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| Coronavirus US live: Trump again tests negative for illness, White House says | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| This is the second time the president has reported results from a coronavirus test | |
| Fact Check: Masks are being sent to New York CityV | |
| ice President Mike Pence said the federal government is sending 200,000 N95 masks to the public health hospitals in New York City, those most stretched by the Covid-19 crisis. There are 11 such hospitals in New York. However, that need will likely fall far short of what is needed. About two weeks ago, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the city is burning through roughly 40,000 N95 masks per day, and that need could increase to 70,000 per day at the peak. Nurses on the frontlines in New York have started protesting the lack of personal protective equipment across the country, including in New York City. | |
| Context: Supplies | |
| Addressing why most of the airlifted supplies that arrived in New York from China earlier this week are going to the commercial market, Admiral John Polowczyk said: “That’s normally how things work.” | |
| “I am putting volume into that system,” he said, rather than sending supplies directly to FEMA. Governors, including Andrew Cuomo, have complained that states have to bid against each other and against Fema to secure life-saving medical supplies. | |
| Fact Check: “Greatest healthcare system in the world” | |
| In extolling Americans to stay home, the vice-president Mike Pence said America has the “greatest healthcare system in the world”. | |
| In fact, America has the most expensive healthcare system in the world, but by many measures is far behind the best. In a 2014 report from the Urban Institute, the US ranked dead last out of 11 countries overall, and last in four of six other metrics. Those metrics were access, efficiency, equity, healthy lives and health expenses. | |
| During the Covid-19 pandemic, the US struggled for months to launch accurate, effective and quick tests to the population, and still lags behind countries such as South Korea in per capita testing. “Everyone working in this space would agree that no matter how you measure it, the US is far behind on this,” Jen Kates, the director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, told Vox about the US’s coronavirus response. | |
| “I’ve known you for many years, but I never knew how bad a senator you are for the state of New York until I became president,” he wrote to the Senate minority leader. “No wonder AOC and others are thinking about running against you in the primary. If they did, they would likely win,” he added, referring to progressive freshman congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. | |
| Schumer has been critical of the president’s response to the crisis and has called on Trump to put a military czar to oversee the production of medical equipment. | |
| In a scathing letter to the president sent earlier today, Schumer said that “the existing federal leadership void has left America with an ugly spectacle in which States and cities are literally fending for themselves, often in conflict and competition with each other, when trying to procure precious medical supplies and equipment.” | |
| Kushner, a real estate developer with no medical expertise, has inserted himself into the federal government’s efforts to respond to the coronavirus crisis. He has become a point-person, acting as a middle between agency officials and the White House, according to reports. | |
| The president’s son-in-law said the president asked him to “break down every barrier” to help the effort, he said. “The president wants us to think outside the box and get the best ideas to keep Americans safe.” | |
| Trump repeated that he does not want states depending on the federal government. “We are a secondary source,” he said, adding that the federal government should be a last resort. | |
| Of course, governors have said that they are desperate – they need to turn to their last resort. | |
| Fact Check: Testing | Fact Check: Testing |
| Trump claimed the United States is testing more people than any country in the world, including on a per capita basis. | Trump claimed the United States is testing more people than any country in the world, including on a per capita basis. |
| While the US has overtaken South Korea in total numbers of coronavirus tests administered, it has conducted far fewer tests per capita given the US population is over six times larger than South Korea’s. | While the US has overtaken South Korea in total numbers of coronavirus tests administered, it has conducted far fewer tests per capita given the US population is over six times larger than South Korea’s. |
| As of Thursday afternoon, the United States, with a population of 329 million, had administered at least 1,267,658 according to the Covid Tracking Project, a group led by Alexis Madrigal, a staff writer for The Atlantic magazine, with more than 100 volunteers that compiles coronavirus testing data from states. | As of Thursday afternoon, the United States, with a population of 329 million, had administered at least 1,267,658 according to the Covid Tracking Project, a group led by Alexis Madrigal, a staff writer for The Atlantic magazine, with more than 100 volunteers that compiles coronavirus testing data from states. |
| This equates to 385 tests per 100,000 people in the US (with huge variations depending on the county, city and state) compared to 709 per 100,000 in South Korea and 600 per 100,000 in Italy. | This equates to 385 tests per 100,000 people in the US (with huge variations depending on the county, city and state) compared to 709 per 100,000 in South Korea and 600 per 100,000 in Italy. |
| Trump complained about being subjected to “witch hunt after witch hunt, after witch hunt”. He blasted Congress’ efforts to maintain oversight of the administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, calling their efforts “ridiculous”. | |
| “This is not the time for politics. Endless partisan investigations – here we go again,” he said. | |
| He then added that the Democrats were helping out his poll numbers. | He then added that the Democrats were helping out his poll numbers. |
| The president said he has agreed to turn the Javits Center temporary hospital into a treatment center for Covid-19 patients. Previously, the center was designed to take on overflow patients | |
| Fact Check: Obama Stimulus checks took months | Fact Check: Obama Stimulus checks took months |
| Mnuchin said it took the Obama administration “months and months” to send out checks to Americans during the Great Recession. | Mnuchin said it took the Obama administration “months and months” to send out checks to Americans during the Great Recession. |
