENT FOR
PROBABLY TWO HOURS BUT HE HAS 
TESTED NEGATIVE.
SO THAT'S GOOD.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
I WOULD SAY IF YOU STAY HOME, 
IT'S NOT BAD.
IT'S NOT BAD.
THERE ARE CERTAIN PARTS OF THE 
COUNTRY THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY 
HAVE ZERO PROBLEM.
WASHINGTON'S BEEN VERY TOUGH, IN
PARTICULAR NURSING HOMES.
WASHINGTON, THE STATE OF 
WASHINGTON, HAS BEEN VERY TOUGH.
IT'S BEEN A BIG PERCENTAGE, WHEN
YOU TALK ABOUT THE 40 DEATHS, 
THAT'S A BIG PERCENTAGE OF THE 
DEATHS AS YOU KNOW VERY WELL.
THEY ALL CAME FROM A VERY 
CERTAIN AREA, UNFORTUNATELY.
PLEASE, GO AHEAD.
GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. 
PRESIDENT.
I'M FROM SKY NEWS.
WHEN YOU TALK THIS WEEK ABOUT 
THE UK DOING A GOOD JOB IN 
TACKLING CORONAVIRUS.
IN LIGHT OF THE RISE IN CASES, 
ARE YOU CHANGING YOUR MIND ABOUT
THAT?
YOU ALSO JUST SPOKE ABOUT 
POSSIBLE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS.
HAVE YOU DISCUSSED WHEN THEY 
MIGHT BE PUT IN PLACE?
>> IN LIGHT OF THE RESULTS AS WE
DISCUSSED BEFORE, IN LIGHT OF 
THE RESULTS, WE'RE GOING TO BE 
LOOKING AT IT.
I KNOW THE TASK FORCE IS LOOKING
AT IT VERY STRONGLY.
THE VICE PRESIDENT, EVERYBODY.
IT WAS LOOKING GOOD BUT 
THEY'VE -- THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN
BUILDING UP PRETTY RAPIDLY.
SO WE WILL BE TAKING ANOTHER 
LOOK AT THAT, YES, ABSOLUTELY.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU.
I WANT TO FIRST FOLLOW UP ON 
JEFF'S QUESTION BECAUSE THE 
PERSON YOU WERE STANDING NEXT 
TO, WHETHER YOU KNOW WHO HE IS 
OR NOT, TESTED POSITIVE FOR 
CORONAVIRUS.
DR. FAUCI SAID THIS MORNING IF 
YOU STAND NEXT TO SOMEBODY WHO 
TESTED POSITIVE, YOU SHOULD 
SELF-ISOLATE AND GET A TEST.
YOU SAY YOUR WHITE HOUSE DOCTOR 
IS TELLING YOU SOMETHING 
DIFFERENT.
WHO SHOULD AMERICANS LISTEN TO?
AND MY SECOND QUESTION -- 
>> I THINK THEY HAVE TO LISTEN 
TO THEIR DOCTORS, AND I THINK 
THEY SHOULDN'T BE JUMPING TO GET
THE TEST UNLESS IT'S NECESSARY.
BUT I THINK THEY HAVE TO LESS AN
TO THEIR DOCTORS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THE PICTURE.
SOMEBODY SAID THERE'S A PICTURE 
OF SOMEBODY TAKING A PICTURE 
WITH ME, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
>> DOCTORS SAY YOU MIGHT HAVE 
IT, EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE 
SYMPTOMS.
ARE YOU BEING SELFISH BY NOT 
GETTING TESTED -- 
>> I DIDN'T SAY I WASN'T GOING 
TO BE TESTED. 
>> ARE YOU GOING TO BE?
>> MOST LIKELY YEAH.
NOT FOR THAT REASON BUT BECAUSE 
I THINK I WILL DO IT ANYWAY. 
>> WILL YOU LET US KNOW?
>> FAIRLY SOON.
WE'RE WORKING ON THE SCHEDULE. 
