npr--2020-03-18--Transcript: NPR's Full Interview With Vice President Pence

Vice President Pence talked with NPR 's Steve Inskeep at the White House Tuesday about the Trump administration 's response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Pence is leading the administration 's task force in charge of responding to the threat .
Steve Inskeep : Why do n't we dive right in because I know your time is short .
Can I get you to address a parent who 's now at home with their kids and wondering about this and wondering how long this is going to last , how many cases there are going to be , how big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's on their mind .
What are your assumptions about that ?
Vice President Pence : Well , we 're continuing to study every day , data from around the world about the coronavirus .
And what we know now is that the risk of a serious illness for the average American remains low .
And in fact , looking at some of the global data , the risk to children also remains very low .
But for seniors with chronic underlying health conditions or anyone with an immunodeficiency , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And it 's one of the reasons why yesterday the president unveiled our coronavirus guidelines for every American .
And we want every American in every state and every territory to embrace these personal habits and practices over the next 15 days .
Because while younger Americans , younger families , may not be particularly at risk , the possibility that people would contract the coronavirus would , as the experts tell me , would shed virus or otherwise convey it to people in our vulnerable population is a priority .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people can go to coronavirus.gov and get these very straightforward guidelines encouraging Americans to avoid groups of 10 or more .
If you feel sick , stay home .
If you 're an older person , we encourage you to stay home as much as possible and away from other people .
And then there 's also a broad range of recommendations .
But it really is all about trying to focus on two things , Steve .
Number one , we really believe if every American will take strong steps now over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significantly impact the spread of the coronavirus in the United States .
And also , as every American puts these common sense personal habits and hygiene into practice , we 're going to protect the most vulnerable among us .
But this is my question , you have changed and I think accelerated your response to this over the last several days .
I know you 've also been modeling this .
You have to make policy assumptions .
How many people are on their way to being sick , for example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be if nothing is done .
What are your assumptions about how bad this is ?
Well , we got modeling in in the last several days , and that 's what precipitated the president 's decision .
But let me say in Dr. Tony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx , two of the leading experts in the world on infectious disease , tell us is that we are still at that point in the spread of the coronavirus in the United States , where strong action , common sense , personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for now , among every American , can significantly reduce the spread of the virus in our country .
But is that taking it from catastrophe to still a disaster ?
What is on the horizon here ?
Well , look , there will be many thousands of Americans that contract the coronavirus .
We know that .
And as we expand testing , those numbers are going to be more evident to the American public every day .
But what your listeners should know is that most Americans who contract the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms and completely recover .
Many will have no symptoms at all .
But our objective here , really , Steve , is — and the president has done this all along the way .
It was before the end of January when this coronavirus was just coming into the consciousness of the American people .
President Trump took the unprecedented step of suspending all travel from China , within designated areas of South Korea and Italy for travel advisories and began screening all passengers from all airports in those countries .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel from Europe , now the U.K. and Ireland .
And this has , we really believe , our experts tell me every day , this has bought us a significant amount of time for us to give the guidance the president published yesterday to the American people and reduce the risk of this epidemic in our country and particularly reduce the risk of serious consequences to the most vulnerable .
Do these efforts , these measures have to continue until there is a vaccine ?
We think , based upon other similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's taken place in China and in other countries , that we will essentially see what people see on television on a regular basis and on the Internet .
We will see a curve .
Something of a bell curve .
And we believe that by this spring , because the president brought together pharmaceutical companies and asked for their collaboration , we 're going to see therapeutics already being introduced into the market to give people relief — That contracted the coronavirus .
But as the president announced just a day ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in record time for the development of a vaccine .
But given the processes for approving a vaccine , putting the safety and health of America first , a vaccine will likely not be available for more than a year , closer to a year and a half .
But therapeutic medicines , relief for Americans , because our pharmaceutical industry is responding to the president 's call , we believe will be available this summer .
But do you have to continue the CDC guidelines , the shelter in place , those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Can you drop them soon ?
I think what we 're asking the American public to do right now , based on our best information , is in the next 15 days is to — But beyond that is what I 'm saying .
Avoid social gatherings of more than 10 people , avoid eating and drinking at bars and restaurants and food courts , use the drive-through and pickup and delivery for restaurants , avoid discretionary travel .
Essentially , do all of those things that our task force unveiled with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe that those measures are appropriate right now .
We think we are early enough in this epidemic that we can significantly reduce the infection rate .
But all along the way , I just promise your listeners , we 're going to continue to be driven by the science , by the experts , by the datas , and we 're going to give best practices to the American people .
Is n't the science pointing to more than 15 days though , Mr. Vice President ?
If we look at Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the science is pointing to a lot more than 15 days of this , is it not ?
Well , we understand as the president said that we will likely be dealing with the coronavirus until midsummer .
Just based upon what we know about its path .
But that point at how many people can contract the coronavirus , how severe it becomes , we really believe , and this is why we 're asking everybody to go to coronavirus.gov and put these guidelines into practice in your personal life , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We think we can really impact the size and scope of this infection rate in the United States .
Spare tens of thousands of Americans from contracting the coronavirus and ultimately save lives .
I want to try this one more time .
If you 're asking Congress for a trillion dollars in stimulus funding , it sounds like you 're expecting a lot more than 15 more days of severe economic disruption .
Oh , Steve , I do n't want your listeners to be confused at all .
The 15 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the growth and expansion of the virus in the United States .
But we fully expect that we will be dealing with the coronavirus in the United States for months .
And as the president said yesterday , according to some of our modeling , we could well be dealing with coronavirus cases in the United States well into July .
And that 's why , right after all — our focus right now is to engage every American , every American business , to engage in best practices to limit the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working with Congress as we speak to make sure that we 're supporting vital industries , infrastructure , our supply chains .
And ultimately , I share the president 's confidence .
Fundamentals in this economy are so strong that as we put the health of the American people first , as we bring the very best experts to bear and the best guidelines to bear for the American people to do everything we can to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus , we 'll get through this .
And when we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come roaring back .
There 's an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll which surveys American attitudes about the coronavirus .
And there 's an interesting finding having to do specifically with Republicans .
In February , 72 % of Republicans agreed that this was a real threat as opposed to something that was overblown .
Today , only 40 % of Republicans specifically think it is a real threat as opposed to overblown .
What do you say to those of the president 's supporters who think this is some kind of Democratic effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of hoax ?
I would say to every American that now is the time for us all to focus on exactly the kind of common sense measures that we 've been advancing , that the CDC 's been recommending now for many , many weeks , but that are specifically described in our 15 day plan to slow the virus , coronavirus.gov .
Will you tell them this is real , this is real ?
Steve , I do n't think you have to tell any American that the threat of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People understand that .
And they also understand that the threat of serious illness to the average American does remain low .
But what we 're trying to communicate is that Americans who may become exposed to the coronavirus could inadvertently expose seniors with serious underlying health conditions to the coronavirus .
And that 's why we really want to make it clear and everyone in the sound of my voice today should share with their family members and their friends on social media the president 's guidelines to 15 days to slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so much that an average healthy American has a great threat of the coronavirus .
They may contract it .
As I said , they may have flu-like symptoms .
But no American wants to inadvertently spread the coronavirus to a senior with a serious underlying health condition or any other American with an immunodeficiency .
We 're all in this together .
And with the practice of good hygiene and the social distancing the president is recommending , we 'll get through it .
As you know , Mr. Vice President , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are people on Fox News , even the president himself , who have said from time to time , this is , they 've compared it to the flu .
They 've said that Democrats are overblowing this .
Sometimes you hear that it 's a plot to get the president .
Have you , as the head of this task force , reached out to any of those prominent figures and said , `` Listen , I need you to talk about this a different way . ''
We 're speaking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are you speaking privately to people about this ?
We 're speaking to the American people every day .
I 'm speaking to governors , as the president is every single day .
Republicans and Democrats .
And , Steve , as the president said many times , we 're all in this together .
And I have to tell you , I could n't be more inspired .
I mean , to see the partnership that we 've forged with governors like Gov .
Jay Inslee of Washington .
I traveled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're in regular contact about the unique challenges Washington 's facing — Did n't the president call him a snake at the same time you were working with him ?
Gov .
Cuomo — look , people will always have political differences .
But I tell you , there is no daylight between this president , our administration and the governors of all 50 states and our territories in combating the coronavirus and to see that seamless partnership that President Trump has forged to see it being worked out every single day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey .
Now that we 're seeing the advent of many coronavirus cases in New York , more cases in New York than any other state , sadly , and the impact that that 's beginning to have in New Jersey .
But I can tell you if your listeners could see what I see every single day and the way that dedicated public health officials at the federal level , at this president 's leadership , governors and state and local health officials , and the way that businesses around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choices to put the health of their employees and the health of their customers first , they 'd be just as inspired as me .
Two questions before I let you go , Mr. Vice President .
There 's another finding in this poll that speaks to the other side of the political divide .
Sixty percent of Americans in this survey say they do n't trust the president to provide reliable information in this crisis .
Why do you think that would be ?
The American people can be confident that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning , we 're going to continue to marshal the best counsel of experts to bring forward the facts to the American people .
And they 're also going to be confident , Steve , that President Trump is going to continue without hesitation to take steps that put the health and well-being of the American people first .
People do n't seem to trust him though — I mean it really is , Dr. Fauci said this not long ago , in fact , earlier today , that when the president took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from China in January , when he took the recent step of suspending all travel from Europe , it 's given the American people space and opportunity , working with one another , working with government agencies at every level to confront the coronavirus .
I mean , honestly , I 've been told by our experts , if the president had n't taken the step of suspending all travel from China , we would likely look very much in this country like Europe does today .
This is the strange thing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this survey .
They trust public health professionals .
And yet a big majority did n't trust the president .
Well , the American people can trust that President Trump , his vice president , and this extraordinary White House coronavirus task force is going to continue to bring all the facts forward .
We 're going to listen to the counsel of actually the best medical experts in the world .
And as we did with the 15 days to slow the spread yesterday , we 're going to continue to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do their part .
And that 's the thing , Steve .
Every American has a role to play in preventing a widening spread of the coronavirus across this country .
And we 're really calling on everyone to go to coronavirus.gov , get all the information that you need .
And you 're going to see that there 's some tough recommendations and guidelines there .
I mean , avoiding groups of more than 10 people specifically over the next 15 days .
But I promise you , listening to Dr. Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top experts in the world are telling us because of the strong steps President Trump has taken from early on this year , we have an opportunity to significantly reduce the spread of the coronavirus in the United States .
And that 'll continue to be our focus .
But it 's going to take all of us to do it .
I have a personal question to conclude with Mr. Vice President .
I speak sometimes to people who have worked with you , who respect you greatly , who know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before important meetings , you pray .
Do you pray before meetings of the coronavirus task force ?
And if so , what have you been praying for ?
We pray for the American people and for all the people that are serving them every day .
The health care workers that are on the frontlines coming alongside people that are being impacted by this coronavirus .
And as the president did when he called for a national day of prayer this last Sunday , we know that the prayer of faithful people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through challenging times .
And that along with the energetic efforts of government officials , the full participation of the American people , that we 'll get through this and we 'll come out stronger and better than ever before .
Does your faith in some way inform the way that you think about this particular crisis in which there is so much at risk , so much death , so much potential destruction ?
We pray for wisdom .
We pray to offer good counsel to the president of the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having spent the last several weeks since the president asked me to lead the White House coronavirus task force , I could n't be more proud of the team that President Trump has assembled here .
The selflessness and dedication and expertise of the men and women that are working on every aspect of our nation 's response .
And the people that are working at the state level , our governors , our public health officials , the response of businesses large and small across this country .
It really is inspiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans , we 'll get through this .
Mr. Vice President , thank you very much .

