IS UNDER WAY.
HERE IS THE PRESIDENT.
>> IN OTHER WORDS, I THINK YOU 
ALL KNOW WHAT IT IS.
AND IT CAN DO A LOT OF GOOD 
THINGS IF WE NEED IT AND WE WILL
-- WE WILL HAVE IT ALL COMPLETED
SIGNING IT IN JUST A LITTLE 
WHILE, RIGHT AFTER I'M FINISHED 
WITH THIS CONFERENCE, I'M BE 
SIGNING IT.
IT'S PREPARED TO GO.
SO WE WILL BE INVOKING THE 
DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT.
LAST WEEK I SIGNED AN EMERGENCY 
DECLARATION UNDER THE STAFFORD 
ACT, WHICH AS YOU KNOW WE 
INVOKED PREVIOUSLY AND WHICH 
ACTIVATED FEMA'S NATIONAL 
RESPONSE COORDINATION CENTER.
FEMA NOW IS FULLY ENGAGED AT THE
HIGHEST LEVELS.
TODAY FEMA IS ACTIVATED IF EVERY
REGION.
WE ARE AT LEVEL 1.
LEVEL 1 BEING THE HIGHEST LEVEL,
WHICH WE WILL WORK WITH AND WE 
HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH FEMA.
I HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH 
FEMA, IT'S INCREDIBLE.
IT'S ALWAYS ON HURRICANES OR 
TORNADO.
THEY'RE RIGHT NOW IN TENNESSEE, 
A LARGE GROUP WORKING IN 
TENNESSEE HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE 
IN THIS TRAGIC EVENT.
ALABAMA LAST YEAR, ALSO A 
TORNADO AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE 
NUMEROUS HURRICANES IN DIFFERENT
LOCATIONS THAT WERE IN SOME 
CASES VERY DEVASTATING AND IF 
EVERY CASE FEMA CAME THROUGH.
THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF
A WORK FOR FEMA, BUT THEY WILL 
COME THROUGH, AS THEY ALWAYS DO.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS PEOPLE, 
TREMENDOUS TALENT IN FEMA.
WE'RE SENDING, UPON REQUEST TO 
THE TWO HOSPITALS SHIPS ARE 
BEING PREPARED.
THEY HAVE MASSIVE SHIPS.
THE BIG WHITE SHIPS WITH THE RED
CROSS ON THE SIDES.
ONE IS CALLED THE MERCY.
THE OTHER IS CALLED THE COMFORT.
AND THEY ARE IN TIP TOP SHAPE.
THEY SOON WILL BE.
THEY ARE GETTING READY TO COME 
UP TO NEW YORK.
I SPOKE WITH GOVERNOR CUOMO 
ABOUT IT.
HE'S EXCITED ABOUT IT.
AND I ALSO, WE HAVEN'T MADE THE 
FINAL DETERMINATION AS TO WHERE 
IT'S GOING TO GO ON THE WEST 
COAST.
THE COMFORT IS LOCATED NOW IN 
SAN DIEGO.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE, WE'LL BE 
PICKING A DESTINATION FAIRLY 
SHORTLY.
SO THOSE TWO SHIPS ARE BEING 
PREPARED TO GO AND THEY CAN BE 
LAUNCHED OVER THE NEXT WEEK OR 
SO DEPENDING ON NEED.
EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE FIRST 
CLINICAL TRIAL OF THE VACCINE 
CANDIDATE FOR THE VIRUS BEGAN IN
WASHINGTON STATE, AS YOU 
PROBABLY KNOW.
THE GENETIC SEQUENCE OF THE 
VIRUS WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN 
JANUARY, BUT THANKS TO THE 
UNPRECEDENTED PARTNERSHIP 
BETWEEN THE FDA, NIH AND THE 
PRIVATE SECTOR, WE'VE REACHED 
HUMAN TRIALS FOR THE VACCINE.
JUST EIGHT WEEKS LATER, IT'S A 
RECORD BY MANY, MANY MONTHS.
IT USED TO TAKE YEARS TO DO 
THIS, NOW WE DID IT JUST IN A 
VERY SHORT WHILE.
THAT'S THE FASTEST DEVELOPMENT 
IN HISTORY OF WHAT WE'RE DOING 
WITH REGARD TO THE VACCINE, 
MAKING VERY, VERY BIG PROGRESS.
TODAY I CAN ANNOUNCE FURTHER 
STEPS TO ANNOUNCE TESTING 
CAPACITY.
WE ARE WORKING WITH SEVERAL 
GROUPS TO DETERMINE IF THE SELF 
SWAB, A MUCH EASIER PROCESS THAN
THE CURRENT PROCESS THAT'S NOT 
VERY NICE TO DO.
I CAN TELL YOU.
BECAUSE I DID IT.
BUT WE HAVE A CURRENT PROCESS 
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT, 
IF YOU HAVE IT DONE.
THE GROUPS ARE WORKING ON 
DETERMINING IF A SELF-SWAB BY AN
INDIVIDUAL IS AS EFFECTIVE AS 
THE OTHER.
THE OTHER IS VERY EFFECTIVE, 
VERY ACCURATE.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF WE CAN
DO A SELF SWAB, WHICH WOULD BE A
LOT MORE POPULAR, CAN I TELL YOU
THAT.
SO, AND THAT WOULD BED A 
MINSTERED ALSO BY A HEALTH 
OFFICIAL, BUT IT WOULD BE A LOT 
EASIER TO DO.
THE TELL FACT IS THAT THE HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS, IT WOULD FREE UP 
A LOT.
LET ME JUST SAY, THE SELF SWAB 
IS WHAT IT IS.
IT'S A SELF SWAB.
YOU DO IT YOURSELF.
THE OTHER HAS TO BE ISSUED BY A 
HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS QUITE 
DIFFICULT AND WE THINK IT'S 
WORKING OUT FOR THE SELF SWAB 
AND IF IT WOULD TEST POSITIVE, 
THE PEOPLE WOULD GO, THEY WOULD 
DO WHO THEY HAVE TO DO.
I ASK THE FDA TO REDUCE GAR 
BARRIERS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT EXCITING 
THINGS.
WE WILL HOLD A SECOND NEWS 
CONFERENCE TODAY.
WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE FDA.
SOME THINGS ARE HAPPENING THAT 
ARE QUITE EXCITING.
WE WILL BE DOING THAT EITHER 
LATER TODAY OR TOMORROW, FAIRLY 
EARLY TOMORROW SO WE'LL SEE WHAT
HAPPENS.
BUT THE FDA, MY INSTRUCTIONS I 
HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY, VERY 
HARD ON A NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENTS
AND WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THEM 
WITH YOU LATER TODAY OR 
TOMORROW.
AND THIS AFTERNOON, I'LL BE 
MEETING WITH NURSES ON THE FRONT
LINES OF THE BATTLE AGAINST THE 
VIRUS THERE.
THEY ARE TRULY AMERICAN HEROES.
THEY WANT TO GET IT DONE.
THEY ARE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING 
WITH NURSES AND I ACTUALLY LOOK 
FORWARD TO THAT THEY'RE VERY 
BRAVE.
THEY'RE TAKING A LOT OF RISKS 
AND THEY HAVE DONE AN INCREDIBLE
JOB AND THEY NEVER COMPLAIN.
TODAY I AM ALSO ANNOUNCING THAT 
THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND 
URBAN DEVELOPMENT IS PROVIDING 
IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO RENTERS AND 
HOMEOWNERS BY SUSPENDING ALL 
FORECLOSURES AND EVICTIONS UNTIL
THE END OF APRIL.
SO WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY 
WITH DR. BEN CARSON AND 
EVERYBODY FROM HUD.
EVERY GENERATION OF AMERICANS 
HAS BEEN CALLED TO MAKE SHARE 
AND SACRIFICES FOR THE GOOD OF 
THE NATION.
IN WORLD WAR II, YOUNG PEOPLE IN
THEIR TEENAGE YEARS VOLUNTEERED 
TO FIGHT.
THEY WANTED TO FIGHT SO BADLY 
BECAUSE THEY LOVE OUR COUNTRY.
WORKERS REFUSED TO GO HOME AND 
SLEPT ON FACTORY FLOORS TO KEEP 
ASSEMBLY LINES RUNNING.
THE NUMBERS OF SHIPS THEY BUILT 
DURING THE WORLD WAR II, TO THIS
DAY, HAS NEVER, NOTHING LIKE 
THAT HAS BEEN EQUAL.
THEY WERE DOING SHIPS ON LITERAL
LY ON A DAILY BASIS.
NOBODY HAS EVER SEEN ANYTHING 
LIKE IT.
TO THIS DAY NOBODY HAS SEEN 
ANYTHING LIKE IT, WHAT THEY WERE
ABLE TO TO DO DURING WORLD WAR 
II.
NOW IT'S OUR TIME.
WE MUST SACRIFICE TOGETHER.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE'LL COME THROUGH TOGETHER.
IT'S THE INVISIBLE ENEMY.
IT'S ALWAYS THE TOUGHEST ENEMY, 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY.
WE ARE GOING TO DEFEAT THE 
ENEMY.
I THINK WE WILL DO IT EVEN 
FASTER THAN WE THOUGHT AND IT 
WILL BE A COMPLETE VICTORY.
IT WILL BE A TOTAL VICTORY.
SO WE'LL HAVE A SECOND 
CONFERENCE AGAIN HAVING TO DO 
WITH THE FDA AND I THINK IT'S 
GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY A VERY 
EXCITING NEWS CONFERENCE AND WE 
WILL DO IT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
SO WHETHER IT'S TODAY OR 
TOMORROW, I'LL, WITH THAT, ASK 
MIKE PENCE TO SAY A FEW WORDS 
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THE WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS TASK
FORCE MET THIS MORNING AND NOW 
THAT WE HAVE CASES IN ALL 50 
STATES, WE'RE CONTINUING TO MOVE
OUT ON THE PRESIDENT'S CALL TO 
BRING THE FULL RESOURCES OF THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE FULL 
PARTNERSHIP WITH EVERY STATE AND
TERRITORY, THE FULL POWER OF THE
AMERICAN ECONOMY, TO SUPPORT 
BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES.
AS THE PRESIDENT SAYS, TO US, 
AND EVERY DAY, WE'LL DO WHATEVER
IT TAKES.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
YESTERDAY, THE PRESIDENT MET 
WITH THE TOURISM INDUSTRY 
EXECUTIVES AND ALSO HAD AN 
ENGAGING DISCUSSION WITH ALL TOP
COMPANIES IN OUR INDUSTRIAL AND 
MEDICAL SUPPLY CHAIN.
THE PRESIDENT AS YOU ALL ARE, 
YOU ANNOUNCED TODAY BY MUTUAL 
CONSENT OF THE FOREPERSON BORDER
TO CANADA WILL BE CLOSED TO 
NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL THIS DOES 
NOT INCLUDE ESSENTIAL TRAVEL OR 
THE TRANSIT OF GOODS, BUT IT WAS
THROUGH MUTUAL DISCUSSION THAT 
TOOK PLACE THIS MORNING BETWEEN 
THE PRESIDENT AND PRIME 
MINISTER, TRUDEAU AND THE 
DEPARTMENT OF HOMEHAPPENED 
SECURITY WILL BE EFFECTUATEING 
THAT DECISION.
THE PRESIDENT SPOKE WITH SOME OF
THE NATION'S TOP BUSINESS 
LEADERS TODAY AGAIN TO SPEAK 
ABOUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN IN THE 
COUNTRY.