>> AND MR. PRESIDENT, A 
FOLLOWUP. 
>> GO AHEAD.
YES.
>> I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF 
TALK ABOUT TESTING.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE 
CLEAR THOUGH.
WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM DOCTORS 
WHO SAY AS OF TODAY, THEY STILL 
CAN'T GET PATIENTS TESTED WHO 
NEED A TEST.
SO AS OF TODAY, CAN EVERYONE WHO
A DOCTOR WANTS TO HAVE TESTED 
GET TESTED?
AND IF NOT, WHEN?
>> THAT'S BEEN TRUE FOR A WHILE 
BUT I WILL LET MIKE ANSWER THAT.
>> AS THE PRESIDENT SAID AND DR.
FAUCI ARTICULATED, THE CURRENT 
NATURE OF OUR SYSTEM WHERE THE 
CDC HAD SAMPLES SENT AND TESTS 
ARE PERFORMED OR STATE LABS 
PERFORM TESTS, OR IN SOME CASES 
UNIVERSITY AND HOSPITAL LABS 
PERFORM TESTS, IS GENERALLY 
ADEQUATE FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE 
OR PEOPLE GETTING A DIAGNOSTIC 
WORK DONE.
GIVEN THE SCALE OF THIS, THE 
PRESIDENT TASKED US WITH 
BRINGING TOGETHER THIS 
EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP.
TODAY BY SOME ESTIMATES WHEN YOU
ADD ALL OF THE LABS TOGETHER, 
AND TODAY THE PRESIDENT MADE IT 
POSSIBLE FOR EVERY STATE IN THE 
COUNTRY, AND THEIR STATE LABS, 
TO AUTHORIZE LABS ACROSS THEIR 
STATE TO DO CORONAVIRUS TESTING.
WE'RE ESTIMATING SOMEWHERE 
BETWEEN 15,000 AND 20,000 TESTS 
A DAY ARE ABLE TO BE PERFORMED.
BUT VERY SOON, WITH THE PROGRAM 
THAT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY, 
AMERICANS WILL BE ABLE TO VISIT 
ONE OF THE SITES CLOSEST TO THEM
AS DESCRIBED ON THE WEBSITE IF 
THEY'RE SYMPTOMATIC, IF THE 
QUESTIONNAIRE INDICATES IT, TO 
BE ABLE TO HAVE A TEST THERE AND
THESE INCREDIBLE COMPANIES WILL 
PROCESS THE TEST AND THEY WILL 
RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION.
BUT FOR NOW, THE BEST ADVICE WE 
CAN GIVE FOR PEOPLE IS SPEAK TO 
THEIR DOCTOR AS THE PRESIDENT 
JUST SAID.
AND IF THE DOCTOR INDICATES THAT
POSITION, IF IT'S NOT A 
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OR OTHERWISE
AUTHORIZED LAB, CAN CONTACT THE 
STATE LAB.
EVERY STATE LAB IN THE COUNTRY 
CAN PERFORM TESTS TODAY.
BUT WHAT THE PRESIDENT CHARGED 
US WITH WHEN I WAS TASKED TO 
TAKE OVER THE CORONAVIRUS TASK 
FORCE WAS OPEN UP TESTS ALL 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE PRESIDENT SAID A FEW DAYS 
AGO THAT WE MADE IT CLEAR THAT 
ANY AMERICAN THAT WANTED TO GET 
A TEST WOULD BE ABLE TO 
CLINICALLY GET A TEST.
AS I LITERALLY HEARD FROM THE 
GOVERNOR OF WASHINGTON STATE WHO
SAID THE DOCTORS OF WASHINGTON 
STATE SAID IF YOU WERE ONLY 
MILDLY SYMPTOMATIC, THEY WOULD 
NOT ORDER A TEST.
UNFORTUNATELY THE PRESIDENT 
DIRECTED THE CDC TO CLARIFY 
THAT.
