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Coronavirus US live: CDC recommends non-medical face masks in White House briefing Coronavirus US live: CDC recommends non-medical face masks in White House briefing
(32 minutes later)
Trump repeatedly undermined CDC’s recommendation, saying: ‘I’m choosing not to do it’Trump repeatedly undermined CDC’s recommendation, saying: ‘I’m choosing not to do it’
Will the government guarantee that New York will have enough ventilators? “No,” the Trump said.
“We are doing the best we can... We happen to think [governor Andrew Cuomo] is well served with ventilators. We are going to find out.”
Trump added that other states like Michigan and Louisiana made need ventilators, too.
We found Dr. Fauci...
He’s on PBS NewsHour, providing context and guidance on the new mask guidelines.
Context: Antibody tests
Dr. Deborah Birx said that tests that can detect whether people have had the infection and developed immunity will be important going forward. “We want those tests to be like what we use for HIV and Malaria,” she said, which uses a finger prick of blood to detect whether a person’s immune system has developed antibodies to fight the infection.
Yesterday, the FDA approved an antibody test that is more complicated, and requires a lot more than just a finger-prick of blood. The test, developed by Cellex, takes 15 to 20 minutes to get a result.
“It’s really important to test for immunity,” Robert Siegel, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University, told me yesterday because people who are immune could return to work without endangering themselves or others. “They could more safely work as frontline healthcare providers,” Siegel said.
Trump is growing increasingly hostile toward reporters in the briefing room. Asked to clarify what the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner meant when he said the national stockpile was “our stockpile” and not for states, Trump snapped that she “oughtta be ashamed” of herself.
“We need it for the federal government,” he said, of the national emergency stockpile. He’s repeatedly said that states should depend on the federal government for aid unless it’s a “last resort” and has blamed states for a shortage of medical supplies.
Context: Oracle and Covid-19 treatments
Trump said, “many providers are trying different experimental treatments.” Health secretary Alex Azar added: “Today, Oracle has developed and donated to the government and the American people a web portal and platform to gather crowdsourced and real-time information from providers about how patients respond to potential therapeutics.”
As the New York Times reported on March 24: The White House is preparing to use software provided by the technology giant Oracle to promote unproven coronavirus treatments, including a pair of malaria drugs publicized by President Trump, potentially before the government approves their use for the outbreak, according to five senior administration officials and others familiar with the plans.
An online platform designed by Oracle, in collaboration with the White House, is still taking shape, but it is likely to be used to collect information about off-label use of the drugs, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, which are not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.Mr. Trump has tried to reassure Americans that what he has called a “game changer” treatment is imminent, but his language has alarmed senior health officials and public health experts, who say that the Oracle program would amount to a sprawling, crowdsourced clinical trial without the usual controls of the FDA.
The president boasted about his administration’s shipments of medical masks to New York. Compared to the homemade masks that the CDC is reccomending that the public wear, the N-95 masks are “eore expensive, more complicated, better, whatever,” Trump said.
Why is it we don’t have enough masks? “The previous administration,” Trump said. “Speak to the people from the previous administration. The shelves were empty.”
“I don’t know,” said Trump in response to a question asking where Dr. Anthony Fauci is today. Fauci, Trump’s leading public health adviser, has jot joined in the briefing today.“I don’t know,” said Trump in response to a question asking where Dr. Anthony Fauci is today. Fauci, Trump’s leading public health adviser, has jot joined in the briefing today.
“Whenever he’s not here,” Trump complained, “the fake news” will ask about him.“Whenever he’s not here,” Trump complained, “the fake news” will ask about him.
The masks are more for the protection of other people than oneself, the surgeon general clarified Jerome Adams. Wearing a cloth face covering will help contain your coughs and sneezes, reducing chances that you’ll spray infectious droplets into the air, and risk transmitting the disease the others, noted Dr. Adams.The masks are more for the protection of other people than oneself, the surgeon general clarified Jerome Adams. Wearing a cloth face covering will help contain your coughs and sneezes, reducing chances that you’ll spray infectious droplets into the air, and risk transmitting the disease the others, noted Dr. Adams.
Still “maintaining 6 feet of social distancing remains key,” he said. Masks are “not a replacement for social distancing.”Still “maintaining 6 feet of social distancing remains key,” he said. Masks are “not a replacement for social distancing.”
