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| Trump wants to reopen US businesses in weeks 'not months' even as deaths rise – follow live | Trump wants to reopen US businesses in weeks 'not months' even as deaths rise – follow live |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Democrats voted to oppose motion on the coronavirus stimulus bill, while Dr Anthony Fauci and others warn against scaling back social distancing | Democrats voted to oppose motion on the coronavirus stimulus bill, while Dr Anthony Fauci and others warn against scaling back social distancing |
| We’re closing out this US politics liveblog for the night, but our global live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic will continue. A summary of key events this evening: | |
| In his White House coronavirus briefing, Donald Trump made clear that he wanted to lift restrictive public health measures as soon as possible, and that his major concern was the state of the US economy. He would re-open America for business in “weeks,” not months, Trump pledged, and refused to say whether he would simply ignore public health experts if they advised that restrictive measures to stop the spread of the virus needed to stay in place longer. | |
| The public health expert who has emerged as a trusted public voice on the epidemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci, was not present at tonight’s White House briefing. | |
| The White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, said the data on the spread of coronavirus in the New York City region was concerning, but data from Europe, which showed that 99% of the deaths from coronavirus were in people over 50, was reassuring. | |
| A 69-year-old Texas Republican, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, said in a Fox News interview that, as a senior citizen, he would rather risk death than have the government pursue measures that would fundamentally damage the American economy. “I just think there are lots of grandparents out there in this country like me,” Patrick said. “Let’s get back to work, let’s get back to living, let’s be smart about it, and those of us who are 70-plus, we’ll take care of ourselves.” | |
| Washington joins a host of other states with its new stay-at-home order, in which residents are asked not to leave their houses unless necessary. Those states are: | |
| California | |
| Connecticut | |
| Delaware | |
| Illinois | |
| Indiana | |
| Louisiana | |
| Massachusetts | |
| Michigan | |
| New Jersey | |
| New York | |
| Ohio | |
| Oregon | |
| West Virginia | |
| Washington | |
| As life grinds to a slowdown across the US, bustling metropolises have come to resemble eerie ghost towns. Here’s what quarantined America looks like from above ... | |
| In his tweets announcing Washington’s new stay-at-home order, governor Inslee urged residents against a run on the grocery stores. | In his tweets announcing Washington’s new stay-at-home order, governor Inslee urged residents against a run on the grocery stores. |
| The Guardian’s Victoria Bekiempis has reported on why panic-buying is the real threat to the US food supply. | The Guardian’s Victoria Bekiempis has reported on why panic-buying is the real threat to the US food supply. |
| She writes ... | She writes ... |
| An extraordinary television interview tonight with a Texas Republican, Lt Governor Dan Patrick, who is 69 years old and will turn 70 this week. | An extraordinary television interview tonight with a Texas Republican, Lt Governor Dan Patrick, who is 69 years old and will turn 70 this week. |
| Patrick and said he is concerned that public health measures to prevent coronavirus will end American life as he knows it, and said he would rather risk death than having the country continue with tough public health restrictions that hurt the economy. | Patrick and said he is concerned that public health measures to prevent coronavirus will end American life as he knows it, and said he would rather risk death than having the country continue with tough public health restrictions that hurt the economy. |
| “You know, Tucker, no one reached out to me and said, ‘As a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?’ And if that’s the exchange, I’m all in,” Patrick said. “And that doesn’t make me noble or brave or anything like that. I just think there are lots of grandparents out there in this country like me.” | “You know, Tucker, no one reached out to me and said, ‘As a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?’ And if that’s the exchange, I’m all in,” Patrick said. “And that doesn’t make me noble or brave or anything like that. I just think there are lots of grandparents out there in this country like me.” |
| Patrick praised President Trump’s Monday evening press conference and said his heart was “lifted” by Trump’s emphasis on opening the economy again as soon as possible. | Patrick praised President Trump’s Monday evening press conference and said his heart was “lifted” by Trump’s emphasis on opening the economy again as soon as possible. |
| “I don’t want the whole country to be sacrificed…[in talking to people] everyone says pretty much the same thing: ‘We can’t lose our whole country. We’re having an economic collapse.” | “I don’t want the whole country to be sacrificed…[in talking to people] everyone says pretty much the same thing: ‘We can’t lose our whole country. We’re having an economic collapse.” |
| “My message: let’s get back to work, let’s get back to living, let’s be smart about it, and those of us who are 70-plus, we’ll take care of ourselves, but don’t sacrifice the country. Don’t do that.” | “My message: let’s get back to work, let’s get back to living, let’s be smart about it, and those of us who are 70-plus, we’ll take care of ourselves, but don’t sacrifice the country. Don’t do that.” |
| Watch the full interview here: | Watch the full interview here: |
| “You’re basically saying that this disease could take your life, but that’s not the scariest thing to you. There’s something that would be worse than dying,” Fox News host Tucker Carlson said to Patrick. | “You’re basically saying that this disease could take your life, but that’s not the scariest thing to you. There’s something that would be worse than dying,” Fox News host Tucker Carlson said to Patrick. |