ANYONE IN CONSULTATION WITH 
THEIR PHYSICIANS AND SYMPTOMS 
CAN REQUEST A TEST.
THOSE DOCTORS WILL CONTACT THE 
AGENCIES AND LABS IN THEIR 
STATE.
BUT VERY SOON, AMERICANS WILL BE
ABLE TO GO TO THESE DRIVE-IN 
SITES AND BE ABLE TO OBTAIN AND 
PARTICIPATE IN A TEST.
DR. BIRX, IS THERE MORE TO 
AMPLIFY THAT?
>> I THINK THAT'S PERFECTLY 
SAID.
JUST TO REVIEW ONE MORE TIME 
ABOUT THE TESTING.
WITH LABCORP AND QUEST, I THINK 
MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO THE 
DOCTORS' OFFICES AND SEEN THE 
LITTLE BOXES OUTSIDE.
WHAT THEY DO IS DELIVER BOTH THE
SPECIMEN COLLECTION PIECE -- 
BECAUSE REMEMBER IT'S A NASAL 
SWAB.
IT'S NOT A TUBE OF BLOOD.
SO THEY DELIVER THAT TO DOCTOR'S
OFFICES AND HOSPITALS, AND THEN 
THEY WILL ARRANGE TO PICK THAT 
UP.
THE IMPORTANT PIECE IN THIS ALL 
IS THEY'VE GONE FROM A MACHINE 
THAT MAY HAVE A LOWER THROUGHPUT
TO THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE 
AUTOMATED EXTRACTION -- I KNOW 
YOU DON'T WANT ALL OF THESE 
DETAILS, BUT IT'S KEY FOR THE 
LABORATORY PEOPLE, AUTOMATED 
DISTRACTION OF THE RNA THAT THEN
RUNS IN AN AUTOMATED WAY ON THE 
MACHINE WITHOUT ANYONE TOUCHING 
IT AND THE RESULT COMES OUT OF 
THE OTHER END.
SAMPLE TO MACHINE TO RESULTS, 
THAT CUTS OUT A LOT OF THE 
MANUAL PIECES THAT WERE 
HAPPENING THAT WERE DELAYING THE
TEST RESULTS. 
>> SO WITH THAT WHAT'S THE 
TIMELINE LIKE FROM WHEN YOU'RE 
TESTED TO WHEN YOU GET RESULTS?
NEXT WEEK, WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE 
EXPECT?
>> WITH THE PRIOR TESTING IT WAS
TAKING SEVERAL DAYS BECAUSE THE 
TEST IS SLOWER.
WE BELIEVE WITH THIS TEST, 
BECAUSE OF ITS THROUGHPUT, THAT 
THE TESTING CAN BE FROM START --
REMEMBER, IT HAS TO TRANSPORT, 
TO THE LABORATORY THAT WILL RUN 
IT AND THEN WE'RE HOPING THAT 
ALL CAN BE FINISHED WITHIN 24 
HOURS, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO 
OTHER TESTS YOU RECEIVE TODAY.
THESE ARE NOT POINT-OF-CARE 
TESTS.
WE'RE WORKING ON POINT-OF-CARE 
TESTS, BUT WE HAVE TO REALIZE 
POINT-OF-CARE TESTS TAKE SIX 
MONTHS OR MORE TO DEVELOP.
WE'RE NOT WAITING BECAUSE WE'RE 
STILL DIAGNOSING THIS ON NUCLEIC
ACID.
THIS IS ACTUALLY THE ACID IN 
YOUR POSE WE'RE AMPLIFYING. 
>> I THINK YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER 
WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH 
STATES.
YOU HAVE A SMALLER FORUM AND 
MORE TARGETED FORM OF GOVERNMENT
GOING IN AND DOING IT, LIKE IN 
NEW YORK WHERE THE RELATIONSHIP 
IS VERY GOOD, LIKE GAVIN NEWSOM,
WHERE HE MADE SOME VERY 
COMPLEMENTARY -- AND THAT'S 
CALIFORNIA -- HE MADE 
COMPLEMENTARY COMMENTS THE OTHER
DAY ABOUT HOW WE'RE WORKING 
TOGETHER.
