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  • >>> GOOD AFTERNOON, WE JUST FINISHED THE MEETING IN THE

  • WHITE HOUSE WITH THE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE AND SINCE THE TIME,

  • WE HAVE MET DAILY AND WE WILL CONTINUE THAT EFFORT TODAY. WE

  • ADDED AHEAD OF THE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES AS WELL AS

  • ROBERT WILKIE WITH THE VA.

  • FIRST, A FEW BASIC FACTS AND THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM OTHER

  • MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE ABOUT ONGOING EFFORTS. AT THE PRESENT

  • MOMENT, WE HAVE 43 DOMESTIC CASES OF THE CORONAVIRUS AND 48

  • CASES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES.

  • OTHER DOMESTIC CASES, 29 OF THE 43 ARE EITHER IN CALIFORNIA OR

  • WASHINGTON STATE AND WE HAVE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE FACING

  • OF WHAT THE EXPERTS TELL US COULD BE A CLUSTER IN THOSE

  • COMMUNITIES. SADLY, TODAY, THERE WERE FOUR ADDITIONAL FATALITIES

  • RAISING THE NUMBER OF SIX AMERICANS LOSING THEIR

  • LIVES TO THE CORONAVIRUS AND ON BEHALF OF THE PRESIDENT AND ALL

  • THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, WE EXTEND OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES AND

  • SYMPATHIES TO THE FAMILIES OF THOSE THAT WERE LOST. DESPITE

  • TODAY'S SAD NEWS, LET'S BE CLEAR. THE RISK TO THE AMERICAN

  • PEOPLE OF THE CORONAVIRUS REMAINS LOW ACCORDING TO ALL THE

  • EXPERTS THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH ACROSS THE GOVERNMENT. THE

  • PRESIDENT HAS SAID WE ARE READY FOR ANYTHING

  • BUT THIS IS ALL HANDS ON DECK EFFORT AND TODAY'S ACTIVITY

  • REALLY REFLECTS THE PRESENT EFFORT TO BRING THE BEST MINDS

  • OF THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY TOGETHER AND THE BEST OF LEADERSHIP FROM

  • AROUND THE COUNTRY AT EVERY LEVEL.

  • WE HAD A GOOD MEETING THIS MORNING WITH GOVERNORS FROM 50

  • STATES AND THREE TERRITORIES. I WAS ABLE TO CONVEY TO THEM THE

  • GRATITUDE THAT THE PRESIDENT AND THE ENTIRE DEMONSTRATION FEELS

  • PARTICULARLY FOR GOVERNORS THAT ARE DEALING WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

  • IN THEIR STATE AND THOSE THAT HAVE TAKEN

  • REPATRIATED PERSONNEL. I CAN SAY THAT WHAT I HEAR FROM THE

  • NATIONS GOVERNORS IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A SEAMLESS RELATIONSHIP

  • BETWEEN ALL THE AGENCIES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STATES

  • THUS FAR.

  • WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THAT. WE ARE COMMITTED TO A FULL

  • PARTNERSHIP WITH STATE GOVERNMENTS AND TO THE HEALTH

  • OFFICIALS AND TO LOCAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS GOING

  • FORWARD.

  • WE ALSO MET TODAY WITH SOME OF THE LEADERS OF THE TOP

  • PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES

  • IN THE WORLD AND THE PRESIDENT SPOKE TO THEM NOT JUST ABOUT

  • VACCINES WHICH MANY OF THE COMPANIES ARE ALREADY BEGINNING

  • TO WORK ON BUT JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, THE DEVELOPMENT OF

  • THERAPEUTICS AND IT IS REMARKABLE TO THINK THAT THERE

  • MAY WELL BE A VACCINE GOING TO LOCAL TRIALS WITHIN THE NEXT SIX

  • WEEKS AND EXPERTS HAVE EXPLAINED TO US THAT THE VACCINE MIGHT NOT

  • YET BE AVAILABLE UNTIL LATE THIS YEAR BUT THE THERAPEUTICS GIVING

  • RELIEF TO PEOPLE COULD

  • BE AVAILABLE BY THIS SUMMER OR EARLY FALL. THE MOST ENCOURAGING

  • NEWS WAS THAT OUR

  • PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES WHICH ARE RECOGNIZED AS THE GREATEST

  • IN THE WORLD, THEY HAVE ALREADY CONFORMED A CONTORTION TO

  • SHARE INFORMATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT IN THERAPEUTICS AND