Transcript Of NPR's Full Interview With Vice President Pence
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
Vice President Pence talked with NPR's Steve Inskeep at the White House Tuesday about the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic. Pence is leading the administration's task force in charge of responding to the threat.
Steve Inskeep: Why don't we dive right in because I know your time is short. Can I get you to address a parent who's now at home with their kids and wondering about this and wondering how long this is going to last, how many cases there are going to be, how big is it. That's the question that's on their mind. What are your assumptions about that?
Vice President Pence: Well, we're continuing to study every day, data from around the world about the coronavirus. And what we know now is that the risk of a serious illness for the average American remains low. And in fact, looking at some of the global data, the risk to children also remains very low.
But for seniors with chronic underlying health conditions or anyone with an immunodeficiency, there is a real threat of serious health outcomes. And it's one of the reasons why yesterday the president unveiled our coronavirus guidelines for every American. And we want every American in every state and every territory to embrace these personal habits and practices over the next 15 days. Because while younger Americans, younger families, may not be particularly at risk, the possibility that people would contract the coronavirus would, as the experts tell me, would shed virus or otherwise convey it to people in our vulnerable population is a priority.
So we're just encouraging every American — people can go to coronavirus.gov and get these very straightforward guidelines encouraging Americans to avoid groups of 10 or more. If you feel sick, stay home. If you're an older person, we encourage you to stay home as much as possible and away from other people. And then there's also a broad range of recommendations.
But it really is all about trying to focus on two things, Steve. Number one, we really believe if every American will take strong steps now over the next 15 days that we can significantly impact the spread of the coronavirus in the United States. And also, as every American puts these common sense personal habits and hygiene into practice, we're going to protect the most vulnerable among us.
But this is my question, you have changed and I think accelerated your response to this over the last several days. I know you've also been modeling this. You have to make policy assumptions. How many people are on their way to being sick, for example, how serious the damage to the economy will be if nothing is done. What are your assumptions about how bad this is?
Well, we got modeling in in the last several days, and that's what precipitated the president's decision. But let me say in Dr. Tony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, two of the leading experts in the world on infectious disease, tell us is that we are still at that point in the spread of the coronavirus in the United States, where strong action, common sense, personal hygiene and what they call social distancing for now, among every American, can significantly reduce the spread of the virus in our country.
But is that taking it from catastrophe to still a disaster? What is on the horizon here?
Well, look, there will be many thousands of Americans that contract the coronavirus. We know that. And as we expand testing, those numbers are going to be more evident to the American public every day. But what your listeners should know is that most Americans who contract the coronavirus will either have mild to serious flu-like symptoms and completely recover. Many will have no symptoms at all.
I respect that —
But our objective here, really, Steve, is — and the president has done this all along the way. It was before the end of January when this coronavirus was just coming into the consciousness of the American people. President Trump took the unprecedented step of suspending all travel from China, within designated areas of South Korea and Italy for travel advisories and began screening all passengers from all airports in those countries. The president last week took action to suspend travel from Europe, now the U.K. and Ireland. And this has, we really believe, our experts tell me every day, this has bought us a significant amount of time for us to give the guidance the president published yesterday to the American people and reduce the risk of this epidemic in our country and particularly reduce the risk of serious consequences to the most vulnerable.
Do these efforts, these measures have to continue until there is a vaccine?
We think, based upon other similar viruses and what we know of what's taken place in China and in other countries, that we will essentially see what people see on television on a regular basis and on the Internet. We will see a curve. Something of a bell curve. And we believe that by this spring, because the president brought together pharmaceutical companies and asked for their collaboration, we're going to see therapeutics already being introduced into the market to give people relief —
Treatment as opposed to —
That contracted the coronavirus. But as the president announced just a day ago, we are already in clinical trials in record time for the development of a vaccine. But given the processes for approving a vaccine, putting the safety and health of America first, a vaccine will likely not be available for more than a year, closer to a year and a half. But therapeutic medicines, relief for Americans, because our pharmaceutical industry is responding to the president's call, we believe will be available this summer.
But do you have to continue the CDC guidelines, the shelter in place, those things until you have a vaccine? Can you drop them soon?
I think what we're asking the American public to do right now, based on our best information, is in the next 15 days is to —
But beyond that is what I'm saying.
Avoid social gatherings of more than 10 people, avoid eating and drinking at bars and restaurants and food courts, use the drive-through and pickup and delivery for restaurants, avoid discretionary travel.
Essentially, do all of those things that our task force unveiled with the president's endorsement yesterday. And we believe that those measures are appropriate right now. We think we are early enough in this epidemic that we can significantly reduce the infection rate. But all along the way, I just promise your listeners, we're going to continue to be driven by the science, by the experts, by the datas, and we're going to give best practices to the American people.
Isn't the science pointing to more than 15 days though, Mr. Vice President? If we look at Italy, if we look at China, the science is pointing to a lot more than 15 days of this, is it not?
Well, we understand as the president said that we will likely be dealing with the coronavirus until midsummer. Just based upon what we know about its path. But that point at how many people can contract the coronavirus, how severe it becomes, we really believe, and this is why we're asking everybody to go to coronavirus.gov and put these guidelines into practice in your personal life, in your family, in your business. We think we can really impact the size and scope of this infection rate in the United States. Spare tens of thousands of Americans from contracting the coronavirus and ultimately save lives.
I want to try this one more time. If you're asking Congress for a trillion dollars in stimulus funding, it sounds like you're expecting a lot more than 15 more days of severe economic disruption.
Oh, Steve, I don't want your listeners to be confused at all. The 15 days is about measures we believe can impact the growth and expansion of the virus in the United States. But we fully expect that we will be dealing with the coronavirus in the United States for months. And as the president said yesterday, according to some of our modeling, we could well be dealing with coronavirus cases in the United States well into July.
And that's why, right after all — our focus right now is to engage every American, every American business, to engage in best practices to limit the spread of the coronavirus. And we're working with Congress as we speak to make sure that we're supporting vital industries, infrastructure, our supply chains.
And ultimately, I share the president's confidence. Fundamentals in this economy are so strong that as we put the health of the American people first, as we bring the very best experts to bear and the best guidelines to bear for the American people to do everything we can to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, we'll get through this. And when we do, Steve, this economy is going to come roaring back.