WE WORKED ON THE SHIP TOGETHER 
AND WE WORKED ON A LOT OF OTHER 
THINGS TOGETHER HAVING TO DO 
WITH THIS.
REALLY THE RELATIONSHIP WE 
HAVE -- I CAN'T THINK OF A BAD 
RELATIONSHIP.
WE'RE HELPING THEM.
WE'RE FUNDING THEM IN SOME CASES
DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS YOU'RE 
TALKING ABOUT AND WE'RE ALL 
WORKING TOGETHER VERY CLOSELY.
SO WE'VE DONE REALLY I THINK A 
TREMENDOUS JOB OF TEAMWORK WITH 
THE DIFFERENT STATES.
ONE OR TWO MORE.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THESE 
FOLKS -- DOES ANYBODY HAVE A 
QUESTION FOR THE FOLKS UP HERE?
WHO HAS A QUESTION UP HERE?
YOU HAVE?
GO AHEAD.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, GO 
AHEAD. 
>> THANK YOU.
I HAVE ONE FOR YOU AS WELL.
>> I THOUGHT.
I KNEW YOU WOULD. 
>> BUT I DO HAVE ONE FOR THEM. 
>> I WAS WAITING FOR THAT.
ASK THEM FIRST, PLEASE. 
>> YES, I WILL.
WITH REGARDS TO THE CEOs, CAN 
YOU PLEASE TELL US WHEN YOU 
EXPECT TO SEE ITEMS LIKE HAND 
SANITIZER THAT HAD BEEN GOING 
OUT OF STOCK VERY QUICKLY BACK 
ON THE SHELVES?
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF REPORTS
ABOUT THAT.
AND FOR YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, CAN 
YOU TALK ABOUT A POTENTIAL 
BAILOUT FOR THE CRUISE INDUSTRY?
YOU HAD SUGGESTED THAT COULD 
HAPPEN.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE STILL 
LOOKING AT AND HOW MUCH WOULD 
THAT BE?
>> I DIDN'T SUGGEST IT COULD 
HAPPEN BUT I CAN TELL YOU IT'S 
AN INDUSTRY THAT WAS VERY BADLY 
IMPACTED BY WHAT'S GOING ON WITH
THE VIRUS AND IT'S A GREAT 
INDUSTRY.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT INDUSTRY.
WE WILL BE HELPING THEM AND WE 
WILL BE HELPING THE AIRLINE 
INDUSTRY IF WE HAVE TO, ASSUMING
WE HAVE TO.
SO FAR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING 
BUT IF THEY SHOULD BE ASKING, WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR AIRLINE IS
VERY STRONG.
ONE DAY AND ONE DAY ALL OF A 
SUDDEN WASN'T LOOKING SO GOOD.
INTERESTINGLY, WE WERE JUST 
TALKING TO DOUG AND THE NUMBERS 
THEY'RE DOING FROM THE RETAILING
STANDPOINT BECAUSE OF THIS, 
THEIR BUSINESS IS THE OPPOSITE.
A LOT OF YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN 
SELLING A LOT OF STUFF.
DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER THE 
QUESTION AS FAR AS HAND 
SANITIZER?
>> SPECIFICALLY THE AREA WHERE 
WE ARE SEEING PRESSURES IN 
SUPPLY CHAIN ARE SURFACE 
CLEANERS, PAPER GOODS, HAND 
SANITIZING WILL BE DIFFICULT TO 
HAVE 100% STOCK ON IN TIME.
WE'RE REPLENISHING IT AND 
SHIPPING IT BUT AS SOON AS IT 
HITS THE STORES, THEY'RE GOING.
ALL OF THE RETAILERS WILL WORK 
HAND IN HAND TO THE SUPPLIERS TO
BRING THAT TO THE MARKET AS FAST
AS WE CAN. 
>> WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE THOSE FOR
AMERICANS SEEKING THOSE ITEMS?
WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE?
THEY'RE SELLING OUT ONLINE AND 
STORES. 
>> I THINK PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN YOU
OTHER EXAMPLES TO FIT BACK 
AGAINST THIS VIRUS AND YOU 
SHOULD LOOK AT THE ENTIRE LIST.
. 
>> I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, IT SOUNDS 
VERY SIMPLISTIC, BUT WASH YOUR 
HANDS AS OFTEN AS YOU POSSIBLY 
CAN.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS IN A 
POSITION TO BE ABLE TO WASH YOUR
HANDS, BUT WASH THEM AS MUCH AS 
YOU CAN.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ALCOHOL 
WIPES, TRY AND GET THEM.
IF YOU CAN'T GET THEM, TRY AS 
BEST AS POSSIBLE TO DO IT.
YOU HAVE TO DO THE BEST YOU CAN.
>> JUST GENERAL PREPAREDNESS.
YOU WANT TO WASH YOUR HANDS.
YOU WANT TO KEEP DISTANCE FROM 
PEOPLE.
AND IF YOU'RE AROUND SOMEONE 
SICK, KEEP AWAY FROM THEM.
JUST BASIC, BASIC PUBLIC HEALTH.
THESE GUYS HAVE SOLD A LOT OF 
TOILET PAPER.
DID YOU GIVE GUIDANCE THAT 
TOILET PAPER IS NOT A CORRECT 
PREVENTIVE AGAINST GETTING THE 
CORONAVIRUS?
THEY'RE SELLING OUT.
BUT HOT WATER, SOAP, 20 SECONDS.
THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT. 
>> ONE MORE.
GO AHEAD.
BEHIND YOU. 
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. 
PRESIDENT.
YOU HAVE A GREAT TEAM, OF 
COURSE. 
>> THAT'S TRUE.
THANK YOU. 
>> MY QUESTION, MR. PRESIDENT, 
ARE YOU HAPPY FROM THE TIMING OF
THE RESPONSE, WHEN THEY 
CORRECTLY TOLD YOU WHAT HAPPENED
AND THOSE INFECTED, THAT MR. 
MODI AND INDIA CLOSED BORDERS 
FROM APRIL 15th, AND IF YOU HAVE
SPOKEN TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF 
INDIA.
AND IF YOU HAVE HELPED.
AND ANY MESSAGE FOR THE SMALL 
BUSINESSES LOSING BUSINESS 
BECAUSE OF THIS.
THANK YOU, SIR. 
>> SMALL BUSINESS, THE SMALL 
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION IS NOW 
STACKED WITH MONEY TO HELP THEM 
AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THE 
MONEY READILY AVAILABLE IF THEY 
NEED IT, SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME IN INDIA.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE TWO DAYS, 
AND HE'S A GREAT FRIEND OF MINE.
HE'S A FRIEND OF HIS PEOPLE 
BECAUSE HE WAS GREETED 
INCREDIBLY WARMLY, AS WAS I IN 
THAT STADIUM.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EVENT.
I LOVED BEING WITH HIM TO SAY 
HELLO TO HIM.
WE TALKED ABOUT EVERYTHING.
WE TALKED ABOUT FAR MORE THAN 
JUST BORDERS.
AS FAR AS PRESIDENT XI, LIKEWISE
HE'S A FRIEND OF MINE.
I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE DEALING IN
GOOD FAITH.
WE JUST WORKED, AS YOU KNOW AND 
AS I JUST SAID, WE JUST WORKED 
AN INCREDIBLE DEAL, BIG DEAL, 
ONE OF THE BIGGEST DEALS EVER 
MADE OF ANY KIND, BIG EVEN BY 
THE STANDARDS OF SOME OF PEOPLE 
HERE THAT DEAL WITH CHINA.