| “Yeah,” Patrick said. “And look, I’m going to do everything I can do live. But if you said, are you willing to take a chance …” | “Yeah,” Patrick said. “And look, I’m going to do everything I can do live. But if you said, are you willing to take a chance …” |
| A shorter clip of the interview is below: | A shorter clip of the interview is below: |
| Meanwhile in Washington state, the governor Jay Inslee has issued a stay-at-home order for the entire state in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. | Meanwhile in Washington state, the governor Jay Inslee has issued a stay-at-home order for the entire state in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. |
| Hallie Golden in Seattle reports ... | Hallie Golden in Seattle reports ... |
| Fact-checking Trump’s claim about suicide deaths from a bad economy | Fact-checking Trump’s claim about suicide deaths from a bad economy |
| In a marked low point of Donald Trump’s Monday press conference, the president argued that public health measures to slow spread of the coronavirus might have their own death toll, because the public health guidelines hurt the economy, and economic crisis leads to suicide. | In a marked low point of Donald Trump’s Monday press conference, the president argued that public health measures to slow spread of the coronavirus might have their own death toll, because the public health guidelines hurt the economy, and economic crisis leads to suicide. |
| The president implied that quickly ending ending restrictive health measures, in order to open the economy back up again, might avert an outbreak of suicide in the United States. | The president implied that quickly ending ending restrictive health measures, in order to open the economy back up again, might avert an outbreak of suicide in the United States. |
| Before continuing with this post, and in case you find any of the president’s comments triggering, the number for the National Suicide Prevention hotline in the United States is: 1-800-273-8255. More information for other countries at the bottom of this post. | Before continuing with this post, and in case you find any of the president’s comments triggering, the number for the National Suicide Prevention hotline in the United States is: 1-800-273-8255. More information for other countries at the bottom of this post. |
| The president said: “People get tremendous anxiety and depression. And you have suicides over things like this when you have terrible economies. You have death, probably, I mean definitely would be in greater numbers than the numbers that we’re talking about with regard to the virus.” | The president said: “People get tremendous anxiety and depression. And you have suicides over things like this when you have terrible economies. You have death, probably, I mean definitely would be in greater numbers than the numbers that we’re talking about with regard to the virus.” |
| What does the data show? | What does the data show? |
| It is reasonable to suggest that a pandemic-linked recession can increase the risk of a rise in suicides. According to research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, North America and Europe experienced 10,000 more suicides during the 2008 recession. The outbreak of Sars in Hong Kong in 2002 and 2003 also led to a “significant increase” in suicides in those aged over 65, according to 2010 research. | It is reasonable to suggest that a pandemic-linked recession can increase the risk of a rise in suicides. According to research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, North America and Europe experienced 10,000 more suicides during the 2008 recession. The outbreak of Sars in Hong Kong in 2002 and 2003 also led to a “significant increase” in suicides in those aged over 65, according to 2010 research. |
| But experts also caution that there is no single cause of suicide. | But experts also caution that there is no single cause of suicide. |
| While the figures for the mortality rate of coronavirus continues to evolve, recent research from Wuhan, China, the city where the outbreak began, indicates the mortality rate there was around 1.4%. Experts at Harvard University have projected an infection rate in the US of between 20 - 60%, meaning that while it is impossible to reliably estimate the American coronavirus death toll a reasonable scenario could result in hundreds of thousands of lives lost. | While the figures for the mortality rate of coronavirus continues to evolve, recent research from Wuhan, China, the city where the outbreak began, indicates the mortality rate there was around 1.4%. Experts at Harvard University have projected an infection rate in the US of between 20 - 60%, meaning that while it is impossible to reliably estimate the American coronavirus death toll a reasonable scenario could result in hundreds of thousands of lives lost. |
| On first look, given the potentially devastating death toll directly associated with coronavirus, it appears unlikely to be matched by an increased rate in suicide, making the presidents claim almost certainly inaccurate. | On first look, given the potentially devastating death toll directly associated with coronavirus, it appears unlikely to be matched by an increased rate in suicide, making the presidents claim almost certainly inaccurate. |
| In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 and Papyrus can be contacted on 0800 068 4141. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org. | In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 and Papyrus can be contacted on 0800 068 4141. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org. |
| Report: CDC said coronavirus survived 17 days in cruise ship cabins | Report: CDC said coronavirus survived 17 days in cruise ship cabins |
| At tonight’s White House briefing on coronavirus, Trump officials kept reminding Americans that the president’s plan to “stop the spread” of coronavirus was only a “15 day challenge” and they were already halfway through. | At tonight’s White House briefing on coronavirus, Trump officials kept reminding Americans that the president’s plan to “stop the spread” of coronavirus was only a “15 day challenge” and they were already halfway through. |
