The outlook is improving with medicine and protective gear available.
President Trump discussed incoming medical supplies that will help to rebuild the American stockpile. He enumerated many of the items, including masks, gowns, other personal protective gear, and hydroxychloroquine drug.
The doctors are also adding zinc and azithromycin to the antimalarial drugs. Prime Minister Modi of India allowed the drug shipment to come to the U.S.
He said that hundreds of millions of dollars a year have been going to the World Health Organization with the United States being by far the largest contributor. China, for example, gave proportionately a much smaller amount. The WHO has to treat everyone fairly, the president said, and so they are holding back funds and will take a closer look at the organization. He also said the organization got it “very wrong” about the virus, having minimized the threat.
The president praised the number of people who are working the front lines, including cashiers and clerks in grocery stores who are among the American heroes who don’t usually get recognized.
The guidelines and mitigation efforts are working. It looks like we could be over the top of the curve and headed in the right direction soon; but there are some terrible days to endure first. “I maintain there is light at the end of the tunnel,” President Trump said.
The Paycheck Protection Program is succeeding, and the president has asked Congress to pass additional $250 billion funding as soon as this week, and hopes this will be bipartisan. There is not time for partisan games. “We can do a phase four later, but this will be an expansion of what we have already done. The parties are coming together to get this job done,“ he stated.
He encouraged that they have learned a lot, and have a tremendous stimulus. He hopes to do an infrastructure bill to rebuild the country. “We are renewing American unity and American will. We see the daring and determination of our people every day. Americans will keep on fighting and we will secure the glorious future that our citizens so richly deserve. The people of this country are just fantastic,“ he said.
Fielding questions from reporters, the president was asked what he knew and when he knew it, he said it was just days ahead of when he closed down China.
As for reopening the economy, it would be nice to have it open with a big bang, but things are different in different parts of the country. He said they will be sitting down with the professionals and begin to make those determinations as soon as they can.
Very heavy testing systems are being put to work in the country. The U.S. is showing exponentially more cases because testing is better and bigger.
He was asked again about the projected death rate. The president said the expectation from a while ago was from 150,000-240,000. Dr. Deborah Birx said they are carefully looking at countries like Italy and Spain. “We are trying to understand why we are doing better. The models are showing a drop on mortality. Those lower numbers are based on what American is doing with the behavioral changes. That is what is changing the rate of new cases and the mortality going forward, because now we are in the period of full mitigation over the past weeks. This virus is going to change how people look at respiratory diseases. We are in awe of the strength of the American people in following through,“ she said.
Dr. Redfield of the CDC commended the Americans’ change in behavior. What has been remarkable is how the American people have changed their behavior when it affects the most vulnerable.
He was asked again about the anti-malarial drugs, and the president said it is up to the doctors. Some states are asking for it and it is being delivered.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the Task Force to be used by God to prevent greater casualties of the pandemic.
- For discernment for the president in how to address all the challenges facing the nation.
Sources: FOX, C-SPAN