  • VACCINES. A QUICK UPDATE YESTERDAY

  • , WE WERE FULLY IMPLEMENTING THE NEW TRAVEL ADVISORIES FOR

  • PORTIONS OF ITALY AND SOUTH KOREA AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF

  • SCREENING OF PERSONNEL

  • FROM ACROSS THOSE COUNTRIES WHO ARE TRYING TO TAKE A DIRECT

  • FLIGHT TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I WAS PLEASED TO LEARN

  • THAT WITHIN THE NEXT 12 HOURS, THEY WILL BE 100% SCREENING AND

  • ALL DIRECT FLIGHTS AT ALL AIRPORTS ACROSS ITALY AND ACROSS

  • SOUTH KOREA.

  • THE PRESIDENT HAS DIRECTED US

  • TO BRING FULL RESOURCES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND TO BRING

  • THE BEST MINDS IN THIS COUNTRY TO BEAR ON THIS EFFORT AND

  • FINALLY

  • , I AM PLEASED TO WELCOME TO OUR WHITE HOUSE TEAM, A WORLD

  • RENOWNED

  • GLOBAL HEALTH OFFICIAL AND PHYSICIAN. SHE WILL BE MY RIGHT

  • ARM THROUGH THIS EFFORT AS THE PRESIDENT HAS TASKED ME TO LEAD

  • THE RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT AMBASSADOR

  • DEBORAH BURKS AND DR. DEBORAH BROOKS WILL BE ON OUR TEAM AND

  • SHE HAS ALREADY BEEN CONJURING SIGNIFICANTLY TO OUR

  • DISCUSSIONS. DR. BROOKS SIRS FOR COMBATING HIV AIDS GLOBALLY

  • AND HAS DEVELOPED AN INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION AS

  • THAT. SHE IS A SCIENTIST AND PHYSICIAN AND SOMEONE WITH THREE

  • DECADES OF PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTISE INCLUDING VACCINES AND

  • HAS VAST EXPERIENCE IN INTERAGENCY COORDINATION AND DR.

  • BROOKS AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BRINGING ALL

  • OF THESE VARIOUS ENTITIES TOGETHER

  • TO BRING PRESIDENT TRUMP'S VISION FOR A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT

  • RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS. WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO

  • RECOGNIZE DR.

  • DEBORAH BURKS AND THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP ALL MY TIME TO SERVE

  • OUR COUNTRY. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. VICE

  • PRESIDENT. IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE . EVERYONE TOOK GREAT

  • CARE OF ME AND I HAD COMPUTER AND PHONE RECORDS AND IT SHOWS A

  • LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY AND EXPERTISE HERE

  • AND IT IS CLEAR THAT THE EARLY WORK OF THE PRESIDENT BOTH IN

  • TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AND THE ABILITY TO QUARANTINE HAS

  • BROUGHT US TIME AND SPACE TO HAVE THIS TASK FORCE BE VERY

  • EFFECTIVE. I HAVE NEVER WORKED WITH SUCH INCREDIBLE SCIENTISTS

  • AND THOUGHTFUL POLICY LEADERS AND I GOT TO SPEND THE DAY WITH

  • THEM. I AM TRYING TO GET UP TO SPEED AS FAST AS POSSIBLE AND I

  • LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAYS OF WORKING TOGETHER TO END THIS

  • EPIDEMIC. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. VICE

  • PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO FIRST START OUT BY SAYING HOW

  • DELIGHTED WE ARE THAT

  • AMBASSADOR BURKS WILL BE LEADING AND CORRELATING THESE EFFORTS

  • ACROSS THE GOVERNMENT. DR. BROOKS AND I GO WAY BACK AND

  • BASICALLY EVERY LEADER AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN

  • SERVICES GO WAY BACK TOGETHER. WE ALREADY HAVE ESTABLISHED

  • RELATIONSHIPS. WHILE WE HAVE

  • PRODUCTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS AND I THINK WE WILL KEEP THIS

  • PROCESS WORKING INCREDIBLY SMOOTHLY AND AS THE VICE

  • PRESIDENT SAID, DR. BURKS HAS BEEN ALREADY BEEN ASKING THE

  • RIGHT QUESTIONS AND CHALLENGING AS ON ALL THE RIGHT POLICY

  • MATTERS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON. I WANT TO BEGIN BY RECAPPING

  • THE CURRENT SITUATION THAT WE HAVE FACED. AS THE VICE

  • PRESIDENT MENTIONED AS OF THIS MORNING, WE HAVE A 43 CONFIRMED

  • PRESUMPTIVE CASES OF THE VIRUS IN THE UNITED STATES EXCLUDING

  • THE REPATRIATED CASES AND 17 OF THOSE ARE TRAVEL RELATED IN ONE

  • WAY OR ANOTHER AND 26 ARE BELIEVED TO BE PERSON-TO-PERSON

  • SPREAD.

