Summary
Here’s a summary of the latest events:
- Trump dismisses report on early coronavirus warnings as ‘inaccurate’. The US president dismissed a Washington Post story that stated his administration was informed back in January that coronavirus was likely to become a pandemic, calling it a disgrace” at today’s coronavirus task force press briefing.
- Disaster declared in New York as fears grow over lack of ventilators. New York state governor Andrew Cuomo said the state is “scouring the globe” in search of medical supplies after the state has emerged as the center of the US coronavirus outbreak.
- White House economic response package could reach $2tn. Trump administrations officials are proposing a government financial response to the coronavirus crisis that could be worth as much as $2tn in an effort to stimulate the staggering US economy. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell says lawmakers expect terms to be finalized late Saturday night and intends to hold a vote on Monday.
Updated
New Hampshire’s largest hospital is taking an intrepid approach toward the personal protective equipment shortage that has dominated the headlines in the early days of the coronavirus crisis.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is encouraging volunteers to sew face masks for patients, visitors and staff using pre-prepared kits with fabric and elastic for pickup. The hospital has set up a website that includes instructions on how to sew the mask using CDC guidelines.
A hospital spokesperson says the masks will be sanitized and distributed throughout the Dartmouth-Hitchcock health system in New Hampshire and Vermont.
Kristin Roth, the DHMC’s director of volunteer services, says the response has been robust “We were being inundated with questions about: How can I help?” she says.
The concept of social distancing to slow the spread of #COVID19 has left the community, and the 490 DHMC #volunteers, feeling unsure how they can help during this time of need. We've had an outpouring of support! Read on...
— Dartmouth-Hitchcock (@DartmouthHitch) March 21, 2020
😷 instructions & drop offs - https://t.co/8rp4ZdjrlH pic.twitter.com/aHL1nEIBju
A devastating story out of New Orleans today could offer a corrective to the misconception that coronavirus only kills the old and immunocompromised.
Natasha Ott, 39, felt the beginnings of a cold coming on 11 days ago. On Monday, she was tested for coronavirus and failing to shake symptoms consistent with the new strain. On Friday, she was found dead in her kitchen before the results were returned.
Ott’s partner says the dearth of available tests “shows how ill-equipped New Orleans is to handle a pandemic that has already claimed 16 lives and infected nearly 600 people across the state”.
Updated
As the Senate scrambled to settle by Saturday night on the terms of a bipartisan agreement on a more than $1tn bill aimed at getting Americans through the coronavirus crisis, a feeding frenzy has broken out among lobbyists representing airlines, hotels, cruise lines, casinos and other powerful interests who want a taste of the action. Our Peter Stone checks in from Washington:
The Republican bill provides passenger airlines and air cargo carriers up to $58bn in loans, while a mix of hotels, cruise ships, shopping malls and other sectors were given $150bn to help weather the economic downturn.
Hours before the Republican measure was released, Trump said he expected the package would provide help for the airlines, cruise lines and “probably hotels”. On Tuesday, Trump met with hotel industry executives who reportedly asked for $150bn in help and another $100bn for their suppliers.
Watchdog groups are raising red flags about the $50bn loan package for America’s big passenger airlines which in recent years have drawn growing consumer complaints, while spending tens of billions on stock buybacks. And the $150bn in the Republican bill for the well-connected hotel industry – which Trump’s family business is heavily engaged in – and other industries have also generated criticism.
“An emergency like this highlights the inequities of a system where well-connected industries can lobby directly for specific carve-outs and potentially cushion wealthy executives,” said Robert Maguire, research director at the watchdog Crew.
Here’s our David Smith’s report from the White House today on Donald Trump’s response to the Washington Post report that he ignored early warnings from US intelligence agencies about the threat posed by the coronavirus outbreak in China.
As the novel coronavirus makes its way into America’s heartland, the Kansas City Star warns that many towns are woefully under-resourced for what’s ahead.