BUT I THINK THEY WANT TO GET TO 
THE BOTTOM OF THINGS ALSO.
WE'RE WORKING.
OUR DRUG COMPANIES, 
PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ARE 
WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH CHINA 
AND INDIA AS YOU KNOW AND ALL 
OVER THE WORLD.
THEY'RE ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THESE ARE MAGNIFICENT COMPANIES 
THAT ARE VERY, VERY 
KNOWLEDGEABLE.
AND WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE 
THEM.
BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO 
COME UP WITH, WHETHER IT'S 
THERAPEUTIC OR WHETHER IT'S JUST
HELP, HELPING GETTING BETTER AND
ULTIMATELY A VACCINE, WHICH 
TAKES A LITTLE LONGER BECAUSE OF
THE TEST PERIODS AND A COUPLE OF
OTHER REASONS, YOU'RE GOING TO 
HAVE IT VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE OF 
THE GREAT KNOWLEDGE.
THEY'LL HAVE IT VERY QUICKLY.
THEY'VE MADE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF PROGRESS.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> PRESIDENT TRUMP CONCLUDING A 
RATHER LENGTHY NEWS CONFERENCE 
THERE IN THE ROSE GARDEN, ALONG 
WITH OTHER OFFICIALS, ABOUT THE 
GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO 
CORONAVIRUS.
THE PRESIDENT DECLARING A 
NATIONAL EMERGENCY.
THAT ESSENTIALLY UNLOCKS 
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS -- I THINK 
HE SAID $50 BILLION THAT CAN BE 
USED NOW IN THE FIGHT.
HE ALSO NOTED A NEW PARTNERSHIP 
BEING FORMED WITH U.S. OFFICIALS
AND PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT HE 
SAYS AND BELIEVES WILL EXPAND 
THE AVAILABILITY OF TESTING FOR 
THE VIRUS.
IN ADDITION, WE LEARNED ABOUT A 
WEBSITE THAT WILL BE GOING UP 
SOON THAT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO 
ESSENTIALLY ENTER THEIR SYMPTOMS
AND WHAT THEY'VE EXPERIENCED AND
GO DOWN A LIST THAT WILL GUIDE 
THEM AS TO WHETHER THEY SHOULD 
RECEIVE OR UNDERGO TESTING.
LET'S GO TO KRISTEN WELKER RIGHT
NOW, WHO WAS AT THAT NEWS 
CONFERENCE.
KRISTEN, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE 
OTHER HEADLINES HERE?
>> WELL, I THINK YOU HIT THE BIG
ONES, LESTER.
AND JUST TO REITERATE, THE 
PRESIDENT DECLARING A NATIONAL 
EMERGENCY, WHICH WILL, HE SAID, 
TAP INTO SOME $50 BILLION, WHICH
WILL ESSENTIALLY GIVE MORE FUNDS
TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SO
THEY CAN HELP TO FIGHT THOSE WHO
HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE 
CORONAVIRUS SO THEY CAN HELP TO 
FIGHT THE SPREAD AND SO THAT 
THERE CAN BE MORE TESTING MOVING
FORWARD.
OF COURSE, THAT HAS BEEN A 
CRITICAL ISSUE.
LET ME JUST TICK THROUGH SOME OF
THE OTHER BIG HEADLINES FROM 
THIS NEWS CONFERENCE, LESTER.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THEM.
I'LL START WITH MY QUESTION.
I ASKED THE PRESIDENT IF HE 
TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE 
FACT THAT THERE WAS A LAG IN 
TESTING, FOR THE FACT TO THIS 
DAY, 50 DAYS INTO THIS CRISIS, 
YOU STILL HAVE PEOPLE SAYING 
THEY CANNOT GET TESTED AND YET 
THEY ARE SHOWING SYMPTOMS.
THE PRESIDENT NOT TAKING 
RESPONSIBILITY.
WHEN I PRESSED HIM ON 
SPECIFICALLY WHEN CAN EVERY 
AMERICAN EXPECT TO HAVE A TEST 
AT THE READY, THE PRESIDENT 
COULD NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE.