AND FOR OUR PART, WE'RE GOING TO
BE CONDUCTING A CONFERENCE CALL 
LATER TODAY WITH STATE AND LOCAL
HEALTH OFFICIALS TO RENEW YOUR 
ONGOING COMMITMENT OF 
COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION.
AS THE PRESIDENT SAID LAST WEEK 
IN SIGNING THE STAFFORD ACT, HE 
STOOD UP THE NATIONAL RESPONSE 
COORDINATION CENTER AND TODAY AT
THE PRESIDENT'S DIRECTION, FEMA 
HAS GONE TO LEVEL 1.
FEMA'S MISSION IS TO SUPPORT 
DISASTERS THAT ARE LOCALLY 
EXECUTED, STATE MANAGED AND 
FEDERALLY SUPPORTED.
AND TOMORROW THE PRESIDENT WILL 
BE HOSTING ALL THE NATION'S 
GOVERNORS, FROM A VIDEO 
CONFERENCE AT FEMA TO ENSURE 
THAT THEY HAVE FULL CONNECTION 
TO ALL OF THE ACTIVATED REGIONS 
FOR FEMA GOING FORWARD.
WITH REGARD TO TESTING, I AM 
PLEASED TO REPORT THAT WE ARE 
INCREASING THE NUMBER OF TESTS 
BEING PERFORMED BY THE THOUSANDS
EVERY DAY, THANKS TO THE PUBLIC 
PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT 
PRESIDENT TRUMP FORMED WITH 
COMMERCIAL LABORATORIES AROUND 
THE COUNTRY.
OUR HEALTH EXPERTS TELL US TO 
REMIND EVERY AMERICAN.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, 
PEOPLE WITHOUT SYMPTOMS SHOULD 
NOT GET TESTED.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE 
SUPPLY OF TESTING IS THERE FOR 
THOSE THAT NEED IT MOST OR ARE 
SYMPTOMATIC OR IN THE VULNERABLE
POPULATION.
DR. DEBRA BERKES IN A MOMENT 
WILL ADDRESS THE PROGRESS WE ARE
MAKING ON TESTING, THE INFECTION
RATE, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO 
EVERY AMERICAN AS WELL AS SOME 
IMPORTANT NEW FINDINGS ABOUT THE
IMPACT ON YOUTH THAT WE ARE 
GAINING FROM DATA THAT'S COMING 
IN FROM EUROPE.
IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO EVERY 
AMERICAN.
ON THE SUBJECT OF SUPPLIES, THE 
PRESIDENT HAS OUR TASK FORCE 
EXTREMELY FOCUSED AS THE 
PRESIDENT MENTIONED THAT HE IS 
INVOKING THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION 
ACT TODAY.
SECRETARY ESPER IN A FEW MOMENTS
WILL DESCRIBE THE ONGOING 
EFFORTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE IS TAKING TO MAKE 
MEDICAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
SECRETARY ROBERT WILKEY WILL 
ANNOUNCE DECISIONS THE VA HAS 
MADE TO EXPAND HOSPITAL CAPACITY
WITHIN THEIR SYSTEM.
ALSO WITH REGARD TO MEDICAL 
PERSONNEL, AT THE PRESIDENT'S 
DIRECTION, HHS IS ISSUING A 
REGULATION TODAY THAT WILL ALLOW
ALL DOCTORS AND MEDICAL 
PROFESSIONS TO PRACTICE ACROSS 
STATE LINES TO MEET THE 
HOSPITALS THAT MAY ARISE IN 
ADJOINING AREAS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT WE ARE AGAIN
TODAY ASKING EVERY AMERICAN AND 
OUR MEDICAL COMMUNITY LEADERS 
AND HOSPITALS TO PARTNER WITH US
IN DELAYING ELECTIVE PROCEDURES 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN OUR 
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT
MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND MEDICAL 
CAPACITY GO WHERE THEY ARE 
NEEDED MOST.
SEEMA VERMA WILL DESCRIBE 
GUIDANCE AT CHS WILL BE ISSUING 
ON THAT FRONT.
FINALLY I WANT TO REMIND EVERY 
AMERICAN OF THE PRESIDENT'S 
15-DAY GUIDANCE TO SLOW THE 
SPREAD, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR 
MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA AND THE 
GENERAL PUBLIC THAT ARE 
ADHEREING TO THESE, SHARING THEM
WITH NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS, ALL 
OF OUR EXPERTS CONTINUE TO 
BELIEVE THAT IF EVERY AMERICAN 
WILL DO THEIR PART AND EMBRACE 
AND PUT INTO PRACTICE THESE 
PRINCIPLES, THAT WE CAN 
SIGNIFICANTLY LIMIT THE REACH OF
THE CORONAVIRUS IN THE WEEKS AND
MONTHS AHEAD.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. 
>> THANK YOU, VERY MUCH.
DR. BERKS.
PLEASE. 
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, 
MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
SO YOU KNOW WE CONTINUE TO LOOK 
AT DATA EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THERE ARE CONCERNING REPORTS 
COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND ITALY 
ABOUT SOME YOUNG PEOPLE GETTING 
SERIOUSLY ILL AND VERY SERIOUSLY
ILL IN THE ICUs.
WE THINK PART OF THIS MAY BE 
THAT PEOPLE HEEDED THE EARLY 
DATA COMING OUT OF CHINA AND 
COMING OUT OF SOUTH KOREA, ABOUT
THEEST ELDERLY AND PRE-EXISTING 
CONDITIONS WERE AT RISK.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE MILL WILL 
BEIAL GENERATION, OUR LARGEST 
GENERATION, OUR FUTURE 
GENERATION, THAT WILL CARRY US 
THROUGH FOR THE NEXT MULTIPLE 
DECADES.
THERE MAY BE DISPROPORTIONAL 
NUMBER OF INFECTIONS AMONG THAT 
GROUP.
AND SO EVEN IF IT'S A RARE 
OCCURRENCE, IT MAY BE SEEN MORE 
FREQUENTLY IN THAT GROUP AND BE 
EVIDENT NOW.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT 
INFORMATION VERY CAREFULLY.
WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY SIGNIFICANT
MORTALITY IN THE CHILDREN, BUT 
WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EARLY
REPORTS COMING OUT OF ITALY AND 
FRANCE.
AGAIN, I'M GOING TO CALL ON THAT
GENERATION.
THAT'S A PART OF THAT GROUP THAT
BROUGHT US INNOVATION, 
PARTICULARLY THROUGHOUT ALL OF 
THEIR ABILITY TO LOOK AROUND 
CORNERS AND SKIP THROUGH GAINS.
I ALWAYS WENT LEVEL BY LEVEL.
I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU COULD GO 
FROM LEVEL 3 TO A LEVEL 7.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE TAUGHT US.
THEY LOOK FOR THINGS THAT WE 
DON'T SEE.
WE NEED THEM TO BE HEALTHY.
SO, AGAIN, NOT ONLY CALLING ON 
YOU TO HEED WHAT'S IN THE 
GUIDANCE, BUT TO REALLY ENSURE 
THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU 
ARE PROTECTING EACH OTHER.
AND SO WE CANNOT HAVE THESE 
LARGE GATHERINGS THAT CONTINUE 
TO OCCUR THROUGHOUT COUNTRY FOR 
PEOPLE WHO ARE OFF WORK, TO THEN
BE SOCIALIZING IN LARGE GROUPS 
AND SPREADING THE VIRUS.
HAVE YOU THE POTENTIAL THEN TO 
SPREAD IT TO SOMEONE WHO DOES 
HAVE A CONDITION THAT NONE OF US
KNEW ABOUT AND CALLS THEM TO 
HAVE A DISASTROUS OUTCOME.
FINALLY ON THE TESTING PEET'S 
AND WHAT WE ARE LEARNING.
I KNOW YOU KNOW LAST WEEK IN 
BRINGING THE PRIVATE SECTOR, I 
THINK WHAT HAS BEEN EXCITING TO 
ME OVER THE LAST TWO-AND-A-HALF 
WEEKS IS TO SEE THIS 
ADMINISTRATION HARNESS THE FULL 
CAPACITY OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
UNDERSTANDING THAT A LOT OF OUR 
SOLUTIONS THAT WE NEED TO 
CONFRONT THIS VIRUS RELY ON THE 
PRIVATE SECTOR.
BRINGING THE PRIVATE SECTOR 
COMMERCIAL LABS WAS CRITICAL 
INTO THIS PROCESS.
WE ARE NOW BEGINNING TO SEE THAT
THEY HAVE SPREAD OUT IN A 
PRIORITIZED WAY, BECAUSE WE 
ASKED THEM TO PRIORITIZE THE 
REGIONS THAT WERE MOSTLY 
AFFECTED.
AND SO YOU MAY STILL HAVE 
DIFFICULTY GETTING TESTS IN 
AREAS THAT DO NOT HAVE 
SIGNIFICANT CASES.
WE'VE HAD THEM PRIORITIZE THE 
REGIONS WHERE WE NEED DIAGNOSIS 
AND THEY'RE DIAGNOSTIC PERCENT.
REMEMBER I TOLD YOU SOUTH KOREA 
WAS UNDER 4%.
SO 96% OF PEOPLE WERE NEGATIVE.
THE LAST REPORT WE'VE SEEN FROM 
THE LABORATORIES HAVE ABOUT A 
7-PLUS PERCENT POSITIVITY RATE.
STILL, 93-PLUS PERCENT OR 92% 
ARE NEGATIVE, BUT I THINK THAT'S
ENCOURAGING TO ME PERSONALLY 
THAT WE ARE PRIORITIZING 
APPROPRIATELY THE TO THOSE AREAS
THAT HAVE THE GREATEST NEED.
TODAY AND YESTERDAY, 
THERMOFISHER PUSHED OUT THEIR 
LABORATORY TESTING CAPACITY.
 THAT WILL DRAMATICALLY INCREASE
THE PLATFORM AND THE ABILITY TO 
RUN ADDITIONAL TESTS IN ADDITION
TO RAUSHE.
SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S 
ATTENTION TO THESE NUMBERS.
I AM EXCITED WITH EPRIORITIZED 
WHERE THE NEED WAS THE 
FREIGHTEST.
BUT AGAIN, PLEASE FOLLOW THE 
GUIDANCE AND MAKE SURE IN EVERY 
REPORT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT YOU
ARE TALKING ABOUT THE 
PRESIDENTIAL GUIDANCE TO 
ACTUALLY STOP THE SPREAD OF THIS
VIRUS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, VERY MUCH.
>> SO, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE,
I WANT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON 
DODs CORONAVIRUS EFFORTS AS WE 
CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON OUR THREE 
PARTIES.
THAT'S, FIRST OF ALL, PROTECTING
OUR PERSONNEL AND THERAPY 
FAMILIES, SECOND, SAFE GUARDING 
OUR NATIONAL CAPABILITIES AND 
THIRD THE WHOM OF GOVERNMENT 
APPROACH.
FIRST OF ALL, THOUGH, I DO WANT 
TO ASSURE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 
THAT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY 
REMAINS READY AND CAMABLE OF 
DEFENDING THE COUNTRY AND OUR 
INTERESTS ABROAD.
NOW, WITH THAT, THE DEPARTMENT'S
LENDING FORWARD IN OUR RESPONSE 
TO COVID-19, WE'VE INTRODUCED 
INTERNATIONAL AND RESTRICTIONS 
TO DOD AND FAMILIES THAT COULD 
DRAMATICALLY REDUCE EXPOSURE TO 
THE VIRUS.
THOSE HAVE BEEN IN PLACE SOME 
TIME NOW.
