theguardian--2020-03-22--Rand Paul becomes first senator to test positive for Covid-19

Senator Rand Paul has said he has tested positive for Covid-19 , the disease caused by coronavirus , with the Republican becoming the first member of the Senate to test positive .
A post on the Kentucky senator ’ s Twitter account said on Sunday that he is feeling fine and is in quarantine .
Paul , an eye surgeon , said he has not had symptoms and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events .
Paul said he was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , including at a luncheon Friday among GOP senators .
He spoke on the Senate floor on Wednesday afternoon , addressing the coronavirus and an amendment he sponsored that would pay for virus relief efforts by withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan .
A spokesman for Senator Jerry Moran , of Kansas , said Moran briefly saw Paul at the Senate gym Sunday morning and that he shared that information with GOP colleagues at a policy meeting .
Moran “ followed CDC guidelines and kept a safe distance between him and Senator Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moran has spoken with the attending physician at the Capitol and has been told he does not need to self-quarantine , Brandt said .
South Dakota Senator John Thune , the second-ranking Republican senator , said on the Senate floor that lawmakers will consult with the attending physician about all senators who have been in contact with Paul .
Senator Mitt Romney , of Utah , said he was praying for Paul and noted that Paul ’ s health is compromised .
Paul , 57 , broke several ribs in 2017 when a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispute .
Paul , who was later awarded $ 580,000 in damages and medical expenses , had surgery last year to remove part of a lung damaged by the assault .
Two House members , Representatives Mario Diaz Balart of Florida of Ben McAdams of Utah , have tested positive .
The Senate was in session Sunday seeking a bipartisan response to the pandemic .
If approved , the bill would be the third measure Congress has approved in response to the coronavirus this month .
Paul , a deficit hawk , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a House-passed bill last week that provided more than $ 100bn to boost testing for the coronavirus and guarantee paid sick leave for millions of workers .
He also was the only Republican senator who opposed an earlier bill authorizing $ 8.3bn for initial response to the coronavirus .

The Kentucky senator Rand Paul has tested positive for Covid-19, becoming the first case of the virus in the Senate and raising fears about its further transmission among Republicans at the Capitol.
Paul, an eye surgeon, went into quarantine on Sunday after learning the results. He said he had not had symptoms and was tested due to his extensive travel and events. He added he was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person.
Paul’s announcement led Utah’s two Republican senators, Mike Lee and Mitt Romney, to place themselves into quarantine, stepping away from negotiations as the Senate worked on a $1.4tn (£1.2tn) economic rescue package for the coronavirus crisis.
At least five senators, including Paul, were in self-quarantine on Sunday, the US Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, said. “The coronavirus has hit the Senate today,’’ he added. “It’s not just back in our states but right here in the Senate.’’
The Democratic senator of Arizona, Kyrsten Sinema, criticised Paul on Twitter, calling his decision to return to the Capitol after being tested but before receiving the results “absolutely irresponsible”.
Sinema added she had “never commented about a fellowsenators’ choices/actions. Never once”.
But she said: “This, America, is absolutely irresponsible. You cannot be near other people while waiting for coronavirus test results. It endangers others and likely increases the spread of the virus.’’
Other senators, including Ted Cruz of Texas and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, had gone into self-quarantine while they awaited the results of a coronavirus test. Both were negative.
Responding to criticism on Twitter, Paul’s office said, “We want to be clear, Senator Paul left the Senate immediately upon learning of his diagnosis. He had zero contact with anyone and went into quarantine. Insinuations ... that he went to the gym after learning of his results are just completely false and irresponsible!’’
Representatives of Paul’s office did not say when he was tested and could not immediately be reached for comment.
Donald Trump called Paul “a great friend” who “was always there when we needed him”.
Paul’s diagnosis came after two House members, the Republican representative of Florida, Mario Díaz-Balart and the Democratic representative of Utah, Ben McAdams, tested positive for coronavirus.
Trump said the positive test results showed the virus was hitting quite close to home: “It’s a terrible thing that’s going on … Paul and other lawmakers are going to be fine. I hope they’ll be fine.’’
Paul was among eight Senate Republicans who voted against a House-passed bill last week that provided more than $100bn to boost coronavirus testing and guarantee paid sick leave for millions of workers. He also was the only Republican senator who opposed an earlier bill authorising $8.3bn for the initial response to coronavirus.
The Kentucky senator was on Capitol Hill last week, including at a Friday luncheon among other GOP senators. He spoke on the Senate floor on Wednesday afternoon, addressing the coronavirus crisis and a failed amendment he sponsored that would have paid for virus relief efforts by withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan.
A spokesman for Republican senator of Kansas, Jerry Moran, said Moran briefly saw Paul at the Senate gym on Sunday morning and that he shared that information with GOP colleagues at a policy meeting.
“Moran followed CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines and kept a safe distance between him and senator Paul,” the spokesman, Tom Brandt, said, adding that Moran had spoken to the attending physician at the Capitol and had been told he did not need to self-quarantine.
Romney said he was praying for Paul and noted the senator’s health was already compromised. Paul, 57, broke several ribs in 2017 when a neighbour assaulted him over a longstanding landscaping dispute.
Paul, who was awarded $580,000 in damages and medical expenses, had surgery last year to remove part of a lung damaged by the assault.


theguardian--2020-03-23--Rand Paul becomes first senator to test positive for Covid-19

The Kentucky senator Rand Paul has tested positive for Covid-19 , becoming the first case of the virus in the Senate and raising fears about its further transmission among Republicans at the Capitol .
Paul , an eye surgeon , went into quarantine on Sunday after learning the results .
He said he had not had symptoms and was tested due to his extensive travel and events .
He added he was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person .
Paul ’ s announcement led Utah ’ s two Republican senators , Mike Lee and Mitt Romney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stepping away from negotiations as the Senate worked on a $ 1.4tn ( £1.2tn ) economic rescue package for the coronavirus crisis .
At least five senators , including Paul , were in self-quarantine on Sunday , the US Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , said .
“ The coronavirus has hit the Senate today , ’ ’ he added .
“ It ’ s not just back in our states but right here in the Senate.
’ ’ The Democratic senator of Arizona , Kyrsten Sinema , criticised Paul on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Capitol after being tested but before receiving the results “ absolutely irresponsible ” .
Sinema added she had “ never commented about a fellowsenators ’ choices/actions .
Never once ” .
But she said : “ This , America , is absolutely irresponsible .
You can not be near other people while waiting for coronavirus test results .
It endangers others and likely increases the spread of the virus.
’ ’ Other senators , including Ted Cruz of Texas and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , had gone into self-quarantine while they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Both were negative .
Responding to criticism on Twitter , Paul ’ s office said , “ We want to be clear , Senator Paul left the Senate immediately upon learning of his diagnosis .
He had zero contact with anyone and went into quarantine .
Insinuations ... that he went to the gym after learning of his results are just completely false and irresponsible !
’ ’ Representatives of Paul ’ s office did not say when he was tested and could not immediately be reached for comment .
Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who “ was always there when we needed him ” .
Paul ’ s diagnosis came after two House members , the Republican representative of Florida , Mario Díaz-Balart and the Democratic representative of Utah , Ben McAdams , tested positive for coronavirus .
Trump said the positive test results showed the virus was hitting quite close to home : “ It ’ s a terrible thing that ’ s going on … Paul and other lawmakers are going to be fine .
I hope they ’ ll be fine.
’ ’ Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against a House-passed bill last week that provided more than $ 100bn to boost coronavirus testing and guarantee paid sick leave for millions of workers .
He also was the only Republican senator who opposed an earlier bill authorising $ 8.3bn for the initial response to coronavirus .
The Kentucky senator was on Capitol Hill last week , including at a Friday luncheon among other GOP senators .
He spoke on the Senate floor on Wednesday afternoon , addressing the coronavirus crisis and a failed amendment he sponsored that would have paid for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Afghanistan .
A spokesman for Republican senator of Kansas , Jerry Moran , said Moran briefly saw Paul at the Senate gym on Sunday morning and that he shared that information with GOP colleagues at a policy meeting .
“ Moran followed CDC [ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] guidelines and kept a safe distance between him and senator Paul , ” the spokesman , Tom Brandt , said , adding that Moran had spoken to the attending physician at the Capitol and had been told he did not need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ praying for Paul and noted the senator ’ s health was already compromised .
Paul , 57 , broke several ribs in 2017 when a neighbour assaulted him over a longstanding landscaping dispute .
Paul , who was awarded $ 580,000 in damages and medical expenses , had surgery last year to remove part of a lung damaged by the assault .


theguardian--2020-03-23--Cuomo wins praise for 'wisdom' amid coronavirus crisis as Trump blusters