There's an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll which surveys American attitudes about the coronavirus. And there's an interesting finding having to do specifically with Republicans. In February, 72% of Republicans agreed that this was a real threat as opposed to something that was overblown. Today, only 40% of Republicans specifically think it is a real threat as opposed to overblown. What do you say to those of the president's supporters who think this is some kind of Democratic effort to get the president, or some kind of hoax?
I would say to every American that now is the time for us all to focus on exactly the kind of common sense measures that we've been advancing, that the CDC's been recommending now for many, many weeks, but that are specifically described in our 15 day plan to slow the virus, coronavirus.gov.
Will you tell them this is real, this is real?
Steve, I don't think you have to tell any American that the threat of the coronavirus to our population is real. People understand that. And they also understand that the threat of serious illness to the average American does remain low. But what we're trying to communicate is that Americans who may become exposed to the coronavirus could inadvertently expose seniors with serious underlying health conditions to the coronavirus.
And that's why we really want to make it clear and everyone in the sound of my voice today should share with their family members and their friends on social media the president's guidelines to 15 days to slow the spread. Because it's not so much that an average healthy American has a great threat of the coronavirus. They may contract it. As I said, they may have flu-like symptoms. But no American wants to inadvertently spread the coronavirus to a senior with a serious underlying health condition or any other American with an immunodeficiency. We're all in this together. And with the practice of good hygiene and the social distancing the president is recommending, we'll get through it.
As you know, Mr. Vice President, there are conservative media figures, there are people on Fox News, even the president himself, who have said from time to time, this is, they've compared it to the flu. They've said that Democrats are overblowing this. Sometimes you hear that it's a plot to get the president. Have you, as the head of this task force, reached out to any of those prominent figures and said, "Listen, I need you to talk about this a different way."
We're speaking to the American people every day.
But are you speaking privately to people about this?
We're speaking to the American people every day. I'm speaking to governors, as the president is every single day. Republicans and Democrats. And, Steve, as the president said many times, we're all in this together. And I have to tell you, I couldn't be more inspired. I mean, to see the partnership that we've forged with governors like Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington. I traveled to Washington myself not long ago. We're in regular contact about the unique challenges Washington's facing —
Didn't the president call him a snake at the same time you were working with him?
Gov. Cuomo — look, people will always have political differences. But I tell you, there is no daylight between this president, our administration and the governors of all 50 states and our territories in combating the coronavirus and to see that seamless partnership that President Trump has forged to see it being worked out every single day. I spoke today to the governor of New Jersey. Now that we're seeing the advent of many coronavirus cases in New York, more cases in New York than any other state, sadly, and the impact that that's beginning to have in New Jersey.
But I can tell you if your listeners could see what I see every single day and the way that dedicated public health officials at the federal level, at this president's leadership, governors and state and local health officials, and the way that businesses around the country are stepping up, making hard choices to put the health of their employees and the health of their customers first, they'd be just as inspired as me.
Two questions before I let you go, Mr. Vice President. There's another finding in this poll that speaks to the other side of the political divide. Sixty percent of Americans in this survey say they don't trust the president to provide reliable information in this crisis. Why do you think that would be?
The American people can be confident that, as we've done from the very beginning, we're going to continue to marshal the best counsel of experts to bring forward the facts to the American people. And they're also going to be confident, Steve, that President Trump is going to continue without hesitation to take steps that put the health and well-being of the American people first.
People don't seem to trust him though —
I mean it really is, Dr. Fauci said this not long ago, in fact, earlier today, that when the president took the unprecedented step of suspending all travel from China in January, when he took the recent step of suspending all travel from Europe, it's given the American people space and opportunity, working with one another, working with government agencies at every level to confront the coronavirus.
I mean, honestly, I've been told by our experts, if the president hadn't taken the step of suspending all travel from China, we would likely look very much in this country like Europe does today.
This is the strange thing, though. People trust Dr. Fauci in this survey. They trust public health professionals. And yet a big majority didn't trust the president.
Well, the American people can trust that President Trump, his vice president, and this extraordinary White House coronavirus task force is going to continue to bring all the facts forward. We're going to listen to the counsel of actually the best medical experts in the world. And as we did with the 15 days to slow the spread yesterday, we're going to continue to give every American the tools they need to do their part.
And that's the thing, Steve. Every American has a role to play in preventing a widening spread of the coronavirus across this country. And we're really calling on everyone to go to coronavirus.gov, get all the information that you need. And you're going to see that there's some tough recommendations and guidelines there. I mean, avoiding groups of more than 10 people specifically over the next 15 days. But I promise you, listening to Dr. Fauci, listening to Dr. Deborah Birx, the top experts in the world are telling us because of the strong steps President Trump has taken from early on this year, we have an opportunity to significantly reduce the spread of the coronavirus in the United States. And that'll continue to be our focus. But it's going to take all of us to do it.
I have a personal question to conclude with Mr. Vice President. I speak sometimes to people who have worked with you, who respect you greatly, who know you well. And they say that before important meetings, you pray. Do you pray before meetings of the coronavirus task force? And if so, what have you been praying for?
We pray for the American people and for all the people that are serving them every day. The health care workers that are on the frontlines coming alongside people that are being impacted by this coronavirus. And as the president did when he called for a national day of prayer this last Sunday, we know that the prayer of faithful people across this country has always brought us through challenging times. And that along with the energetic efforts of government officials, the full participation of the American people, that we'll get through this and we'll come out stronger and better than ever before.
Does your faith in some way inform the way that you think about this particular crisis in which there is so much at risk, so much death, so much potential destruction?
We pray for wisdom. We pray to offer good counsel to the president of the United States. And as I said before, having spent the last several weeks since the president asked me to lead the White House coronavirus task force, I couldn't be more proud of the team that President Trump has assembled here. The selflessness and dedication and expertise of the men and women that are working on every aspect of our nation's response. And the people that are working at the state level, our governors, our public health officials, the response of businesses large and small across this country. It really is inspiring. And I just know that as Americans, we'll get through this.
Mr. Vice President, thank you very much.
Thank you, Steve.


