President’s Coronavirus Briefing on Monday

Multiple thousands of alternate care beds readied by Army Corps of Engineers.

President Trump began saying New York and New Jersey remain hot zones, and ”we continue to send our prayers to them. Their struggle is our struggle.”

The virus is being attacked on all fronts, pressing into action the full power of American government and enterprise. Military personnel will be at the Javits Center in New York beginning tomorrow. That facility has 2,900 beds for coronavirus patients. Governor Cuomo asked for permission to use the USNS Comfort to fight the virus, and they have agreed to let them and also New Jersey for virus patients.

Twenty-two field hospitals plus alternate care sites are being built by the Army Corps of Engineers. More than 8,000 hospital beds have been deployed, more than 8,000 ventilators sent out, and American industry is really stepping up. Thousands of ventilators are being built with hundreds being sent to numerous locations. ”We are moving with the virus; we have great flexibility,” the president said.

Numbers coming in show that they are decreasing because people are adhering to the guidelines.

FEMA and HHS have directly distributed 11.7 million N95 respirators, 25 million face masks, and other protective equipment in vast quantities. Through Project Airbridge, plane loads of vital supplies have come into the U.S. from overseas. These massive aircraft are completely loaded with supplies that are going directly to locations where needed.

An amicable agreement has been reached with 3M for 55.5 million high-quality face masks each month. The president expressed gratitude to them for getting this done to supply frontline healthcare workers.

He also thanked Apple for leaping into action, now producing plastic face shields at the rate of 1 million per week. Also, Sales Force donated 48 million pieces of personal protective equipment.

Progress has been made before the surge comes that the professionals tell us is coming. We are bringing resources to these locations where the surge is expected.

President Trump credited the medical workers as “warriors.” Resources need to reach them as quickly as possible. He urged governors to distribute the items as as fast as they can after they receive them.

The vice president met on a telephone conference with all 50 of the nation’s governors this morning. If states are having problems, the National Guard can be called upon to assist. The military has been incredible.

If states have surplus equipment or supplies, they are working with the federal government to rapidly deploy the supplies to the areas most in need.

Governor Gavin Newsom in California is sending 500 ventilators to be distributed to other locations: Arizona, D.C., Delaware, and other places. They will get to wherever they have to go.

The task force and the president are in close touch with hospital administrators as well as local officials, and most of the critical needs are being “more than met.”

”We are increasingly hopeful that the aggressive mitigation program set in place will help hospitals manage the influx of cases. The American people are doing an incredible job along with local governments, sacrificing to achieve the results of the last few weeks that many thought not possible. We will be having a rough week or maybe a little more, but there is tremendous light at the end of the tunnel. So much is happening with therapeutics and with vaccines, ” the president said.

He said he spoke with former Vice President Biden and they had a good conversation about the coronavirus. They shared points of view. The conversation lasted about 15 minutes and the president thanked him, saying he appreciated the call.

He spoke with leaders of American pharmaceutical companies, naming four of the largest. Currently ten agents are in active trials and some are looking good, but there is a process to go through.

The president discussed how testing has progressed, with 1,790,000 tests done by April 5. The U.S. has more cases because there have been more tests done. Each day that number grows by 125,000 people. New drive-through testing sites have been set up for the 5-minute tests.

Economic relief is moving forward. The SBA program is going well as a couple of minor glitches have been taken care of. Nearly 3,000 lenders have already made loans under the program, and community and larger banks have stepped up. If funds run out, Congress will be asked to refill immediately.

Direct support is going to hospitals, with direct tranches being released this week. ”Around $50 billion is going to our farmers from China that is buying agricultural product. We are watching this very closely,” he assured.

He thanked the many American industries, charities, and individuals who are rising to the occasion to give aid. ”Americans are rising to the moment,” the president said. He gave anecdotal mention of patients who have recovered and are praising the healthcare workers as heroes.

”We will rise from this present crisis with tremendous unity and resolve,” he said.