AS I ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY, THE 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WILL MAKE 
UP TO 5 MILLION N-95 RESPIRATOR 
MASKS FROM OUR OWN STRATEGIC 
RESERVES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF 
HELDMENT AND HUMAN SERVICES FOR 
DISTRIBUTION.
THE FIRST 1 MILLION MASKS WILL 
BE AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY.
WE ARE PREPARED TO DELIVER TO 
HHS UP TO 2,000 DEPLOYABLE 
VENTILATORS FOR USE AS NEEDED.
YESTERDAY I WAS IF FT. DEIDRICH,
MARYLAND, THE PREMIER INSTITUTE,
I GOT UPDATED ON THE INCREDIBLE 
WORK OUR PEOPLE ARE DOING AS 
PART OF THE INNER AGENCY 
ROUTINES TO WORK ON VACCINES AND
THERAPEUTICS.
WE ALSO HAVE APE NOUNCED WE HAVE
CERTIFIED OUR 16th LAB OR WILL 
SOON CERTIFY OUR 16th LAB TO 
HELP WITH PROCESSING TESTS FROM 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE DIRECTED, 
AS THE PRESIDENT MENTIONED, THAT
THE HOSPITAL SHIPS MERCY AND 
COMFORT BE DEPLOYED TO INCREASE 
MEDICAL CAPACITY.
WE HAVE ALERTED A VARIETY OF 
FIELD AND EXPEDITIONARY 
HOSPITALS TO BE PREPARED TO 
DEPLOY AS NEEDED BASED ON 
DIRECTION FROM THE 
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.
OUR CORE OF ENGINEERS ARE IN NEW
YORK SPEAKING WITH GOVERNOR 
CUOMO AND I WILL BE SPEAKING 
WITH MORE OVER THE NEXT DAYS TO 
KNOW WHAT DOD CAN PROVIDE TO OUR
SYSTEM TO ADDRESS THEIR NEED.
IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH 
GOVERNORS AND MEMBERS OF 
CONGRESS ABOUT DOD'S RESOURCES, 
I HAVE MADE IT CLEAR WE WILL 
CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE 
ADMINISTRATION'S COMPREHENSIVE 
EFFORTS AND THE COUNTRY EVERY 
STEP OF THE WAY WHILE ENSURING 
OUR NATION'S SECURITY REMAINS 
THE TOP PRIORITY.
I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THANKING 
ALL OUR SERVICE MEMBERS AND 
THEIR FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THIS 
OUTBREAK THEY ARE ALL GREAT 
HEROES.
WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM 
THROUGHOUT THIS.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
SO YESTERDAY THE PRESIDENT MADE 
A VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT 
ABOUT TELEHEALTH.
THIS IS ALLOWING OUR 62 MILLION 
SENIORS TO BE ABLE TO GET SOME 
MEDICAL SERVICES FROM THE SAFETY
OF THEIR HOME, REDUCING THE RISK
AND WITHOUT ANY CO-PAYS.
BUT WE ARE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT
THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS 
PREPARED AND THAT THOSE ON THE 
FRONT LINES HAVE THE SUPPORT 
THAT THEY NEED.
THE REALITY IS, THE STAKES ARE 
HIGH AND WE NEED TO PRESERVE 
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 
FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON THE FRONT 
LEANS OF THIS FIGHT.
AND TO THAT END, WE HAVE PUT OUT
GUIDELINES OVER THE PAST TWO 
WEEKS TO EXPAND MASKS IN ROUTINE
CARE AND SAVING N-95 IN THE MOST
RICKY SITUATIONS.
CONSERVING PERSONAL PROTECTIVE 
EQUIPMENT IS ALSO ESSENTIAL TO 
COMBAT THE VIRUS.
TODAY, CNS WILL ANNOUNCE 
DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS TO 
FURTHER PROMOTE THIS NEEDED 
CONSERVATION, SPECIFICALLY BY 
LIMITING NON-ELECTIVE 
PROCEDURES, INCLUDING DENTAL 
PROCEDURES.
WE BELIEVE THAT THESE 
RECOMMENDATIONS WILL HELP 
SURGEONS, PATIENTS AND HOSPITALS
PRIORITIZE WHAT IS ESSENTIAL 
WHILE LEAVING THE ULTIMATE 
DECISION IN THE HEALTH 
CLINICIANS WITH DIRECT 
RESPONSIBILITY TO THEIR 
PATIENTS.
WE URGE PROVIDERS AND CLINICIANS
AND PATIENTS TO SERIOUSLY 
CONSIDER THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THEY WILL NOT ONLY PRESERVE 
EQUIPMENT.
IT PAY LOUS DOCTORS AND FURS 
THAT HELP THOSE ON THE FRONT 
LINES.
AND IT WILL PROTECT PATIENTS TO 
UNNECESSARY EXPOSURE TO THE 
VIRUS.
WITH EACTUALLY APPRECIATE THIS 
WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON THE 
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
BUT THE SHARED SACRIFICE IS 
ESSENTIAL TO HELP THOSE ON THE 
FRONT LINES.
I WANT TO THANK THE MEDICAL 
SOCIETY.
SUCH AS THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF 
SURGEONS AND AMERICAN DENTAL 
ASSOCIATION THAT TOOK A 
PROACTIVE APPROACH AND ALREADY 
POSTED THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND WE HAVE ALSO TALKED TO THE 
AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND
THEY HAVE FULLY INDICATED THEIR 
SUPPORT FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION.
WE NOW INVITE THE ENTIRE 
HEALTHCARE COMBLUNT TO JOIN 
 -- 
COMMUNITY WITH TO JOIN US IN 
THIS EFFORT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. 
>> MY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE WITH
THE WERE VERY CLEAR.
I WAS TO DO EVERYTHING 
IMAGINABLE AS AGGRESSIVELY AS 
POSSIBLE TO PROTECT THE 9.5 
MILLION VETERANS WHO ARE A PART 
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS.
LAST MONTH, WE ESTABLISHED 19 
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTERS 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE BEGAN TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF 
VISITORS WHO ENTERED OUR 
FACILITIES.
WE BEGAN I THINK THE FIRST 
SYSTEM TO BEGIN TRIAGEING ACROSS
THE COUNTRY IN OUR 170 HOSPITALS
THE ENTRANTS OF ANYONE INTO OUR 
FACILITY WITHOUT BEING 
QUESTIONED OR TESTED.
WE EXPANDED THOSE RESTRICTIONS 
TO THOSE IN OUR 135 COMMUNITY 
LIVING CENTERS, WHICH HAVE ABOUT
7800 VETERANS, WHO ARE IN ACUTE 
CONDITIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT 
THEY WERE PROTECTED.
WE ALSO TOOK THE NEXT STEP AND 
MADE SURE THAT WE LIMITED THE 
DENTAL SURGERIES THAT WE WERE 
PROVIDED.
WE'VE CUT BACK BY ONE-THIRD THE 
NUMBER OF ROUTINE APPOINTMENTS 
WE HAVE HAD.
AND WE HAVE CANCELLED ELECTIVE 
SURGERIES.
THESE WERE ALL A PART OF THE 
PRESIDENT'S DIRECTIVE TO BE AS 
AGGRESSIVE IN A PUBLIC HEALTH 
SENSE AS WE COULD BE.
I THINK WE HAVE SET THE PACE FOR
THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
I WILL SAY, WE'VE OFTEN SAID 
THAT WE WORK THE MOST NOBLE 
MISSION IN THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT.
OUR VETERANS HAVE BEEN IN THE 
TOUGHEST SPOTS IN THE WORLD.
THEY HAVE BEEN PUTTING 
CONDITIONS THAT ARE UNIMAGINABLE
TO MOST AMERICANS.
AND THEY HAVE RESPONDED.
THEY HAVE RESPONDED CLEARLY.
THEY HAVE RESPONDED WITH PASSION
AND ALSO THE 400,000 MEMBERS OF 
OUR DEPARTMENT WHO ARE OUT THERE
ON THE FRONT LINES, THE LAST 
THING I WILL SAY IS THAT YOU 
HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE 
FOURTH MISSION THE VA HAS.
OUR FIRST THREE MISSIONS ARE 
HEALTHCARE, BENEFITS AND 
MEMORIAL AFFAIRS.
OUR FOURTH MISSION IS TO SUPPORT
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN TIMES 
OF NATURAL DISASTERS AND 
PANDEMICS.
WE ARE THE BUTTRESS FORCE IN 
CASE FEMA OR HHS CALLS UPON US 
TO DEPLOY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO MEET 
CRISES.
WE PLAN FOR THAT EVERY DAY.
WE ARE GAINING OUR EMERGENCY 
PREPAREDNESS SCENARIOS AND WE 
STAND READY WHEN THE PRESIDENT 
NEEDS US TO EXPAND OUR MISSION.
THANK YOU. 
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ROBERT, 
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL.
THAT'S VERY NICE.
ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE?
>> TWO QUESTIONS, IF I MAY.
YOUR TREASURY SECRETARY WAS ON 
CAPITOL HILL TALKING ABOUT THE 
POTENTIAL FOR WHAT COULD COME 
AND HE SAID THAT UNEMPLOYMENT 
COULD SKYROCKET TO 20%.
ARE WE LOOKING, THAT COULD RIVAL
THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
ARE WE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY 
DEVASTATION?
>> NO, I DON'T AGREE.
THAT'S AN ABSOLUTE TOTAL WORST 
CASE SCENARIO.
BUT, NO, WE DON'T LOOK AT THAT 
AT ALL.
>> MY SECOND QUESTION. 
>> WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR IT. 
>> WHY DO YOU KEEP CALMING THIS 
THE CHINESE VIRUS IN?
THERE ARE REPORT OF INCIDENTS 
AGAINST CHINESE AMERICANS IN 
THIS COUNTRY.
YOUR ONLY AGE ASARO DOES NOT USE
THIS TERM, ETHNICITY DOES NOT 
CAUSE THE VIRUS.
WHY DON'T YOU USE THIS?
>> IT'S RACIST?
>> IT COMES FROM CHINA.
IT'S NOT RACIST AT ALL.
IT COMES FROM COIN, THAT'S WHY.
I WANT TO BE ACCURATE.
PLEASE, JOHN.
I HAVE GREAT LOVE FOR ALL OF THE
PEOPLE FROM OUR COUNTRY, BUT AS 
YOU KNOW CHINA TRIED TO SAY AT 
ONE POINT, MAYBE THEY'VE STOPPED
NOW, THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY 
AMERICAN SOLDIERS.
 THAT CAN'T HAPPEN.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, NOT AS
LONG AS I'M PRESIDENT.
IT COMES FROM CHINA.
PLEASE.
>> TWO QUESTIONS, AGAIN, 
MR. PRESIDENT, FIRST OF ALL, THE
PROCUREMENT ACT.
YOU ARE INVOKING IT SENATOR 
SCHUMER SAID ON THE FLOOR IT 
URGENTLY NEED TO BE PUT INTO 
ACTION TO PRODUCE MEDICAL 
SUPPLIES, PARTICULARLY 
VENTILATORS.
DO HAVE YOU NEW TARGETS YOU 
WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMMEDIATELY 
SPOOLED UP?
>> WE DO HAVE.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS NUMBERS OF 
VENT LATORS, THERE HAS NEVER 
BEEN AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS NO 
MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE IT'S NOT 
ENOUGH.
 THAT WOULD BE THE CASE.
IT IS BEING SOONED.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY DRAWN.
I WILL SIGN IT IN JUST A LITTLE 
WHILE.
IF WE NEED TO USE IT, WE WILL BE
UTESING IT AT FULL SPEED AHEAD. 
>> YOU SAID YOU URGENTBLY --
>> WE WILL KNOW WHETHER IT'S 
URGENT.