In the words of John C Maxwell , the distinguished bestselling author of inspirational books , a true leader “ is one who knows the way , shows the way and goes the way.
” As Donald Trump continues to bluster his way through daily Coronavirus briefings by picking fights with journalists and contradicting the advice of medical experts , the New York governor Andrew Cuomo is rising as an alternative guiding force for a nation in crisis – and the president ’ s staff are beginning to take notice .
Ostensibly , Cuomo ’ s nationally televised addresses are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a state affected more than any other by the virus .
But his “ wisdom and competence ” , according to former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci , is resonating in every corner of the United States , as well as providing leadership cues to Trump ’ s advisers .
Brian Stelter , CNN ’ s chief media correspondent , reported on Sunday that senior administration sources told him that the president ’ s team was keeping a close eye on Cuomo ’ s daily briefings .
Meanwhile , other respected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s lengthy and often rambling appearances at the podium and Cuomo ’ s straight-talking approach , from which they say the president could take some pointers .
On Sunday , Cuomo warned that up to 80 % of his state could contract Covid-19 unless action was taken , and demanded that federal authorities take over the acquisition and distribution of medical supplies to prevent states having to compete with each other to buy essential equipment .
He ended his address by likening the crisis to the challenges faced by “ the greatest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ War and promised , “ We ’ re going to overcome this , and America will be the greater for it.
” “ [ It ’ s ] real leadership of the kind the president of the United States should have provided to the American people throughout this crisis , but hasn ’ t , ” Carl Bernstein , the former Washington Post journalist who broke the Watergate scandal , told Stelter .
“ We as New Yorkers are lucky to have a leader like Governor Cuomo in this crisis , ” Mark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activist , said in a tweet that echoed others comparing him favorably to Trump .
Cuomo , 62 , is the son of three-term New York governor Mario Cuomo and brother of journalist Chris Cuomo , a CNN anchor with whom Trump has frequently clashed .
In his nine years in the governor ’ s mansion he has developed a reputation for forthright speaking , but also won praise for showing a personal and reassuring tone that has come to the fore in a series of briefings this week .
On Sunday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference to the emotional impact that self-isolation was having on families , particularly being closeted together for long periods of time .
“ It ’ s complicated , ” he conceded .
“ I live alone , I ’ m even getting annoyed with the dog.
” As for hope , Cuomo had this message : “ It ’ s going to be hard , there is no doubt .
But at the same time it is going to be OK .
The grocery stores are going to function , there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems are going to function , the pharmacies are going to be open .
All essential services will be maintained .
“ There ’ s not going to be chaos , there ’ s not going to be anarchy .
Order and function will be maintained .
Life is going to go on , different , but life is going to go on .
So take a deep breath on all of that.
” In perhaps another indication that Trump is drawing inspiration from the governor ’ s crisis management abilities , Cuomo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tweet by the president on Sunday attacking other state leaders for perceived “ shortcomings ” .
Earlier in the week , the pair had exchanged Twitter insults , with Trump asserting that Cuomo needed to “ do more ” , and the governor snapping back : “ YOU have to do something .
You ’ re supposed to be the president.
” In recent days the tone has been more conciliatory , with the two men taking turns to compliment each other .
Cuomo said he had reached out his hand , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can help my people , if you can help the country , God bless you , ” he said .
“ We ’ re all Americans .
Nothing else matters at this time .
”

In the words of John C Maxwell, the distinguished bestselling author of inspirational books, a true leader “is one who knows the way, shows the way and goes the way.” As Donald Trump continues to bluster his way through daily coronavirus briefings by picking fights with journalists and contradicting the advice of medical experts, the New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, is rising as an alternative guiding force for a nation in crisis – and the president’s staff are beginning to take notice.
Ostensibly, Cuomo’s nationally televised addresses are aimed at the almost 20 million residents of a state affected more than any other by the virus. But his “wisdom and competence”, according to the former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, is resonating in every corner of the United States, as well as providing leadership cues to Trump’s advisers.
Brian Stelter, CNN’s chief media correspondent, reported on Sunday that senior administration sources told him that the president’s team was keeping a close eye on Cuomo’s daily briefings. Meanwhile, other respected commentators are noting the contrast between Trump’s lengthy and often rambling appearances at the podium and Cuomo’s straight-talking approach, from which they say the president could take some pointers.
President Trump at the White House during a Covid-19 taskforce briefing. Photograph: Stefani Reynolds/EPA
On Sunday, Cuomo warned that up to 80% of his state could contract Covid-19 unless action was taken, and demanded that federal authorities take over the acquisition and distribution of medical supplies to prevent states having to compete with each other to buy essential equipment.
He ended his address by likening the crisis to the challenges faced by “the greatest generation” that survived the second world war and promised, “We’re going to overcome this, and America will be the greater for it.”
“[It’s] real leadership of the kind the president of the United States should have provided to the American people throughout this crisis, but hasn’t,” Carl Bernstein, the former Washington Post journalist who broke the Watergate scandal, told Stelter.
“We as New Yorkers are lucky to have a leader like Governor Cuomo in this crisis,” Mark Ruffalo, the actor and climate change activist, said in a tweet that echoed others comparing him favorably to Trump.
Cuomo, 62, is the son of the three-term New York governor Mario Cuomo and brother of journalist Chris Cuomo, a CNN anchor with whom Trump has frequently clashed. In his nine years in the governor’s mansion he has developed a reputation for forthright speaking, but also won praise for showing a personal and reassuring tone that has come to the fore in a series of briefings this week.
On Sunday, he devoted a segment of his press conference to the emotional impact that self-isolation was having on families, particularly being closeted together for long periods of time. “It’s complicated,” he conceded. “I live alone, I’m even getting annoyed with the dog.”
As for hope, Cuomo had this message: “It’s going to be hard, there is no doubt. But at the same time it is going to be OK. The grocery stores are going to function, there’s going to be food, the transportation systems are going to function, the pharmacies are going to be open. All essential services will be maintained.
“There’s not going to be chaos, there’s not going to be anarchy. Order and function will be maintained. Life is going to go on, different, but life is going to go on. So take a deep breath on all of that.”
In perhaps another indication that Trump is drawing inspiration from the governor’s crisis management abilities, Cuomo’s name was noticeably absent from a tweet by the president on Sunday attacking other state leaders for perceived “shortcomings”. Earlier in the week, the pair had exchanged Twitter insults, with Trump asserting that Cuomo needed to “do more”, and the governor snapping back: “YOU have to do something. You’re supposed to be the president.”
In recent days the tone has been more conciliatory, with the two men taking turns to compliment each other.
Cuomo said he had reached out his hand, metaphorically, to Trump: “If you can help my people, if you can help the country, God bless you,” he said. “We’re all Americans. Nothing else matters at this time.”


theguardian--2020-03-23--Trump tries to blunt criticism of Covid-19 response as US cases pass 33,000