| It took the Obama administration six months to give out checks to social security beneficiaries, retired railroad workers, veterans and the disabled. It also gave out money by expanding tax credits. However, there were in fact two stimulus packages in during the Great Recession. The Bush administration also gave out the money in a stimulus package, and it took the Bush administration eight months – two months longer – to get the money out, according to The Balance personal finance website. | It took the Obama administration six months to give out checks to social security beneficiaries, retired railroad workers, veterans and the disabled. It also gave out money by expanding tax credits. However, there were in fact two stimulus packages in during the Great Recession. The Bush administration also gave out the money in a stimulus package, and it took the Bush administration eight months – two months longer – to get the money out, according to The Balance personal finance website. |
| For those Americans who don’t have the ability to get direct deposits because they don’t have a bank account, the Treasury is exploring other ways to get them money quickly, including prepaid debit cards. | For those Americans who don’t have the ability to get direct deposits because they don’t have a bank account, the Treasury is exploring other ways to get them money quickly, including prepaid debit cards. |
| The IRS is expected to make about 60m payments during the week of 13 April, for taxpayers who provided their direct deposit information while filing 2018 or 2019 taxes. But up to 80 million Americans, who haven’t provided direct deposit information, may have to wait months for paper checks unless the Treasury finds a workaround. | The IRS is expected to make about 60m payments during the week of 13 April, for taxpayers who provided their direct deposit information while filing 2018 or 2019 taxes. But up to 80 million Americans, who haven’t provided direct deposit information, may have to wait months for paper checks unless the Treasury finds a workaround. |
| The Guardian’s Vivian Ho reports: | The Guardian’s Vivian Ho reports: |
| A nursing home in Washington state that was briefly the center of the country’s coronavirus outbreak was fined more than $611,000 and could lose Medicare and Medicaid funding for its response in mitigating the spread, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid said Wednesday. | A nursing home in Washington state that was briefly the center of the country’s coronavirus outbreak was fined more than $611,000 and could lose Medicare and Medicaid funding for its response in mitigating the spread, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid said Wednesday. |
| The Life Care Center of Kirkland, where at least 37 people died because of coronavirus, failed to identify and report a respiratory infection and pneumonia outbreak in a timely manner, federal inspectors wrote in a report provided to the Guardian. The nursing home failed “to ensure multiple residents did not experience inadequate provision of care and services”, as well as failed “to ensure multiple residents did not experience acute changes in condition such as respiratory distress, changes in vital signs, hospital transfers and in some cases, death during this outbreak”. | The Life Care Center of Kirkland, where at least 37 people died because of coronavirus, failed to identify and report a respiratory infection and pneumonia outbreak in a timely manner, federal inspectors wrote in a report provided to the Guardian. The nursing home failed “to ensure multiple residents did not experience inadequate provision of care and services”, as well as failed “to ensure multiple residents did not experience acute changes in condition such as respiratory distress, changes in vital signs, hospital transfers and in some cases, death during this outbreak”. |
| The nursing home has until 16 September to “correct all deficiencies and return to full compliance”, federal inspectors wrote in a letter to the home. | The nursing home has until 16 September to “correct all deficiencies and return to full compliance”, federal inspectors wrote in a letter to the home. |
| As of Wednesday, there were 5,984 confirmed cases in Washington, and 247 deaths. | As of Wednesday, there were 5,984 confirmed cases in Washington, and 247 deaths. |
| The treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, says within two weeks, Americans will see direct deposit relief payments from the government. He said he doesn’t want to send paper checks, which could take longer to reach some Americans. | The treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, says within two weeks, Americans will see direct deposit relief payments from the government. He said he doesn’t want to send paper checks, which could take longer to reach some Americans. |
| “This money does people no good if it takes four months to show up,” Mnuchin said. | “This money does people no good if it takes four months to show up,” Mnuchin said. |
| The New York mayor, Bill DeBlasio, is the latest official to ask people to cover their mouth and nose in public with a face covering. “Use a scarf, bandana or piece of clothing,” he said. Medical-grade masks should be reserved for health workers. | The New York mayor, Bill DeBlasio, is the latest official to ask people to cover their mouth and nose in public with a face covering. “Use a scarf, bandana or piece of clothing,” he said. Medical-grade masks should be reserved for health workers. |
| Fact Check: social security | Fact Check: social security |
| “I will always protect your Social Security, your Medicare and your Medicaid,” said Trump. | “I will always protect your Social Security, your Medicare and your Medicaid,” said Trump. |
| In fact, in 2017 Republicans including Trump supported an $834bn cut to the Medicaid program, a public health insurance program for the poor and disabled. The proposal was to replace Obamacare, and ultimately failed. In January, Trump also said potential changes or cuts to Medicare and Social Security were something Republicans were “going to look at,” by “the end of the year”. | In fact, in 2017 Republicans including Trump supported an $834bn cut to the Medicaid program, a public health insurance program for the poor and disabled. The proposal was to replace Obamacare, and ultimately failed. In January, Trump also said potential changes or cuts to Medicare and Social Security were something Republicans were “going to look at,” by “the end of the year”. |
| The president was tested this morning, according to the White House physician. This is the second time that Trump has reported results from a coronavirus test. | The president was tested this morning, according to the White House physician. This is the second time that Trump has reported results from a coronavirus test. |