WE HAVE TARGETS FOR CERTAIN 
PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
WE HAVE TARGETS FOR MASKS, THE 
MASKS AND NUMBERS OF MASKS ARE 
INCREDIBLE.
WE'VE ORDERED MILLIONS OF THEM.
BUT WE NEED MILLIONS MORE.
A THING LIKE THIS HAS NEVER BEEN
REQUESTED AND IT'S NEVER, WE'VE 
NEVER HAD TO THINK IN TERMS OF 
THESE NUMBERS.
BUT WE NEED MILLIONS OF MASKS 
AND ALL OF THAT WILL BE ORDERED.
WE NEED RED SEPARATORS, 
VENTILATORS -- VENTILATORS.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF VENTILATORS,
WE WILL BE ORDERING MORE. 
>> SECOND QUESTION, WHAT SIZE 
WILL THE CHECKS BE THAT WILL BE 
SEPTEMBER OUT?
>> TO BE DETERMINED.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SENATE 
RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE WORKING WITH EVERYBODY ON 
CAPITOL HILL.
THERE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS -- 
THERE REALLY HAS BEEN.
I MEAN WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS, 
OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS 
THE WAY IT IS.
THEY HAVE BEEN GET ACHE LONG 
VERY WELL, REPUBLICANS AND 
DEMOCRATS.
IT'S A NICE THING, VERY 
BIPARTISAN.
>> MORE THAN 1,000?
>> 23 WILL SEE.
I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THAT 
RIGHT NOW, JOHN.
WE ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT 
NUMBERS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT TIMING, 
SPLITTING THE TIME, SPLITTING 
THE PAYMENTS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF 
DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT HASN'T BEEN DETERMINED YET.
BUT IT WILL SHORTLY BE 
DETERMINED AND PEOPLE WANT TO GO
BIG AS OPPOSED.
EVERYBODY SEEMS TO WANT TO GO 
BIG AND THEY WANT TO GET TO THE 
RECOVERY.
THE BIG DAY, THE BIG THING WE 
CAN DO IS GET RID OF THIS 
HORRIBLE I CALL IT THE UNSEEN, 
THE UNSEEN ENEMY.
YOU CALL IT -- THERE'S THOUSAND 
DIFFERENT TERMS FOR IT.
BUT IT SNUCK UP ON US AND IT'S, 
IT DID 128 COUNTRIES I THINK 
IT'S IN NOW.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, VERY CLOSE 
TO THAT THINK OF THAT.
SO IT SPREADS VIOLENTLY.
IT'S A VERY CONTAGIOUS, VERY, 
VERY CONTAGIOUS VIRUS.
>> DO YOU CONSIDER AMERICA TO BE
ON A WAR TIME FOOTING INTO TERMS
OF THE FIGHTING THIS VIRUS?
>> I DO.
I ACTUALLY DO.
I'M LOOKING AT IT THAT WAY, IF 
IT GOT OUT OF CONTROL.
THE BIG THING IS WE DID A VERY 
EARLY STOPPAGE OF PEOPLE THAT 
COULD BE AFFECTED.
IT WAS A VERY GOOD MOVE.
IT WAS EARLY, VERY EARLY, WHEN 
MOST PEOPLE, INCLUDING A LOT OF 
PROFESSIONALS THEY DIDN'T WANT 
US TO DO IT.
 THAT REALLY SAVED A LOT OF 
LIVES.
YEAH, I LOOK AT IT, I VIEW IT AS
IN A SENSE A WAR TIME PRESIDENT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING.
IT'S A VERY TOUGH SITUATION.
YOU HAVE TO DO THINGS, YOU HAVE 
TO CLOSE PARTS OF AN ECONOMY 
THAT SIX WEEKS AGO WERE THE BEST
THEY'VE EVER BEEN.
WE HAD THE BEST ECONOMY WE'VE 
EVER HAD AND ONE DAY YOU HAVE TO
CLOSE IT DOWN IN ORDER TO DEFEAT
THIS ENEMY.
AND BUT WE'RE DOING IT AND WE'RE
DOING IT WELL.
I TELL YOU, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 
HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE.
FOR THE MOST PART, THEY HAVE 
BEEN REALLY INCREDIBLE.
YEAH, PLEASE.
ZPLP YOU AND SECRETARY WILKEY, 
I'LL START WITH YOU.
YOU SAID THERE ARE A TREMENDOUS 
NUMBER OF VENTILATORS THAT WE 
HAVE.
FOR WEEKS HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN 
WARNING ABOUT A CRITICAL 
SHORTAGE THEY SAY WE ARE NOT 
PREPARED FOR SO WHY DID IT TAKE 
SO LONG TO INVOKE THE IT WAS -- 
>> HOSPITALS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE 
VENT LATORS.
WHEN WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF 
VENTILATORS, IT SOUND LIKE A 
LOT.
THERE IS A VERY UNFORESEEN 
THING.
NOBODY SAW NUMBERS LIKE THIS 
EVEN WITH REGARD TO TESTING.
ALL TOW WE WOULDN'T BE DOING 
TESTING.
THEY DECIDED TO DO IT.
VERY, VERY HARD TO RAMP UP.
NOW WE ARE GETTING HIGHLY 
SOPHISTICATED TEST ITSELF.
IT'S GOING VERY WELL.
NOBODY HAS HEARD OF THE TESTING 
OF THE KIND OF QUANTITIES WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT.
>> BUT YOU KNEW WEEKS WE NEEDED 
MORE VENTILATORS.
WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG?
>> WE KNEW, WE HAVE TO SEE HOW 
IT GOES.
WE ARE ORDERING THOUSANDS AND 
THOUSANDS OF VENT LATORS AND 
THEY'RE COMPLEX.
THESE ARE COMPLEX MACHINES AND 
WE'RE ORDERING THEM.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE A -- MIKE 
MAYBE YOU DO?
HOW MANY DO WE HAVE?
PLEASE.
YES.
DO YOU KNOW?
>> WE HAVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF 
VENTILATORS IN THE STOCKPILE.
IT'S IN EXCESS OF 10,000 AND YOU
JUST HEARD THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, 
THEY'LL BE ADDING SEVERAL MORE 
THOUSAND TO THAT.
BUT THE PRESIDENT EVEN THIS 
MORNING AND YESTERDAY AFTERNOON 
SPEAKING WITH THE LARGEST 
COMPANIES IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN IN
THIS COUNTRY, WE ARE HEARING A 
TREMENDOUS SPIRIT AMONG INDUSTRY
LEADERS READY TO STEP IN AND ADD
TO THAT VOLUME.
THE STOCK PEOPLES DON'T COUNT 
ALL OF THE VENTILATORS THAT 
EXIST TODAY IN THE MARKETPLACE 
AND IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES 
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
BUT THE PRESIDENT'S GIVEN US A 
DIRECTIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR 
STOCKPILE, JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, 
WORKING WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS, 
THAT WE'RE SECURING THE INCREASE
IN VENTILATORS, THE INCREASE IN 
MASKS, GLOVES, EYE PROTECTIVE 
CARE, GARMENTS THAT ARE ALL 
NECESSARY TO LEAN FORWARD AND WE
ARE CONFIDENT WE WILL BE ABLE TO
ACCOMPLISH THAT WITH THE 
INCREDIBLE COOPERATION OF THE 
SUPPLY CHAIN THAT EXISTS IN 
AMERICA TODAY. 
>> BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHY HOW 
MANY VENTILATORS WE HAVE?
>> WE CAN GIVE THAT YOU EXACT 
NUMBER.
BUT WE'RE ORDERING A LOT MORE.
YEAH, GO AHEAD IN THE BACK, 
PLEASE.
>> ONE SECOND.
THEN WE'LL DO IT IN A SECOND.
>> TWO QUESTIONS, MR. PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU. 
>> YES.
>> THE FIRST ONE ON THE CANADIAN
BORDER, WHAT WAS THE TIPPING 
POINT?
FRIDAY WE TALKED ABOUT IT, 
MONDAY YOU SAID -- 
>> I SAID NOT YET.
I SPOKE WITH THE PRIME MINISTER,
TRUDEAU.
VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP, 
OBVIOUSLY, BETWEEN US AND OUR 
TWO COUNTRIES AND NO TIPPING 
POINT.
IT'S JUST THAT WE WANT TO 
ISOLATE FROM THE STANDPOINT, WE 
DON'T WANT PEOPLE COMING INTO 
CONTACT.
THAT'S THE WAY WE WILL WIN THIS 
WAR.
 THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS ACCIDENT.
NOW.
IT'S NOT AFFECTING TRADE.
IT'S NON-ESSENTIAL CROSSINGS.
IT WON'T AFFECT TRADE AT ALL.
AND IT WAS JUST SOMETHING WE 
THOUGHT WOULD BE GOOD FOR BOTH 
COUNTRIES.
YES.
PLEASE.
>> THE SECOND QUESTION, MR. 
PRESIDENT -- 
>> GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> THE VIRUS, HOW CAN YOU BE 
SURE THAT TRADE AND EVERYTHING 
THAT'S BEING SHIPED FROM ONE 
SIDE TO THE OTHER -- 
>> WELL, THEY'RE DOING IT IN A 
VERY CAREFUL MANNER.
YOU CAN ONLY BE VIGILANT AND 
VERY PROFESSIONAL, BUT WE'RE 
NOT, IT'S NOT PERTAINING AT THIS
MOMENT TO TRADE BETWEEN THE TWO 
COUNTRIES.
YEAH, PLEASE.
>> WE ARE HEARING ABOUT THE 
TRILLION DOLLAR ECONOMIC 
STIMULUS PACKAGE COULD LOOK LIKE
50 BILLION FOR THE AIRLINES, 150
BILLION IN LOAN GUARANTEES AND 
CRITICAL SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY 
$250 BILLION PAYMENT ON APRIL 
6th DIRECTLY TO INDIVIDUAL, 
ANOTHER $250 BILLION PAYMENT ON 
MAY 18th DIRECTLY TO INDIVIDUAL,
300 BECOME FOR SMALL BUSINESS 
LOAN GUARANTEES, IS THAT IN THE 
GENERAL SENSE WHAT IT COULD BE?
>> IT COULD BE.
IT COULD B. WE ARE ALSO PLAYING 
WITH A LOT OF NUMBERS, BIG 
NUMBERS AND SMALL NUMBERS, 
FRANKLY.
WE HAVE TO HELP EVERYBODY.
IT WAS NOBODY'S FAULT THIS 
HAPPENED.
SOME PEOPLE COULD SAY IT WAS 
SOMEBODY'S FAULT, ACTUALLY.
BUT IT WAS NOBODY'S FAULT, 
CERTAINLY NONE OF THESE 
COMPANIES THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN 
HAD NO PASSENGERS ON PLANES AND 
HAD NO PASSENGERS ON CRUISE 
SHIPS AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT
HAVE HAPPENED.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT THEY CAN'T 
BE BLAMED FOR THIS AND WE WANT 
TO KEEP THOSE COMPANIES VIBRANT 
BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE A 
COMEBACK VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
AS SOON AS THIS IS SOLVED AND IT
WILL BE SOLVED.
WE WILL WIN AND THERE WILL BE A 
COMEBACK AND IT WILL TAKE PLACE 
VERY QUICKLY.
>> $250 BILLION GIVE OR TAKE 330
MILLION OR SO, DO THE MATH IT'S 
ABOUT $750 A FAMILY OF FOUR 
$3,000 ON AVERAGE AGAIN, ROUGH 
MATH.
WHICH IS THAT WHERE THIS IS 
HEADED?
>> NO, I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT.
