>> Martha: PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DEPLOYING THE NAVY HOSPITAL SHIP
INTO NEW YORK HARBOR AND HERE IS
THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK
REACTING TO THAT TODAY, WATCH
THIS.
THIS. >> I SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT THIS
MORNING ABOUT SPECIFIC ACTIONS
HE IS GOING TO TAKE, I CAN TELL
YOU HE IS FULLY ENGAGED ON
TRYING TO HELP NEW YORK, IT’S
LITERALLY A FLOATING HOSPITAL
WHICH WILL ADD CAPACITY AND THE
PRESIDENT SAID HE WILL DISPATCH
THAT IMMEDIATELY.
THAT IMMEDIATELY. >> Martha: EACH NAVY HOSPITAL
SHIP IS AMAZING, THEY COME INTO
PORT IN THE TIMES OF GREATEST
NEED.
NEED. THEY HAVE A THOUSAND BEDS,
OPERATING ROOMS, LABS, OTHER
MEDICAL DEVICES, DEMOCRATIC
CONGRESSMAN MAX RHODES SAID I’M
INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO HEAR THE
CALL TO DEPLOYED A COMFORT TO
NEW YORK HARBOR.
JOINING ME NOW AS A SECRETARY
ROBERT WILKIE, A MEMBER OF THE
CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
HERE.
HERE. IT’S NOT EVERY NIGHT THAT WE
SHOW THAT BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IN
THE SPIRIT OF WHAT WE ARE SEEING
IN THIS EFFORT.
>> AS THE FORMER UNDERSECRETARY
OF DEFENSE, THE COMFORT WAS ONE
OF THE THINGS I WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR, IT’S A GREAT ASSET AND A
SIGN OF THE PRESIDENT’S
COMMITMENT NOT ONLY TO HIS
HOMETOWN BUT BEING AS AGGRESSIVE
AS POSSIBLE IN CONFRONTING WHAT
HE CALLS THIS INVISIBLE ENEMY.
I WOULD ADD, YOU MENTIONED THE
1,000 BEDS, 6,000 MEDICAL
PERSONNEL ON IT, DOCTORS,
NURSES, PSYCHOLOGISTS.
NURSES, PSYCHOLOGISTS. ON THE VA SIDE, WE HAVE BEEN IN
CONTACT WITH THE DEPUTY MAYOR.
WE’VE JUST SENT INTO NEW YORK
ONE OF OUR MOBILE CENTERS TO
CONFRONT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES,
IT IS A CONCERTED BIPARTISAN
EFFORT.
EFFORT. >> Martha: ONE OF THE THINGS
YOU POINTED OUT WAS THE RESPONSE
IN THE VA HOSPITALS AND WHAT YOU
WANTED TO PROTECT THE VETERAN
POPULATION EARLY ON HAS REALLY
BEEN A MODEL FOR WHAT WE ARE
SEEING AT OTHER FACILITIES.
>> IT HAS.
WE WERE FIRST BUT I HAVE TO SAY
WE REHEARSE THESE THINGS
REGULARLY.
REGULARLY. WE ARE THE NATION’S RESPONSE
FORCE WHEN IT COMES TO A NATURAL
DISASTER AND IN THIS CASE
EPIDEMICS.
EPIDEMICS. WE CUT OFF ACCESS TO OUR
HOSPITALS FOR EVERYONE EXCEPT
THE PATIENTS.
THE PATIENTS. WE TRIAGE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE
HOSPITALS, MORE IMPORTANTLY AND
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CONCERNS
YOU BECAUSE OF THAT WONDERFUL
BOOK THAT YOU READ.
THE PEOPLE WHO OCCUPY OUR LIVING
CENTERS AND HOSPITALS ARE OF THE
WORLD WAR II ERA FOR THE MOST
PART.
PART. THOSE WHO HAVE SACRIFICED THE
MOST AND GIVEN THE MOST.
I HAD TO MAKE A DIFFICULT
POSITION AND CUT OFF VISITORS TO
THOSE MOST PRECIOUS CITIZENS
THAT WE HAVE BUT IT WAS DONE AS
A MEASURE TO PROTECT THEM FROM
THE OUTSIDE.