| Meanwhile: | Meanwhile: |
| Asked if he was concerned that if he eased government restrictions to prevent coronavirus “too early”, the virus might continue to spread unabated, Trump said that he was looking to the mortality rate for coronavirus, and he found it encouraging. | Asked if he was concerned that if he eased government restrictions to prevent coronavirus “too early”, the virus might continue to spread unabated, Trump said that he was looking to the mortality rate for coronavirus, and he found it encouraging. |
| At the beginning, “nobody knew anything about this particular virus”, and Trump said he heard numbers that the mortality rate for the virus might be as high as 5%, compared with “.001 or 2 or 3” percent for the normal flu. | At the beginning, “nobody knew anything about this particular virus”, and Trump said he heard numbers that the mortality rate for the virus might be as high as 5%, compared with “.001 or 2 or 3” percent for the normal flu. |
| Now, Trump said, he was hearing potential mortality rate numbers that were lower. | Now, Trump said, he was hearing potential mortality rate numbers that were lower. |
| “The mortality rate, to me that is a very big factor,” Trump said. | “The mortality rate, to me that is a very big factor,” Trump said. |
| “We’re under 1% now,” Trump said. “It’s still terrible. The whole concept of death is terrible, but there’s a tremendous difference between something under 1% and 4 or 5 or even 3%.” | “We’re under 1% now,” Trump said. “It’s still terrible. The whole concept of death is terrible, but there’s a tremendous difference between something under 1% and 4 or 5 or even 3%.” |
| Trump citing “under 1%” as the mortality rate for coronavirus is roughly in line with some expert estimates looking at data from other countries. | Trump citing “under 1%” as the mortality rate for coronavirus is roughly in line with some expert estimates looking at data from other countries. |
| My colleague David Smith is in the White House briefing room, and just asked President Trump, “Where is Dr Fauci?” | My colleague David Smith is in the White House briefing room, and just asked President Trump, “Where is Dr Fauci?” |
| “I was just with him,” Trump said, explaining that Anthony Fauci was “at a task force meeting”. | “I was just with him,” Trump said, explaining that Anthony Fauci was “at a task force meeting”. |
| Smith asked Trump if Fauci agreed with him about the need to restart the economy. | Smith asked Trump if Fauci agreed with him about the need to restart the economy. |
| “He doesn’t not agree,” Trump said. “He understands there’s a tremendous cost to our country.” | “He doesn’t not agree,” Trump said. “He understands there’s a tremendous cost to our country.” |
| Fauci, the head of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has become a trusted public figure during the coronavirus crisis, sometimes speaking alongside the president. | Fauci, the head of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has become a trusted public figure during the coronavirus crisis, sometimes speaking alongside the president. |
| A spokesperson for vice-president Mike Pence, asked about why Fauci was not present at today’s briefing, gave a similar statement with a bit more detail: | A spokesperson for vice-president Mike Pence, asked about why Fauci was not present at today’s briefing, gave a similar statement with a bit more detail: |
| “Dr. Fauci attended today’s task force briefing in person in addition to other White House meetings. As promised when we started coronavirus briefings at the White House, we would be rotating briefers depending on the news of the day.” | “Dr. Fauci attended today’s task force briefing in person in addition to other White House meetings. As promised when we started coronavirus briefings at the White House, we would be rotating briefers depending on the news of the day.” |
| Will the press briefing “look like this forever”? Trump asks. | Will the press briefing “look like this forever”? Trump asks. |
| Trump asked his coronavirus response coordinator a question, as he looked out at the much-more-empty than usual White House briefing room, with many fewer reporters than usual, and many empty seats between each journalist. | Trump asked his coronavirus response coordinator a question, as he looked out at the much-more-empty than usual White House briefing room, with many fewer reporters than usual, and many empty seats between each journalist. |
| Before, the briefing room had been full of lots of “angry people who don’t like me”, Trump said, referring to the White House press corps. And the room used to be “full to the brim”, people almost sitting on each other’s laps, Trump said. “Will we ever have that again, or ... it will look like this forever?” | Before, the briefing room had been full of lots of “angry people who don’t like me”, Trump said, referring to the White House press corps. And the room used to be “full to the brim”, people almost sitting on each other’s laps, Trump said. “Will we ever have that again, or ... it will look like this forever?” |
| He turned to attorney general Bill Barr, who was standing behind him, after he asked the question, and Barr chuckled, suggesting he thought this was a funny joke. | He turned to attorney general Bill Barr, who was standing behind him, after he asked the question, and Barr chuckled, suggesting he thought this was a funny joke. |
| Birx dodged answering at first, but Trump asked it again: once the immediate crisis of coronavirus is over, will it be all right for the White House press room to be overflowing with journalists once again? | Birx dodged answering at first, but Trump asked it again: once the immediate crisis of coronavirus is over, will it be all right for the White House press room to be overflowing with journalists once again? |
| “I don’t know,” Birx said, saying that the briefing room at the moment looked like clinics around the world where people were taking preventive measures against the spread of tuberculosis. | “I don’t know,” Birx said, saying that the briefing room at the moment looked like clinics around the world where people were taking preventive measures against the spread of tuberculosis. |