Eleven of Kansas’ 105 counties have no hospital at all, according to a data analysis published on Friday by Kaiser Health News. More than a third of the state’s 114 counties are without one.
Mankato is the county seat of Jewell County, which has the highest percentage of elderly residents in Kansas: Nearly 30 percent of its 2,850 residents are age 65 or older. The median age is 53, compared to 38 in Johnson County.
Coronavirus affects the elderly particularly hard. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 80% of Americans who have died from Covid-19 have been age 65 or older.
Though isolated from large urban areas – the nearest city of any size, Hastings, Nebraska (population about 25,000) is more than an hour’s drive to the north – Jewell County residents are taking the threat seriously.
Locals understand the challenge that they’re facing. With 25 beds, Jewell County Hospital is preparing for the worst.
But it will be hobbled in the fight.
Only six of its 25 beds are available for treating acute patients at any one time. The rest are occupied by people in need of long-term care.
There are no doctors on staff day to day. They both commute regularly from a town 30 minutes away. And there is only one ventilator, a recent cast-off from the emergency services agency that hospital staff are only now learning how to use.
“We definitely have limited resources,” nurse practitioner Dawn Steinman said. “But we’re trying to be very proactive.”
Updated
White House economic response package could reach $2tn
White House officials are proposing a government financial response to the coronavirus crisis that could be worth as much as $2tn in an effort to stimulate the staggering US economy.
Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been working behind closed doors on the prospective Senate bill, which would coordinate with the US Federal Reserve to help individuals, small businesses and industries that have been devastated by the pandemic.
“We’re getting closer and closer to an agreement, and all the discussions have been in good faith,” said Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, who intends to hold a vote on Monday. “I think we’re clearly going to get there.”
The lawmakers have discussed a number of provisions for the bill, including the issuing for $1,000 checks to some Americans and more than $350bn in aid to small businesses through federally guaranteed loans.
“We’re talking about half the workers in America,” Florida senator Marco Rubio said. “We’d like to help even more people.”
Updated
The Federal Aviation Administration lifted a temporary halt of all flights to New York City airports due to coronavirus-related staffing issues after about 30 minutes.
The directive, which initially warned it could last several hours, advised air traffic controllers to “stop all departures” to Kennedy, LaGuardia, Newark airports as well as Philadelphia International Airport, citing problems at the FAA enroute center in Ronkonkoma, New York.
The air-traffic controllers at JFK have been working at an alternate location on the property this week after it was revealed an FAA technician assigned to the control tower tested positive for Covid-19.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the Javits Center on the west side of Manhattan is one of four venues under consideration as a potential site for an emergency “field hospital” as the state frantically attempts to boost its hospital capacity from around 50,000 beds to 75,000.
Cuomo said the state has already hospitalized 1,600 people and the massive 1.8m sq ft of convention space along the Hudson River could house 1,000 more beds. Other proposed sites include the State University of New York campuses at Stony Brook and Westbury on Long Island and the Westchester Convention Center.
“That would give us a regional distribution and a real capacity if we can get them up quickly enough,” Cuomo said.
Updated
Trump jumps in on one final question before handing over to Pence and departing the briefing room: “We inherited an obsolete, broken system and when you hear the number of tests that we’ll be providing, and are now, it’s incredible,” the president says. “I’ve heard a lot of governors say the same thing. We took over an obsolete, broken testing system that wouldn’t have worked for even a small problem, let alone one of the biggest pandemics in history, and what [the members of the coronavirus task force] have done is incredible.”
Updated
At today’s briefing Trump claimed: “If you remember, I was the one who closed this country down. You don’t write that, or you don’t say it too much, certainly on CNN.”
Fact check: Trump played down the threat and did little beyond restricting travel from China. It was the NBA and other sporting organizations, theatres and theme parks, state governors and city mayors who took the lead on local measures. Many have complained about a lack of federal leadership.