Donald Trump attempted to blunt growing criticism of the stalled federal response to the coronavirus crisis on Sunday night , promising that more help was on the way for states suffering a critical shortage of medical equipment , hospital beds and testing facilities .
As the death toll from Covid-19 in the US rose to 417 , with more than 33,000 cases reported nationwide , increasing numbers of state and city leaders fired off warnings to the White House that a tipping point was near .
Warnings were particularly strong from New York , where cases have risen sharply past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those in the US .
Bill de Blasio , the mayor of New York city , said earlier in the day hospital supplies including ventilators , masks and surgical gloves would be exhausted within 10 days , while Andrew Cuomo , the governor of New York state , warned that up to 80 % of his state ’ s population of almost 20 million was at risk of contracting the virus .
“ It feels like we ’ re on our own , ” de Blasio said on CNN .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal government at this point.
” Trump ’ s response came at an evening press conference at the White House , during which he acknowledged “ a back-up ” in some states and reeled off numbers and lists of equipment he said had been ordered for the three worst-hit states , New York , Washington and California , and others .
He also said the US government would be funding “ 100 % ” of the costs of national guard deployment to assist in the supply chain , said he had approved major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states and that the army corps of engineers would be available for the construction of field hospitals providing thousands of new beds .
“ Whatever the states can get , they should be getting , ” the president said .
“ There ’ s sort of a back up for the states , and some of the states are doing really well and some don ’ t do as well .
The ones that don ’ t do as well need more help .
But these are three states that really do need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Cuomo had urged the president to invoke the powers of the Defense Production Act for the government to assume the acquisition and distribution of medical supplies and prevent states having to compete with each other for essential equipment .
He said masks that would usually cost 85 cents were costing his state , where more than 15,000 have the virus and 117 have died , about $ 7 apiece .
But Trump insisted that private companies stepping up to manufacture much-needed equipment was the way to go .
“ Doing it the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much better , ” he said .
“ We have the threat of doing it if we need it but we have millions of masks being done , ventilators , respirators , we have a lot of good things happening right now .
“ Companies are calling us , General Motors spoke to us about doing ventilators .
If I call companies and say , ‘ you build us ventilators , ’ they don ’ t even know what a ventilator is.
” Trump also suggested that hospitals could sterilize facemasks so they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US Senate , Democrats blocked legislation that would have pumped $ 1tn into the US economy , claiming the Republican-crafted bill favored corporate interests over hospitals , healthcare workers , cities and states .
Earlier , the treasury secretary , Steven Mnuchin , was touting the stimulus that would have put $ 3,000 into the hands of most American families .
The failure forces the two parties back to the negotiating table on Monday .
Nancy Pelosi , the House speaker , said Democrats might craft their own legislation proposals .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everybody to see if we can get something done , ” Trump said .
“ We have to help the American worker.
” A number of US senators were weighing up a decision to self-quarantine after news emerged that Kentucky Republican Rand Paul had tested positive for Covid-19 .
Paul , 57 , was swimming at the Senate gym on Sunday morning , according to CNN , and had taken lunch with several colleagues in recent days , although his office insisted he was asymptomatic .
“ All the senators are going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we should take to make sure that we don ’ t in any way spread the virus ourselves , ” the Utah senator Mitt Romney told reporters .
“ We have to determine whether any of us should self-quarantine as a result of being in the same room.
” Soon after Romney spoke , he and Utah senator Mike Lee both entered voluntary quarantine .
Trump , a fierce critic of Romney since the former presidential candidate was the only Republican to vote for impeachment in his recent senate trial , expressed sarcastic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s too bad , ” he said .
Earlier in the press conference , Trump had attempted to strike a reassuring tone that critics have pointed out was absent from prior press conferences .
“ For those worried and afraid , please know that as long as I am your president you can feel confident that you have a leader who will always fight for you and I will not stop until we win , ” he said .
Trump also praised Cuomo , and said that four new field hospitals providing 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrive in New York and increasing urgency on sending medical supplies were in response to the governor ’ s call for help .
“ Time matters , minutes count and this is literally a matter of life and death , ” Cuomo said at his own Sunday press conference .
Also on Sunday , Ohio and Louisiana joined states such as Illinois , New York and California in issuing stay-at-home orders for residents , coming into effect Monday evening .
All non-essential businesses will close , although grocery stores and gas stations are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earlier this week , the Hawaii governor , David Ige , instituted a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for anyone traveling to the state .
Violating the order is now a misdemeanor punishable by a $ 5,000 fine or imprisonment of up to a year .
There is also doubt whether the summer Olympic Games in Tokyo will take place .
Leaders of the International Olympic Committee say they will decide in the next four weeks whether to press ahead with the event currently scheduled to begin 24 July .

Donald Trump attempted to blunt growing criticism of the stalled federal response to the coronavirus crisis on Sunday night, promising that more help was on the way for states suffering a critical shortage of medical equipment, hospital beds and testing facilities.
As the death toll from Covid-19 in the US rose to 417, with more than 33,000 cases reported nationwide, increasing numbers of state and city leaders fired off warnings to the White House that a tipping point was near.
Warnings were particularly strong from New York, where cases have risen sharply past 15,000 and now account for around half of those in the US.
Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York city, said earlier in the day hospital supplies including ventilators, masks and surgical gloves would be exhausted within 10 days, while Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York state, warned that up to 80% of his state’s population of almost 20 million was at risk of contracting the virus.
“It feels like we’re on our own,” De Blasio said on CNN. “We have seen next to nothing from the federal government at this point.”
Trump’s response came at an evening press conference at the White House, during which he acknowledged “a back-up” in some states and reeled off numbers and lists of equipment he said had been ordered for the three worst-hit states, New York, Washington and California, and others.
He also said the US government would be funding “100%” of the costs of national guard deployment to assist in the supply chain, said he had approved major disaster declarations for New York and Washington states and that the army corps of engineers would be available for the construction of field hospitals providing thousands of new beds.
“Whatever the states can get, they should be getting,” the president said.
“There’s sort of a back-up for the states, and some of the states are doing really well and some don’t do as well. The ones that don’t do as well need more help. But these are three states that really do need help because they are hit really hard.”
Cuomo had urged the president to invoke the powers of the Defense Production Act for the government to assume the acquisition and distribution of medical supplies and prevent states having to compete with each other for essential equipment. He said masks that would usually cost 85 cents were costing his state, where more than 15,000 have the virus and 117 have died, about $7 apiece.
But Trump insisted that private companies stepping up to manufacture much-needed equipment was the way to go. “Doing it the way we’re doing it is much better,” he said. “We have the threat of doing it if we need it but we have millions of masks being done, ventilators, respirators, we have a lot of good things happening right now.
“Companies are calling us, General Motors spoke to us about doing ventilators. If I call companies and say, ‘you build us ventilators,’ they don’t even know what a ventilator is.”
Trump also suggested that hospitals could sterilize face masks so they could be reused.
Dems block rescue bill over lack of worker aid
Meanwhile, in the US Senate, Democrats blocked legislation that would have pumped $1tn into the US economy, claiming the Republican-crafted bill favored corporate interests over hospitals, healthcare workers, cities and states. Earlier, the treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, was touting the stimulus that would have put $3,000 into the hands of most American families.
The failure forces the two parties back to the negotiating table on Monday. Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, said Democrats might craft their own legislation proposals. “We’re going to work with everybody to see if we can get something done,” Trump said. “We have to help the American worker.”
A number of US senators were weighing up a decision to self-quarantine after news emerged that the Kentucky Republican Rand Paul had tested positive for Covid-19. Paul, 57, was swimming at the Senate gym on Sunday morning, according to CNN, and had taken lunch with several colleagues in recent days, although his office insisted he was asymptomatic.
“All the senators are going to seek medical advice as to what action we should take to make sure that we don’t in any way spread the virus ourselves,” the Utah senator Mitt Romney told reporters. “We have to determine whether any of us should self-quarantine as a result of being in the same room.”
In New York cases have risen sharply past 15,000 and now account for around half of those in the US. Photograph: Peter Foley/EPA
Soon after Romney spoke, he and the Utah senator Mike Lee entered voluntary quarantine. Trump, a fierce critic of Romney since the former presidential candidate was the only Republican to vote for impeachment in his recent Senate trial, expressed sarcastic sympathy. “Gee, that’s too bad,” he said.
Earlier in the press conference, Trump had attempted to strike a reassuring tone that critics have pointed out was absent from prior press conferences.
“For those worried and afraid, please know that as long as I am your president you can feel confident that you have a leader who will always fight for you and I will not stop until we win,” he said.
Trump also praised Cuomo, and said that four new field hospitals providing 1,000 beds, a hospital ship soon to arrive in New York and increasing urgency on sending medical supplies were in response to the governor’s call for help.
“Time matters, minutes count and this is literally a matter of life and death,” Cuomo said at his own Sunday press conference.
Also on Sunday, Ohio and Louisiana joined states such as Illinois, New York and California in issuing stay-at-home orders for residents, coming into effect on Monday evening. All non-essential businesses will close, although grocery stores and gas stations are among those permitted to remain open.
Earlier this week, the Hawaii governor, David Ige, instituted a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for anyone traveling to the state. Violating the order is now a misdemeanor punishable by a $5,000 fine or imprisonment of up to a year.
There is also doubt whether the summer Olympic Games in Tokyo will take place. Leaders of the International Olympic Committee say they will decide in the next four weeks whether to press ahead with the event currently scheduled to begin on 24 July.


theguardian--2020-03-22--US coronavirus: Democrats block bill over lack of worker aid as Trump briefs nation – as it happened

Democrats in the U.S. Senate on Sunday blocked legislation that would pump well over $ 1 trillion into the American economy on programs to help companies losing business during the coronavirus outbreak and unemployed workers .
The measure faltered after it failed to get the necessary 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to clear a procedural hurdle after days of negotiations .
The bill is Congress ’ third effort to blunt the economic toll of a disease that has killed at least 400 people in the United States and sickened more than 33,000 , leading governors to order nearly a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay at home and putting much business activity on hold .
The measure envisages financial aid for regular Americans , small businesses and critically affected industries , including airlines .
Democrats had raised objections to the Senate bill throughout the day , with the Senate ’ s top Democrat , Chuck Schumer , saying it had “ many , many problems ” and would benefit corporate interests at the expense of hospitals , healthcare workers , cities and states .
The failure of the measure to move forward sends Democrats and Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaker of the House of Representatives , Nancy Pelosi , said earlier on Sunday that Democrats in that chamber will begin crafting an alternative to the Senate bill .

