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| Coronavirus live: Trump holds briefing as governors ask for more help | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Trump says ‘Governors must be able to step up while Cuomo says data shows NY is past the plateau but it’s ‘no time to relax’ | Trump says ‘Governors must be able to step up while Cuomo says data shows NY is past the plateau but it’s ‘no time to relax’ |
| After spening a few minutes reading from a Wall Street Journal op-ed praising his response to the pandemic, Trump points to the declining trajectory in new cases in the Seattle, Detroit, New Orleans, Indianapolis and Houston metro areas as “more evidence that our aggressive strategy is working”. | |
| “Who ever heard of a thing like this?” he asks, circling back to familiar talking points. “We would’ve had millions of people die if we didn’t do this. Millions of people.” | |
| Donald Trump opens today’s coronavirus task force press briefing by saying they are “close to a deal” with Democrats on the latest relief bill for small businesses and workers, which could be resolved as soon as tomorrow. | |
| He then says 4.18 million Americans have been tested for the coronavirus. “That’s a record anywhere in the world,” Trump says. “More total tests than all the following nations combined: France, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, India, Austria, Australia, Sweden and Canada.” | |
| Trump says there is a “tremendous capacity” for testing before showing off a medical swab, likening it to a Q-tip. “We have ordered a lot of them,” he said, but notes that some states “don’t know where they are”. | |
| Then a return to what’s become a recurring motif over the past few days: “We are now the king of ventilators,” he says. “We have so many ventilators.” | |
| New York City mayor Bill de Blasio ramped up the rhetroic in his campaign for increased federal funding for US cities during the coronavirus crisis during his press briefing on Sunday, asking Donald Trump whether his administration was “going to save New York City or are you telling New York City to drop dead?” | New York City mayor Bill de Blasio ramped up the rhetroic in his campaign for increased federal funding for US cities during the coronavirus crisis during his press briefing on Sunday, asking Donald Trump whether his administration was “going to save New York City or are you telling New York City to drop dead?” |
| As the Guardian’s Edward Helmore reports: | As the Guardian’s Edward Helmore reports: |
| A sensational investigation co-published today by ProPublica and the Seattle Times shows how officials in the first US state to be hit by Covid-19 struggled to send the public a clear, consistent message in the early days of the pandemic, bowing to a professional soccer team’s desire to host a game with 33,000 spectators despite urgent warnings from the health department for a ban on large gatherings. | A sensational investigation co-published today by ProPublica and the Seattle Times shows how officials in the first US state to be hit by Covid-19 struggled to send the public a clear, consistent message in the early days of the pandemic, bowing to a professional soccer team’s desire to host a game with 33,000 spectators despite urgent warnings from the health department for a ban on large gatherings. |
| The most recent count of Covid-19 cases in Washington totals 11,802 infections and 624 deaths, according to the state’s Department of Health. | The most recent count of Covid-19 cases in Washington totals 11,802 infections and 624 deaths, according to the state’s Department of Health. |
| In a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine as part of its ongoing Covid-19 Notes series, the chief executive of a Massachusetts hospital accuses the federal government of running an effective PPE blockade that’s prevented the delivery of critical equipment to states in need. Emphasis ours: | In a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine as part of its ongoing Covid-19 Notes series, the chief executive of a Massachusetts hospital accuses the federal government of running an effective PPE blockade that’s prevented the delivery of critical equipment to states in need. Emphasis ours: |
| A number of US governors from both sides of the aisle, including Virginia Democrat Ralph Northam and Maryland Republican Larry Hogan, have accused Donald Trump of making “delusional” and “dangerous” statements amid mounting pressure to roll back stay-at-home measures. | A number of US governors from both sides of the aisle, including Virginia Democrat Ralph Northam and Maryland Republican Larry Hogan, have accused Donald Trump of making “delusional” and “dangerous” statements amid mounting pressure to roll back stay-at-home measures. |
| As the Guardian’s Richard Luscombe and Edward Helmore report: | As the Guardian’s Richard Luscombe and Edward Helmore report: |
| Tyson Foods, one of the world’s largest meat processors, has faced criticism after cases were linked to one of its plants in Waterloo, Iowa. | Tyson Foods, one of the world’s largest meat processors, has faced criticism after cases were linked to one of its plants in Waterloo, Iowa. |