  • BECAUSE OF THE STRONG LEADERSHIP AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT OUR

  • PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS HAVE DONE AT THE LOCAL AND STATE AND

  • FEDERAL LEVEL, THE IMMEDIATE RISK TO ANY INDIVIDUAL AMERICANS

  • HAS BEEN AND IS CONTINUE TO BE LOW BUT THE RISK FOR PEOPLE WITH

  • POSSIBLE EXPOSURE TO IDENTIFIED CASES CAN BE HIGH. WITH EVERY

  • ONE OF OUR EXPERTS AND LEADERS PAYING FOR MORE THAN A MONTH NOW

  • THAT THE DEGREE OF RISK HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CHANGE QUICKLY.

  • ESPECIALLY IF WE SEE SUSTAINED SPREAD OF THE DISEASE AROUND THE

  • WORLD WHICH COULD QUALIFY THIS DISEASE AS A PANDEMIC.

  • AS SAID THIS MORNING, WE WILL SEE MORE CASES OF COMMUNITY

  • SPREAD IN THE UNITED STATES. AS WE HAVE EMPHASIZED, WE ALL NEED

  • TO PREPARE

  • FOR THE POTENTIAL NEED TO PREPARE FOR THE WORST BUT HOPE

  • FOR THE BEST. IN SOME PLACES WE WILL HAVE TO USE THE RANGE OF

  • OUR MITIGATION EFFORTS AND WE ALREADY ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH

  • SANTA CLARA COUNTY AND THE STATE OF WASHINGTON AND KING COUNTY TO

  • ASSIST THEM IN THINKING THROUGH SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES

  • AS WELL AS LEARNINGS FROM SINGAPORE AND HONG KONG TO THE

  • MOST EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY MITIGATION EFFORTS SUCH AS

  • TEMPORARY SCHOOL CLOSURES OR EVEN MORE TITRATED RESPONSES

  • THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT SUCH AS HAVING SCHOOL BUT PERHAPS NOT

  • HAVING ASSEMBLIES IN SCHOOL. THAT IS WHY THE PRESIDENT HAS

  • TAKEN AN UNPRECEDENTED HOLD OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO PROTECT

  • THE AMERICAN PEOPLE INCLUDING THE STEPS IN THE LAST FEW DAYS

  • TO RADICALLY EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE TESTING AND ACCESS TO

  • RESPIRATORS NEEDED BY HEALTHCARE WORKERS. THE VICE PRESIDENT

  • AND I SPOKE WITH ALMOST EVERY GOVERNOR THAT WE HAVE THIS

  • MORNING AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE CLOSE COOPERATION.

  • I ALSO WANTED TO INTRODUCE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO I ASKED THE VICE

  • PRESIDENT TO HAVE JOINED THIS TASK FORCE BECAUSE THE CENTERS

  • FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES PLAY SUCH A VITAL ROLE

  • WITH $1.3 TRILLION OF SPENDING HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND

  • PROVIDING HEALTHCARE TO 60 MILLION AMERICAN SENIORS AND AS

  • WE HAVE SEEN, THIS DISEASE CAN HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT

  • ON THE ELDERLY AS WELL AS MEDICALLY FRAIL. OUR

  • ADMINISTRATOR HAS A VERY IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY IN

  • REGARD TO FUNDING

  • OF CARE WHETHER IT IS THERAPEUTICS OR VACCINES OR

  • DIAGNOSTICS OR SENIOR CITIZENS BUT ALSO A VITAL ROLE THAT YOU

  • MAY NOT KNOW OF

  • AND REGULATING LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES SUCH AS NURSING HOMES

  • AND OTHER HEALTHCARE FACILITIES WITH REGULATORY FUNCTIONS. I'M

  • DELIGHTED THAT THE ADMINISTRATOR IS FORMALLY JOINING THE TASK

  • FORCE TOLD ME TURN IT OVER.