BECAUSE THIS IS MOVING.
EVERY NUMBER THAT YOU MENTIONED,
YES, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THOSE 
NUMBERS.
WE'RE ALSO MOVING THOSE NUMBERS 
IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
SO WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.
IT'S MOVING ALONG FAST.
AGAIN, THERE IS A GREAT 
BIPARTISAN EFFORT GOING ON THAT 
I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN BEFORE TO 
THIS EXTENT.
>> ON THE -- YOU MENTIONED AT 
THE BEGINNING OF THIS, HAS THE 
FDA APPROVED THAT TEST?
>> THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT DOWN 
THE LINE AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT 
IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
I THINK THE OTHERS TO USE A NICE
WORD, IT'S VERY INCONVENIENT.
IT'S VERY TOUGH.
>> SIR, YOU TWEETED THIS MORNING
ABOUT YOUR APPROVAL RATING 
AMONGST REPUBLICANS.
YOU SAID YOU GIVE YOURSELF A 10 
IN TERMS OF HANDLING THIS 
CRISIS.
HOW DO YOU REASSURE AMERICANS AT
HOME THAT DON'T TRUST YOU TO 
HAND HIM A CRISIS OF THIS 
MAGNITUDE?
>> WELL, I THINK WE'RE DOING A 
REALLY GOOD JOB.
WE STARTED OFF WITH A TERM 
NATION OF THE BORDER, THE PEOPLE
COMING IN FROM CHINA AND THAT 
MEENT E MEANT I TOOK IT 
SERIOUSLY.
WHEN I USE THE WORD "CALM" THAT 
DOESN'T MEAN I'M NOT TAKING IT 
SERIOUSLY.
WE SHOULD BE CALM, EXTREMELY 
CALM.
95% WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY 
AND OVER 50% AND I ALSO HAVE, WE
HAVE VERY GREAT APPROVAL 
NUMBERS, PEOPLE LIKE THE JOB 
THAT WE ARE DOING.
WHEN YOU COMPARE THIS TO OTHER 
EPIDEMICS OR IF YOU WANT TO USE 
A DIFFERENT TERM, YOU CAN, BUT 
WITHIN THIS COUNTRY AND YOU LOOK
AT WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE 
YEARS, THIS IS BEING HANDLED 
VERY, VERY PROFESSIONALLY.
WE HAVE THE GREATEST 
PROFESSIONALS IN THE WORLD.
WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.
NOBODY HAS BEEN SWAMPED LIKE 
THIS.
NOTHING HAS BEEN SO CONTAGIOUS.
THE LEVEL OF CONTAGION HAS BEEN 
INCREDIBLE.
NOBODY'S SEEN IT QUITE LIKE THIS
PETER, GO AHEAD. 
>> THE TESTS FOR A SECOND, 
FEDERAL OFFICIALS HAVE SHIPPED 
MILLIONS OF TEST ITSELF, WHY HAS
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAID ONLY
59,000 TESTS HAVE BEEN PROCESSED
TO THIS POINT?
WE JUST HEARD FROM THE ATLANTA 
PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR SAYING 
THEY HAVE FEWER THAN 50 TEST 
KITS FOR MORE THAN 900,000 
CITIZENS?
WHERE ARE THE TESTS?
>> I'LL LET MIKE OR -- RESPOND 
TO THAT. 
>> SO THAT A VERY CRITICAL 
QUESTION AND THANK YOU FOR 
ASKING IT.
SO THE TEST KITS THAT WE PUT OUT
LAST WEEK THROUGH THE APPROVAL, 
THE RAPID MOVEMENT OF THAT 
MEETING THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP 
CALLED LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AGO, 
THAT HAS RESULTED IN BRIGG OUR 
PRIVATE SECTOR TO THE TABLE.
BECAUSE THE TESTS ON THE 
PLATFORM THAT WAS OUT THERE 
COULD ONLY RUN BETWEEN FOUR AND 
12 TESTS PER PLATFORM PER DAY.
WE'VE NOW MOVED INTO PLATFORMS 
THAT CAN RUN BASICALLY TENSE OF 
THOUSANDS OF TESTS PER DAY.
SO THE REASON I'M GRATEFUL FOR 
YOUR QUESTION, BECAUSE IT ALLOWS
ME TO POINT OUT, OF COURSE, 
THERE WAS BACKLOG.
THERE WERE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAD 
BEEN TESTED WHO HADN'T HAD THEIR
SPECIMEN RUN BECAUSE OF THE SLOW
THROUGH-PUT.
IT'S NOW IN A HIGH SPEED 
PLATFORM.
SO WE WILL SEE THE NUMBER OF 
PEOPLE DIAGNOSED DRAMATICALLY 
INCREASE OVER THE NEXT 
FOUR-TO-FIVE DAYS.
I KNOW SOME OF YOU WILL USE THAT
TO RAISE AN ALARM THAT WE ARE 
WORSE THAN ITALY BECAUSE OF OUR 
SLOW PUT OF OUR CURVE.
TO EVERY AMERICAN OUT THERE, IT 
WILL BE FIVE-TO-SIX DAYS WORTH 
OF TESTS BEING RUN IN 24-TO-48 
HOURS.
SO OUR CURVES WILL NOT BE STABLE
UNTIL SOME TIME NEXT WEEK.
THE REASON I TALKED ABOUT 
THERMOFISHER YESTERDAY IS 
BECAUSE THEIR PLATFORM IS IN 
2,000 LABORATORIES.
THEY 'RE THE ONES THAT ARE 
PUTTING OUT THE MILLION TESTS 
THIS WEEK THAT WILL SOLVE THE 
ISSUE THAT ATLANTA AND OUGHTS 
BRING UP.
I WANT TO PRIORITIZE, WE DO 
COUNTY BY COUNTY ANALYSES, BASED
ON THOSE ANALYSES OF THOSE THAT 
HAD 50 CASE.
WE PRIORITIZED THE TEST KITS WE 
PUT OUT, THE 400,000.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE SEEING A 7% 
PLUS POSITIVITY RATE.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPAND AND 
REPRIORITIZE BASED ON THE ACCESS
ABILITY OF OTHER KITS. 
>> HOW ARE NON-SYMPTOMATIC 
ATHLETINGS GETTING TESTS WHILE 
OTHERS ARE GETTING THEM IN LINE?
DO THE WELL-CONNECTED GO TO IN 
FRONT OF THE LEAN?
>> YOU'D HAVE TO ASK THEM THAT 
QUESTION.
I'VE READ, NO, I WOULDN'T SAY 
SO, PERHAPS THAT THE STORY OF 
LIFE THAT DOES HAPPEN ON 
OCCASION.
I NOTICE SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN 
TESTED FAIRLY QUICKLY.
LOOK, WE INHERITED.
>> AND OTHER TESTS TO OTHERS?
>> EXCUSE ME, WE INHERITED AN 
OBS LUTE SYSTEM, OUT OF DATE, 
OBSOLETE OR A SYSTEM THAT WAS 
NEVER MEANT TO TAKE CARE OF THE 
KIND OF QUANTITY, THE NUMBERS OF
PEOPLE, MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE.
IF YOU GO BACK IF YEARS PAST 
EVEN RECENTLY WITH THE FLU.
NOBODY HAD TESTS BEFORE.
THEY DIDN'T TEST THE ENTIRE 
NATION.
THEY GOT THE FLU, THEY GOT 
BETTER, HOPEFULLY, 245 I GOT 
BETTER THAT WAS IT.
NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY DO THIS
COMPLEX TESTING.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS BROKEN IT 
DOWN, BROKEN UP THE SYSTEM.
BUT IT WAS OBS LATE AND/OR YOU 
COULD SAY IT WAS ALSO A SYSTEM 
THAT JUST WASN'T MEANT TO HANDLE
THE KIND OF VOLUME THAT YOU ARE 
TALKING ABOUT.
WE'VE REBUILT IT INTO A SYSTEM 
THAT FOR THE FUTURE WILL BE A 
VERY GOOD SYSTEM IF YOU WANT TO 
GO THIS ROUTE.
BUT THIS WAS NEVER DONE BEFORE 
AND I WOULD IMAGINE IT WILL BE 
DONE IN THE FUTURE BUT WE'VE 
BUILT IT INTO A VERY GOOD SYSTEM
BY USING PRIVATE COMPANIES, THE 
GREAT PRIVATE COMPANIES AND I 
HAVE TO SAY ROESH HAS BEEN DOING
A GOOD JOB.
THIS WAS NOT A SYSTEM MEANT TO 
DO ANYTHING LIKE THIS OR NEAR 
THIS.
JOHN.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, IN A COUPLE 
DAYS A MAJOR TRADE COLES IS 
CALLING ON YOU TO SUSPEND 
TARIFFS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AS 
A PART OF THE RESPONSE TO THE 
CORONAVIRUS. 
>> WHO HEADS HEADS THAT GROUP?
THOSE COUNTRIES DO. 
>> IT'S AN AMERICAN FREE TRADE. 
>> I'M SURE, FREE TRADE.
CHINA IS PAYING US BILLIONS AND 
BILLIONS IN TARIFFS.
THERE IS NO REASON TO DO THAT.
THEY HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO ME ABOUT 
THAT CAROLINA HASN'T ANNOUNCE 
MIDTOW DO THAT WE'RE GETTING 
BILLIONS A YEAR FROM TARIFFS 
FROM CHINA.
I CAN'T IMAGINE AMERICANS ASKING
FOR THAT IT COULD BE CHINA WILL 
ASK FOR A SUSPENSION.
WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
CHINA IS HAVING A ROUGH TIME.
THEY HAVE THEIR WORST YEAR IN 76
YEARS AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
THEY'RE HAVING A VERY, VERY 
TOUGH TIME.
THEN ON TOP OF IT THIS HAPPENED 
WITH THE VIRUS.
BUT NO, WE'RE TAKING IN BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS A YEAR IN TARIFFS AND
THIS WAS CAUSED BY SOMETHING 
TOTALLY UNRELATED TO TARIFFS.
>> ON ASYLUM SEEKERS PEOPLE TRA 
CROSS ILLEGALLY ARE YOU INVOKING
ENTRY OF CERTAIN PEOPLE?
>> THE ANSWER IS YES. 
>> WHEN WILL THAT HAPPEN?
>> VERY SOON, PROBABLY TODAY.
>> ON THE BORDER DO YOU HAVE 
PLANS TO FULLY CHECK THE MEXICAN
BORDER AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE WHEN
IT COMES TO U.S. IMPORTERS?
>> ESSENTIAL IS MEDICAL.
WE HAVE MILITARY WORKING 
TOGETHER.
WE HAVE INDUSTRY WORKING 
TOGETHER.
AGAIN IT'S NOT AFFECT.
ING TRADE.
SO THINGS LIKE THAT JUST 
LEISURELY LET'S GO TO A 
RESTAURANT AND HAVE DINNER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DO THEY GO BOTH 
WAY ITSELF, WE HAVE ENDED ON A 
TEMPORARY BASIS.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ]
>> NOT CLOSE IT.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO CLOSE IT.
WE ARE INVOKING A CERTAIN 
PROVISION THAT WILL ALLOW US 
GREAT LATITUDE AS TO WHAT WE DO.
>> PLEASE.
>> IF I COULD.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> DOCTOR.
>> I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY 
SOMETHING.
JUST A WEEK AGO, YOU ALL WERE 
STANDING HERE TELLING US UNLESS 
YOU HAD SUSTAINED CONTACT WITH 
SOMEBODY SYMPTOMATIC WITH 
COVID-19, YOU DIDN'T NEED TO YOU
TOLD THE PRESIDENT OR VICE 
PRESIDENT IF THEY SHOOK HAND OR 
TOOK A PHOTOGRAPH WITH SOMEBODY 
THAT HAD THIS, YOU DIDN'T NEED 
TO WORRY.