ALTHOUGH HE DID SAY WE ARE 
EXPECTING TO HAVE MANY MORE BY 
SUNDAY AND CERTAINLY WITHIN THE 
NEXT WEEK TO SEVERAL WEEKS 
LOOKING FORWARD.
ANOTHER HEADLINE I THOUGHT FROM 
THIS EXCHANGE, LESTER, CAME 
TOWARDS THE END WHEN PRESIDENT 
TRUMP WAS PRESSED REPEATEDLY 
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT HE'S GOING 
TO IN FACT GET TESTED HIMSELF, 
BECAUSE HE WAS PICTURED LAST 
WEEK AT MAR-A-LAGO WITH A 
BRAZILIAN OFFICIAL WHO LATER 
TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE 
CORONAVIRUS.
THE PRESIDENT INITIALLY SAYING 
THAT HIS DOCTOR SAID HE DIDN'T 
HAVE TO SELF-QUARANTINE.
BUT THEN FINALLY AT THE END 
SAYING THAT IT'S POSSIBLE HE 
WILL GET TESTED FOR CORONAVIRUS.
HE SAID, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
THIS IS A REAL LEADERSHIP MOMENT
FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND THE 
QUESTION REMAINS, WILL HE 
ESSENTIALLY DO AS HE'S TELLING 
PEOPLE TO DO, WHICH IS TO GET 
TESTED IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERN, 
IF YOU HAVE COME INTO PROXIMITY 
WITH SOMEBODY IMPACTED.
BOTTOM LINE, THIS IS AN 
ADMINISTRATION UNDER FIRE FOR 
NOT ACTING QUICKLY ENOUGH AND 
TODAY PRESIDENT TRUMP TAKING HIS
MOST ROBUST ACTION YET TO 
ADDRESS THE CRISIS. 
>> KRISTEN, THANK YOU.
LET'S GO TO OUR MODERATOR OF 
"MEET THE PRESS" IN OUR 
WASHINGTON BUREAU.
CHUCK, IT SEEMS LIKE THE 
PRESIDENT WAS TAKING THIS AT A 
NEW LEVEL OF SERIOUSNESS WE 
PERHAPS HAVE NOT SEEN FROM HIM 
BEFORE.
THERE WAS ALSO THE POLITICAL 
POINT OF THIS WHETHER CONGRESS 
CAN GET TOGETHER, WHETHER THEY 
CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING. 
>> LOOK, I WILL SAY THIS, I 
THOUGHT THE PRESIDENT'S TONE 
GAVE OFF A MIXED MESSAGE.
THE EVENT ITSELF GAVE A STRONG 
MESSAGE BUT AS HE TOOK QUESTIONS
AND AS HE TALKED ABOUT THE 
PRECAUTIONS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN
AND HE KIND OF SAID, WELL, 
THAT'S KIND OF GOOD OR I'M OKAY,
IT CERTAINLY DID SEND A BIT OF 
MIXED MESSAGING.
LET'S BE BLUNT ABOUT THIS, 
TODAY'S EVENT FELT A WEEK TOO 
LATE.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT DR. 
FAUCI TOLD CONGRESS EARLIER THIS
WEEK THAT SORT OF WE BLEW IT ON 
TESTING AND IN SOME WAYS, WHAT 
WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN FROM 
TESTING WHEN IT CAME TO 
CONTAINMENT OR MITIGATION 
STRATEGY, THAT'S MOOT NOW.
NOW THE ISSUE OF TESTING AND 
TESTING CAPACITY IS SIMPLY TO 
FIND OUT WHO HAS IT AND WHO 
DOESN'T IN ORDER TO SEPARATE 
THAT OUT.
I THINK THE SHOW OF FORCE TODAY 
WAS VERY NECESSARY FOR THIS 
ADMINISTRATION, GETTING THE 
PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVED.