  • >> THANK YOU SECRETARY AND FOR THE TRUMPET MENSTRUATION,

  • PATIENTS COME FIRST AND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND WELFARE OF

  • AMERICA'S PATIENTS AND PROVIDER WORKFORCE IS OUR HIGHEST

  • PRIORITY. LET ME START WITH WHAT CMS AND THE SECRETARY SAID.

  • WE ARE THE LARGEST COVERING OVER 130 MILLION AMERICANS BETWEEN

  • MEDICARE AND MEDICAID AND THE INDIVIDUAL INSURANCE MARKET.

  • SOME OF THESE ARE THE NATIONS MOST MOLDABLE POPULATIONS AND

  • THOSE IN PUBLIC AND ELDERLY AND SO FORTH. WE DO HAVE A

  • REGULATORY RESPONSIBILITY

  • OR PRETTY MUCH EVERY HEALTHCARE INSTITUTION IN AMERICA AND THIS

  • INCLUDES FACILITIES SUCH AS HOSPITALS

  • AND CRITICAL ACCESS AND NURSING HOMES AND HOME HEALTH AGENCIES

  • AND DIALYSIS FACILITIES AND THE LIST GOES ON. THAT GIVES US A

  • CRITICAL ROLE IN ADDRESSING THE CORONAVIRUS. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE

  • FOR ENFORCING THE QUALITY GUIDELINES BASED ON INFORMATION

  • WITH PARTNER AGENCIES LIKE THE CDC.

  • LET ME STRESS THAT CMS HAS LONG-STANDING INFECTIOUS DISEASE

  • POLICIES

  • ALREADY IN PLACE THAT WE HAVE USED EFFECTIVELY FOR OTHER

  • OUTBREAKS SUCH AS INFLUENZA. HEALTHCARE FACILITIES ALREADY

  • HAVE THESE PROCEDURES IN PLACE AND ARE PREPARED FOR WHAT THEY

  • MAY SEEM. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROACTIVELY UPDATE OUR

  • REGULATIONS AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH CDC AND RIGHT NOW

  • THOSE ARE ALREADY IN PLACE AND IT IS OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THE

  • HEALTHCARE FACILITIES ARE EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTING

  • THOSE GUIDELINES AND WE WILL WORK WITH THE CDC TO DETERMINE

  • WHETHER WE NEED TO UPDATE OR CHANGE THOSE. ALSO, WE ARE

  • LOOKING AT WHAT WE COVER AND CLARIFYING THE TYPES OF PRODUCTS

  • AND SERVICES THAT OUR PROGRAMS WILL BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IN TERMS

  • OF MEDICAID AND MEDICARE. >>

  • THANK YOU. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE A COUPLE OF OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR

  • TEAM.

  • >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THREE COMMENTS AND

  • POINTS AND FIRST OF ALL TO UNDERSCORE WHAT THE VICE

  • PRESIDENT AND THE SECRETARY LIAISON SAID. WE HAD AN

  • EXTRAORDINARY MEETING WITH THE CEOS OF RIDING WITH INDIVIDUALS

  • IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOTECH BUSINESS AND SEVERAL OF

  • THEM IN THE ROOM, PEOPLE WERE ALREADY ACTIVELY COLLABORATING

  • WITH AND THEIR ENTHUSIASM ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED IN HELPING US

  • ALONG WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRODUCTS AND THE AVAILABILITY OF

  • PRODUCTS THE VACCINES

  • FOR OTHERS IT WAS VERY GRATIFYING. SECOND, I AM PLEASED

  • THAT THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT WILL BE VISITING AND

  • WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW FIRSTHAND THE KIND OF

  • THINGS WE ARE DOING AND FINALLY JUST ONE COMMENT ABOUT INVESTOR

  • DR. BURKS. A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID THEY GO BACK A LONG

  • TIME WITH DR. BURKS BUT NOBODY GOES BACK AS LONG AS I GO. SHE

  • WAS A FELLOW IN MY PROGRAM AS A TRAINEE AND SHE KNEW HER WE KNEW

  • SHE WAS A STAR THEN BUT NOW SHE HAS BECOME A SUPERSTAR.