npr--2020-03-18--5 Takeaways: Joe Biden Closer To Nomination As Coronavirus Changes Everything

5 Takeaways : Joe Biden Closer To Nomination As Coronavirus Changes Everything In what have turned out to be the last presidential primary elections in the month of March because of the novel coronavirus , Joe Biden swept all three states Tuesday by big margins and appears well on his way to being the Democratic nominee .
The former vice president won Florida by almost 40 points , Illinois by more than 20 and Arizona by double-digits , too .
It was a remarkable night that adds to Biden 's delegate lead that , at this point and because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insurmountable .
Here are five takeaways from a big election night and what it means going forward : 1 .
Biden is on track to be the Democratic nominee Biden expanded his delegate lead and is now ahead of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 1,147 to 861 .
That 286-delegate lead is very difficult to overcome because there are no winner-take-all primaries , delegates are apportioned according to the vote .
To put that lead into perspective , Biden needs 47 % of all remaining delegates to become the nominee ; Sanders needs 63 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the states ahead favor Biden , so it 's hard to see how Sanders not only wins in many of those places , but wins in all of them overwhelmingly .
During his speech Tuesday night , Biden reached out to Sanders supporters , many of whom have been highly skeptical of the former vice president .
`` Sen. Sanders and I may disagree on tactics , but we share a common vision , '' Biden said , rattling off affordable health care , income inequality and climate change as shared issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders and his supporters , '' Biden said , `` have brought remarkable passion and tenacity to these issues and , together , they have shifted the fundamental conversation in the country .
And let me say , especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders : I hear you .
I know what is at stake .
And I know what we have to do . ''
It 's all part of an effort from Biden to win over voters to his political left .
He co-opted Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren 's bankruptcy plan and pledged at Sunday 's debate to put a woman on the ticket .
But it 's a challenge for Biden to win over Sanders ' coalition .
In two Democratic presidential nomination contests young voters have been overwhelmingly with Sanders .
They were not enthusiastic about the prospect of Hillary Clinton as the nominee in 2016 , and they have not been warm to Biden .
Biden will need every voter he can get , given the last presidential election was decided by fewer than 80,000 votes spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The coronavirus pandemic has changed everything , consuming daily life and the campaign .
Voters Tuesday said they were worried about it — and voters in all three states said they would trust Biden more than Sanders to handle a crisis overwhelmingly , according to exit polls .
The latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll showed most Americans do n't trust the information coming from the federal government or President Trump .
Trump has an opportunity to try to turn that around now that he appears to be taking the pandemic more seriously .
Leadership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage .
And Biden clearly has the trust of Democratic voters as a leader .
4 .
Women have propelled Biden over the last few weeks and did so again No matter how many times it 's said , it 's worth saying again : Women are critical to Democratic politics .
They fueled the resistance to Trump , they propelled Democrats to take back the House and they have been crucial to Biden getting to this point in the Democratic nomination race .
Tuesday was no different .
Biden won women by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states — in Arizona , he won them by 7 points ; in Florida , it was 8 ; and Illinois , it was a whopping 26 points .
The support of women , in particular suburban women , is crucial not just in winning the Democratic nomination , but also the general election .
Sanders won twice as many Latino votes as Biden in the California primary but did not repeat that dominance Tuesday .
Biden , in fact , won a majority of Latinos in Florida and split them with Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of the Latinos in the West and Southwest .
In Florida , though , significant shares of the Latino population are of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent .
Many Cuban Americans , in particular , are wary of Sanders ' equivocal statements about Cuba 's communist government .

5 Takeaways: Joe Biden Closer To Nomination As Coronavirus Changes Everything
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images
In what have turned out to be the last presidential primary elections in the month of March because of the novel coronavirus, Joe Biden swept all three states Tuesday by big margins and appears well on his way to being the Democratic nominee.
The former vice president won Florida by almost 40 points, Illinois by more than 20 and Arizona by double-digits, too.
It was a remarkable night that adds to Biden's delegate lead that, at this point and because of how Democrats allocate their delegates, looks insurmountable.
Here are five takeaways from a big election night and what it means going forward:
1. Biden is on track to be the Democratic nominee
Biden expanded his delegate lead and is now ahead of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 1,147 to 861. That 286-delegate lead is very difficult to overcome because there are no winner-take-all primaries, delegates are apportioned according to the vote.
To put that lead into perspective, Biden needs 47% of all remaining delegates to become the nominee; Sanders needs 63%. What's more, many of the states ahead favor Biden, so it's hard to see how Sanders not only wins in many of those places, but wins in all of them overwhelmingly.
2. Biden needs Sanders supporters
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lynne Sladky/AP Lynne Sladky/AP
During his speech Tuesday night, Biden reached out to Sanders supporters, many of whom have been highly skeptical of the former vice president.
"Sen. Sanders and I may disagree on tactics, but we share a common vision," Biden said, rattling off affordable health care, income inequality and climate change as shared issues they want to solve.
"Sen. Sanders and his supporters," Biden said, "have brought remarkable passion and tenacity to these issues and, together, they have shifted the fundamental conversation in the country. And let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders: I hear you. I know what is at stake. And I know what we have to do."
It's all part of an effort from Biden to win over voters to his political left. He co-opted Sanders' free-tuition-at-public-colleges plan, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren's bankruptcy plan and pledged at Sunday's debate to put a woman on the ticket.
But it's a challenge for Biden to win over Sanders' coalition. In two Democratic presidential nomination contests young voters have been overwhelmingly with Sanders. They were not enthusiastic about the prospect of Hillary Clinton as the nominee in 2016, and they have not been warm to Biden.
Biden will need every voter he can get, given the last presidential election was decided by fewer than 80,000 votes spread across Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
3. Coronavirus means leadership matters
The coronavirus pandemic has changed everything, consuming daily life and the campaign. Voters Tuesday said they were worried about it — and voters in all three states said they would trust Biden more than Sanders to handle a crisis overwhelmingly, according to exit polls.
The latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll showed most Americans don't trust the information coming from the federal government or President Trump. Trump has an opportunity to try to turn that around now that he appears to be taking the pandemic more seriously.
Leadership is on the ballot, taking center stage. And Biden clearly has the trust of Democratic voters as a leader.
4. Women have propelled Biden over the last few weeks and did so again
No matter how many times it's said, it's worth saying again: Women are critical to Democratic politics. They fueled the resistance to Trump, they propelled Democrats to take back the House and they have been crucial to Biden getting to this point in the Democratic nomination race.
Tuesday was no different. Biden won women by wider margins than men in all three states — in Arizona, he won them by 7 points; in Florida, it was 8; and Illinois, it was a whopping 26 points.
The support of women, in particular suburban women, is crucial not just in winning the Democratic nomination, but also the general election.
5. Sanders' Latino support erodes
Sanders won twice as many Latino votes as Biden in the California primary but did not repeat that dominance Tuesday.
Biden, in fact, won a majority of Latinos in Florida and split them with Sanders in Arizona.
Mexican Americans make up most of the Latinos in the West and Southwest. In Florida, though, significant shares of the Latino population are of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent. Many Cuban Americans, in particular, are wary of Sanders' equivocal statements about Cuba's communist government.


npr--2020-03-18--'You Don't Expect It To Happen To You': When Your Job Is Suddenly Gone

'You Do n't Expect It To Happen To You ' : When Your Job Is Suddenly Gone When Kary Wayson walked through empty Seattle streets last week , she did n't realize she was heading to her last shift at work .
`` It seemed like all of a sudden Seattle itself took a nosedive , '' she says .
Her city had become an epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak .
Parking lots , typically jammed , were deserted .
Shop fronts had handwritten `` closed '' signs on their windows .
The restaurant where Wayson had been a waitress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ menu and cutting back hours .
Offices , theaters and schools closed .
Residents holed up at home .
Cruise passengers and visitors stopped coming .
The restaurant could n't keep absorbing the losses .
Wayson became one of many workers around the country — in tourism , food , events , arts , education and many others — thrown into a surreal limbo .
Jobless , but maybe temporarily .
The new reality for many of them : Applying for unemployment , dipping into savings , searching for new work in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get their old jobs back — but when or if ?
`` Getting laid off is crazy enough on its own but in addition to everything that 's going on in the world , it 's just like , man , this is insane , '' says Natalie Roblin , who also lost her job last week .
She worked in marketing in New Orleans , for a company that relies both on travel and large events for business .
Canceled music tours , shows , conferences and other live events have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage , staff and service these gatherings .
And , day by day , more restrictions continue to kick in .
Federal officials recommend avoiding groups bigger than 10 people .
Several states are forcing bars , restaurants and event venues to close .
The Bay Area was ordered to shelter in place , keeping only essential businesses open .
Nearly one in five households have already experienced a layoff or a reduction in work hours , according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll .
Analysts say millions of jobs may ultimately be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share their stories of layoffs and pay cuts , about 600 responded within four days .
Perla Pimentel was an event coordinator in Orlando who suddenly found herself with no events to coordinate .
`` We could tell that the company was hurting because we were watching all of our clients cancel , '' she says .
`` It 's a little bit of — you do n't really expect it to happen to you . ''
Pimentel says her layoff was amicable , with bosses saying they 'd be happy to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ca n't bank on that possibility , whenever it might happen .
She excused herself from the conference room , hid in her car for a cry and called her father .
He told her not to panic , they 'll get through it .
Pimentel gave herself a long weekend to breathe and process before hitting her budget spreadsheets to look for some cuts .
Similar math is playing out in Neftali Dubon 's household .
He 's a truck driver in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus quarantines idling Chinese factories , drivers like Dubon have been losing work .
`` I 've never seen what I 'm seeing now , '' he says .
`` Places where we would have stacks of containers , it 's just now empty . ''
Dubon is an owner-operator .
That means he 's considered his own boss .
So he 's technically still employed and does n't qualify for government assistance .
He gets paid for each load he picks up from the port , and he says he needs at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per day to make a living .
He 's now doing one or two .
Meanwhile , he 's still paying down a loan on his trucking rig — which he bought on his personal credit — as well as insurance and storage fees .
The total : more than $ 2,000 .
On Sunday , Wayson , the waitress in Seattle , spent two hours on the phone with the unemployment office .
She 'd made some mistake on her application and was live-messaging her experience to her former coworkers on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're all sort of in our pajamas , glued to our computers and phones , trying to figure out what to do , '' Wayson says .
Pimentel , in Florida , discovered another , unexpected side-effect of unemployment : more time with an overeager housemate — her grandmother .
`` She loves it ! ''
Pimentel says with a laugh .
`` I go in the kitchen , I eat breakfast , she 's like , 'Sit down , let 's hang out .
What are you doing later today ? '
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for unemployment , calling to renegotiate her student loan and maybe , just maybe , landing a new job .
NPR 's Barclay Walsh and Stephanie Yin from NPR member station WHYY contributed to this report .