YET SEVERAL DAYS LATER WE'RE IN 
A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE 
BEING TOLD DON'T LEAVE YOUR 
HOUSES, THERE ARE CURFEWS SAYING
YOU CANNOT WALK ALONE AFTER 
NIGHT AFTER A CERTAIN TIME.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHAT 
SEEMS TO BE A VERY DRAMATIC 
SWING DRAMATIC DISCONNECT FROM 
WHAT WE WERE HEARING BEFORE TO 
NOW?
>> TWO THINGS.
WE LOOK AT DATA ALL THE TIME.
I KNOW YOU LOOK AT THE CHINA AND
SOUTH KOREA DATA.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CHINA AND 
SOUTH KOREA DATA AND WHAT CHINA 
AND SOUTH KOREA DID, YOU CAN SEE
THEIR CURVES ARE NOT ONLY 
BLUNTED OUTSIDE OF WUHAN, SO THE
CHINESE AREAS OUTSIDE OF WUHAN, 
A BLUNTED CURVE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR CURVE 
TODAY, THEY'RE ALREADY ON THE 
FAR END OF THEIR EPIDEMIC CURVE.
OF COURSE, NONE OF THOSE 
COUNTRIES ARE FULLY BACK TO WORK
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE WORRY 
ABOUT, TOO.
SECONDLY, THERE WAS A SERIES OF 
SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES PUBLISHED.
I KNOW YOU HAVE SEEN THEM, TOO, 
ABOUT SURFACE CONTAMINATION.
I THINK NONE OF US REALLY 
UNDERSTOOD THE LEVEL OF SURFACE 
PIECE.
', WE'RE STILL WORKING OUT HOW 
MUCH IS IT BY HUMAN-HUMAN 
TRANSITION AND HOW MUCH IS IT BY
SURFACE.
AND THIS IS WHY THOSE 
FUNDAMENTAL GUIDELINES WERE PUT 
OUT THAT SAYS, DON'T EXPOSE 
YOURSELF TO SURFACES OUTSIDE THE
HOME.
BASICALLY, WHAT THOSE GUIDELINES
ARE IS DON'T EXPOSE YOURSELF TO 
EXCESS NUMBER OF PERSONS WHO 
COULD BE ASYMPTOMATIC AND 
INFECTED AND THE 
PERSON-TO-PERSON CONTACT AND 
DON'T EXPOSE YOURSELF TO 
SURFACES THAT COULD HAVE HAD THE
VIRUS ON IT FOR WHICH ON HARD 
SURFACES, I KNOW WE HAD THE 
CARDBOARD ISSUE ABOUT SHIPPING, 
HARD SENATES NOT SHOWN IN FABRIC
AS MUCH OR IN CARDBOARD BUT HARD
SURFACE TRANSMISSION.
THESE ARE ISSUES WE HAVEN'T HAD 
TO DEAL WITH BEFORE WITH THE 
LEVEL OF RESPIRATORY CONCERNS.
 THAT IS WHY THE PRESIDENT PUT 
OUT THE GUIDELINES, IT'S TO 
COVER BOTH OF THOSE PIECES, ALL 
IF YOU SCIENCE, MANY MODELS.
MANY OF HAVE YOU THE IMPERIAL 
STUDY AVAILABLE AND LOOKED AT 
THE IMPACT OF THOSE.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THOSE HAVE
BEEN MODEMED AS A COMPREHENSIVE 
APPROACH TO MITIGATING AN 
EPIDEMIC.
>> THANK YOU, DR. BERKS.
>> WHAT ABOUT MONEY -- 
>> GO AHEAD.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, THE "WALL 
STREET JOURNAL" IS REPORTING 
THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS 
LOOKING AT AN EXECUTIVE ORDER 
THAT WOULD EXPAND THE UMS OF 
INVESTIGATIONAL DRUGS AGAINST 
THE VIRUS WITH AN FDA SCIENTISTS
ARE WARNING THIS COULD PUT 
PATIENTS AT RISK.
>> I HAVEN'T SEEN THE ARTICLE. 
>> HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OF THAT?
>> NO, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE 
ARTICLE.
WITH WE ARE MAKING A LOT OF 
PROGRESS THERAPY PUTICALLY.
BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT ARTICLE.
GO AHEAD.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, WE'VE CHECKED 
OUT NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL TO 
CANADA.
ARE YOU CONSIDERING SHUTTING 
DOWN ULTRAFUL TO BLUNT THE 
VIRUS?
AND WE'VE HEARD FROM INDUSTRIES 
LIKE THE AIRLINES WHO ARE 
SEEKING RELIEF, WHAT OTHER 
INDUSTRIES OR WHAT, HOW EXACTLY 
IS YOUR ADMINISTRATION GOING TO 
DETERMINE WHICH INDUSTRIES AND 
BUSINESSES GET HELP?
>> WELL, THERE ARE CERTAIN 
INDICES, THE AIRLINES ARE NUMBER
ONE.
THEY GO FROM HAVING THE BEST 
YEAR THEY'VE EVER HAD TO HAVING 
NO PASSENGERS BECAUSE OF WHAT 
WE'VE HAD TO DO IN ORDER TO WHEN
THIS WAR.
IT'S A WAR.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY, YOU
KNOW WHAT MANY OF THE INDUSTRIES
ARE.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THEY ALL STAY TOGETHER
SO THAT AFTER THE WAR IS WON WE 
CAN IMMEDIATELY GO BACK UP TO 
WHERE WE WERE AND BEYOND.
I THINK WE WILL GO BEYOND, A LOT
OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT.
WE ARE POISED TO DO THAT WE HAVE
TO WIN THE WAR FIRST. 
>> CAN YOU FOLLOW UP ON THAT, 
TREASURY PROPOSED $150 BILLION 
TODAY FOR THOSE INDUSTRIES, BUT 
THEIR PROPOSAL DOESN'T DETAIL 
WHICH INDUSTRIES WILL GET THAT 
MONEY AND HOW MUCH.
SO ASIDE -- AS MENTIONED, WLASHT
THE CRUISE INDUSTRY?
THE HOTELS?
>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF 
IT.
I HAVEN'T DETAILED IT YET.
WE HAVE DETAILED IT TO SENATORS 
AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT.
WE ARE COMING ONE NUMBERS.
WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THERE YET.
CERTAINLY THE HOTEL INDUSTRY, 
THE CRUISE SHIP INDUSTRY, THE 
AIRLINES, THOSE ARE ALL PRIME 
CANDIDATES, ABSOLUTELY.
>> OVER THE BORDERS, SIR.
>> WHICH BOARDER?
>> THE NORTHERN BORDER.
WHEN YOU SAY TEMPORARY, WHICH IS
WHAT YOU SAID IN YOUR TWEET, 
DOES THAT MEAN 30 DAYS?
>> I WOULD SAY 30 DAYS AND 
HOPEFULLY AT THE END OF 30 DAYS 
WE'LL BE IN GREAT SHAPE.
JEFF.
PLEASE.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, I WAS STRUCK 
WHAT DR. BERKS SAID ABOUT 
MILLENNIAL'S NOT TAKING THE 
WARNING AS SERIOUS AS YOU LIKE.
SOME OF THOSE SEEM TO BE YOUR 
SUPPORTERS, CONSERVATIVES, MAB 
QUOTING SOME OF WHAT YOU SAID AT
THE BEGINNING OF THIS, THE FLU, 
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THEM TO 
REALLY FOLLOW WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN
SAYING SO FAR?
AND ARE YOU CONCERNED THEY'RE 
STILL LISTING SOME OF YOUR 
EARLIER COMMENTS RATHER THAN 
YOUR MORE EARLIER ONES?
>> I THINK MY EARLIER COMMENTS 
ARE TO BE CALM.
I DO WANT PEOPLE TO BE CALM.
WE WILL WIN THIS.
IT'S A QUESTION OF TIME.
I WANT IT TO GO QUICKLY SO BASED
ON THE FACT THEY WANT IT TO GO 
QUICKLY.
I WHO EP THEY LISTEN TO WHAT WE 
HAVE BEEN SAYING OVER THE LAST 
PEOPLE.
WE DON'T WANT THEM GATHERING.
I SEE THEY GATHER INCLUDING ON 
BEACHES AND RESTAURANTS, YOUNG 
PEOPLE.
 THAT I DON'T REALIZE THEY'RE 
FEELING INVINCIBLE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU FELT 
INVINCIBLE WHEN YOU WERE VERY 
YOUNG, BUT THEY WERE FEELING 
TOTALLY INVINCIBLE OR ARE 
FEELING THAT WAY.
THEY DON'T REALIZE THEY CAN BE 
CARRYING LOTS OF BAD THINGS HOME
TO GRANDMOT OR GRANDFATHER AND 
EVEN THEIR PARENTS SO WE WANT 
THEM TO HEED THE ADVICE.
I THINK IT'S GETTING THROUGH.
I DO BELIEVE IT'S GETTING 
THROUGH, JIM.
>> WHAT?
>> I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF 
THEM WATCHING, THESE YOUNG 
PEOPLE.
>> I JUST SAID THAT.
HEED THE ADVICE.
I JUST SAID.
YEAH.
THANK YOU.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, HOW LONG DO 
YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO LAST?
>> SAY IT. 
>> IN TALKING ABOUT CHINA, YOU 
HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHO 
YOU THINK IS TO BLAME OR WHERE 
THE ORIGINS FOR THE VIRUS IS.
>> NOT THINK.
I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW WHO, WHERE 
IT CAME FROM, I DON'T KNOW IF 
YOU WOULD SAY CHINA IS TO BLAME.
CERTAINLY WE DIDN'T GET AN EARLY
RUN ON IT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN 
HELPFUL IF WE KNEW ABOUT IT 
EARLIER.
BUT IT COMES FROM CHINA AND IT'S
NOT A QUESTION ABOUT THAT NOBODY
IS QUESTIONING THAT.
>> THEY WERE SAYING THAT THEY 
SHOULD BE PUNISHED IN SO MANY 
WORD FOR INFLICTING THIS ON THE 
AMERICAN PEOPLE, DO YOU FEEL 
THAT WAY ABOUT IT?
>> WELL, I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT
FOR TOM COTTON AND I KNOW 
EXACTLY WHAT HE HAS BEEN SAYING 
AND THERE ARE THOSE PEOPLE THAT 
SAY THAT.
SO, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD.
YOUR TURN PLEASE.
HE HAS BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME.
YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING SO NICELY 
FOR A LONG TIME.
IT'S YOUR TURN. 
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
WE SEEN THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT 
KICK OUT REPORTERS FROM THE WALL
STREET JOURNAL, THE "NEW YORK 
TIMES", THE "WASHINGTON POST."
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THE 
CHINESE WHEN IT COMES TO 
TRANSPARENCY AND WILL YOU HAVE 
SUPPORTERS ASKING YOU QUESTIONS 
AT THE WHITE HOUSE?
>> I'M NOT HAPPY TO SEE IT.
YOU KNOW I HAVE MY OWN DISPUTES 
WITH ALL THREE OF THOSE MEDIA 
GROUPS.
I THINK YOU KNOW THAT VERY WELL.
BUT I DON'T LIKE SEEING THAT AT 
ALL.
I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT AT ALL.
YES, PLEASE. 
>> YOU DIDN'T CORRECT THE 
LANGUAGE SO I WONDER IF YOU 
AGREE WITH IT, DO YOU BELIEVE 
CHINA IS INFLICTING THIS ON OUR 
COUNTRY.