  • TOGETHER, WE WERE INVOLVED IN VACCINE TRIALS THAT WAS THE

  • FIRST SUCCESSFUL TRIAL OF HIV AND HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER OR HAD

  • THE PRIVILEGE AND THE HONOR AMONG OTHERS OF PUTTING TOGETHER

  • THE PROGRAM FOR PRESIDENT BUSH AND SHE WAS THE INVESTOR IN

  • CHARGE OF THE PROGRAM SO I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM TO

  • FINALLY ONCE AGAIN GET BACK TO BE A PART WITH DEBBIE BURKS.

  • >> FINALLY, CDC

  • . >> THANK YOU, MR. VICE

  • PRESIDENT. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS RECOGNIZE THAT CDC

  • CONTINUES TO WORK AND PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE BACKBONE OF OUR

  • PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM WITH THIS NATION WHICH IS THE STATE AND

  • LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS. THESE TEAMS CONTINUE TO WORK TO

  • IDENTIFY NEW CASES AND ISOLATE CONTACT AND TO WORK TOGETHER TO

  • TRY TO LIMIT THE TRANSMISSION OF THE CORONAVIRUS. WORKING WITH

  • THE PUBLIC HEALTH PARTNERS, WE CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY

  • NEW COMMUNITY CASES AS THE SECRETARY SAID

  • WE ALWAYS ANTICIPATED AND USE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH ASSETS TO

  • AGGRESSIVELY CONFIRM THOSE CASES AND ISOLATE NEW CONTACT AND USE

  • OUR PUBLIC HEALTH TOOLS TO LIMIT THE SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS. I WANT

  • TO ECHO WHAT WAS SAID BY THE VICE PRESIDENT AND THE SECRETARY

  • THAT DESPITE SEEING THESE NEW COMMUNITY CASES, THAT SHOWS YOU

  • WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY ACROSS THIS COUNTRY IN

  • ACTION AND THE REST OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IS LOW. I ALSO

  • WANT TO ADD

  • AND I KNOW MY ENTIRE AGENCY IS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PRESIDENT

  • AND VICE PRESIDENTS AND THE SECRETARIES VISIT TO COME ON

  • FRIDAY AND GET TO MEET A LOT OF WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT HAVE FORM

  • THE BACKBONE OF THIS GREAT AGENCY. THANK YOU.

  • >> STEVE HOLLAND .

  • >> BASED ON WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN SO FAR, HOW QUICKLY DO YOU

  • EXPECT THE VIRUS TO SPREAD? >> LET ME REFER THAT TO THE

  • EXPERTS. >>

  • I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING IS THE SECRETARY SAID FROM THE

  • BEGINNING THAT WE HAVE ANTICIPATED TO SEEK COMMUNITY

  • CASES

  • AND THAT THEY WILL POP UP AND WE HAVE A NUMBER AND THE HEALTH

  • DEPARTMENT ARE AGGRESSIVELY EVALUATING TO SEE IF THEY CAN

  • UNDERSTAND THE LINKAGE

  • AND WHO ARE THE CONTACTS AND HOW IS THE VIRUS SPREADING. I THINK

  • THE AMERICAN PUBLIC SHOULD REST ASSURE THAT WE HAVE WON THE BEST

  • PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS IN THE WORLD WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATE

  • AND LOCAL TERRITORIES

  • THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THESE CASES AS A CONSEQUENCE OF

  • THEM DOING THEIR JOB AND WE WILL USE PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGIES

  • THAT WE CAN TO LIMIT THE TRANSMISSION. I THINK WE SHOULD

  • FOCUS ON THAT RIGHT NOW. WE ARE STILL WORKING VERY HARD AND

  • TRYING TO CONTAIN THE COMMUNITY OUTBREAKS BUT AS THE SECRETARY

  • HAS SAID, WE ARE PLANNING THAT WITH STRATEGIC MITIGATION

  • STRATEGIES. >>

  • THERE ARE TWO ASPECTS OF THIS WITH CASES COMING IN AND

  • CONTROLLING THE SPREAD OF WHAT IS ALREADY IN HERE AND THERE ARE

  • TWO THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH RESTRICTIONS OF TRAVEL AND

  • AREAS THAT ARE HOTSPOTS IN THE REST OF THE WORLD JUST LIKE THE

  • ORIGINAL TRAVEL HERE WITH CHINA, I THINK THAT WILL MITIGATE

  • AGAINST THE QUESTION OF WHAT IS SPREAD AND

  • THE ISOLATION THAT IS AGGRESSIVELY GOING ON. YOU CAN

  • NEVER PREDICT 100% OF ANYTHING BUT I THINK WHAT IS GOING ON

  • WITH THE CDC WITH STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES WILL

