HAVE DONE THE SAME THING. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. >> Jon: DAN SPRINGER, THANKS.
>> Sandra: LET’S BRING IN THE
HEADLINER HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES SECRETARY ALEX AZAR.
GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME.
DEFINITELY A LOT TO GET TO WITH
YOU HERE.
YOU HERE. FIRST I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A
NEW ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE ON THE
ONGOING PREPARATIONS BEING MADE.
WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT?
>> WELL, WE’RE BRINGING IN THE
GRAND PRINCESS THAT WILL DOCK
TODAY AS WELL AS START
OFFLOADING PASSENGERS FROM THAT
SHIP.
SHIP. THEY WILL BE OFFLOADED TO
PROTECT THE COMMUNITY FIRST AND
FOREMOST AND SECONDLY PROTECTS
THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS. THEY’LL BE IN AN ISOLATION
QUARANTINE ENVIRONMENT AND THEN
GO TO FACILITIES WE’VE ARRANGED
AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR THEIR
OWN CARE.
OWN CARE. THEY’LL BE TESTED AND GO INTO
14-DAY QUARANTINE.
14-DAY QUARANTINE. WE’LL LEAVE THE CREW ON BOARD
THE SHIP ALTHOUGH WE’RE SURGING
MEDICAL STAFF.
MEDICAL STAFF. WE HAVE PUT PEOPLE ON BOARD THE
SHIP TO ISOLATE THOSE
INDIVIDUALS AND MAKE SURE
APPROPRIATE ISOLATION AND
QUARANTINE IS HAPPENING ON
BOARD THAT SHIP AND WORKING
CLOSELY WITH GOVERNOR NEWSOM
AND THE MAYOR OF OAKLAND ON
THESE EFFORTS.
THESE EFFORTS. >> Jon: THERE IS CRITICISM OF
THE FEDERAL EFFORT.
I WANT TO GET FROM YOU.
DO
DO YOU FEEL YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND YOUR
DEPARTMENT HAVE THEIR ARMS
AROUND THIS CRISIS?
>> WE’VE BEEN ON THIS FROM DAY
ONE WHEN WENERS TO PROTECT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AMERICAN PEOPLE. WE HAVE GOTTEN A DIAGNOSTIC OUT
THERE.
THERE. IT IS IN THE FIELD AND
AVAILABLE FOR OUR PUBLIC HEALTH
LABS AND LABS AND SPITALS.
SO OVER A MILLION SHIPPED OVER
THE WEEKEND.
THE WEEKEND. WE HAVE 2.1 MILLION AVAILABLE
FOR USE IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO TESTING IS FULLY AVAILABLE
TO OUR PROVIDERS.
WE’VE GOT RAPID WORK ON A
VACCINE THAT SHOULD GO TO
CLINICAL TRIALS VERY SOON.
A THERAPEUTIC ALREADY IN
CLINICAL TRIALS.
CLINICAL TRIALS. BORDER PATROL MEASURES TO
PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND
TAKE AGGRESSIVE STEPS TO
PROTECT AMERICA.
PROTECT AMERICA. >> Sandra: THERE IS A LOT TO
BREAK DOWN AS FAR AS THE
VACCINE AND THE TIMING OF IT.
THERE SEEMS TO BE MIXED
COMMUNICATION ON THAT.
IF I COULD TURN EVERYONE’S
ATTENTION TO THE DOW.
WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE U.S.
STOCK MARKET SINCE IT OPENED
FOR TRADING OVER AN HOUR AGO
AND RIGHT NOW THERE IS A
SIGNIFICANT SELL-OFF HAPPENING
ON WALL STREET.
MORE THAN A 5% DROP ON THE DOW.
IT IS A 1,380 POINT DROP.
DUE IN PART TO CORONAVIRUS
FEARS.
FEARS. SO DOES THE ADMINISTRATION FEEL
LIKE IT HAS PUT OUT A CONFIDENT
MESSAGE AND ONE EASILY
UNDERSTOOD BY THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC TO LIMIT THOSE FEARS?
THEY ARE SIGNIFICANTLY PLAYING
OUT IN OUR STOCK MARKET THIS
MORNING.
MORNING. >> PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS
DELIVERED A HISTORICALLY STRONG
ECONOMY WHETHER IT’S AN
UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS OR ON
PRODUCTIVITY.
PRODUCTIVITY. HE WILL KEEP DOING THAT.
HIS NUMBER ONE CONCERN ACROSS
THE WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT ALONG
WITH VICE PRESIDENT PENCE IS
LEADING THE PUBLIC HEALTH
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
EFFORT HERE.
EFFORT HERE. OUR ECONOMIC TEAM WILL WORK ON
ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THIS AND
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAVING
DELIVERED THE BEST ECONOMY IN
MODERN HISTORY HAS THE TOOLS
AND KNOWS THE TOOLS TO KEEP
THIS ECONOMY GOING.