'You Don't Really Expect It To Happen To You': When Your Job Is Suddenly Gone
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mario Tama/Getty Images Mario Tama/Getty Images
When Kary Wayson walked through empty Seattle streets last week, she didn't realize she was heading to her last shift at work.
"It seemed like all of a sudden Seattle itself took a nosedive," she says.
Her city had become an epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. Parking lots, typically jammed, were deserted. Shop fronts had handwritten "Closed" signs on their windows.
The restaurant where Wayson had been a waitress for almost 16 years tried limiting the menu and cutting back hours.
Seemingly overnight, the unexpected happened: Offices, theaters and schools closed. Residents holed up at home. Cruise passengers and visitors stopped coming.
The restaurant couldn't keep absorbing the losses. Wayson became one of many workers around the U.S. — in tourism, food, events, arts, education and many others — thrown into a surreal limbo. Jobless, but maybe temporarily.
The new reality for many of them: applying for unemployment benefits, dipping into savings, searching for new work in the middle of a pandemic.
Hoping perhaps to get their old jobs back — but when or if?
Nobody knows.
toggle caption Brian Weiss/Courtesy of Kary Wayson
"Getting laid off is crazy enough on its own, but in addition to everything that's going on in the world, it's just like, man, this is insane," says Natalie Roblin, who also lost her job last week.
She worked in marketing in New Orleans for a company that relies on both travel and large events for business. Canceled music tours, shows, conferences and other live events have decimated hundreds of freelancers and full-timers who stage, staff and service these gatherings.
And day by day, more restrictions continue to kick in. Federal officials recommend avoiding groups bigger than 10 people. Several states are forcing bars, restaurants and event venues to close. The Bay Area was ordered to shelter in place, keeping only essential businesses open.
Nearly 1 in 5 households has already experienced a layoff or a reduction in work hours, according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll. Analysts say millions of jobs may ultimately be affected. When NPR asked people to share their stories of layoffs and pay cuts, about 600 responded within four days.
Perla Pimentel was an event coordinator in Orlando, Fla., who suddenly found herself with no events to coordinate.
"We could tell that the company was hurting because we were watching all of our clients cancel," she says. "It's a little bit of — you don't really expect it to happen to you."
Pimentel says her layoff was amicable, with her bosses saying they'd be happy to have her back when things normalize. But she can't bank on that possibility, whenever it might happen.
She excused herself from the conference room, hid in her car for a cry and called her father. He told her not to panic — they'll get through it. Pimentel gave herself a long weekend to breathe and process before hitting her budget spreadsheets to look for some cuts.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Neftali and Cynthia Dubon Courtesy of Neftali and Cynthia Dubon
Similar math is playing out in Neftali Dubon's household. He's a truck driver at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which are shipping hubs for Chinese imports. With coronavirus quarantines idling Chinese factories, drivers like Dubon have been losing work.
"I've never seen what I'm seeing now," he says. "Places where we would have stacks of containers, it's just now empty."
Dubon is an owner-operator. That means he's considered his own boss. So he's technically still employed and doesn't qualify for government assistance. He gets paid for each load he picks up from the ports, and he says he needs at least five or six runs like that per day to make a living. He's now doing one or two.
Meanwhile, he's still paying down a loan on his trucking rig — which he bought on his personal credit — as well as paying insurance and storage fees. The total: more than $2,000 per month.
On Sunday, Wayson, the waitress in Seattle, spent two hours on the phone with the unemployment office. She'd made some mistake on her application and was live-messaging her experience to her former co-workers on a group text.
"I think we're all sort of in our pajamas, glued to our computers and phones, trying to figure out what to do," Wayson says.
Pimentel, in Florida, discovered an unexpected side effect of unemployment: more time with an overeager housemate — her grandmother.
"She loves it!" Pimentel says with a laugh. "I go in the kitchen. I eat breakfast. She's like, 'Sit down — let's hang out. What are you doing later today?' "
What she's doing is filing for unemployment, calling to renegotiate her student loan and maybe, just maybe, landing a new job.
NPR's Barclay Walsh and Stephanie Yin from NPR member station WHYY contributed to this report.


npr--2020-03-18--Can Local Governments Enforce Quarantines? Should They?

Can Local Governments Enforce Quarantines ?
Should They ?
As states confirm more cases of the new coronavirus disease , local health officials are requesting that people who have tested positive and those who 've come in close contact with them isolate themselves at home for 14 days .
Many states have laws that give health department directors the authority to enforce a quarantine on individuals who pose a threat to public health .
And if people defy a court-ordered quarantine , they could face fines and criminal charges .
Health officials rarely need a court order to require people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning that the father of a 20-year-old woman who tested positive for COVID-19 took his younger daughter to a high school dance , St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said the county could seek one .
`` The county health directors informed him today that he must remain in his home or they will issue a formal quarantine to require him and the rest of his family to stay in their home by the force of law , '' Page said at a March 8 press conference .
`` We 're currently reviewing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national guidelines on when to implement a quarantine . ''
If a person defies a court order , steps could be taken to contain that person , said Spring Schmidt , co-director of the St. Louis County Department of Health .
`` If they are symptomatic , they can be placed into an isolation unit at a hospital and they can also be jailed and placed in an isolation unit , '' Schmidt said at a March 10 meeting with the St. Louis County Council .
When a 53-year-old Kentucky man who tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state officials there obtained a court order to force him to isolate himself .
They also posted a law enforcement officer outside the man 's home .
`` It 's a step that I hope I never had to take but we ca n't allow one person who we know has this virus to refuse to protect their neighbors , '' Kentucky Gov .
Andy Beshear said at a March 14 press conference .
Putting an uncooperative individual in a hospital or a prison could waste resources , such as hospital beds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wendy Parmet , a law professor at Northeastern University in Boston .
`` I get the motivation or the feeling that if someone has violated this quarantine , it 's terrible and they 're endangering the community , '' Parmet said .
`` But we 've got to be smart about it . ''
Imprisoning someone who has symptoms of the disease also could spread the disease to other inmates , as prisons are highly prone to infection , she said .
Voluntary quarantine requests also foster stronger trust between the government and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a law professor at Boston University .
`` You get more people who feel more in control and that they are deciding to stay home , rather than feeling coerced or forced to , '' Ulrich said .
Health policy researchers have strongly recommended that state governments update their quarantine policies to protect individual rights .
For example , states were not prepared to help quarantined people during the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak , he said .
`` There were stories of students being trapped in their 300-square-foot studio apartment with trash piling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Ulrich said .
`` You really have to create an environment that encourages people to stay home . ''
Georgetown University researchers found in 2018 that only 20 % of states in the country have laws that protect people from losing employment during a medical quarantine .
`` Even if you feel like you should stay home , if you need to pay the bills and you 're living paycheck to paycheck , it makes it more difficult to make that voluntary self-sacrificing decision , '' Ulrich said .
Conflicting messages about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could further complicate a person 's willingness to self-quarantine , said Parmet , the Northeastern University law professor .