THE OUTSIDE. WE HAVE ALSO STOPPED ALL
ELECTIVE SURGERIES, DENTAL
SURGERIES, ALL IN AN EFFORT TO
KEEP OUR VETERANS SAFE INSIDE OF
OUR HOSPITALS.
OUR HOSPITALS. >> Martha: THAT IS A TRIBUTE
TO YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WE HOPE
THEY ARE ALL DOING WELL AS A
RESULT OF THAT.
HAVE YOU BEEN TESTING YOUR
POPULATION AND HOW IS IT GOING?
>> WE HAVE TESTED WELL OVER 300
VETERANS.
VETERANS. WE HAVE RIGHT NOW 44 WHO HAVE
TESTED POSITIVE.
TESTED POSITIVE. SADLY, ONE HAS PASSED AWAY, AN
OLDER VETERAN IN PORTLAND.
WHAT WE ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS
A MAJORITY OF THOSE WE HAVE
TESTED HAVE THE UNABLE TO BE
QUARANTINED AT HOME.
I EXPECT A SEARCH, I TAKE MY
CUES FROM DR. FAUCI.
I CAN’T EXPECT THAT THE NUMBERS
WILL BE THIS LOW BUT WE HAVE
BEEN AGGRESSIVE, THE PRESIDENT
DEMANDED THAT WOULD BE
AGGRESSIVE AND WE PUT IN PLACE
AND PRACTICE PUBLIC HEALTH
MEASURES TO MAKE SURE WE CAN
MAKE OUR HOSPITALS AS SAFE AS
POSSIBLE.
POSSIBLE. >> Martha: IN TERMS OF WHAT
YOU WORRY ABOUT AND YOU
MENTIONED THE CONCERN ABOUT A
SURGE.
SURGE. IN TERMS OF SUPPLIES AND MASKS
AND GLOVES AND ALL OF THAT, WHAT
KIND OF COORDINATION IS GOING
ON?
ON? TO HAVE GOOD SUPPLIES OF THOSE
THINGS AND CAN THOSE SUPPLIES BE
SPREAD AROUND TO HELP SOME OF
THE OTHER FACILITIES?
>> WE STARTED PLANNING FOR THIS
IN FEBRUARY, AT THE BEGINNING
OF FEBRUARY AND WE STOCKED UP ON
THINGS LIKE VENTILATORS, MASKS,
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND BY
ELIMINATING THINGS LIKE ELECTIVE
SURGERY AND DENTAL CARE, WE ARE
SAVING THE WEAR AND TEAR ON
THOSE ASSETS AS WE SPEAK.
ONCE THE PRESIDENT DECLARED A
NATIONAL EMERGENCY, WE HAD
ACCESS, WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE
NATIONAL STOCKPILES.
NATIONAL STOCKPILES. I HAVE BEEN WORKING TODAY WITH
SEVERAL PRIVATE LABORATORIES TO
MAKE SURE WE HAVE A STEADY
SUPPLY OF TESTING KITS.
WE ARE DOING THE SAME WITH
MASKS.
MASKS. AS PART OF OUR NATIONAL MISSION,
WE SUPPORT THE CIVILIAN AMERICA
WHEN WE ARE CALLED UPON.
SO WE WILL BE ABLE WHEN CALLED
UPON TO HELP HHS AND FEMA
DISTRIBUTE SOME OF THOSE ASSETS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO WHERE THEY
ARE NEEDED.
ARE NEEDED. >> Martha: WE ALL WILL BE
CALLED UPON AND WE APPRECIATE
WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND WE HOPE
THAT THE VETERANS AND THE CARE
IN THESE HOSPITALS WILL RECEIVE
THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE AND WE
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> I THANK YOU AND I THANK YOU
FOR YOUR BOOK ON IWO JIMA.
A PLACE WERE UNCOMMON VALOR WAS
COMMON AND YOU HAVE MADE IT REAL