Tom Lutz in New York (now), Kenya Evelyn in Washington DC (earlier)

More from the Associated Press on the delay in the $1tn economic stimulus package today:
Democrats in the U.S. Senate on Sunday blocked legislation that would pump well over $1 trillion into the American economy on programs to help companies losing business during the coronavirus outbreak and unemployed workers.
The measure faltered after it failed to get the necessary 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to clear a procedural hurdle after days of negotiations.
The bill is Congress’ third effort to blunt the economic toll of a disease that has killed at least 400 people in the United States and sickened more than 33,000, leading governors to order nearly a third of the nation’s population to stay at home and putting much business activity on hold.
The measure envisages financial aid for regular Americans, small businesses and critically affected industries, including airlines.
Democrats had raised objections to the Senate bill throughout the day, with the Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, saying it had “many, many problems” and would benefit corporate interests at the expense of hospitals, healthcare workers, cities and states.
The failure of the measure to move forward sends Democrats and Republicans back to the negotiating table. The speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, said earlier on Sunday that Democrats in that chamber will begin crafting an alternative to the Senate bill.


theguardian--2020-03-23--Students across the US are being asked to work remotely. But 22% of homes don't have internet | Dana

Students across the US are being asked to work remotely. But 22% of homes don't have internet | Dana Floberg

It started with a text from an old friend : “ I regret to inform you that Bothell High is literally closed for coronavirus today.
” My high school alma mater was one of the first schools to close , mere days before a man in the neighboring city of Kirkland , Washington , became the first US patient to pass away due to Covid-19 .
Then the entire Northshore School District announced it would close its doors for up to two weeks , planning to transition schoolwork “ from classroom to cloud ” for online learning .
What has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of school closures across the nation , district by district , state by state , university by university .
More than half of the country ’ s students have been sent home to prevent the spread of disease and instructed to continue their education via video chats and message boards .
But what about the students who don ’ t have broadband at home ?
If this had happened while I was still a student at Northshore , I would have been one of the lucky ones .
My family always had broadband @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for me and my brother to do our homework while our mother teleworked downstairs .
But nationwide , approximately 22 % of households don ’ t have home internet , including more than 4m households with school-age children .
Poor families and people of color are particularly impacted – only 56 % of households making less than $ 20,000 have home broadband , and black and Hispanic households lag behind their white counterparts even when we control for income differences .
Even among students who theoretically have access , not all access is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8 % of households who have internet rely exclusively on mobile broadband .
Once again , low-income people and communities of color are disproportionately more likely to be mobile-only broadband adopters .
This also has particular impacts on students – only about half of school-age children who live in mobile-only households personally use the internet at home , perhaps because of the difficulty of sharing mobile devices .
And while it ’ s better than being completely disconnected , mobile-only access isn ’ t ideal .
Mobile services are often limited by data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain tasks incredibly challenging .
Imagine studying for your calculus exam or writing a world-history paper on a cellphone .
This is a reality for a lot of students who don ’ t have home broadband .
Despite what you might hear from some folks in Congress , the digital divide isn ’ t just about rural communities , or people who don ’ t adopt broadband because they “ just don ’ t get it ” .
In fact , study after study shows that people don ’ t have internet because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and because systemic racial discrimination blocks them from subscribing .
In Washington State alone , 44 % of students qualify for free or reduced lunch .
Racial and economic digital divides are most likely to affect these students when school districts like mine shut their doors .
When schools move online , poor students and kids of color fall behind .
This compounds generations of systemic racial and economic inequities .
Some schools are trying to bridge the gap .
Northshore School District , for example , has offered loans of 4,000 computers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who need them .
But many schools don ’ t have the resources to do so , and others are wrestling with even deeper inequities .
New York officials called closing schools a “ last resort ” because of the disparate impacts it would have on poor students without internet and other resources .
Most at risk are the 114,000 unhoused students in the district who depend on school lunch and breakfast programs for reliable meals and on school nurses for health care .
These digital and civil injustices existed long before Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the face of a pandemic has thrown them into sharp relief .
Who can keep up with their schoolwork ?
Whose parents have the time and resources to take on the role of monitoring their kids throughout the day ?
Whose families can spare a dedicated device for each student ?
While students and their families grapple with this sudden dramatic shift to online learning , policymakers and internet service providers must act .
Free Press has called on all internet service providers to suspend data caps and overage fees , pause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and even to waive billing for those hardest hit by the novel coronavirus and the social distancing required to contain it .
Some ISPs are taking up the call , but there ’ s still much more that companies and policymakers can and should do to bridge the digital divide in this moment of crisis .
We need public policies that bring real price competition to ensure universally affordable broadband access .
My hometown depends on it – and yours does too .
• None Dana Floberg is the policy manager at the @ @ @ @ @

It started with a text from an old friend: “I regret to inform you that Bothell High is literally closed for coronavirus today.”
My high school alma mater was one of the first schools to close, mere days before a man in the neighboring city of Kirkland, Washington, became the first US patient to pass away due to Covid-19. Then the entire Northshore School District announced it would close its doors for up to two weeks, planning to transition schoolwork “from classroom to cloud” for online learning.
What has followed has been a rash of thousands of school closures across the nation, district by district, state by state, university by university. More than half of the country’s students have been sent home to prevent the spread of disease and instructed to continue their education via video chats and message boards.
But what about the students who don’t have broadband at home?
If this had happened while I was still a student at Northshore, I would have been one of the lucky ones. My family always had broadband at home, and enough computer devices for me and my brother to do our homework while our mother teleworked downstairs.
But nationwide, approximately 22% of households don’t have home internet, including more than 4m households with school-age children. Poor families and people of color are particularly affected – only 56% of households making less than $20,000 have home broadband, and black and Hispanic households lag behind their white counterparts even when we control for income differences.
Even among students who theoretically have access, not all access is equal. According to census research, 8% of households who have internet rely exclusively on mobile broadband. Once again, low-income people and communities of color are disproportionately more likely to be mobile-only broadband adopters.
This also has particular impacts on students – only about half of school-age children who live in mobile-only households personally use the internet at home, perhaps because of the difficulty of sharing mobile devices.
And while it’s better than being completely disconnected, mobile-only access isn’t ideal. Mobile services are often limited by data caps, and mobile devices can make certain tasks incredibly challenging. Imagine studying for your calculus exam or writing a world-history paper on a cellphone. This is a reality for a lot of students who don’t have home broadband.
Despite what you might hear from some folks in Congress, the digital divide isn’t just about rural communities, or people who don’t adopt broadband because they “just don’t get it”. In fact, study after study shows that people don’t have internet because they can’t afford it, and because systemic racial discrimination blocks them from subscribing.
In Washington state alone, 44% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Racial and economic digital divides are most likely to affect these students when school districts like mine shut their doors.
When schools move online, poor students and kids of color fall behind. This compounds generations of systemic racial and economic inequities.
Some schools are trying to bridge the gap. Northshore School District, for example, has offered loans of 4,000 computers and 600 internet hot spots to students who need them. But many schools don’t have the resources to do so, and others are wrestling with even deeper inequities. New York officials called closing schools a “last resort” because of the disparate impacts it would have on poor students without internet and other resources. Most at risk are the 114,000 unhoused students in the district who depend on school lunch and breakfast programs for reliable meals and on school nurses for healthcare.
These digital and civil injustices existed long before Covid-19, but the need for social distancing in the face of a pandemic has thrown them into sharp relief. Who can keep up with their schoolwork? Whose parents have the time and resources to take on the role of monitoring their kids throughout the day? Whose families can spare a dedicated device for each student?
While students and their families grapple with this sudden dramatic shift to online learning, policymakers and internet service providers must act. Free Press has called on all internet service providers to suspend data caps and overage fees, pause service disconnections, expand low-cost services and even to waive billing for those hardest hit by the novel coronavirus and the social distancing required to contain it.
Some ISPs are taking up the call, but there’s still much more that companies and policymakers can and should do to bridge the digital divide in this moment of crisis. We need public policies that bring real price competition to ensure universally affordable broadband access.
My hometown depends on it – and yours does too.


theguardian--2020-03-23--'Invisible enemy': Trump says he is 'wartime president' in coronavirus battle - video

US president says the country is at war with coronavirus , while accusing China of not asking for help at @ @ @ @ @ 'out of pride ' .
Trump also said the US economy will 'skyrocket ' once @ @ @ @ @ • Trump talks himself up as 'wartime president ' to lead America through a crisis

US president says the country is at war with coronavirus, while accusing China of not asking for help at the beginning of the crisis 'out of pride'. Trump also said the US economy will 'skyrocket' once the coronavirus outbreak is contained


theguardian--2020-03-23--Trump wants to reopen US businesses in weeks 'not months' even as deaths rise – follow live

My colleague David Smith is in the White House briefing room , and just asked President Trump , “ Where @ @ @ @ @ “ I was just with him , ” Trump said , explaining that Anthony Fauci @ @ @ @ @ force meeting ” .
Smith asked Trump if Fauci agreed with him about the need @ @ @ @ @ “ He doesn ’ t not agree , ” Trump said .
“ He understands @ @ @ @ @ cost to our country.
” Fauci , the head of the US National Institute of @ @ @ @ @ has become a trusted public figure during the coronavirus crisis , sometimes speaking alongside the @ @ @ @ @ vice-president Mike Pence , asked about why Fauci was not present at today ’ s @ @ @ @ @ statement with a bit more detail : “ Dr .
Fauci attended today ’ s @ @ @ @ @ in addition to other White House meetings .
As promised when we started coronavirus briefings @ @ @ @ @ we would be rotating briefers depending on the news of the day .
”