Can Local Governments Enforce Quarantines? Should They?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
As states confirm more cases of the new coronavirus disease, local health officials are requesting that people who have tested positive and those who've come in close contact with them isolate themselves at home for 14 days.
Many states have laws that give health department directors the authority to enforce a quarantine on individuals who pose a threat to public health. And if people defy a court-ordered quarantine, they could face fines and criminal charges.
Health officials rarely need a court order to require people to remain at home. But after learning that the father of a 20-year-old woman who tested positive for COVID-19 took his younger daughter to a high school dance, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said the county could seek one.
"The county health directors informed him today that he must remain in his home or they will issue a formal quarantine to require him and the rest of his family to stay in their home by the force of law," Page said at a March 8 press conference. "We're currently reviewing our quarantine policy. There are no national guidelines on when to implement a quarantine."
If a person defies a court order, steps could be taken to contain that person, said Spring Schmidt, co-director of the St. Louis County Department of Health.
"If they are symptomatic, they can be placed into an isolation unit at a hospital and they can also be jailed and placed in an isolation unit," Schmidt said at a March 10 meeting with the St. Louis County Council.
When a 53-year-old Kentucky man who tested positive for COVID-19 refused to self-isolate, state officials there obtained a court order to force him to isolate himself. They also posted a law enforcement officer outside the man's home.
"It's a step that I hope I never had to take but we can't allow one person who we know has this virus to refuse to protect their neighbors," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said at a March 14 press conference.
Putting an uncooperative individual in a hospital or a prison could waste resources, such as hospital beds, that could help other people, said Wendy Parmet, a law professor at Northeastern University in Boston.
"I get the motivation or the feeling that if someone has violated this quarantine, it's terrible and they're endangering the community," Parmet said. "But we've got to be smart about it."
Imprisoning someone who has symptoms of the disease also could spread the disease to other inmates, as prisons are highly prone to infection, she said.
Voluntary quarantine requests also foster stronger trust between the government and the public, said Michael Ulrich, a law professor at Boston University.
"You get more people who feel more in control and that they are deciding to stay home, rather than feeling coerced or forced to," Ulrich said.
Health policy researchers have strongly recommended that state governments update their quarantine policies to protect individual rights. For example, states were not prepared to help quarantined people during the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak, he said.
Mental Health How Are Wuhan Residents Coping Mentally After 7 Weeks Of Quarantine? How Are Wuhan Residents Coping Mentally After 7 Weeks Of Quarantine? Listen · 3:34 3:34
"There were stories of students being trapped in their 300-square-foot studio apartment with trash piling up and running out of food," Ulrich said. "You really have to create an environment that encourages people to stay home."
Georgetown University researchers found in 2018 that only 20% of states in the country have laws that protect people from losing employment during a medical quarantine.
"Even if you feel like you should stay home, if you need to pay the bills and you're living paycheck to paycheck, it makes it more difficult to make that voluntary self-sacrificing decision," Ulrich said.
Conflicting messages about the health risks posed by the disease could further complicate a person's willingness to self-quarantine, said Parmet, the Northeastern University law professor.


npr--2020-03-17--Pence Warns Coronavirus Outbreak Could Last 'Well Into July'

Pence Warns Coronavirus Outbreak Could Last 'Well Into July' With the Trump administration hoping to inject as much as $ 1 trillion into the economy to deal with the mounting coronavirus crisis , Vice President Pence warned on Tuesday that disruptions from the outbreak could continue until at least midsummer .
Speaking one day after President Trump unveiled sweeping new guidelines advising Americans to avoid bars , restaurants and gatherings of more than 10 people for 15 days , the vice president said the administration is bracing for a severe economic disruption .
`` The 15 days is about measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expansion of the virus in the United States , '' Pence told NPR 's Steve Inskeep in an interview at the White House .
`` But we fully expect that we will be dealing with the coronavirus in the United States for months ... according to some of our modeling , we could well be dealing with coronavirus cases in the United States well into July . ''
Pence 's remarks came as the administration announced that it will call on Congress to approve a massive new economic stimulus package that would send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1 trillion price tag under discussion would eclipse the $ 787 billion stimulus package that Congress passed in 2009 at the height of the financial crisis .
While the vice president would not go into detail about how bad the administration expects the crisis to grow , he said `` many thousands '' of Americans will contract the illness .
But , he said , `` We are still at that point in the spread of the coronavirus in the United States where strong action , common sense , personal hygiene and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , among every American , can significantly reduce the spread of the virus . ''
On Monday , a report by an epidemic modeling group at Imperial College London said that until a vaccine was available — which could take as long as 18 months , according to Pence — drastic restrictions on work , school and social gatherings would be needed .
The report said that even with relatively modest restrictions on social activity , deaths could top 1 million .
The researchers found that if the U.S. took no action whatsoever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as many as 2.2 million Americans would die .
With the number of cases continuing to climb , Americans appear to be losing confidence in the federal government 's handling of the crisis .
An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released on Tuesday found that only 46 % of Americans feel the government is doing enough to prevent the spread of the coronavirus , down from 61 % in February .
And at a time when confidence in public officials is considered critical to coordinating a response to the outbreak , the poll found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
Sixty percent of Americans said they had not very much or no trust at all in what they are hearing from the president .
Only 37 % said they had a good amount or a great deal of trust .
That mistrust has been driven , at least in part , by comments by the president seeming to downplay the severity of the coronavirus .
He has compared the virus to the flu , even though the administration 's own experts have called it `` 10 times more lethal than regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February `` One day — it 's like a miracle — it will disappear '' ; and as recently as March 7 said he was `` not concerned at all '' when asked about the virus spreading closer to Washington and the White House .
The president 's tone has since shifted .
On Monday , he described the coronavirus as `` an invisible enemy '' and conceded , it 's `` not under control for any place in the world . ''
The mixed messaging has apparently contributed to a deep partisan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Despite 6,300 cases and more than 100 deaths nationwide as of Tuesday , only 56 % of Americans consider the coronavirus `` a real threat , '' down 10 percentage points from February .
Pollsters found that shift being driven by Republicans — 40 % of whom now call the coronavirus a real threat , down from 72 % in February .
Conversely , more than 3 in 4 Democrats now say the outbreak is a real threat .
Asked about the divide , Pence said , `` I do n't think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the threat of the coronavirus to our population is real .
People understand that .
And they also understand that the threat of serious illness to the average American does remain low . ''
Those who are most at risk for getting very sick , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , are older people and those with serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease , diabetes or lung disease .
The vice president also defended the administration 's response to the crisis , saying that had President Trump not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` We would likely look very much in this country like Europe does today . ''
The more serious threat , Pence said , `` is that Americans who may become exposed to the coronavirus could inadvertently expose seniors with serious underlying health conditions to the coronavirus . ''
`` No American , '' he added , `` wants to inadvertently spread the coronavirus to a senior with a serious underlying health condition or any other American with an immunodeficiency .
We 're all in this together . ''

Pence Warns Coronavirus Disruptions Could Last 'Well Into July'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Carolyn Kaster/AP Carolyn Kaster/AP
With the Trump administration hoping to inject as much as $1 trillion into the economy to deal with the mounting coronavirus crisis, Vice President Pence warned on Tuesday that disruptions from the outbreak could continue until at least midsummer.
Speaking one day after President Trump unveiled sweeping new guidelines advising Americans to avoid bars, restaurants and gatherings of more than 10 people for 15 days, the vice president said the administration is bracing for a severe economic disruption.
"The 15 days is about measures we believe can impact the growth and expansion of the virus in the United States," Pence told NPR's Steve Inskeep in an interview at the White House. "But we fully expect that we will be dealing with the coronavirus in the United States for months ... according to some of our modeling, we could well be dealing with coronavirus cases in the United States well into July."
Pence's remarks came as the administration announced that it will call on Congress to approve a massive new economic stimulus package that would send direct cash payments to Americans. The $1 trillion price tag under discussion would eclipse the $787 billion stimulus package that Congress passed in 2009 at the height of the financial crisis.
While the vice president would not go into detail about how bad the administration expects the crisis to grow, he said "many thousands" of Americans will contract the illness.
But, he said, "We are still at that point in the spread of the coronavirus in the United States where strong action, common sense, personal hygiene and what they call social distancing for now, among every American, can significantly reduce the spread of the virus."
On Monday, a report by an epidemic modeling group at Imperial College London said that until a vaccine was available — which could take as long as 18 months, according to Pence — drastic restrictions on work, school and social gatherings would be needed.
The report said that with relatively modest restrictions on social activity only, deaths could top 1 million. The researchers found that if the U.S. took no action whatsoever to slow the spread of the coronavirus, as many as 2.2 million Americans would die.
With the number of cases continuing to climb, Americans appear to be losing confidence in the federal government's handling of the crisis. An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released on Tuesday found that only 46% of Americans feel the government is doing enough to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, down from 61% in February.
And at a time when confidence in public officials is considered critical to coordinating a response to the outbreak, the poll found majorities of Americans lacking trust in President Trump. Sixty percent of Americans said they had not very much or no trust at all in what they are hearing from the president. Only 37% said they had a good amount or a great deal of trust.
That mistrust has been driven, at least in part, by comments by the president seeming to downplay the severity of the coronavirus. He has compared the virus to the flu, even though the administration's own experts have called it "10 times more lethal than regular seasonal flu"; he said in February "One day — it's like a miracle — it will disappear"; and as recently as March 7 said he was "not concerned at all" when asked about the virus spreading closer to Washington and the White House.
The president's tone has since shifted. On Monday, he described the coronavirus as "an invisible enemy" and conceded that it's "not under control for any place in the world."
The mixed messaging has apparently contributed to a deep partisan divide in how Americans perceive the threat. Despite 6,300 cases and more than 100 deaths nationwide as of Tuesday, only 56% of Americans consider the coronavirus "a real threat," down 10 percentage points from February.
Pollsters found that shift being driven by Republicans — 40% of whom now call the coronavirus a real threat, down from 72% in February. Conversely, more than 3 in 4 Democrats now say the outbreak is a real threat.
Asked about the divide, Pence said, "I don't think you have to tell any American that the threat of the coronavirus to our population is real. People understand that. And they also understand that the threat of serious illness to the average American does remain low."
Those who are most at risk for getting very sick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are older people and those with serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes or lung disease.
The vice president also defended the administration's response to the crisis, saying that had President Trump not suspended travel into the U.S. from China, "We would likely look very much in this country like Europe does today."
The more serious threat, Pence said, "is that Americans who may become exposed to the coronavirus could inadvertently expose seniors with serious underlying health conditions to the coronavirus."
"No American," he added, "wants to inadvertently spread the coronavirus to a senior with a serious underlying health condition or any other American with an immunodeficiency. We're all in this together."