  • GET US THROUGH THIS. >> SOMETHING THAT I LEARNED

  • ALONG THE WAY IS WE HAVE CASES WITH STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH

  • OFFICIALS, CDC IS ON THE GROUND IMMEDIATELY HELPING TO IDENTIFY

  • HOW THAT MIGHT HAVE ORIGINATED WITH THE INDIVIDUAL TO FIND OUT

  • WHO THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO. WE KNOW THERE WILL BE MORE CASES

  • AND THE PRESIDENT INITIALLY TOOK ON UNPRECEDENTED ACTION AND

  • GOING INTO THE COUNTRY NOW WE ARE FOCUSED

  • ON MITIGATION OF THE SPREAD AS WELL AS TREATMENT OF THE PEOPLE

  • THAT ARE EFFECTIVE. IT'S KRISTEN FISCHER HERE? SHE WALKED OUT?

  • DO WE GO WITH HALLIE JACKSON. >> TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU, SIR.

  • PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID THERE COULD BE NO NEW TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS.

  • CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT COUNTRY YOU ARE LOOKING AT?

  • >> THE PRESIDENT IS VERY CLEAR THAT WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE

  • FACTS AND LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. THE

  • ACTIONS RAISING THE TRAVEL ADVISORY, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

  • SHOULD KNOW THAT WE ARE SAYING THAT YOU SHOULD NOT TRAVEL TO

  • CERTAIN SECTIONS OF ITALY OR SOUTH KOREA. THOSE ADVISORIES

  • MAY EXPAND BUT WE WILL ALLOW THE CASELOAD IN THOSE COUNTRIES

  • TO DEFINE THAT. IN ADDITION TO THAT BY ESTABLISHING THE SPRING

  • PROTOCOL WHICH WILL BE IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT WITHIN THE NEXT

  • 12 HOURS IN BOTH COUNTRIES, WE WILL ENSURE THAT ANYONE

  • TRAVELING ON A DIRECT FLIGHT RECEIVES MULTIPLE SCREENINGS AT

  • ALL AIRPORTS BUT TO YOUR POINT, THE NATURE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

  • , THE TASK FORCE SPOKE TODAY ABOUT NEW CASES AND THERE WERE

  • SOME IN SEVERAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND WE ARE FOLLOWING

  • THAT VERY CLOSELY AND AGAIN WE WILL LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS AND

  • WANTS THE CASES

  • AND I KNOW THE PRESIDENT WILL MAKE DECISIONS WITH REGARD TO

  • TRAVEL ADVISORIES OR RESTRICTIONS ON THE BASIS OF

  • THOSE FACTS. >> DO YOU OR YOUR EXPERTS

  • BEHIND YOU CONSIDER THIS A PANDEMIC

  • AND ALL BUT DESIGNATION ONLY? >> I WOULD JUST REFER TO THE

  • EXPERTS AND OUR VIEW IS THAT WOULD BE FOR THE WORLD HEALTH

  • ORGANIZATION TO DEFINE. OUR TESTS WERE SEEN IS BEHIND

  • AND THAT THE SECRETARY ADDRESSES AND THIS WASN'T SO MUCH ABOUT

  • SEMANTICS AND THE BRIEFING WASN'T MORE THAN 60 AT THIS

  • POINT SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENSURE ALL THAT WE CAN DO TO

  • PREVENT PEOPLE COMING INTO THE COUNTRY AND MITIGATING ANY

  • SPREAD OF THE DISEASE AND TO PROVIDE TREATMENT.

  • >> I SPOKE WITH DR. TED ROSE WITH THE MANAGER ABOUT THIS

  • PRECISE QUESTION

  • SO TO GET A SENSE OF HOW THEY ARE ASSESSING THE PANDEMIC

  • STATUS AND I WILL LET THEM FULLY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES BUT AT THE

  • MOMENT WHILE WE ARE SEEING COMMUNITY SPREADING IN MULTIPLE

  • REGIONS OF THE WORLD,

  • THERE ARE MANY DEFINITIONS THAT PEOPLE USE AROUND PANDEMIC AND

  • ONE ISSUE THAT THEY ARE FOCUSED ON IS SHEER MAGNITUDE AND WHILE

  • WE HAVE HAD LARGE NUMBERS OF CASES SPREADING WITHIN CHINA,

  • THE ACTUAL ABSOLUTE NUMBER OF CASES WITH COMMUNITY SPREADING

  • ARE NOT OF THE PENTATEUCH COMPARABLE TO ANY EVEN THE

  • H1N!