| “My personal opinion is that it should be closed,” the Black Hawk county sheriff, Tony Thompson, told the Des Moines Register on Friday. “I think we need a hard boot, reset on that plant. I think we need to be able to sort out and cull the herd between the haves and the have-nots there. I think we need to deep-clean that facility and I think we need to restart that plant on a clean slate.” | “My personal opinion is that it should be closed,” the Black Hawk county sheriff, Tony Thompson, told the Des Moines Register on Friday. “I think we need a hard boot, reset on that plant. I think we need to be able to sort out and cull the herd between the haves and the have-nots there. I think we need to deep-clean that facility and I think we need to restart that plant on a clean slate.” |
| That news was followed on Sunday by a CNN report that another plant in Tennessee had recorded 90 positive tests for Covid-19. The company says workers are required to wear face coverings during shifts and have their temperatures taken at the start of each shift. | That news was followed on Sunday by a CNN report that another plant in Tennessee had recorded 90 positive tests for Covid-19. The company says workers are required to wear face coverings during shifts and have their temperatures taken at the start of each shift. |
| A spokesperson for Tyson also said cleaning is a priority. “We have team members dedicated to constantly wiping down and sanitizing common areas. In some cases, this additional cleaning involves suspending a day of production,” the spokesperson said on Sunday. | A spokesperson for Tyson also said cleaning is a priority. “We have team members dedicated to constantly wiping down and sanitizing common areas. In some cases, this additional cleaning involves suspending a day of production,” the spokesperson said on Sunday. |
| Donald Trump has started his afternoon by declaring the US “the king of ventilators”. Several state governors have said they need more help from the federal government with Covid-19 testing in an effort to curb the pandemic. However, the president thinks he’s on the right course, while implying the onus was on governors rather than the federal government to ramp up testing. | Donald Trump has started his afternoon by declaring the US “the king of ventilators”. Several state governors have said they need more help from the federal government with Covid-19 testing in an effort to curb the pandemic. However, the president thinks he’s on the right course, while implying the onus was on governors rather than the federal government to ramp up testing. |
| “Just like I was right on Ventilators (our Country is now the “King of Ventilators”, other countries are calling asking for help-we will!), I am right on testing,” the president tweeted. “Governors must be able to step up and get the job done. We will be with you ALL THE WAY!” | “Just like I was right on Ventilators (our Country is now the “King of Ventilators”, other countries are calling asking for help-we will!), I am right on testing,” the president tweeted. “Governors must be able to step up and get the job done. We will be with you ALL THE WAY!” |
| On NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Ohio’s Republican governor, Mike DeWine, said the FDA had not paid enough attention to companies “putting a slightly different formula together” for tests. “I could probably double, maybe even triple testing in Ohio virtually overnight” if the FDA considered such options, DeWine said. | On NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Ohio’s Republican governor, Mike DeWine, said the FDA had not paid enough attention to companies “putting a slightly different formula together” for tests. “I could probably double, maybe even triple testing in Ohio virtually overnight” if the FDA considered such options, DeWine said. |
| The Miami Herald has reported on a problem facing one public hospital: agencies trying to headhunt staff during the Covid-19 pandemic. From the Herald’s report: | The Miami Herald has reported on a problem facing one public hospital: agencies trying to headhunt staff during the Covid-19 pandemic. From the Herald’s report: |
| You can read the full report here. | You can read the full report here. |
| The Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown, who one NBA executive once described as “too smart” for the league or “his own good” is one of the most interesting athletes in the US (and not too bad a player either). He’s never been shy of criticizing the current administration either and has written an op-ed for the Guardian on the Covid-19 outbreak. He’ll also be on CNN tonight at 7.45pm ET to discuss the topic with Wolf Blitzer. Here’s an extract from his column today: | The Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown, who one NBA executive once described as “too smart” for the league or “his own good” is one of the most interesting athletes in the US (and not too bad a player either). He’s never been shy of criticizing the current administration either and has written an op-ed for the Guardian on the Covid-19 outbreak. He’ll also be on CNN tonight at 7.45pm ET to discuss the topic with Wolf Blitzer. Here’s an extract from his column today: |