npr--2020-03-17--New Analysis Suggests Months Of Social Distancing May Be Needed To Stop Virus

New Analysis Suggests Months Of Social Distancing May Be Needed To Stop Virus The United States is facing a grim dilemma : either effectively shut down society for months to prevent transmission of the coronavirus , or see health care systems overwhelmed by people needing treatment for severe infections .
That 's the conclusion of a influential new analysis by a well-respected group at Imperial College London that does computer simulations of outbreaks .
Its findings put policy makers in a bind as they think about how to move forward in the weeks ahead , when there 's no vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home message of that Imperial College model is that in order to keep from overwhelming the health care system with severe cases , we are going to have to have very tight controls in place on transmission through social distancing .
And those controls are going to be so tight that they will be economically and socially very damaging , '' says Marc Lipsitch , an expert on infectious disease modeling at Harvard University .
`` There 's no really good option that does n't involve at least one of those two problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fact , both could happen if we are n't very careful about how we manage things . ''
Predictions from models like this one appear to have had a major impact on top officials ' decision to recommend that all Americans avoid groups of 10 or more people , stay away from bars and restaurants , and not travel unnecessarily .
`` We had new information coming out from a model , and what had the biggest impact in the model is social distancing : small groups , not going in public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deborah Birx , who serves as the coronavirus response coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force , as the White House announced the recommendations on Monday .
On Tuesday , however , President Trump said his task force had looked at a variety of models .
There was no particular model , he said , that prompted him to move forward on the new social distancing recommendations .
`` This is where we were going , this is what we had in mind , '' President Trump said .
`` This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trouble is , according to the Imperial College model , it 's not clear what steps should come after this one .
The researchers predicted that if the United States did absolutely nothing to mitigate the spread of coronavirus , approximately 2.2 million people would die .
The researchers then looked at the effect of different combinations of interventions — including home isolation of infected people , home quarantine for all household members of infected people , social distancing for all ages , and social distancing by those over the age of 70 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relatively modest restriction on social activity .
It combined home isolation of cases , home quarantine for household members , and social distancing for only those over 70 .
This approach cut deaths in half and reduced peak healthcare demand by two-thirds , they found .
However , it still resulted in many deaths and overwhelmed intensive care units .
The simulation showed that the surge capacity of hospitals would be exceeded by at least 8-fold .
Even if all patients were treated , the U. S. would see more than 1 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the numbers of deaths low and keeping health care systems functioning required social distancing for the entire population , over a long period of time .
`` It is likely such measures — most notably , large scale social distancing — will need to be in place for many months , perhaps until a vaccine becomes available , '' researcher Neil Ferguson said in a written statement provided by the college .
`` The effects on countries and the world will be profound . ''
The researchers suggest that by closely monitoring trends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lift the public health measures temporarily , but then re-instate them if numbers of cases began to rise .
`` It 's a good summary of where we are and the choices we have , '' says Cecile Viboud , an infectious disease modeler at the National Institutes of Health .
`` Like every modeling study , it has a lot of uncertainty . ''
In the weeks ahead , the experience of China and South Korea could help show how slowly relaxing social distancing requirements might affect the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebounds that might stress the health care system .
`` We could learn a lot from that .
I 'm very hopeful about the South Korean situation and experience , '' Viboud says , noting that South Korea is testing a lot and isolating people with the virus and their contacts .
`` There 's limited social distancing . ''
In the meantime , social distancing in the U. S. is buying time for hospitals to increase their capacity and for labs to ramp up diagnostic testing .
It 's also giving policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new approaches to the crisis that would get them out of the current bind .

New Analysis Suggests Months Of Social Distancing May Be Needed To Stop Virus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gabriela Bhaskar/Bloomberg via Getty Images Gabriela Bhaskar/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The United States is facing a grim dilemma: either effectively shut down society for months to prevent transmission of the coronavirus or see health care systems overwhelmed by people needing treatment for severe infections.
That's the conclusion of a influential new analysis by a well-respected group at Imperial College London that does computer simulations of outbreaks.
Its findings put policymakers in a bind as they think about how to move forward in the weeks ahead when there's no vaccine or proven treatment.
"The take-home message of that Imperial College model is that in order to keep from overwhelming the health care system with severe cases, we are going to have to have very tight controls in place on transmission through social distancing. And those controls are going to be so tight that they will be economically and socially very damaging," says Marc Lipsitch, an expert on infectious disease modeling at Harvard University.
"There's no really good option that doesn't involve at least one of those two problems," he added. "And in fact, both could happen if we aren't very careful about how we manage things."
Predictions from models like this one appear to have had a major impact on top officials' decision to recommend that all Americans avoid groups of 10 or more people, stay away from bars and restaurants, and not travel unnecessarily.
"We had new information coming out from a model, and what had the biggest impact in the model is social distancing: small groups, not going in public in large groups," said Dr. Deborah Birx, who serves as the coronavirus response coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, as the White House announced the recommendations on Monday.
On Tuesday, however, President Trump said his task force had looked at a variety of models. There was no particular model, he said, that prompted him to move forward on the new social distancing recommendations.
"This is where we were going, this is what we had in mind," Trump said. "This is the next logical step."
The trouble is, according to the Imperial College model, it's not clear what steps should come after this one.
The researchers predicted that if the United States did absolutely nothing to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, about 2.2 million people would die.
The researchers then looked at the effect of different combinations of interventions — including home isolation of infected people, home quarantine for all household members of infected people, social distancing for all ages, and social distancing by those over the age of 70.
One option they considered was a relatively modest restriction on social activity. It combined home isolation of cases, home quarantine for household members, and social distancing for only those over 70. This approach cut deaths in half and reduced peak health care demand by two-thirds, they found.
However, it still resulted in many deaths and overwhelmed intensive care units. The simulation showed that the surge capacity of hospitals would be exceeded by at least eightfold. Even if all patients were treated, the U.S. would see more than 1 million deaths.
In the model, keeping the numbers of deaths low and keeping health care systems functioning required social distancing for the entire population, over a long period of time.
"It is likely such measures — most notably, large-scale social distancing — will need to be in place for many months, perhaps until a vaccine becomes available," researcher Neil Ferguson said in a written statement provided by the college. "The effects on countries and the world will be profound."
The researchers suggest that by closely monitoring trends in infections, it might be possible to lift the public health measures temporarily, but then reinstate them if numbers of cases began to rise.
"It's a good summary of where we are and the choices we have," says Cécile Viboud, who does infectious disease modeling at the National Institutes of Health. "Like every modeling study, it has a lot of uncertainty."
In the weeks ahead, the experience of China and South Korea could help show how slowly relaxing social distancing requirements might affect the spread of the disease and whether it leads to rebounds that might stress the health care system.
"We could learn a lot from that. I'm very hopeful about the South Korean situation and experience," Viboud says, noting that South Korea is testing a lot and isolating people with the virus and their contacts. "There's limited social distancing."
In the meantime, social distancing in the U.S. is buying time for hospitals to increase their capacity and for labs to ramp up diagnostic testing. It's also giving policymakers an opportunity to try to think of new approaches to the crisis that would get them out of the current bind.