>> Sandra: DID HE HAVE ANYTHING
TO SAY ABOUT THAT STOCK MARKET
SELL-OFF THIS MORNING?
>> I HAVEN’T SPOKEN TO THE
PRESIDENT YET THIS MORNING.
>> Sandra: OKAY.
>> Jon: THE PRESIDENT IN THE
AIR RIGHT NOW AS WE UNDERSTAND
IT HAVING JUST TAKEN OFF FROM
WEST PALM BEACH A LITTLE WHILE
AGO.
AGO. GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO, DEMOCRAT
OF NEW YORK HAS BEEN CRITICAL
OF THE FEDERAL EFFORT.
HERE IS WHAT HE TOLD MARIA
BARTIROMO.
BARTIROMO. >> TESTING IS LIMITED AND THIS
IS, I THINK, MARIA, ONE OF THE
MAIN ISSUES WE HAVE BOTH IN
REALITY AND IN PERCEPTION.
WHEN YOU WONDER WHY PEOPLE ARE
SO ANXIOUS AND THE FEAR, IT IS
BECAUSE THE INFORMATION THEY’RE
GETTING TENDS TO CHANGE AND
THEY ARE GETTING MIXED MESSAGES.
>> Jon: HOW DO YOU ANSWER THAT
LAST PART IN PARTICULAR, MIXED
MESSAGES SAYS THE GOVERNOR?
>> LISTEN, I’M DISTURBED BY
THAT COMMENT.
THAT COMMENT. GOVERNOR CUOMO HAS BEEN A
REALLY GOOD PARTNER WORKING
WITH US.
WITH US. I’M CONFUSED BY WHAT HE IS
SAYING THERE.
SAYING THERE. NEW YORK STATE AND NEW YORK
CITY HAVE ALL THE LAB TESTS
THEY’VE ASKED FOR.
WE’VE OFFERED THEM MORE AND
REFUSED FURTHER SHIPMENTS OF
LAB TESTS.
LAB TESTS. THERE IS NO FACTUAL BASIS FOR
WHAT HE IS SAYING THERE.
HE HAS BEEN A GOOD PARTNER AND
WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH NEW
YORK CITY AND NEW YORK STATE.
A WEEK AND A HALF AGO WE
APPROVED NEW YORK STATE LAB
TEST THEY DEVELOPED THAT WE
ACTUALLY APPROVED.
ACTUALLY APPROVED. THEY HAVE BEEN UP AND RUNNING
WITH CAPACITY FOR ANY NEED
THEY’VE HAD.
THEY’VE HAD. LET ME BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT
ONE POINT.
ONE POINT. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME
SINCE THE CDC DEVELOPED THE LAB
TEST THAT ANY PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICIAL IN THE UNITED STATES
WHO NEEDED TO GET SOMEBODY
TESTED FOR THE NOVEL
CORONAVIRUS HAS BEEN UNABLE TO
GET THAT PERSON TESTED THROUGH
THE CDC’S TEST IN ATLANTA.
WE HAVE HAD CAPACITY AND
THROUGH-PUT AT EVERY MOMENT
SINCE WE DEVELOPED THIS TEST.
THAT’S A FACT.
>> Sandra: SECRETARY AZAR.
FOX NEWS IS JUST NOW REPORTING
THAT THE WHITE HOUSE HAS MADE
THE DECISION TO LIMIT CERTAIN
IN-PERSON MEETINGS BECAUSE OF
THE GROWING SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
ACCORDING TO A SENIOR
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL, THE
WHITE HOUSE AND THE STATE
DEPARTMENT ARE DISCOURAGING
FOREIGN OFFICIALS FROM COMING
TO VISIT.
TO VISIT. INSTEAD OPTING FOR PHONE CALLS
AND VIDEOCONFERENCES WHEN
POSSIBLE.
POSSIBLE. CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT?
>> WELL, I DON’T HAVE ALL THE
DETAILS.
DETAILS. I’M SITTING HERE WITH YOU AS
ANY ANNOUNCEMENT LIKE THAT HAS
BEEN MADE.
BEEN MADE. WE’LL TAKE STEPS LIKE PRIVATE
INDUSTRY TO INSURE PROTECTION
OF OUR PEOPLE AND TAKE
REASONABLE STEPS.
REASONABLE STEPS. THE CDC IS EMBEDDED IN THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON AND IN
CALIFORNIA, WE’RE ADVISING THEM
ON FUTURE MITIGATION STEPS TO
TAKE INCLUDING SOCIAL
GATHERINGS TO ESPECIALLY
PROTECT THOSE WHO ARE ELDERLY
AND THOSE WHO ARE MEDICALLY
FRAGILE.
FRAGILE. AS YOU TALKED ABOUT IN THE
OPENING HERE THERE IS A CERTAIN
COHORT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE
MOST AT-RISK FROM SEVERE AND
CRITICAL MEDICAL CONDITIONS
ARISING OUT OF THIS NOVEL
CORONAVIRUS AND WE NEED TO TAKE
EXTRA PROTECTIONS TO INSURE
PROTECTION CONTROL AND PEOPLE
TO STAY AWAY FROM SETTINGS THAT
PUT THEM AT GREATER RISK.