>> I DON'T BELIEVE THEY ARE 
INFLICTING.
IVE THINK THEY COULD HAVE GIVEN 
US A LOT EARLIER NOTICE.
PLEASE.
>> YEAH.
MR. PRESIDENT, YOUR CREDIBILITY 
RATINGS ARE VERY LOW.
THERE WAS A RECENT NPR POLL. 
>> WHO ARE YOU ASKING THAT 
QUESTION?
BECAUSE I SEE THAT THEY'RE VERY 
HIGH.
IF YOU LOOK I'M 95% OF THE 
REPUBLICAN PARTY.
>> QUINNIPIAC, SIR. 
>> WE JUST HAD A POLL THAT WAS 
DONE BY A VERY REPUTABLE GROUP 
WHERE I'M BEATING SLEEPY JOE 
BIDEN BY A LOT IN FLORIDA IN THE
STATE OF FLORIDA AND IN OTHER 
STATES.
YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T REALLY KNOW
WHO YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
JENNIFER, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> TWO QUESTIONS IF YOU ARE 
WILLING.
YOUR CONVERSATION WITH AIRLINE 
EXECUTIVES, DID YOU EXPLAIN TO 
THEM WHAT'S COMING, WHAT WAS 
THEIR REACTION?
>> I DID.
THEY EXPLAINED TO ME WHERE 
THEY'RE COMING FROM, FROM FULL 
PLANES, PACKED.
THE BEST YEAR THEY'VE EVER HAD 
BY FAR TO BOOM.
ONE DAY EMT EMPTY BECAUSE OF 
WHAT WE HAD TO DO TO WIN THE 
WAR.
OR WE WOULD HAVE A LEVEL OF 
DEATH LIKE PEOPLE HAVEN'T SEEN 
BEFORE.
SO, THEY HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC.
I MEAN, THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT.
BUT THEY WENT FROM BEING 
EXTREMELY HAPPY TO BEING PEOPLE 
THAT ARE RUNNING COMPANIES THAT 
ARE GOING TO NEED SOME HELP AND 
WE'LL HELP THEM, JENNIFER.
>> WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO GIVE 
US AN UPDATE HOW THAT'S GOING, 
WE HAVE BEEN GETTING SOME 
REPORTS THAT COUNTIES HAVE BEEN 
HAVING DIFFICULTY --
>> THERE SA A LOT OF INFLUX TO 
THOSE LOANS AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
WE WILL BE INCREASING FUNDING A 
LOT.
THEY'RE VERY WELL PREPARED TO DO
WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
THE SBA IS DOING A FANTASTIC 
JOB.
SHE IS DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB, 
THE ADMINISTRATOR.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR 
DR. BERKS, IF I COULD.
DR. BERKS, FRENCH RESEARCHERS 
HAVE HAD HYDROXY FROM SHORTENING
THE DURATION OF THE DISEASE, IS 
THAT SOMETHING IN THE ARSENAL OF
THERAPEUTICS HERE IN THE UNITED 
STATES NEXT?
>> I THINK WE ARE EXPLORING 
EVERY ONE OF THOSE ASPECTS.
THE PRESIDENT ASKED FOR THAT.
HE OPENED WITH THAT.
IT IS MORE THAN THAT SINGLE 
DRUG.
THERE IS OTHER DRUGS INDIVIDUALS
ARE LOOKING AT.
J YOU TO GO BACK TO WHAT WE HAVE
TALKED ABOUT MANY TIMES, THERE 
IS THINGS THAT LOOK REALLY GOOD 
IN CULTURE AGAINST THE VIRUS 
THAT MAY LOOK GOOD IN SMALL 
ANIMALS AND DON'T HAVE AN IMPACT
IN HUNDRED MANS.
SO THOSE ARE THE PIECES THAT 
WE'RE LOOKING AT VERY CAREFULLY.
OF COURSE, THERE IS ALWAYS 
ANECDOAL REPORTS.
WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW 
MANY ANECDOTAL REPORTS EQUAL 
SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS.
>> SECOND QUESTION, ARE YOU 
CONFIDENT OF THE SEASONALITY OF 
THE CORONAVIRUS?
>> ALL WE CAN DO IS LOOK AT THE 
PAST TO INFORM THE FUTURE.
WE KNOW WHAT SARS LOOKED LIKE.
WE ALSO KNOW AND I JUST WANT TO 
PUT THIS OUT.
I KNOW YOU CAN GET IT ONLINE, 
LOOK AT THE CURVE IN CHINA AND 
LOOK AT THE CURVE IN SOUTH 
KOREA.
THOSE CURVES WERE ACCOMPLISHED 
IN STILL THE WINTER SEASON.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND 
WHAT THOSE RELATIONSHIPS ARE.
WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN THE 
CURVES IN ITALY BECAUSE OF THEIR
DIFFERING APPROACH.
WE'RE FOLLOWING EVERY SINGLE 
COUNTRY'S CURVES.
SO ALL WE CAN DO IS LOOK AT 
PRIOR CORONAVIRUS AND PRIOR 
RESPIRATORY INFECTION RNA VIRUS.
THESE ARE RNA VIRUSES.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT BLUE IN THE 
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, WHEN YOU 
LOOK AT PEER INFLUENZA AND OTHER
COLD VIRUSES AND IF YOU LOOK AT 
SARS, THAT'S THE WAY THE PEAK 
NORMALLY OCCURS.
BUT THAT IS A NOVEMBER TO APRIL.
WE ALL STARTED LATER.
SO YOU ARE ASKING ME TO PREDICT 
BASED ON A LATER START.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO 
REALLY LOOK AT CHINA AND SOUTH 
KOREA TO REALLY INFORM THEM.
>> ALL RIGHT.
KATE.
CAITLIN.
>> A QUESTION FOR SECRETARY 
WILKEY, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
HOW MANY VETERANS THAT NEED TO 
BE TESTED HAVE BEEN TESTED?
>> THOSE THAT HAVE NEEDED TO BE 
TESTED, WE BELIEVE WE HAVE 
CAUGHT MOST OF THEM.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE 44 VETERANS 
WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE.
SADLY ONE HAS PASSED IN 
PORTLAND.
WE ARE WORKING WITH STATE LABS 
AND PRIVATE COMPANIES TO MAKE 
SURE THAT TESTING IS AVAILABLE.
BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT HAD US OUT
AGGRESSIVELY EARLY, WE HAVE BEEN
IN A BETTER PLACE THAN MOST 
HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS IN THE 
COUNTRY.
I CANNOT PREDICT THIS.
DR. BERKS SAID, WHEN THE NEXT 
SURGE WILL BE, IF IT WILL BE, 
BUT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE 
DO AT VA IS THAT WE PREPARE FOR 
NATIONAL EMERGENCIES, BE THEY 
NATIONAL DISASTERS OR EPIDEMICS.
WE STARTED PREPARING FOR THIS WE
STARTED STOCKPILING EQUIPMENT.
OUR EQUIPMENT IS STABLE AND I 
THIS I THAT ITSELF IN LARGE PART
BECAUSE THE INSTRUCTIONS THE 
PRESIDENT GAVE ME. 
>> THE NUMBER OF HOW MANY 
TESTED?
>> WE'VE TESTED SEVERAL HUNDRED.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE -- 
>> THE OTHER DAY.
>> WE'VE TESTED SEVERAL HUNDRED.
YES.
WE'VE TESTED SEVERAL HUNDRED.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY.
I DO KNOW THAT 44 VETERANS HAVE 
THE VIRUS.
MOST OF THOSE ARE QUARANTINED AT
HOME.
>> GO AHEAD, IN THE BACK.
PLEASE.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, FOR DR. BERKS,
QUICKLY, I'M TRYING TO 
UNDERSTAND WHAT WE, IT'S ABOUT 
THE MORTALITY RATE.
YESTERDAY WE UNDERLINED THE FACT
THAT WE HAD REACHED 100 DEATHS 
AND THIS MORNING WE WAKE UP AND 
WE'RE AT 110.
WITHIN 12 HOURS, WE CLIMBED BY 
10%.
IS IT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO 
EXPECT FROM NOW ON?
IT CAN PRESENT AND INCREASE 
EVERY 12 HOURS?
>> SO, VERY EARLY ON IN EACH ONE
OF THESE CASES IF YOU LOOK AT 
ALL THE OF THE COUNTRIES TO 
DATE, THE MORTALITY IS HIGHER AT
THE BEGINNING BECAUSE YOU ARE 
DIAGNOSING THE SICKEST.
THE ONES WHO CAME IN QUITE ILL.
AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE 
AMERICAN PUBLIC THAT STILL THE 
MAJORITY, THE RISK FOR SERIOUS 
ILLNESS AND THE MAJORITY OF 
AMERICANS ARE LOW.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T 
TRANSMIT IT TO ONE OF THOSE 
HIGHER RISK GROUPS.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR ALL
AMERICANS TO TAKE 
RESPONSIBILITY.
ARE YOU SEEING MORTALITYS OR 
DEATHS TODAY FROM INFECTIONS 
THAT OCCURRED TWO-TO-THREE WEEKS
AGO IN GENERAL.
THE OTHER THING THAT YOU ARE 
SEEING IS THE DRAMATIC AND VERY 
DIFFICULT IMPACT OF THIS VIRUS 
IN NURSING HOMES AND THAT'S WHY 
VERY EARLY ON THE PRESIDENT AND 
VICE PRESIDENT HAD US COME OUT 
AND CMS PUT STRICT RULES IN 
PLACE.
EVERYBODY THOUGHT WE WERE BEING 
TOO STRICT IN KEEPING LOVED ONES
AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES IN 
NURSING HOMES.
IF WE WILL SOLVE THIS TWO A 
LOWER DEATH RATE, WE HAVE TO 
PROBABILITY THE ELDERLY BECAUSE 
THEIR PERCENT IS MUCH HIGHER IN 
MORTALITY THAN ANY OTHER AGE 
GROUP.
>> OKAY.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> THERE IS FEDERAL, COMPLAINING
THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS 
A PLAN THAT SHOWS THIS 
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK MIGHT LAST 
AS MUCH AS LONG AS 18 MONTHS.
ARE YOU SEEING THOSE NUMBERS IN.
>> NO, WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT AT 
ALL. 
>> MY SECOND QUESTION IS, THERE 
ARE SOME, AT LEAST ONE WHITE 
HOUSE OFFICIAL WHO USED THE KUNG
FLU, REFERRING TO THIS REFERRED 
IN CHOSEN.
IS THAT ACCEPTABLE.
IS IS THAT WRONG?
ARE YOU WORRIED HAVING THIS 
VIRUS BEING TALKED ABOUT AS A 
CHINESE VIRUS NEXT?
>> I WONDER WHO SAID THAT DO YOU
KNOW WHO SAID THAT?
>> I DON'T KNOW THE PERSON'S 
NAME. 
>> SAY IT AGAIN.
>> A PERSON AT THE WHITE HOUSE 
USED THE TERM KUG FLU.
>> KUG FLU.
>> DO YOU THINK THAT'S WRONG?
DO YOU THINK USING THE TERM 
CHINESE VIRUS THAT PUTS ASIAN 
AMERICANS AT RISK?
>> NO, NOT AT ALL.
I THIS I THEY PROBABLY WOULD 
AGREE WITH IT 100%.
IT COMES FROM CHINA.
THERE IS NOT NOT REAL HERE.
HOW ABOUT THE LAST QUESTION.
PLEASE, GO AHEAD. 