Trump calls report of receiving early coronavirus warning 'a disgrace'
Trump is (finally) asked about the Washington Post intel story which reports that his administration was informed back in January that coronavirus was likely to become a pandemic. “I saw the story,” he says. “I think it was a disgrace.”
He continues to say it was a “very inaccurate story”, though declines to rebut any specific claims.
Trump takes a loaded question from far-right OANN goading him into bashing the Washington Post and does so while also praising OANN pic.twitter.com/iTVQbCLrOL
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 21, 2020
Updated
Trump is asked how the one of the richest countries in the world could be facing such a shortfall of masks and other personal protective equipment. As he’s done before, he points to inherited circumstances: “Many administrations preceded me. For the most part, they did very little in terms of what you’re talking about. This is unprecedented.” He then adds his administration has gotten “tremendous reviews” for its response.
Trump tells those who have lost jobs: 'keep receiving your paychecks'
While fielding questions from the press corps, Trump is asked what he would tell people who have lost their jobs during a week the US economy came to a standstill. “Keep receiving their paychecks,” he says. “Hopefully their companies are going to be in a very strong position. We want to keep everything together.”
Asked whether he’s spoken to speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi about the proposed stimulus package, Trump declines but says he’s spoken to a number of congressional leaders “directly or indirectly”.
When asked about the uncertain supply of N95 masks, he defers to Fema administrator Peter Gaynor, who says: “On masks, we’re trying to match supply and demand. There’s a range of requests across the country and we’ll try to match the supply and demand every day.”
Updated
New Jersey governor Phil Murphy has just announced a statewide stay-at-home order including the closure of all non-essential businesses during a briefing in the state capital. “I don’t take this action lightly but my goal is to make sure you can gather safely with family and friends later,” he says.
The order allows for certain exceptions for people to leave their homes, such as seeking medical attention, obtaining essential goods or services, reporting to work or visiting family.
BREAKING: I just signed an Executive Order directing nearly all residents to STAY AT HOME.
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 21, 2020
ALL gatherings are canceled.
ALL non-essential retail businesses must indefinitely close their physical stores to the public effective 9:00 p.m. tonight.
More: https://t.co/JW1q8awGh7 pic.twitter.com/fmElyFwNtf
Dr Anthony Fauci: 'not everyone in the US needs to get tested'
Dr Anthony Fauci speaks about the two dynamic forces at play: the natural course of the outbreak and the mitigation strategies that are being deployed. “We often get asked, how do you know you’re having an effect?” he says. “I can tell you for sure: we know we are clearly having an effect, but we can’t quantitate it for you accurately now.”
He adds: “I think we’re getting to a solution everyone in the country is looking for, but not every single person in the US needs to get tested.”
Updated
Mike Pence confirms aide tested positive for Covid-19
Pence confirms that an aide in his office tested positive for the novel coronavirus. “The White House doctor has indicated he has no reason to believe that I was exposed and no need to be tested,” he says. “Given the unique position I have as vice president and as the leader of the White House coronavirus task force, both I and my wife will be tested for the coronavirus later this afternoon.”
He adds: “Neither the president or I had direct contact” with the staffer.
Updated
Vice president Mike Pence, the coronavirus task force leader, says more than 195,000 people who have been symptomatic have been tested. That doesn’t include county hospitals or health-care labs around the nation. He then notes that only 19,343 have returned positive tests for Covid-19.
Trump urges Americans: 'stay home and save lives'
Trump opens the briefing recounting the actions he’s taken this week, including the moving of tax day to 15 June and last night’s major declaration of disaster in New York state. He says he believes Congress is “very close” to a resolution on coronavirus legislation and is confident that leaders from both parties are acting in good faith.
He urges Americans to “stay at home and save lives”, adding that it’s time for “shared national sacrifice”.
Updated
President Trump has taken the dais as the press briefing with the coronavirus gets under way. He’s flanked by task force members including vice-president Mike Pence, Dr Anthony Fauci and Dr Ben Carson. The president says the virus has spread to 148 countries: “You talk about a spread. You talk about a violent spread. ... Not even believable.”