Lois Beckett (now), Tom Lutz and Oliver Laughland (earlier)

24 Mar 2020 02.30 GMT Evening summary We’re closing out this US politics liveblog for the night, but our global live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic will continue. A summary of key events this evening: In his White House coronavirus briefing, Donald Trump made clear that he wanted to lift restrictive public health measures as soon as possible, and that his major concern was the state of the US economy. He would re-open America for business in “weeks,” not months, Trump pledged, and refused to say whether he would simply ignore public health experts if they advised that restrictive measures to stop the spread of the virus needed to stay in place longer.
made clear that he wanted to lift restrictive public health measures as soon as possible, and that his major concern was the state of the US economy. He would re-open America for business in “weeks,” not months, Trump pledged, and refused to say whether he would simply ignore public health experts if they advised that restrictive measures to stop the spread of the virus needed to stay in place longer. The public health expert who has emerged as a trusted public voice on the epidemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci, was not present at tonight’s White House briefing.
was not present at tonight’s White House briefing. The White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx , said the data on the spread of coronavirus in the New York City region was concerning, but data from Europe, which showed that 99% of the deaths from coronavirus were in people over 50, was reassuring.
, said the data on the spread of coronavirus in the New York City region was concerning, but data from Europe, which showed that 99% of the deaths from coronavirus were in people over 50, was reassuring. A 69-year-old Texas Republican, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, said in a Fox News interview that, as a senior citizen, he would rather risk death than have the government pursue measures that would fundamentally damage the American economy. “I just think there are lots of grandparents out there in this country like me,” Patrick said. “Let’s get back to work, let’s get back to living, let’s be smart about it, and those of us who are 70-plus, we’ll take care of ourselves.”
24 Mar 2020 02.28 GMT Washington joins a host of other states with its new stay-at-home order, in which residents are asked not to leave their houses unless necessary. Those states are: California
Connecticut
Delaware
Illinois
Indiana
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Oregon
West Virginia
Washington As life grinds to a slowdown across the US, bustling metropolises have come to resemble eerie ghost towns. Here’s what quarantined America looks like from above ... US cities in coronavirus quarantine, seen from above – in pictures Read more
24 Mar 2020 01.32 GMT In his tweets announcing Washington’s new stay-at-home order, governor Inslee urged residents against a run on the grocery stores. For the sake of our neighbors, our health workers, our seniors and others: No one should make a run on the grocery stores to overstock.
If each of us maintains our normal shopping habits, we will avoid the problem of empty shelves. — Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) March 24, 2020 The Guardian’s Victoria Bekiempis has reported on why panic-buying is the real threat to the US food supply. She writes ... As coronavirus spreads in the US, many people are stockpiling essentials for what they believe will be periods of home confinement and panicked shoppers have stripped many US grocery stores of staples ranging from bread and milk to meat and toilet paper. But, in fact, the virus currently poses little threat to the integrity of the US food supply. It is panic-buying itself that is causing the real disruption. Experts interviewed by the Guardian said that while the grocery supply chain is generally fine at this point, rapid, dramatic shifts in consumer behavior have temporarily disrupted the market. Trump himself has sought to assuage fears by urging the country not to hoard groceries amid the outbreak, saying he had a call with grocery industry leaders who urged him to speak out against hoarding. “They have actually asked me to say: ‘Could you buy a little bit less, please?’ I thought I’d never hear that from a retailer,” Trump remarked, also saying: “They have no shortages. We have no shortages other than people buying anywhere from three to five times [more].” ‘Could you buy a little less, please?’: panic-buying disrupts food distribution Read more
24 Mar 2020 00.54 GMT Texas Lt governor: senior citizens might want to risk lives to preserve the economy An extraordinary television interview tonight with a Texas Republican, Lt Governor Dan Patrick, who is 69 years old and will turn 70 this week. Patrick and said he is concerned that public health measures to prevent coronavirus will end American life as he knows it, and said he would rather risk death than having the country continue with tough public health restrictions that hurt the economy. “You know, Tucker, no one reached out to me and said, ‘As a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?’ And if that’s the exchange, I’m all in,” Patrick said. “And that doesn’t make me noble or brave or anything like that. I just think there are lots of grandparents out there in this country like me.” Patrick praised President Trump’s Monday evening press conference and said his heart was “lifted” by Trump’s emphasis on opening the economy again as soon as possible. “I don’t want the whole country to be sacrificed…[in talking to people] everyone says pretty much the same thing: ‘We can’t lose our whole country. We’re having an economic collapse.” “My message: let’s get back to work, let’s get back to living, let’s be smart about it, and those of us who are 70-plus, we’ll take care of ourselves, but don’t sacrifice the country. Don’t do that.”
Watch the full interview here: Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick:
“What I'm living in fear of is what's happening to this country…‘Are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?' And if that's the exchange I'm all in" pic.twitter.com/2vIleMB1jP — JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) March 24, 2020 “You’re basically saying that this disease could take your life, but that’s not the scariest thing to you. There’s something that would be worse than dying,” Fox News host Tucker Carlson said to Patrick.
“Yeah,” Patrick said. “And look, I’m going to do everything I can do live. But if you said, are you willing to take a chance …”
A shorter clip of the interview is below: Tx Lt Gov Dan Patrick says grandparents would be willing to die to save the economy for their grandchildren pic.twitter.com/wC3Ngvtsbj — Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) March 24, 2020
Updated at 01.00 GMT
24 Mar 2020 00.52 GMT Meanwhile in Washington state, the governor Jay Inslee has issued a stay-at-home order for the entire state in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. Hallie Golden in Seattle reports ...
Calling this the only weapon we have to fight against the virus, Inslee said during a public address broadcasted online Monday that “the less time you spend out in public, the more lives we can save.” The order will be in place for a minimum of two weeks and involve a ban on all gatherings and the closure of many businesses, except those deemed essential or those where employees can work remotely. It requires all Washingtonians to minimize social interactions and postpone such events as weddings and funerals. The announcement came after a weekend full of reports of locals congregating in large groups at parks and standing close to one another in line at coffee shops and restaurants. On Monday, Washington state health officials confirmed 2,221 cases of coronavirus, including 110 deaths. The majority were reported in King County, which includes Seattle. Inslee had already banned gatherings of more than 50 people, as well as sit-in service at all food establishments, including restaurants, bars and coffee shops. He also recently announced that all kindergarten through 12th grade public and private schools in Washington will be closed for at least six weeks. But a growing group of Washington residents had taken to social media to call on local leaders to implement some type of shelter-in-place policy in order to better address the spread of the virus. The decision follows similar announcements made by officials in at least a dozen other states, including New York and California. Washington has the 2nd highest number of cases in the US, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Updated at 01.03 GMT
24 Mar 2020 00.29 GMT Oliver Laughland Fact-checking Trump’s claim about suicide deaths from a bad economy In a marked low point of Donald Trump’s Monday press conference, the president argued that public health measures to slow spread of the coronavirus might have their own death toll, because the public health guidelines hurt the economy, and economic crisis leads to suicide. The president implied that quickly ending ending restrictive health measures, in order to open the economy back up again, might avert an outbreak of suicide in the United States. Before continuing with this post, and in case you find any of the president’s comments triggering, the number for the National Suicide Prevention hotline in the United States is: 1-800-273-8255. More information for other countries at the bottom of this post.
Trump's comments right now may be triggering for some people.
Stick around folks. You are loved
National Suicide Prevention Hotline:
1-800-273-8255 — Tim Dickinson (@7im) March 23, 2020 The president said: “People get tremendous anxiety and depression. And you have suicides over things like this when you have terrible economies. You have death, probably, I mean definitely would be in greater numbers than the numbers that we’re talking about with regard to the virus.” What does the data show? It is reasonable to suggest that a pandemic-linked recession can increase the risk of a rise in suicides. According to research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, North America and Europe experienced 10,000 more suicides during the 2008 recession. The outbreak of Sars in Hong Kong in 2002 and 2003 also led to a “significant increase” in suicides in those aged over 65, according to 2010 research. But experts also caution that there is no single cause of suicide. While the figures for the mortality rate of coronavirus continues to evolve, recent research from Wuhan, China, the city where the outbreak began, indicates the mortality rate there was around 1.4%. Experts at Harvard University have projected an infection rate in the US of between 20 - 60%, meaning that while it is impossible to reliably estimate the American coronavirus death toll a reasonable scenario could result in hundreds of thousands of lives lost. On first look, given the potentially devastating death toll directly associated with coronavirus, it appears unlikely to be matched by an increased rate in suicide, making the presidents claim almost certainly inaccurate.
In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 and Papyrus can be contacted on 0800 068 4141. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
Updated at 00.48 GMT
24 Mar 2020 00.14 GMT Report: CDC said coronavirus survived 17 days in cruise ship cabins At tonight’s White House briefing on coronavirus, Trump officials kept reminding Americans that the president’s plan to “stop the spread” of coronavirus was only a “15 day challenge” and they were already halfway through.
Meanwhile: CDC says coronavirus survived in Princess Cruise ship cabins for up to 17 days after passengers left https://t.co/vHIHVnETTF — CNBC (@CNBC) March 23, 2020
24 Mar 2020 00.03 GMT The mortality rate will be ‘a very big factor’ in Trump’s decision to ease restrictions Asked if he was concerned that if he eased government restrictions to prevent coronavirus “too early”, the virus might continue to spread unabated, Trump said that he was looking to the mortality rate for coronavirus, and he found it encouraging.
At the beginning, “nobody knew anything about this particular virus”, and Trump said he heard numbers that the mortality rate for the virus might be as high as 5%, compared with “.001 or 2 or 3” percent for the normal flu. Now, Trump said, he was hearing potential mortality rate numbers that were lower. “The mortality rate, to me that is a very big factor,” Trump said. “We’re under 1% now,” Trump said. “It’s still terrible. The whole concept of death is terrible, but there’s a tremendous difference between something under 1% and 4 or 5 or even 3%.”
Trump citing “under 1%” as the mortality rate for coronavirus is roughly in line with some expert estimates looking at data from other countries. JON KARL: Are you worried that if you lift restrictions too quickly the virus will start spreading?
TRUMP: "The mortality rate, that's a big factor... I think we're very substantially under 1 percent... the whole concept of death is terrible, but there's a tremendous difference" pic.twitter.com/5r3OAONtyC — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 23, 2020
Updated at 00.08 GMT
23 Mar 2020 23.41 GMT Trump: Fauci 'doesn't not agree' with need to re-open the economy My colleague David Smith is in the White House briefing room, and just asked President Trump, “Where is Dr Fauci?” “I was just with him,” Trump said, explaining that Anthony Fauci was “at a task force meeting”. Smith asked Trump if Fauci agreed with him about the need to restart the economy. “He doesn’t not agree,” Trump said. “He understands there’s a tremendous cost to our country.” Q: "Where is Dr. Fauci right now? Why is he not at this briefing?"
President Trump: I was just with him...he's at the task force meeting right now."
Q: "Does he agree with you about the need to reopen the economy soon?"
President Trump: "He doesn't not agree." pic.twitter.com/NC6CkyDmVN — CSPAN (@cspan) March 23, 2020 Fauci, the head of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has become a trusted public figure during the coronavirus crisis, sometimes speaking alongside the president. A spokesperson for vice-president Mike Pence, asked about why Fauci was not present at today’s briefing, gave a similar statement with a bit more detail: “Dr. Fauci attended today’s task force briefing in person in addition to other White House meetings. As promised when we started coronavirus briefings at the White House, we would be rotating briefers depending on the news of the day.”
Updated at 23.47 GMT