>> SWITCHING GEARS TO A LARGER 
QUESTION HERE WE'VE SEEN BEFORE 
THE PANDEMIC, THERE WERE A LOT 
OF AMERICANS AIL YEB NATED, 
DESPAIR.
NOW AS THESE INDIVIDUALS AS 
RURAL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ARE 
SELF ISOLATING.
YEAH IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THOSE 
INDIVIDUALS?
WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT 
INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES -- 
>> MY MESSAGE IS TO ALL 
AMERICANS, BUT TO THOSE 
AMERICANS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH 
A LOT, WE LOVE THEM.
WE'RE WITH THEM AND WE WILL NOT 
LET THEM DOWN.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
>> PRESIDENT TRUMP CONCLUDING 
ANOTHER NEWS CONFERENCE, ANOTHER
BRIEFING ON WHERE THIS COUNTRY 
STANDS IN RESPONSE TO THE 
CORONAVIRUS.
A NUMBER OF SHED LINES THERE, 
THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT HAS 
BEEN ENACTED.
THAT IS GOING NO FREE UP A LOT 
OF MATERIAL.
2,000 OPERATING VENTILATORS FROM
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AS 
WELL AS FIELD HOSPITALS.
WE'LL GO IN.
WE ARE HEARING REPORTS ALSO OF 
MORE TESTING.
EVEN THOUGH THERE IS PLENTY OF 
ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE THAT PEOPLE 
ARE STILL HAVING TROUBLE GETTING
TESTS.
THE PRESIDENT SAID PEOPLE 
WITHOUT SYMPTOMS SHOULD NOT BE 
TESTED.
ALSO NEWS THAT THE TWO MILITARY 
HOSPITAL SHIPS, MASSIVE FLOATING
HOSPITALS IF YOU WILL, WILL BE 
THRUST INTO ACTION AT SOME 
POINT, ONE WILL ULTIMATELY MAKE 
ITS WAY TO THE NEW YORK AREA.
THE OTHER NOT CLEAR YET.
IT'S BASED IN SAN DIEGO.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT MADE AN 
INDICATION TO A WEST COAST 
DESTINATION AND ANTICIPATION OF 
A LARGEER NEED AS THIS GOES ON.
WE HEARD DEBRA BERKS 
COORDINATING THE WHITE HOUSE 
RESPONSE, WHO NOTED WE WILL SEE 
THAT CURVE, THE NUMBER OF 
INFECTIONS CLIMB VERY RAPIDLY.
SHE DID POINT OUT THAT WILL BE 
LARGELY BECAUSE WE WILL BE 
SEEING MORE TESTING AND, THUS, 
MORE PEOPLE WILL BE POPPING UP 
ON THE RADAR.
LET ME BRING IN OUR CHIEF 
MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT DR. JOHN 
TORRES RIGHT NOW.
JOHN, A LOT OF MEDICAL HEADLINES
THERE.
BREAK DOWN WHAT STOOD OUT TO ME?
>> THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT, A 
COUPLE AREAS, ONE IS THE 
RESOURCES THEY ARE MARSHALLING 
RIGHT NOW, THE HOSPITAL SHIPS, 
THE TENTS, THE VENTILATORS.
THEY'RE LETTING DOCTORS CROSS 
STATE LINES, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN 
POSSIBLE BEFORE BECAUSE OUR 
LICENSES CAN BE STATE BASED.
 THAT CAN GET DOCTORS TO WHERE 
THEY ARE NEEDED.
THE WARNINGS THEY GAVE AUTO OUT,
BECAUSE OF THE ITALY AND FRANCE 
DATA, 20 AND 30 YEARS, 
MILLENNIAL'S HAVE BEEN HIT HARD 
THERE.
WHICH IS NOT THE SAME THING WE 
SAW IN CHINA AND SOUTH KOREA.
THEY'RE SAYING BECAUSE THEY ARE 
THE ONES THAT WEREN'T TAKING THE
MESSAGE TO STAY AWAY AND SOCIAL 
DISTANCE.
SO THEY'RE DISPROPORTION NATALIE
GETTING HIT WITH IT, WHICH 
PUSHES THE NUMBERS HIGHER FROM 
CRITICAL CONDITIONS.
ON TOP, THEY'RE SAYING OVER THE 
NEXT FOUR OR FIVE DAYS, WE WILL 
SEE A HUGE INCREASE IN NUMBERS.
DON'T BE TOO ALARMED BY THAT, WE
KNOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
THEY'RE MAKING A PLEA TO 
EVERYBODY.
SAVE THE PERSONAL PROTECTION, 
PPE FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS.
THEY NEED IT ON THE FRONT LINES,
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT NEED IT 
AT THIS POINT.
>> JOHN, I HAVE TO QUICKLY ASK 
YOU, DR. BERKS MADE THE POINT 
THAT THERE IS STILL SOME 
CONFUSION AS TO HOW THIS IS 
TRANSMITTED, WHETHER IT IS IN 
THE AIR OR ON THE SURFACE OF 
THIS DESK OR ANY OTHER HARD 
SURFACE, A LOT OF US ARE TRYING 
TO DO EVERYTHING WE ARE SUPPOSED
TO BE DOING.
BUT HOW LONG BEFORE THEY GET A 
HANDLE ON THE TRANSPOLITICIAN?
>> YOU ARE REFERRING TO WHERE 
THEY ASKED ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP
AND THEM SAYING HIM SHAKE HANDS 
WASN'T A BIG DEAL.
NOW THEY ARE SAYING WE KNOW THAT
CAN TRANSMIT IT A LOT MORE THAN 
WE THOUGHT.
WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT 
RESPIRATORY ILLNESS TRANSMITTED 
THROUGH THE AIR ON CONTACT NOT 
SO MUCH.
NOW WE KNOW THAT THAT CONTACT IS
A BICKER PART THAN WE THOUGHT IT
WAS.
SO YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF 
BOTH AND THAT MEANS ESSENTIALLY 
THAT SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND 
MAKING SURE YOU WASH YOUR HANDS 
BEFORE YOU TOUCH YOUR FACE, 
BOTTOM LINE.
>> ALL RIGHT, DOC, THANKS, LET'S
GO TO PETER ALEXANDER IN THAT 
NASSAU BRIEFING WITH THE 
PRESIDENT. 
>> Reporter: RIGHT OUT OF THE 
GATES WE HEARD FROM THE 
PRESIDENT SAYING HE WOULD BE 
INVOKING THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION 
ACT.
 THAT ALLOWS THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT TO MARSHALL THE 
RESOURCES OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR 
TO PRODUCE THOSE EMERGENCY 
SUPPLIES THAT MAY BE NEEDED.
ANOTHER HEADLINE HE WAS HOPING 
TO MAKE HERE WAS THE DISCUSSION 
OF AT FIRST TO PRODUCE A SELF 
SWAB THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO 
TEST THEMSELVES WITHOUT IMPACT 
ON HEALTHCARE WORKERS THAT HAVE 
TO DEROAD AFTER EVERY INDIVIDUAL
TEST THAT THEY TAKE TO THIS 
POINT.
BUT I ASKED THE PRESIDENT 
POINT-BLANK ABOUT THIS ISSUE OF 
TEXTING AND WHY WHEN SOUTH KOREA
WAS DOING 10,000 TESTS A DAY 
THROUGH THIS MUCH TIME AMERICA 
HAS ONLY PROCESSED 59,000 TESTS.
YOU WILL REMEMBER 12 DAYS AGO, 
THE PRESIDENT SAID, ANYBODY WHO 
WANTS A TEST CAN GET ONE.
CLEARLY THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE 
CASE.
THEY SPOKE OBVIOUSLY ABOUT THAT 
BACKLOG AND THE HOPE THAT THESE 
TESTS WILL RAMP UP VERY QUICKLY.
THAT'S FRUSTRATED A LOT OF 
PEOPLE.
I FOLLOWED UP BY ASKING HIM WHY 
NON-SYMPTOMATIC.
ASYMPTOMATIC PROFESSIONAL 
ATHLETES THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO 
GET TESTS WE WITNESSED IN THE 
NBA AND ELSEWHERE, WHILE OTHER 
AMERICANS CONTINUE TO WAIT IN 
LINE FRUSTRATED THEY CAN'T GET 
THEIR TEST.
THE PRESIDENT SAID IT SHOULD NOT
BE THAT WAY.
HE SAID PERHAPS THE STORY OF 
LIFE.
WHETHER THERE WAS ENOUGH 
INFORMATION HERE FOR THOSE SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS WAITING AT HOME 
RIGHT NOW WITH FEAR THAT THEIR 
BARS, RESTAURANTS, BODEGAS CAN'T
DO DAYS LET ALONE WEEKS, THEY 
ARE TRYING TO GET SMALL BUSINESS
LOANS SORTED OUT FOR FRUSTRATION
AT HOME FOR A LOT OF AMERICANS.
>> I MENTIONED THOSE TWO 
HOSPITAL SHIPS THAT MAY BE 
PRESSED INTO ACTION.
APPARENTLY THE PLAN IS TO HAVE 
THEM RELIEVE OTHER PATIENTS FROM
HOSPITALS TO ALLOW THOSE 
HOSPITALS TO ADDRESS THE 
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK.
LET ME GO TO STEPHANIE ROOUL 
RIGHT NOW, OUR CHIEF BUSINESS 
CORRESPONDENT.
WE HAVE BEEN ACCUSTOMED TO 
WATCHING THE BRIEFINGS AND THE 
TICKER IN THE CORNER.
NOTHING THAT'S MAKING WALL 
STREET FEEL GOOD RIGHT NOW?
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
WE WATCHED STOCKS PLUMMET.
AGAIN THEY'VE GONE DOWN 7% IN 
THE S&P.
WHICH MEANS THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS
HAVE BEEN TRIGGERED.
THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME IN 
RECENT WEEKS WE'VE SEEN THIS, 
THIS HAPPENS IN EMERGENCY 
SCENARIOS.
AT THIS POINT ALL OF THE 
STOCKMARKET GAINS SINCE 
PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK OFFICE HAVE
BEEN LOST.
IT'S STUNNING WHEN YOU LOOK AT 
IT.
THIS IS WHEN THEY ARE PRESENTING
THE RESCUE PACKAGE THAT $50 
BILLION IN CHECKS GOING TO THE 
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO FOR 
SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE THIRD, 
RESCUING 55, 5-0 BILLION FOR THE
AIRLINE INDUSTRY AND ANOTHER 50 
BILLION FOR OTHER INDUSTRIES 
THAT ARE DISTRESSED.
SOMETHING I WOULD SAY TO LOOK 
OUT FOR ARE THE DETAILS.
THESE CORPORATE BAILOUTS THAT 
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT, 
REMEMBER, IN 2008, THOSE 
BAILOUTS WHEN THEY HAPPENED, 
THEY CREATED THE RISE OF 
POPULISM.
THEY CREATED OCCUPY WALL STREET 
SO LUFF SEE A LOT OF PUBLIC 
PUSHING AND OUTRAGE FOR THE 
DETAILS HERE, ENSURING WHILE 
THESE INDUSTRIES MIGHT NEED TO 
BE BAILED OUT TODAY, THE PUBLIC 
WANTS THEM BAILED OUT BUT IN A 
WAY THAT HELPS WORKERS.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WAS MISSED 
LAST TIME AROUND. 
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE WILL, OF COURSE, CONTINUE TO 
FOLLOW ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS IN 
THIS CRISIS.
I'LL BE BACK WITH A COMPLETE 
WRAP-UP ON NBC "NIGHTLY NEWS."
AS EVENTS WARRANT, WE WILL COME 
ON AND BRING IT TO YOU 