npr--2020-03-18--New York Stock Exchange To Shift To All-Electronic Trading

New York Stock Exchange To Shift To All-Electronic Trading The New York Stock Exchange says it will temporarily shift to @ @ @ @ @ protect its employees .
The announcement came after the market closed for the day .
@ @ @ @ @ close the trading floors represents a precautionary step to protect the health and well-being of @ @ @ @ @ in response to COVID-19 , '' the NYSE said in a statement Wednesday .
`` @ @ @ @ @ of operating in an all-electronic fashion to serve all participants , and we will proceed @ @ @ @ @ can re-open our trading floors to our members , '' NYSE President Stacey Cunningham said @ @ @ @ @ NYSE markets `` will continue to operate under normal trading hours despite the closure of @ @ @ @ @ The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted more 1,334 points , or 6.3 % , on @ @

New York Stock Exchange To Shift To All-Electronic Trading
The New York Stock Exchange says it will temporarily shift to all-electronic trading starting Monday to protect its employees. The announcement came after the market closed for the day.
"The decision to temporarily close the trading floors represents a precautionary step to protect the health and well-being of employees and the floor community in response to COVID-19," the NYSE said in a statement Wednesday.
"Our markets are fully capable of operating in an all-electronic fashion to serve all participants, and we will proceed in that manner until we can re-open our trading floors to our members," NYSE President Stacey Cunningham said. She added that all NYSE markets "will continue to operate under normal trading hours despite the closure of the trading floors."
The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted more than 1,334 points, or 6.3%, on Wednesday.


npr--2020-03-18--Publisher Macmillan Backs Off Policy Restricting E-Book Sales To Libraries

Publishing house Macmillan is backing off a controversial policy restricting e-book sales to libraries , as it announced in a letter to librarians , authors , illustrators and agents Tuesday , saying `` there are times in life when differences should be put aside . ''
In November , NPR 's Lynn Neary reported on the restrictive policy : '' For the first eight weeks after an e-book goes on the market , a library system can buy only one copy .
So if you are used to getting your books from a library and you are an e-book fan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's next book , The Mirror and the Light , for example , you may have a long wait when it comes out in March 2020 .
`` Under the old rules , a large library system like New York 's or Chicago 's might have ordered hundreds of e-book copies .
Now each system — large or small — can buy only one when it goes on sale . ''
The idea was to boost general e-sales , rather than e-lends in the weeks after a book 's publication .
Macmillan CEO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ library lending was `` cannibalizing '' e-sales , and compared it to the movie business where films make most of their money on opening weekends .
In response to what they called an `` embargo , '' libraries protested , collected signatures , and some even boycotted Macmillan .
In a statement Tuesday , the American Library Association welcomed the reversal , saying , `` Equitable access to digital content is more important than ever as libraries continue to serve their communities amid rapidly changing circumstances .
Macmillan 's return to its original @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all publishers to consider how they can work with libraries to ensure – and expand — access for all readers . ''

Publisher Macmillan Backs Off Policy Restricting E-Book Sales To Libraries
Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel Roland/AFP via Getty Images Daniel Roland/AFP via Getty Images
Publishing house Macmillan is backing off a controversial policy restricting e-book sales to libraries, announcing in a letter to librarians, authors, illustrators and agents on Tuesday that "There are times in life when differences should be put aside."
In November, NPR's Lynn Neary reported on the restrictive policy:
"For the first eight weeks after an e-book goes on the market, a library system can buy only one copy. So if you are used to getting your books from a library and you are an e-book fan who has been eagerly awaiting Hilary Mantel's next book, The Mirror and the Light, for example, you may have a long wait when it comes out in March 2020. "Under the old rules, a large library system like New York's or Chicago's might have ordered hundreds of e-book copies. Now each system — large or small — can buy only one when it goes on sale."
The idea was to boost general e-sales, rather than e-lends, in the weeks after a book's publication. Macmillan CEO John Sargent said at the time that library lending was "cannibalizing" e-sales and compared it to the movie business, where films make most of their money on opening weekends.
In response to what they called an "embargo," libraries protested and collected signatures. Some even boycotted Macmillan.
In a statement Tuesday, the American Library Association welcomed the reversal, saying, "Equitable access to digital content is more important than ever as libraries continue to serve their communities amid rapidly changing circumstances. Macmillan's return to its original lending terms signals a new starting point for all publishers to consider how they can work with libraries to ensure – and expand — access for all readers."


npr--2020-03-18--Unemployment Websites Are Crashing Across The Country

Unemployment Websites Are Crashing Across The Country While some states are getting deluged with so many unemployment claims their computers are crashing , President Trump continues to downplay the impact of the coronavirus on the U.S. economy .
Trump dismissed a worst-case scenario described by his Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in which U.S. unemployment could soar as high as 20 % .
`` We 're no way near it , '' Trump said .
Still , with each passing day , more and more businesses are shutting down temporarily , and layoffs are mounting around the country .
Theaters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shuttered in many places , and the Big Three auto manufacturers Ford , GM and Fiat Chrysler have temporarily stopped production .
As a result , the number of workers filing for unemployment insurance has skyrocketed in the space of a few days .
`` Last Monday the 9th of March we know we had about 400 people initiate claims in the system , '' says Joe Barela , executive director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment .
`` Yesterday at 10 a.m. there were about 6,800 people trying to enter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tourism at a standstill , his state has seen a big drop-off in spending at ski resorts and hotels .
Barela says two weeks ago it took ten minutes for callers to get through to the employment office .
Now it takes at least an hour .
In Ohio , 78,000 people filed for unemployment during the first three days of this week alone , compared to 6,500 in all of last week .
Until last month , Lauren Egypt worked in the Atlanta office of a company that arranges freight shipments from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business , she was n't surprised to lose her job and decided to focus her energies on her side gig , an event planning business .
But that work has dried up too and now she expects to go on unemployment , she says .
`` Kind of in a 48-hour period , many of those contracts just were kind of eliminated and people just started canceling events , '' she says .
In several states , including New York , Oregon and New Jersey so many people applied for unemployment that computers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record number of unemployment insurance applications , so many in fact that the state system crashed , '' says New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy .
While many companies now allow their employees to work at home , telecommuting is n't an option for large numbers of workers , like those who work in restaurants , says Heather Boushey , president of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth .
`` All those folks who have jobs that require face-to-face contact , many jobs in services , there 's no demand for that work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be dangerous for folks to do those jobs , '' she says .
Restaurants in particular have been hard hit by the virus , warns celebrity chef Tom Colicchio .
`` If 75 % of the restaurants open after this I 'd be surprised , '' he said in an interview on CNN .
`` We 're looking at a massive , massive problem .
This is our generation 's World War Two moment and we need to rise to it . ''

Unemployment Websites Are Crashing Across The Country
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
While some states are getting deluged with so many unemployment claims their computers are crashing, President Trump continues to downplay the impact of the coronavirus on the U.S. economy.
Trump dismissed a worst-case scenario described by his Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in which U.S. unemployment could soar as high as 20%.
"We're no way near it," Trump said.
Still, with each passing day, more and more businesses are shutting down temporarily, and layoffs are mounting around the country. Theaters, bars, restaurants and schools have been shuttered in many places, and the Big Three auto manufacturers Ford, GM and Fiat Chrysler have temporarily stopped production.
As a result, the number of workers filing for unemployment insurance has skyrocketed in the space of a few days.
"Last Monday the 9th of March we know we had about 400 people initiate claims in the system," says Joe Barela, executive director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. "Yesterday at 10 a.m. there were about 6,800 people trying to enter claims in the system." With tourism at a standstill, his state has seen a big drop-off in spending at ski resorts and hotels.
Barela says two weeks ago it took ten minutes for callers to get through to the employment office. Now it takes at least an hour.
In Ohio, 78,000 people filed for unemployment during the first three days of this week alone, compared to 6,500 in all of last week.
Until last month, Lauren Egypt worked in the Atlanta office of a company that arranges freight shipments from China. With the coronavirus cutting into business, she wasn't surprised to lose her job and decided to focus her energies on her side gig, an event planning business.
But that work has dried up too and now she expects to go on unemployment, she says.
"Kind of in a 48-hour period, many of those contracts just were kind of eliminated and people just started canceling events," she says.
In several states, including New York, Oregon and New Jersey so many people applied for unemployment that computers went down.
"We saw a record number of unemployment insurance applications, so many in fact that the state system crashed," says New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.
While many companies now allow their employees to work at home, telecommuting isn't an option for large numbers of workers, like those who work in restaurants, says Heather Boushey, president of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.
"All those folks who have jobs that require face-to-face contact, many jobs in services, there's no demand for that work right now and quite frankly it can be dangerous for folks to do those jobs," she says.
Restaurants in particular have been hard hit by the virus, warns celebrity chef Tom Colicchio.
"If 75% of the restaurants open after this I'd be surprised," he said in an interview on CNN. "We're looking at a massive, massive problem. This is our generation's World War Two moment and we need to rise to it."