Updated
The White House press briefing with members of the coronavirus task force has been pushed back again to 12.45pm local time.
The update will come as Italy and Spain have both reported their biggest single-day death tolls from the outbreak.
As Europe’s governments ramp up already draconian restrictions to curb the coronavirus, authorities in Rome on Friday announced 5,986 new cases and a record 627 new deaths, raising the totals to 47,021 infections and 4,032 fatalities.
In Spain, the death toll rose to 1,002, a highest-ever increase of 235 in 24 hours. The latest statistics showed 19,980 confirmed cases across the country, more than a third in Madrid. Army specialists are to help disinfect care homes after the virus claimed more than 50 lives at elderly care facilities across the region.
Updated
USA Track and Field, the national governing body for athletics in the US, has joined the call to postpone the Tokyo Olympics amid the coronavirus outbreak, calling for the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee “to use its voice and speak up for the athletes”.
On Friday, the head of USA Swimming urged the USOPC to push for a 12-month postponement of the Tokyo Games, signaling the first fissure between powerful American factions attempting to maneuver the US team through the mounting crisis.
BREAKING: USA Track & Field joins USA Swimming’s call to postpone @Tokyo2020. Here’s the letter. pic.twitter.com/LZAtFp13dq
— Ben Fischer (@BenFischerSBJ) March 21, 2020
New York state governor Andrew Cuomo says the state is “scouring the globe” in search of medical supplies after the state has emerged as the center of the US coronavirus outbreak.
The Trump administration issued a major disaster declaration for New York as infections spike across New York City to 5,000, roughly one-third of the total amount of cases nationwide.
New York is preparing to ration its ventilators for sick coronavirus patients as a major disaster was declared in the city as it struggles to cope with the deadly outbreak.
The disaster declaration comes as New York prepares guidance on how to deploy vital ventilators amid a widespread shortage of key equipment that also includes masks and surgical gloves, and medical supplies such as blood.
The draft guidance on ventilators, prepared by a state taskforce in 2015 for a possible influenza pandemic, has reportedly been updated for the coronavirus crisis, according to the Wall Street Journal.
According to Sam Gorovitz, a professor of philosophy at Syracuse University and member of the taskforce, the revisions to the ventilator allocation guidelines include the formation of designated triage committees to determine which critically ill patients will or will not receive life-supporting respiration.
Gorovitz told the Journal that doctors will be required to make “tragic” decisions on “who will have access or for patients whose prospects are essentially hopeless, will be have to be removed to make room for somebody whose prospects are very much better”.
Updated
US intelligence reports indicated the severity of a potential coronavirus global pandemic in January and February, all the while the Trump administration was downplaying the potential effects of the virus, the Washington Post reported this morning.
While the reports didn’t specify exactly when the illness would have come to America nor did it have any recommendations for public health officials, the reports detailed how Chinese officials appeared to be downplaying the severity of the outbreak, the Post reports.
Yet during that time, Donald Trump and his administration were largely minimizing the potential impacts of an outbreak. Trump during a rally in South Carolina in late February said that coronavirus was the Democrats’ “new hoax” meant to be a vehicle to criticize his administration.
“Donald Trump may not have been expecting this, but a lot of other people in the government were – they just couldn’t get him to do anything about it,” one intelligence official told the Post. “The system was blinking red.”
Updated
Happy Saturday, live blog readers! The White House’s coronavirus task force is set to give a press conference at noon today, though it’s unclear if Donald Trump will be in attendance.
The number of Covid-19 cases and related deaths are soaring in the US, closing in on 20,000 cases today and 260 deaths. At this point, one in five Americans from coast to coast have been told to stay at home in an effort to stop the rapid spread of the virus.
Coupled with the spread of the virus is a crisis in the American healthcare systems, where the number of hospitals running out of necessary supplies likes masks and ventilators.