| You can read the full article below: | You can read the full article below: |
| With Joe Biden effectively confirmed as the Democrats’ candidate for this year’s presidential election, the results of Wyoming’s Democratic presidential caucus don’t matter too much. Especially when Wyoming has the smallest population of any US state and only 21.6% of the state voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. But, nevertheless Biden won the state’s Democratic presidential caucus on Sunday. Here’s more from the Associated Press: | With Joe Biden effectively confirmed as the Democrats’ candidate for this year’s presidential election, the results of Wyoming’s Democratic presidential caucus don’t matter too much. Especially when Wyoming has the smallest population of any US state and only 21.6% of the state voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. But, nevertheless Biden won the state’s Democratic presidential caucus on Sunday. Here’s more from the Associated Press: |
| Thousands of protesters gathered at the Michigan state capitol last week in response to what they viewed as an overly strict stay at home order by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Some protesters chanted “Lock her up” and demonstrations also took place in Ohio, Maryland and Texas. | Thousands of protesters gathered at the Michigan state capitol last week in response to what they viewed as an overly strict stay at home order by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Some protesters chanted “Lock her up” and demonstrations also took place in Ohio, Maryland and Texas. |
| Whitmer, a Democrat, has extended the stay at home order until 30 April and defended her policy on Sunday, saying it was helping save lives. As of Sunday morning, more than 2,000 people have died from Covid-19 in Michigan, the third highest number of deaths for any state in the US. Michigan ranks 10th among US state’s by population. | Whitmer, a Democrat, has extended the stay at home order until 30 April and defended her policy on Sunday, saying it was helping save lives. As of Sunday morning, more than 2,000 people have died from Covid-19 in Michigan, the third highest number of deaths for any state in the US. Michigan ranks 10th among US state’s by population. |
| “You know my stay-home order is one of the nation’s more conservative, but the fact of the matter is, it’s working. We are seeing the curve start to flatten. And that means we’re saving lives,” Whitmer told CNN on Sunday. “Who among us wouldn’t rather forgo jet skiing or boating right now if it’s going to save your grandparent or your neighbor’s life and that’s precisely what the tradeoff is at the moment.” | “You know my stay-home order is one of the nation’s more conservative, but the fact of the matter is, it’s working. We are seeing the curve start to flatten. And that means we’re saving lives,” Whitmer told CNN on Sunday. “Who among us wouldn’t rather forgo jet skiing or boating right now if it’s going to save your grandparent or your neighbor’s life and that’s precisely what the tradeoff is at the moment.” |
| Louisiana’s governor, John Bel Edwards, sounded a note of cautious optimism during a press briefing on Sunday. His state has been one of the worst affected by Covid-19 with only four other states recording more deaths from the virus. | Louisiana’s governor, John Bel Edwards, sounded a note of cautious optimism during a press briefing on Sunday. His state has been one of the worst affected by Covid-19 with only four other states recording more deaths from the virus. |
| “We’re in much, much better place today than we thought we were going to be,” Edwards said. He added that Louisiana has recorded a drop in the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital and fewer people are using ventilators. | “We’re in much, much better place today than we thought we were going to be,” Edwards said. He added that Louisiana has recorded a drop in the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital and fewer people are using ventilators. |
| There were 29 deaths in the state from Coronavirus announced on Sunday. “Now the number of cases and the number of deaths are lower than they have been for the last number of days, that’s a good thing, but I would caution everybody that typically on Sunday the numbers go down,” Edwards said. “It’s just a function of when the labs report and so forth, so what we would like to see is a continued downward trajectory tomorrow and Tuesday and on through the week.” | There were 29 deaths in the state from Coronavirus announced on Sunday. “Now the number of cases and the number of deaths are lower than they have been for the last number of days, that’s a good thing, but I would caution everybody that typically on Sunday the numbers go down,” Edwards said. “It’s just a function of when the labs report and so forth, so what we would like to see is a continued downward trajectory tomorrow and Tuesday and on through the week.” |