Also important: don’t put a mask on with dirty hands.Also important: don’t put a mask on with dirty hands.
“If you choose to wear a face covering, wash your hands first,” Adams said.“If you choose to wear a face covering, wash your hands first,” Adams said.
“I won’t be doing it, personally,” Trump said about masks - it wouldn’t suit his position.“I won’t be doing it, personally,” Trump said about masks - it wouldn’t suit his position.
He doesn’t want to greet world leaders, “presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings queens,” he continued, while wearing a face covering. “I don’t know, somehow, I don’t see it for myself.”He doesn’t want to greet world leaders, “presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings queens,” he continued, while wearing a face covering. “I don’t know, somehow, I don’t see it for myself.”
Here’s more from the CDC:
“CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission”
People should continue to maintain a 6-ft distance between themselves and others, and remain diligent about washing and sanitizing hands.
All Americans, including those without health insurance, will be able to receive treatment without worrying about the cost, according to Vice President Mike Pence. The administration has repeatedly ignored calls from Democratic lawmakers to reopen the Obamacare exchanges to allow the uninsured to purchase insurance.
Instead, Pence said that hospitals that treat uninsured would get paid for at Medicare rates.
Fact check: hydroxychloroquine
Trump once again touted hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus cure, “I don’t know it’s looking like good results,” he said. But public health experts including Trump’s top infectious diseases adviser, Dr Fauci, have previously warned that there was only “anecdotal evidence” that the drugs could be helpful.
My colleague Oliver Milman reported that a French study of 40 coronavirus patients found that half experienced clearing of their airways after being given hydroxychloroquine. Experts have warned that the study is small and lacks sufficient rigor to be classed as evidence of a potential treatment. The French health ministry has warned against the use of hydroxychloroquine for Covid-19.
The surge in demand for the unproven hydroxychloroquine also risks shortages of the drug for those who need it most. It is used to help patients manage the chronic autoimmune disease lupus, but some are already complaining the drug is harder to come by. Trump’s pushing of the treatment has reportedly caused stockpiling of hydroxychloroquine.
White House aide Judd Deere provided more clarification:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends masks for the public, Trump said, though Trump repeatedly undermined the recommendation.
“I’m choosing not to do it,” he said, repeatedly noting that wearing non-medical grade masks is a “voluntary” option.
Donald Trump has taken the podium.
New York City residents all received a push alert, calling on all licensed healthcare workers to support facilities in need.
My colleague Alexandra Villarreal reported, earlier:
Hi there, it’s Maanvi Singh, blogging from the West Coast.
Soon, we’re expecting Donald Trump to speak at the daily coronavirus briefing at 5:30.
Alabama has just issued a stay at home order for the entire state, starting at 5pm Saturday. Governor Kay Ivey issued the order after initially resisting calls. The state has reported more than 1,400 cases of coronavirus.
That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours.
Here’s where the day stands so far:
Nancy Pelosi said Congress should pass another economic relief bill. The House speaker said Congress should build upon the $2 trillion stimulus package passed last month to help Americans who are struggling financially because of coronavirus.
The unemployment rate rose to 4.4% last month, according to the US jobs report released this morning. Economists expect that figure to rise steeply as more companies lay off workers amid the pandemic.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo is signing an executive order to redistribute respirators to hospitals in need. New York reported the largest single-day increase in its coronavirus death toll, with nearly 3,000 residents having already lost their lives.
The Supreme Court announced it will postpone oral arguments scheduled for this month. The court had already delayed cases that were scheduled to be argued in March.
Congressman Adam Schiff drafted a bill to establish a commission to probe the coronavirus response. The Democratic lawmaker said the commission would seek to gather lessons for future crises, but Trump dismissed the idea of a commission yesterday as a “witch-hunt.”
Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Wisconsin governor Tony Evers is calling on lawmakers to cancel in-person voting for the state’s presidential primary on Tuesday.
Evers expressed fear that primary voters could spread coronavirus at polling places if they are asked to cast ballots in person.
The Democratic governor called on legislators to hold a special session tomorrow to make the primary an entirely mail-in election.
“This is a significant concern and a very unnecessary public health risk,” Evers told reporters. “I can’t move this election or change it on my own. My hands are tied.”
Wisconsin has already seen a surge in requests for mail-in ballots. Wisconsin Democrats and civil rights have also sued the state to get officials to loosen requirements for absentee voting.