  • AND THAT IS HOW THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS SO WE WILL

  • KEEP WORKING WITH THEM AND WE DON'T HAVE A VIEW AS TO WHETHER

  • WE SHOULD HAVE THE PANDEMIC OR NOT. I WANTED A SENSE OF HOW

  • THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT IT AND I ASKED THEM IF THEY COULD PUT OUT

  • SOME POINTS ABOUT HOW THEY ARE ASSESSING THE STUFF.

  • >> HOW ABOUT

  • BEN WITH ADC? >> WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND

  • WHO WILL BE CONDUCTING IT AND EXPANDING AND HOW MANY TESTS

  • HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED, WHAT IS THE UPDATE ON THAT?

  • >> THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS AT AN ENERGY AGENCY WORK THAT HAS

  • WORKED WITH BOTH ITALY AND SOUTH KOREA AND MAYBE ABOUT THREE

  • HOURS AGO FULLY IMPLEMENTED WITH THE SCREENING OF ALL AIRPORTS

  • AND AS I MENTIONED WITHIN THE NEXT 12 HOURS OR SO, ITALY WILL

  • HAVE IMPLEMENT OF THE SAME THING. IT WILL BE MULTIPLE

  • TEMPERATURE CHECKS IN THE AIRPORTS FOR PEOPLE BEFORE THEY

  • ARE BOARDING

  • AND WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY TO ASSIST THEM IN IMPLEMENTING

  • THAT BUT LET ME SPEAK ABOUT THE STATUS OF TESTS BECAUSE ONE OF

  • THE THINGS THAT I HEARD FROM GOVERNORS LAST WEEK

  • WAS THE WHOLE ISSUE OF TEST KITS AND THE AVAILABILITY OF TESTING

  • AND I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND DR. HAWN FOR SOME SWITCH WORK MAKING

  • MANY MORE TESTS AVAILABLE

  • AND MORE KIDS THAT INCLUDE MULTIPLE TEST AND AUTHORIZING

  • LOCAL TESTING

  • WHICH WILL NOW MAKE IT MORE POSSIBLE AS OUR EXPERTS TOLD US

  • TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL CASES. AS WE FIND MORE CASES, IT WILL MEAN

  • HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE DOING THEIR JOB IN LARGE PART AND THE

  • AVAILABILITY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.

  • >> AS YOU HEARD FROM THE CEMETERY AND VICE PRESIDENT THIS

  • WEEKEND, WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO PERFORM BETWEEN 75,000 AND

  • 100,000 TESTS ON SATURDAY WE ISSUED

  • NEW POLICY ALLOWING TO HAVE FLEXIBILITY AROUND THE

  • DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE TEST

  • SO ACADEMIC CENTERS AND PRIVATE COMPANIES CAN DEVELOP THESE

  • TESTS AND TELL US THAT THEY VALIDATED THE TEST AND THEN

  • BEGIN TO USE THEM. THEY ALERT US OF THAT AND THEN LATER ON WE CAN

  • LOOK AT THE VALIDATION DATA

  • AND HAVING THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SHOW THOSE VALIDATIONS. WITH THE

  • NEW POLICY, WE HAVE HEARD FROM MULTIPLE ACADEMIC CENTERS AND WE

  • EXPECT TO HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE THIS WEEK AND NEXT WEEK

  • AND THERE WILL BE -- THE ESTIMATES THAT WE ARE GETTING BY

  • THE END OF THIS WEEK ARE CLOSE TO 1 MILLION.

  • >> IF YOU TALK ABOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY THE RISK IS LOW. I THINK

  • THE POINT YOU ARE MAKING, SINCE WE HAVEN'T DONE YET, BUT WILL

  • HAPPEN REALLY SOON, THE TESTING INTO THE COMMUNITY, HOW DO WE

  • KNOW THE RISK IS LOW? I WOULD IMAGINE IT WILL STILL BE LOW

  • REGARDLESS. WHAT HAPPENS IN THE REASON WE DO THIS SO FREQUENTLY,

  • THINGS CAN CHANGE. RIGHT NOW ON THIS DAY, MONDAY, IF YOU LOOK AT

  • THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE THE RISK IS LOW.