| He also warned that life will not return to normal until a vaccine is released for Covid-19. Most experts believe a vaccine is at least a year away. “As always, I want to remind everyone that it’s going to take all of us working together and for some period of time to defeat this virus, get back to life as normal,” Edwards said. “We’re not going to see that for a while and I suspect we won’t fully see it until after there’s a vaccine that’s administered to the entire population.” | He also warned that life will not return to normal until a vaccine is released for Covid-19. Most experts believe a vaccine is at least a year away. “As always, I want to remind everyone that it’s going to take all of us working together and for some period of time to defeat this virus, get back to life as normal,” Edwards said. “We’re not going to see that for a while and I suspect we won’t fully see it until after there’s a vaccine that’s administered to the entire population.” |
| Australia’s former prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has released a memoir and the Guardian has published extracts detailing his relationship with Donald Trump, who he describes as a “bully”. Turnbull was in power from 2015 to 2018 and is perhaps most famous in the US for a clash he had with Trump over an agreement, signed off by Barack Obama, for the States to take in refugees originally heading for Australia. He then details what happened when Trump pushed back: | Australia’s former prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has released a memoir and the Guardian has published extracts detailing his relationship with Donald Trump, who he describes as a “bully”. Turnbull was in power from 2015 to 2018 and is perhaps most famous in the US for a clash he had with Trump over an agreement, signed off by Barack Obama, for the States to take in refugees originally heading for Australia. He then details what happened when Trump pushed back: |
| You can read a more detailed extract here: | You can read a more detailed extract here: |
| “The president is right when he gets up there and says the models had many more people dying,” Cuomo says of the statewide efforts that kept infections and deaths far below the CDC’s mid-March estimates of twice the nation’s hospital capacity. “This is a great success story ... [but] don’t go backwards.” | “The president is right when he gets up there and says the models had many more people dying,” Cuomo says of the statewide efforts that kept infections and deaths far below the CDC’s mid-March estimates of twice the nation’s hospital capacity. “This is a great success story ... [but] don’t go backwards.” |
| Cuomo is then asked about President Trump’s tweet from moments ago: | Cuomo is then asked about President Trump’s tweet from moments ago: |
| “Great,” Cuomo says, taking a slightly more diplomatic tack than on Friday when he responded to a different Trump tweet with a scathing 16-minute rebuke. “States must do their part and the federal government must do its part. Perfect. That’s what’s called partnership.” | “Great,” Cuomo says, taking a slightly more diplomatic tack than on Friday when he responded to a different Trump tweet with a scathing 16-minute rebuke. “States must do their part and the federal government must do its part. Perfect. That’s what’s called partnership.” |
| Cuomo announces a plan for an “aggressive” statewide antibody testing program, saying they will be able to sample thousands of people in the coming weeks and promising the data will provide “the first true snapshot of what we’re truly dealing with”. | Cuomo announces a plan for an “aggressive” statewide antibody testing program, saying they will be able to sample thousands of people in the coming weeks and promising the data will provide “the first true snapshot of what we’re truly dealing with”. |
| “That will tell us for the first time, what percent of the population has actually had the coronavirus,” he says. “Any plan that is going to start to reopen the economy has to be based on data, which means it has to be based on testing.” | “That will tell us for the first time, what percent of the population has actually had the coronavirus,” he says. “Any plan that is going to start to reopen the economy has to be based on data, which means it has to be based on testing.” |
| The state’s Department of Health will run the testing, but Cuomo stressed that cooperation with the federal government will be essential to helping with the supply chain and coordinating with private labs. | The state’s Department of Health will run the testing, but Cuomo stressed that cooperation with the federal government will be essential to helping with the supply chain and coordinating with private labs. |
| New York governor Andrew Cuomo says the total number of Covid-19 hospitalizations is down to 16,213, marking the sixth consecutive day that number has dropped. | New York governor Andrew Cuomo says the total number of Covid-19 hospitalizations is down to 16,213, marking the sixth consecutive day that number has dropped. |