theguardian--2020-03-23--Trump signals change in coronavirus strategy that could clash with health experts

Donald Trump has signalled a potential change in his handling of the coronavirus pandemic , amid warnings of a record plunge in economic activity and unemployment potentially hitting 30 % , as a key Senate vote to move forward with a $ 1.8tn stimulus plan failed for a second time on Monday .
Democrats blocked the coronavirus rescue bill for the second day in a row , as partisan tensions erupted in extraordinary fashion on the Senate floor with lawmakers lashing out angrily over the body ’ s failure to pass legislation aimed at stanching the pandemic ’ s impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you kidding me ?
” the majority leader , Mitch McConnell , visibly frustrated , demanded from the Senate floor .
“ This is not a juicy political opportunity .
This is a national emergency.
” Democrats say the legislation is tilted in favor of corporations and have vowed to hold it up until they secure stronger protections for workers and restrictions on how businesses will use the government money .
Senators have been working around the clock to negotiate the economic stimulus package , the largest in American history , as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of lives and wreaking havoc on the US economy .
Coronavirus has already breached the Capitol , where at least two congressmen and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky have tested positive for Covid-19 , the disease caused by the virus .
Congressman Ben McAdams of Utah , who tested positive last week , was hospitalized on Sunday after his condition worsened .
The extraordinary scene on Capitol Hill came as Trump expressed an openness to scaling back his efforts to combat contagion .
Writing in capital letters in a tweet late on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We can not let the cure be worse than the problem itself .
At the end of the 15-day period ” – of White House guidelines to enforce physical distancing and other measures which began on 16 March – “ we will make a decision as to which way we want to go.
” Vice-President Mike Pence , who heads the White House coronavirus taskforce , said earlier in the day the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) would issue guidance on Monday meant to allow people already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work sooner .
The shift in tone could foreshadow a clash between a White House alarmed by economic paralysis in an election year and public health experts urging caution .
The US now has more than 39,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and more than 400 deaths .
Dr Anthony Fauci , the most senior public health doctor on Trump ’ s coronavirus taskforce , is privately urging the president ’ s advisers and other Republicans not to roll back any restrictions , the Washington Post reported .
Fauci and other leading public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers that prematurely scaling back physical distancing measures would hamper efforts to contain the virus and devastate US hospitals , according to the people with knowledge of the conversations who , like others , spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private deliberations , the Post reported .
After being criticised for a slow response to the crisis , Trump declared a national emergency and agreed to implement drastic measures .
But the economic pain was swift .
Last week the Wall Street Journal editorial board warned that “ federal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-virus strategy now to avoid an economic recession that will dwarf the harm from 2008-2009 ” .
Bret Stephens , a conservative columnist at the New York Times , which Trump monitors closely , wrote on Sunday that treating the virus as a threat comparable to the second world war “ needs to be questioned aggressively before we impose solutions possibly more destructive than the virus itself ” .
And Tom Fitton , a conservative commentator known to influence the president , tweeted : “ The consequences of this national shutdown , apart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not be materially alleviated by any ‘ stimulus ’ and [ government ] spending .
The only stimulus that will work is opening America back up for business.
” The change came as central bankers warned of unprecedented fallout .
The St Louis Fed chief , James Bullard , said America ’ s GDP could shrink 50 % , with unemployment rising to 30 % in the second quarter .
On Wall Street , Morgan Stanley saw a 30 % contraction , driving unemployment to 12.8 % .
The Federal Reserve said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the public and private sectors to limit the losses to jobs and incomes and to promote a swift recovery once the disruptions abate.
” The central bank said it was “ using its full range of authorities to provide powerful support for the flow of credit to American families and businesses ” .
Democrats said the $ 1.8tn proposals were weighted toward a corporate bailout at the expense of workers , hospitals and state and local governments .
Republicans claimed Democrats were obstructing the bill in the middle of a national emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deal could still be agreed .
Trump warned that a rattled American public would take a dim view of an impasse .
“ The only reason a deal couldn ’ t get done is pure politics , ” he said on Sunday .
On Monday the likely Democratic presidential nominee , Joe Biden , said Trump should “ start acting like ” the wartime president he has claimed to be .
The stalemate in the Senate was felt in the markets , where Dow Jones Industrial Average futures dropped more than 600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributes close to half of the US tally , 15,168 cases , the governor , Andrew Cuomo , said an estimated 40 % to 80 % of residents could be infected but echoed the Trump administration ’ s impatience to reboot the economy .
“ I take total responsibility for shutting off the economy in terms of essential workers but we also have to start to plan the pivot back to economic functionality , ” Cuomo told reporters in Albany .
“ You can ’ t stop the economy forever .