  • >> GO AHEAD ASHLEY. >> ACROSS THE COUNTRY PEOPLE ARE

  • WORRIED ABOUT SPRING BREAK.

  • WONDERING IF THEY SHOULD BOOK TRAVEL OR CANCEL THEIR TRAVEL.

  • ONE OF THE EXPERTS ADVISED ON THE SPRING BREAK TRAVEL. WOULD

  • YOU YOURSELF FEEL COMFORTABLE BRINGING YOUR FAMILY RIGHT NOW,

  • ON A WEEKLONG TRIP TO MEXICO. >> I CAN SAY THERE HAS BEEN NO

  • RECOMMENDATION ABOUT ANY LIMITATIONS FOR TRAVEL WITHIN

  • THE UNITED STATES. LET ME LET THE EXPERTS SPEAK TO

  • RECOMMENDATIONS WITH REGARD TO TRAVEL.

  • I TRAVEL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY ALL THE TIME AND MY KIDS AS WELL.

  • THIS IS A TIME TO USE COMMON SENSE. THE TIME TO WASH HER

  • HANDS. BUT THIS TIME OF YEAR THAT IS ALWAYS A GOOD DECISION.

  • AS WE SAID THE RISK REMAINS LOW. WHILE WE HAVE HAD A TRAGIC LOSS,

  • THE REALITY IS,

  • 29 THE 43 DOMESTIC CASES ARE IN CALIFORNIA AND WASHINGTON STATE.

  • CENTERED IN VERY SPECIFIC AREAS THAT WE ARE WORKING TO IDENTIFY.

  • BUT I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD CONTINUE TO USE COMMON SENSE

  • THIS TIME OF YEAR. BUT WITH REGARD TO INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL,

  • WE WILL LEAVE IT TO THE EXPERT. >> I WOULD ECHO WHAT THE VICE

  • PRESIDENT SAID, WE WANT PEOPLE TO GO ABOUT AND LIVE THEIR

  • NORMAL LIVES. THE SECRETARY IS RIGHT, EVEN BEFORE THE

  • CORONAVIRUS IF YOU HAD ASKED THE CDC WHAT YOU SHOULD DO ABOUT

  • PREPAREDNESS WE WOULD GIVE YOU THAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL SHOULD

  • THINK AHEAD AND PREPARE WHETHER IT'S HURRICANE OR THOSE

  • RECOMMENDATIONS HAVEN'T CHANGED. I WANT PEOPLE TO REFLECT ON

  • THAT. THERE ARE NO TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS IN THE UNITED

  • STATES. THE CDC AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT TASK FORCE HAS WORKED

  • HARD TO RECOGNIZE THOSE AREAS WHERE THERE ARE

  • SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION WHERE WE GIVE YOU

  • ADVICE THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND YOU NOT TRAVEL.

  • WE NOW HAVE SOUTH KOREA AS A LEVEL III, ITALY, JAPAN AND

  • IRAN, LEVEL III, WE WOULD ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER. I WOULD ECHO

  • WHAT EVERYONE SAID, THE RISK TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AT THIS

  • POINT IS LOW. WE WILL INCREASE SURVEILLANCE SUBSTANTIALLY. SO

  • WE HAVE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS.

  • WITH DOCTOR HAHN AND THE FDA GETTING MORE AND MORE OUT .

  • THOSE WILL BE ACTIVATED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WE WILL HAVE EYES

  • ON WHETHER THERE IS NEW EVIDENCE OF COMMUNITY POCKETS AROUND THIS

  • NATION. >> WITH REGARD TO INTERNATIONAL

  • TRAVEL, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE CASES, FOLLOWING THE

  • FACTS.

  • DETERMINING WHETHER ADDITIONAL TRAVEL ADVISORS OR RESTRICTIONS

  • ARE WARRANTED., THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL SLIP OUT. WE WILL BE

  • BACK, WE WILL BE BACK HERE IF I MAY. WE WILL BE BACK HERE EVERY

  • DAY, GET USED TO SEEING US, WE WILL BRING THE EXPERTS IN AND

  • MAKE SURE TO GIVE YOU THE BEST AND MOST HIGH-QUALITY REAL-TIME

  • INFORMATION. FROM THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. THANK YOU

  • ALL FOR BEING HERE.

>>> GOOD AFTERNOON, WE JUST FINISHED THE MEETING IN THE

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