BUT, AGAIN, IT FELT ALMOST AS IF
THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WEEK 
AGO.
AND I THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE ON 
THAT STAGE, DR. FAUCI INCLUDED, 
WHO ALMOST INDICATED THAT. 
>> ENTHUSIASTIC, WHICH YOU.
LET ME BRING IN OUR SENIOR 
BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT STEPHANIE
RULE ALONG WITH OUR MEDICAL 
CORRESPONDENT DR. TORRES.
WE ARE WATCHING THE STOCK MARKET
TICK UPWARD AS THE PRESIDENT AND
TEAM OF FOLKS SPOKE. 
>> THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT 
INVESTORS AND THE MARKET HAS 
BEEN ASKING FOR, MORE THAN 
MONETARY OR FISCAL POLICY.
AND THEY GOT TO SEE ALL OF THE 
HEAVY HITTERS THEY LIKE AS FAR 
AS CORPORATE AMERICA.
YOU HAVE DOUG McWILLIAM FROM 
WALMART, NOT JUST THE HEAD OF 
WALMART, BUT HEAD OF LAB CORPS, 
QUEST, ROCHE.
SO EVERY TIME YOU HAVE SEEN THE 
PRESIDENT SPEAK ABOUT THE 
CORONAVIRUS, YOU HAVE SEEN THE 
MARKET TANK.
TODAY INVESTORS GOT WHAT THEY 
WANTED.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE COMPANIES, 
THEIR STOCK WENT UP IN THE LAST 
25 MINUTES. 
>> JOHN, BE ANTHONY FAUCI SEEMED
HAPPY ABOUT THE IDEA THEY'RE 
PROBABLY PARTNERING WITH THE 
PRIVATE SECTOR TO GET THIS 
GOING.
THE WEBSITE, BREAK IT DUNE, WILL
THIS ACCELERATE TESTING?
>> I THINK IT WILL ACCELERATE 
TESTING.
ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES RELYING ON
THE CDC IS DEVELOPING THOSE 
TESTS AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE DO
THAT OTHER COUNTRIES DON'T 
NECESSARILY DO.
WE'RE ABLE TO GET THEM OUT 
FASTER THAN A LOT ARE.
THE QUESTION WHY IT HAS TAKEN SO
LONG TO DO WITH THIS, WE'RE NOT 
SURE.
BUT NOW HAVING PRIVATE PARTNERS 
WILL ACCELERATE THIS AND IT'S A 
GOOD IDEA TO SAY LET'S PUT THE 
QUESTIONNAIRE ONLINE.
IF IT ANSWERS YES, HERE'S WHERE 
YOU NEED TO GO.
DRIVE THROUGH AND GET YOUR TEST.
THAT WILL SOLVE A LOT OF ISSUES 
GETTING THAT TEST AND FINDING 
OUT WHERE THE OUTBREAK HES ARE, 
WHICH EVEN DR. FAUCI SAID IS ONE
OF THE CRITICAL THINGS WE NEED 
TO KNOW TO BLUNT THAT CURVE. 
>> DOCTOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE WILL HAVE YOU ON "NIGHTLY 
NEWS" TONIGHT TO ANSWER SOME 
QUESTIONS.
AND SO THE DECLARATION FROM THE 
PRESIDENT IN RESPONSE TO THE 
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AS THE 
APPROACH CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.
CONFIRMED CASES IN THE U.S. NOW 
EXCEED 2,000.
THAT'S 2,000 SINCE THE OUTBREAK 
BEGAN WITH 42 DEATHS.
HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN AT LEAST 
IN THE SHORT TERM, THOSE NUMBERS
WILL CONTINUE TO RISE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING THE 
LATEST ON THIS EVOLVING CRISIS, 
INCLUDING FULL DETAILS WHEN WE 
SEE YOU ON "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS."
FOR NOW I'M LESTER HOLT IN NEW 
YORK.
GOOD DAY, EVERYONE.