| “If the data holds, we are past the high point and all indications,” Cuomo says during his daily coronavirus briefing from Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institute for Medical Research on Long Island. “At this point we are on a descent. Whether or not that descent continues depends on what we do.” | “If the data holds, we are past the high point and all indications,” Cuomo says during his daily coronavirus briefing from Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institute for Medical Research on Long Island. “At this point we are on a descent. Whether or not that descent continues depends on what we do.” |
| Other key metrics including the three-day average of the hospitalization rate, ICU admissions and number of intubations are all down, the governor says. | Other key metrics including the three-day average of the hospitalization rate, ICU admissions and number of intubations are all down, the governor says. |
| Another 507 people died of coronavirus across the state yesterday – the lowest that figure has been in several days – bringing the overall death toll to 13,869. | Another 507 people died of coronavirus across the state yesterday – the lowest that figure has been in several days – bringing the overall death toll to 13,869. |
| “It’s no time to get cocky and it’s no time to get arrogant,” Cuomo says. “We still have a long way to go and a lot of work to do. This virus has been ahead of us every step of the way. We have been playing catch-up from day one in this situation, so it is no time to relax.” | “It’s no time to get cocky and it’s no time to get arrogant,” Cuomo says. “We still have a long way to go and a lot of work to do. This virus has been ahead of us every step of the way. We have been playing catch-up from day one in this situation, so it is no time to relax.” |
| Vice president Mike Pence claimed the US has “sufficient capacity” for testing for any state to go to phase one level of reopening in an NBC interview aired on Sunday morning.State governors have said a shortage of testing, and a lack of help from the federal government to ramp up testing, are among the most significant hurdles in easing stay-at-home restrictions.Researchers at Harvard University have suggested the US cannot safely reopen unless it conducts more than three times the number of coronavirus tests it is currently administering over the course of the next month, the New York Times reported this weekend. | Vice president Mike Pence claimed the US has “sufficient capacity” for testing for any state to go to phase one level of reopening in an NBC interview aired on Sunday morning.State governors have said a shortage of testing, and a lack of help from the federal government to ramp up testing, are among the most significant hurdles in easing stay-at-home restrictions.Researchers at Harvard University have suggested the US cannot safely reopen unless it conducts more than three times the number of coronavirus tests it is currently administering over the course of the next month, the New York Times reported this weekend. |
| Pence, who heads the White House coronavirus task force, insisted testing had been a focus of the administration “from the very beginning” and walked away from Donald Trump’s claim last week that executive branch authority alone would determine when social-distancing guidelines could be lifted and businesses reopened.“Just so we’re very clear, when the president outlined his guidelines for opening up America, we laid out a plan for both – for when and how we thought it was best according to our best scientists and advisors for states to be able to responsibly and safely reopen,” Pence said.Downplaying reports of rifts between federal and state approaches to curbing the pandemic, Pence said that “at the president’s direction, we’ll continue to play our role” and would maintain “a full partnership with governors around the country”.Pence disputed claims that the federal government, which is currently conducting 150,000 tests a day, had acceded responsibility for testing to individual states. This was, he said, “the reason why the president early on brought in this vast array of commercial labs that took us from 80,000 tests one month ago to now four million tests as of yesterday.”Several state governors have claimed that Washington has rejected calls to co-ordinate testing at a national level.