David Smith and Lauren Gambino in Washington and Edward Helmore in New York

Donald Trump has signalled a potential change in his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, amid warnings of a record plunge in economic activity and unemployment potentially hitting 30%, as a key Senate vote to move forward with a $1.8tn stimulus plan failed for a second time on Monday.
Democrats blocked the coronavirus rescue bill for the second day in a row, as partisan tensions erupted in extraordinary fashion on the Senate floor with lawmakers lashing out angrily over the body’s failure to pass legislation aimed at stanching the pandemic’s impact on the US economy.
“Are you kidding me?” the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, visibly frustrated, demanded from the Senate floor. “This is not a juicy political opportunity. This is a national emergency.”
Democrats say the legislation is tilted in favor of corporations and have vowed to hold it up until they secure stronger protections for workers and restrictions on how businesses will use the government money.
Senators have been working around the clock to negotiate the economic stimulus package, the largest in American history, as the virus spreads across the country, claiming hundreds of lives and wreaking havoc on the US economy. Coronavirus has already breached the Capitol, where at least two congressmen and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky have tested positive for Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. Congressman Ben McAdams of Utah, who tested positive last week, was hospitalized on Sunday after his condition worsened.
The extraordinary scene on Capitol Hill came as Trump expressed an openness to scaling back his efforts to combat contagion. Writing in capital letters in a tweet late on Sunday, the US president said: “We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself. At the end of the 15-day period” – of White House guidelines to enforce physical distancing and other measures which began on 16 March – “we will make a decision as to which way we want to go.”
Vice-President Mike Pence, who heads the White House coronavirus taskforce, said earlier in the day the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would issue guidance on Monday meant to allow people already exposed to the coronavirus to return to work sooner.
The shift in tone could foreshadow a clash between a White House alarmed by economic paralysis in an election year and public health experts urging caution. The US now has more than 39,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and more than 400 deaths.
Dr Anthony Fauci, the most senior public health doctor on Trump’s coronavirus taskforce, is privately urging the president’s advisers and other Republicans not to roll back any restrictions, the Washington Post reported.
Fauci and other leading public health experts have told administration officials and Republican lawmakers that prematurely scaling back physical distancing measures would hamper efforts to contain the virus and devastate US hospitals, according to the people with knowledge of the conversations who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private deliberations, the Post reported.
After being criticised for a slow response to the crisis, Trump declared a national emergency and agreed to implement drastic measures. But the economic pain was swift. Last week the Wall Street Journal editorial board warned that “federal and state officials need to start adjusting their anti-virus strategy now to avoid an economic recession that will dwarf the harm from 2008-2009”.
Bret Stephens, a conservative columnist at the New York Times, which Trump monitors closely, wrote on Sunday that treating the virus as a threat comparable to the second world war “needs to be questioned aggressively before we impose solutions possibly more destructive than the virus itself”.
And Tom Fitton, a conservative commentator known to influence the president, tweeted: “The consequences of this national shutdown, apart from any pandemic, are dire and will not be materially alleviated by any ‘stimulus’ and [government] spending. The only stimulus that will work is opening America back up for business.”
The change came as central bankers warned of unprecedented fallout. The St Louis Fed chief, James Bullard, said America’s GDP could shrink 50%, with unemployment rising to 30% in the second quarter. On Wall Street, Morgan Stanley saw a 30% contraction, driving unemployment to 12.8%.
The Federal Reserve said: “Aggressive efforts must be taken across the public and private sectors to limit the losses to jobs and incomes and to promote a swift recovery once the disruptions abate.”
The central bank said it was “using its full range of authorities to provide powerful support for the flow of credit to American families and businesses”.
Democrats said the $1.8tn proposals were weighted toward a corporate bailout at the expense of workers, hospitals and state and local governments. Republicans claimed Democrats were obstructing the bill in the middle of a national emergency. Both sides said they were confident a deal could still be agreed.
Trump warned that a rattled American public would take a dim view of an impasse. “The only reason a deal couldn’t get done is pure politics,” he said on Sunday.
On Monday the likely Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, said Trump should “start acting like” the wartime president he has claimed to be.
The stalemate in the Senate was felt in the markets, where Dow Jones Industrial Average futures dropped more than 600 points.
In New York, which contributes close to half of the US tally, 15,168 cases, the governor, Andrew Cuomo, said an estimated 40% to 80% of residents could be infected but echoed the Trump administration’s impatience to reboot the economy.
“I take total responsibility for shutting off the economy in terms of essential workers but we also have to start to plan the pivot back to economic functionality,” Cuomo told reporters in Albany. “You can’t stop the economy forever.


theguardian--2020-03-23--$1,200 checks for all? What you need to know about the US coronavirus bailout

With swaths of the US on lockdown , stock markets crashing , industries facing collapse and unemployment certain to soar the US government is debating the biggest bailout since the 2008 financial crisis .
Here ’ s what you need to know .
What does the bailout look like ?
Right now , the bill is estimated to be up to $ 1.8tn for money going to businesses , corporations and directly into the pockets of Americans .
Senate Republicans are at the helm of the package , though they need 60 votes to get it passed , which means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Republicans ’ bill has four main components : • None $ 350bn in loans for small businesses that may be forgiven if firms use them to keep workers on payroll • None $ 500bn aid for hard-hit industries and states and $ 50bn for the airlines • None and an increase in payments to the healthcare sector When will this get done ?
Talks stalled in the Senate on Sunday .
Democrats are worried the business that : • None the bailout gives too little to protection to workers ; • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how businesses that take the money spend the funds ; • None and that Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin will have too much control over $ 100bn in payments .
Funds , they fear , could be used to favor friends of the administration Discussions began again on Monday with both sides saying they hoped to get a deal done soon , although it may now not be done before the end of the week .
What has Congress done so far ?
The first spending bill to combat the Covid-19 outbreak in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this month and is worth $ 8.3bn .
The money is going toward the US health and human services department , state and local health departments and local community healthcare centers .
A big chunk was earmarked for international response to the outbreak .
A second bill for paid sick leave and emergency paid leave worth $ 104bn was passed last week .
The legislation excluded workers from large companies with more than 500 employees and allowed companies with under 50 employees to apply for exemptions .
The bill mandates 10 days of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid leave program for parents affected by their children ’ s schools closing for coronavirus-related reasons .
It also expands food assistance programs and aids states ’ unemployment insurance programs .
Are US taxpayers really going to get direct checks from the government ?
The Republicans ’ plan is for individuals to get up to $ 1,200 and married couples to get up to $ 2,400 , including $ 500 for each child .
The size of a check would diminish gradually for those whose income is above $ 75,000 , while those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be getting any checks .
The checks will be based on a household or individual ’ s 2018 tax return .
Is there bipartisan agreement on these checks ?
No .
Some Republicans say the money will be a quick way to boost the economy .
“ These recommendations would blunt the impact for most Americans and limit the damage to the US economy , ” said Senator Chuck Grassley , Senate finance committee chairman .
But Democrats say it will not help struggling Americans in the long run .
Instead , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that “ beefed-up unemployment insurance ” is a more sustainable way to help those who need it most .
“ A single $ 1,000 check would help someone pay their landlord in March , but what happens after that ?
” he said .
Also , the Republicans ’ plan to divvy out checks has been criticized for screwing over low-income earners .
Those who earn more than $ 2,500 will get , at minimum , $ 600 .
As taxable income increases , so will the amount of the check until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , the amount decreases until it reaches $ 99,000 , at which point a person gets nothing .
That means a person whose taxable income is $ 75,000 will get a larger check than someone who makes $ 30,000 .
How is the government helping small businesses ?
The Republicans ’ plan consists of offering federally backed loans for small businesses with 500 employees or fewer .
The plan estimates $ 300bn will be given to these businesses through loans , which will be capped at $ 10m per business .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if an employer retains their employees through 30 June , incentivizing businesses to keep their employees around for the time being .
On Saturday , Senate negotiators also worked to include a “ payroll tax holiday ” for small businesses in the plan .
Will there be corporate bailouts ?
Democrats and even some Republicans are adamant that corporations are given fair assistance that will not end up in the pockets of wealthy shareholders or corporate executives .
The bill includes a little over $ 200bn in secured loans to airlines and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be up for commercial airline carriers to borrow and $ 8bn to cargo air carriers ( the amount the industry trade groups have asked for ) , while $ 150bn for other industries affected by coronavirus , such as hotels and cruise companies .
So far , Congress has not itemized which industries will be eligible for bailouts , though there are many that are asking for one .
The restaurant industry asked the government for $ 145bn to help offset losses after dozens of states mandated the closure of many full-service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be banned from stock buybacks , which is when a company buys shares of its own stock to increase the value of its shares , ultimately helping their wealthy stockholders and corporate executives .
Trump said he would not be opposed to such a ban .
How is the government helping the healthcare sector ?
The Senate ’ s plan is slated to relieve burden on the healthcare sector by increasing Medicare payments by 15 % for coronavirus patients and by putting a freeze on a scheduled 2 % reduction rate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falls short of the $ 100bn the major healthcare lobbying groups asked for , arguing that hospitals need the money now to strengthen the system before the pandemic hits full force .