“Admiral Brett Giroir of the US Public Health Service spends all of his time coordinating testing deployment and resources deployment from FEMA,” Pence added. “I want the American people to know ... we will continue to do that.”The vice president said that the White House planned to “make clear” to governors in a conference call on Monday that “if states around the country will activate all of the laboratories that are available in their states, we could more than double that overnight and literally be doing hundreds of thousands of more tests per day.”Pence continued: “There is a sufficient capacity of testing across the country today for any state in America to go to a phase one level, which contemplates testing people that have symptoms of the coronavirus and also doing the kind of monitoring of vulnerable populations in our cities, in our nursing homes, that we ought to be watching very carefully for outbreaks of the coronavirus.” | Pence, who heads the White House coronavirus task force, insisted testing had been a focus of the administration “from the very beginning” and walked away from Donald Trump’s claim last week that executive branch authority alone would determine when social-distancing guidelines could be lifted and businesses reopened.“Just so we’re very clear, when the president outlined his guidelines for opening up America, we laid out a plan for both – for when and how we thought it was best according to our best scientists and advisors for states to be able to responsibly and safely reopen,” Pence said.Downplaying reports of rifts between federal and state approaches to curbing the pandemic, Pence said that “at the president’s direction, we’ll continue to play our role” and would maintain “a full partnership with governors around the country”.Pence disputed claims that the federal government, which is currently conducting 150,000 tests a day, had acceded responsibility for testing to individual states. This was, he said, “the reason why the president early on brought in this vast array of commercial labs that took us from 80,000 tests one month ago to now four million tests as of yesterday.”Several state governors have claimed that Washington has rejected calls to co-ordinate testing at a national level.“Admiral Brett Giroir of the US Public Health Service spends all of his time coordinating testing deployment and resources deployment from FEMA,” Pence added. “I want the American people to know ... we will continue to do that.”The vice president said that the White House planned to “make clear” to governors in a conference call on Monday that “if states around the country will activate all of the laboratories that are available in their states, we could more than double that overnight and literally be doing hundreds of thousands of more tests per day.”Pence continued: “There is a sufficient capacity of testing across the country today for any state in America to go to a phase one level, which contemplates testing people that have symptoms of the coronavirus and also doing the kind of monitoring of vulnerable populations in our cities, in our nursing homes, that we ought to be watching very carefully for outbreaks of the coronavirus.” |
| On ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr Deborah Birx gently endorsed President Trump’s decision to suspend funding to the World Health Organization by saying the first country struck by a pandemic has a “higher moral obligation” for communication and transparency. | On ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr Deborah Birx gently endorsed President Trump’s decision to suspend funding to the World Health Organization by saying the first country struck by a pandemic has a “higher moral obligation” for communication and transparency. |
| “It’s always the first country that get exposed to the pandemic that has a – really a higher moral obligation on communicating, on transparency, because all the other countries around the world are making decisions on that,” Birx said, when asked if it was “fair to blame the WHO for covering up the spread of this virus”. | “It’s always the first country that get exposed to the pandemic that has a – really a higher moral obligation on communicating, on transparency, because all the other countries around the world are making decisions on that,” Birx said, when asked if it was “fair to blame the WHO for covering up the spread of this virus”. |
| She added: “And when we get through this as a global community, we can figure out really what has to happen for first alerts and transparency and understanding very early on about … how incredibly contagious this virus is.” | She added: “And when we get through this as a global community, we can figure out really what has to happen for first alerts and transparency and understanding very early on about … how incredibly contagious this virus is.” |
| Trump announced the decision to halt funding to WHO on Tuesday pending an investigation into its response to the coronavirus pandemic, accusing the group of “severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the virus”. | Trump announced the decision to halt funding to WHO on Tuesday pending an investigation into its response to the coronavirus pandemic, accusing the group of “severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the virus”. |
| Birx appeared to corroborate Trump’s timeline on Sunday, saying: “It wasn’t until the beginning of March that we could all fully see how contagious.” | Birx appeared to corroborate Trump’s timeline on Sunday, saying: “It wasn’t until the beginning of March that we could all fully see how contagious.” |