With large areas of the US shut down, stock markets crashing, industries facing collapse and soaring unemployment, the US government is set to pass the most expensive bailout in US history in attempts to save the US economy.
Democrat and Republican leaders of Congress, along with White House officials, have been scrambling to make a deal in around-the-clock negotiations and finally announced early on Wednesday that they have reached an agreement. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill on Wednesday.
The details are still trickling out, but here’s what we know so far about the package:
What does the stimulus look like?
The bill is worth about $2tn, which will go to businesses, corporations and directly into the pockets of Americans. It has six main components:
Direct payment to most Americans.
$250bn to bolster unemployment insurance.
$350bn in loans for small businesses that may be forgiven if firms use them to keep workers on payroll.
$500bn in aid for hard-hit industries and states and $50bn for airlines.
$130bn in aid to hospitals.
$150bn to help state and local governments.
What held negotiations up?
Senate Republicans introduced the bill last Friday, and a marathon of negotiations took place until an agreement was made Wednesday morning.
Talks had originally stalled in the Senate on Sunday because Democrats were worried that the bailout did not include enough oversight over corporate loans and gave too little protection to workers.
There has been some compromise. Republicans agreed to some major changes from their original bill. More money will be given to large companies in hard-hit industries, but Democrats have also pushed for strict oversight of the loans. More aid will also be given to the healthcare sector and more funds will be earmarked for unemployment insurance after pushes from Democrats.
Are US taxpayers really going to get direct checks from the government?
Yes. The plan is for individuals to get up to $1,200 and married couples to get up to $2,400, plus an additional $500 for each child. The size of a check would diminish gradually for those whose income is above $75,000, while individuals earning more than $99,000 and couples earning more than $198,000 will not be getting any checks. The checks will be based on a household or individual’s 2018 tax return unless they filed their 2019 tax return, in which case it will be based of their 2019 return.
The treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, said last week that checks could be sent out as early as 6 April. The bill earmarks $250bn for the checks.
Will there be corporate bailouts?
Democrats and even some Republicans are adamant that corporations are given fair assistance that will not end up in the pockets of wealthy shareholders or corporate executives.
The bill includes $500bn in loans and loan guarantees to hard-hit companies, including commercial airlines and other travel-related companies hit hard over the last few months.
So far, Congress has not revealed which companies will be eligible for bailouts, though there are many that are asking for one. The restaurant industry asked the government for $145bn to help offset losses after dozens of states mandated the closure of many full-service restaurants.
What oversight will there be for large companies that take out loans?
Oversight of lending decisions will go to an independent inspector general and oversight board.
Though Trump said, when asked who would provide oversight of the loans, “I’ll be the oversight”, the White House conceded to Democrats’ concerns.
“The oversight basically is saying that you know you can’t just … exempt everybody and give all your corporate executives, based on the backs of taxpayers, a free carnival,” Joe Manchin, a Democratic senator from West Virginia, told the Washington Post.
Companies who receive government assistance will also see restrictions on stock buybacks, which is when a company buys shares of its own stock to increase the value of its shares, ultimately helping their wealthy stockholders and corporate executives. Commercial airlines have been known for buying back their own shares.
Will Trump be getting any loans for his hotel business?
Nope. Schumer’s office said that there is a provision in the bill that blocks government officials, including members of Congress and Trump and his family, from getting the stimulus’s loans.
What is the package doing for unemployment insurance?
The deal extends unemployment insurance by 13 weeks and covers self-employed and furloughed workers, offering workers $600 a week for those additional four months in addition to what a state will provide through their own program.
How is the government helping small businesses?
The Republicans’ plan consists of offering federally backed loans for small businesses with 500 employees or fewer. The plan estimates $350bn will be given to these businesses through loans.
The plan also includes possible forgiveness of a loan if an employer retains their employees through 30 June, incentivizing businesses to keep their employees around for the time being.
Senate negotiators have also worked to include a “payroll tax holiday” for small businesses in the plan.
How is the government helping the healthcare sector?
The bill will relieve burden on the healthcare sector by including a “Marshall Plan” that will give $130bn in grants and assistance to hospitals. The bill also boosts Medicare payments for hospitals treating patients with Covid-19.


theguardian--2020-03-23--Dr Anthony Fauci counters Trump claims amid crisis: 'I just want to get the facts out'

Dr Anthony Fauci , the head of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , has not been fired .
That might not seem much in the way of news but Dr Fauci is the public face of the US scientific community in the face of the coronavirus outbreak , and as such must regularly appear alongside Donald Trump at the White House podium .
Across the US media , the doctor ’ s reaction to every Trumpian claim , exaggeration or outright lie is frantically parsed for meaning , his occasional absence from the podium subject to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Science magazine published on Sunday , Dr Fauci , 79 , was asked how it felt to “ stand there as the representative of truth and facts [ when ] things are being said that aren ’ t true and aren ’ t factual ” .
“ I can ’ t jump in front of the microphone and push him down , ” he said .
“ OK , he said it .
Let ’ s try and get it corrected for the next time.
” That , Dr Fauci said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taskforce who , “ the next time they sit down with him and talk about what he ’ s going to say , they will say , ‘ By the way , Mr President , be careful about this and don ’ t say that.
’ ” In one notable recent example , Trump spoke from the podium on Friday about the idea that hydroxychloroquine , an anti-malarial drug , might treat the coronavirus .
Dr Fauci then knocked the claim down , gently .
“ Many of the things out there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ , ” he said .
“ The information that you ’ re referring to specifically is anecdotal .
It was not done in a controlled clinical trial , so you really can ’ t make any definitive statement about it.
” He subsequently told the New York Times he did not want to “ embarrass ” Trump , adding : “ I don ’ t want to act like a tough guy , like I stood up to the president .
I just want to get the facts out .
And instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong , ’ all you need to do is continually talk about what the data are and what the evidence is.
” Fauci told Science he was “ sort of exhausted .
But other than that , I ’ m good .
I mean , I ’ m not , to my knowledge , coronavirus infected .
To my knowledge , I haven ’ t been fired.
” Asked how he hadn ’ t been fired , having corrected the president so many times , he said : “ Well , that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s ] credit , even though we disagree on some things , he listens .
He goes his own way .
He has his own style .
But on substantive issues , he does listen to what I say.
” Dr Fauci also described the process by which Trump prepares for briefings , which some say should not be carried live , given the president ’ s use of the podium to attack reporters and his political enemies .
“ We sit down for an hour and a half , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the issues on the agenda .
And then we proceed from there to an anteroom right in front of the Oval Office to talk about what are going to be the messages , what are the kind of things we ’ re going to want to emphasize ?
“ Then we go in to see the president , we present to him and somebody writes a speech .
Then he gets up and ad libs on his speech .
And then we ’ re up there to try and answer questions.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president , Dr Fauci said : “ I don ’ t disagree in the substance .
It is expressed in a way that I would not express it , because it could lead to some misunderstanding about what the facts are about a given subject.
” He was also asked about a moment on Friday when Trump joked about the “ deep state department ” and the doctor was seen to smile ruefully then rub his brow and jaw .
It became an internet meme .
He was also asked about Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the scientific name of which is Covid-19 , as the “ Chinese virus ” .
Would he ever do the same ?

Dr Anthony Fauci, the head of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has not been fired.
That might not seem much in the way of news but Dr Fauci is the public face of the US scientific community in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, and as such must regularly appear alongside Donald Trump at the White House podium.
Across the US media, the doctor’s reaction to every Trumpian claim, exaggeration or outright lie is frantically parsed for meaning, his occasional absence from the podium subject to national debate.
In a brief interview with Science magazine published on Sunday, Dr Fauci, 79, was asked how it felt to “stand there as the representative of truth and facts [when] things are being said that aren’t true and aren’t factual”.
“I can’t jump in front of the microphone and push him down,” he said. “OK, he said it. Let’s try and get it corrected for the next time.”
That, Dr Fauci said, involved members of the White House coronavirus taskforce who, “the next time they sit down with him and talk about what he’s going to say, they will say, ‘By the way, Mr President, be careful about this and don’t say that.’”
In one notable recent example, Trump spoke from the podium on Friday about the idea that hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, might treat the coronavirus. Dr Fauci then knocked the claim down, gently.
“Many of the things out there are what I have called ‘anecdotal reports’,” he said. “The information that you’re referring to specifically is anecdotal. It was not done in a controlled clinical trial, so you really can’t make any definitive statement about it.”
He subsequently told the New York Times he did not want to “embarrass” Trump, adding: “I don’t want to act like a tough guy, like I stood up to the president. I just want to get the facts out. And instead of saying, ‘You’re wrong,’ all you need to do is continually talk about what the data are and what the evidence is.”
Fauci told Science he was “sort of exhausted. But other than that, I’m good. I mean, I’m not, to my knowledge, coronavirus infected. To my knowledge, I haven’t been fired.”
Asked how he hadn’t been fired, having corrected the president so many times, he said: “Well, that’s pretty interesting because to his [Trump’s] credit, even though we disagree on some things, he listens. He goes his own way. He has his own style. But on substantive issues, he does listen to what I say.”
Dr Fauci also described the process by which Trump prepares for briefings, which some say should not be carried live, given the president’s use of the podium to attack reporters and his political enemies.
“We sit down for an hour and a half,” Dr Fauci said, “go over all the issues on the agenda. And then we proceed from there to an anteroom right in front of the Oval Office to talk about what are going to be the messages, what are the kind of things we’re going to want to emphasize?
“Then we go in to see the president, we present to him and somebody writes a speech. Then he gets up and ad libs on his speech. And then we’re up there to try and answer questions.”
Asked how often he disagreed with the president, Dr Fauci said: “I don’t disagree in the substance. It is expressed in a way that I would not express it, because it could lead to some misunderstanding about what the facts are about a given subject.”
He was also asked about a moment on Friday when Trump joked about the “deep state department” and the doctor was seen to smile ruefully then rub his brow and jaw. It became an internet meme.
Dr Fauci declined to comment.
He was also asked about Trump’s decision to refer to the coronavirus, the scientific name of which is Covid-19, as the “Chinese virus”. Would he ever do the same?
“No.”