>> Sandra: SECRETARY AZAR,
THERE IS ALSO CONFUSION ABOUT
THE CORONAVIRUS.
THE CORONAVIRUS. IF YOU COULD WE TALKED ABOUT
THIS LAST HOUR AND WE SAID WE
WOULD ASK YOU.
THE CORONAVIRUS HAS BEEN AROUND
FOR SOME TIME.
THE COVID-19 STRAIN OF THE
CORONAVIRUS THAT HAS CAUSED ALL
OF THIS -- ALL OF THESE
PROBLEMS.
PROBLEMS. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THAT STRAIN
AND WHAT MAKES THAT SO
DIFFERENT THAN THE CORONAVIRUS
THAT HAS EXISTED?
>> THERE IS A NORMAL
CORONAVIRUS, A COUPLE STRAINS
OF IT THAT EXIST AND HAVE
EXISTED FOR A LAONG TIME IN
HUMANITY.
HUMANITY. OUR BODIES ARE USED TO DEALING
WITH THEM.
WITH THEM. THEY HAVE A KNOWN PROFILE AND
PEOPLE ARE USED TO DEALING WITH
THAT.
THAT. SARS, MERS, AND NOW COVID-19
ARE GENETIC MODIFICATIONS TO
THAT VIRUS THAT THE HUMAN BODY
IS NOT USED TO DEALING WITH,
DOES NOT HAVE ANY TYPE OF
RESPONSE MECHANISM BUILT IN FOR
IT.
IT. AND HAS A PARTICULAR SEVERITY,
MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY PROFILE
DIFFERENT FROM THE COMMON COLD.
IN PARTICULAR WHAT WE’RE SEEING
IS THE ELDERLY AND INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE MEDICALLY FRAGILE ARE
MOST AT RISK OF SEVERE AND
CRITICAL COMPLICATIONS FROM THE
DISEASE.
DISEASE. FORTUNATELY WE’RE SEEING WHILE
CHILDREN AND YOUNGER
INDIVIDUALS CAN GET THE
DISEASE, GLOBALLY THE DATA
SEEMS TO BE INDICATING THEY ARE
LESS AT RISK OF SEVERE OR
CRITICAL COMPLICATIONS FROM THE
VIRUS.
VIRUS. BUT WE’RE CONTINUING TO LEARN
EVERY DAY AND WE’RE CONTINUING
-- PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL INSIST
WE TAKE AGGRESSIVE MEASURES IN
A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH
TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AS
OUR FIRST PRIORITY.
>> Sandra: WE HEAR YOU PUTTING
OUT A CONFIDENT MESSAGE, ONE
WHERE YOU SAY THE MESSAGING IS
COMING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE IS
ACCURATE, AND ALL INCLUSIVE.
WE ALSO HEAR YOU SAYING THAT
DESPITE WHAT WE’VE HEARD FROM
OTHER ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS
IF YOU WANT A TEST FROM THE CDC
YOU’LL GET A TEST.
NO ONE IS BEING DENIED THAT.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE
AND STRUGGLE RIGHT NOW IN ALL
OF THIS?
OF THIS? >> OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE RIGHT
NOW IS TO INSURE THAT WE
CONTAIN FURTHER SPREAD INTO THE
UNITED STATES AND THAT WE WORK
WITH OUR STATE AND LOCAL
PARTNERS TO MITIGATE SPREAD IN
AREAS WHERE WE HAVE HAD
COMMUNITY SPREADING.
COMMUNITY SPREADING. THAT IS WORKING WITH GOVERNOR
INSLEE AND SANTA CLARA COUNTY
AND WORKING WITH NEW YORK STATE
AND CITY AND FLORIDA.
TO TAKE THE AGGRESSIVE MEASURES
NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN THE SPREAD
OF THIS DISEASE SO WE CAN
ALWAYS CONTINUE TO BUY TIME AND
MITIGATE THE IMPACT IN THE
UNITED STATES.
UNITED STATES. MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS IS A
SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEM.
NOBODY IS TRYING TO MINIMIZE
THAT.
THAT. IT IS A VERY SERIOUS PUBLIC
HEALTH THREAT TO THE PEOPLE OF
THE UNITED STATES AND THAT’S
WHY PRESIDENT TRUMP FROM DAY
ONE HAS BEEN AGGRESSIVE WITH A
WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH
AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
>> Sandra: I SAID LAST QUESTION.
ONE MORE.
ONE MORE. THERE ARE SCHOOLS OPEN ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY.
THE COUNTRY. SOME DECIDED TO SHUT DOWN AS A
PRECAUTION.
PRECAUTION. DO YOU RECOMMEND ANY FURTHER
SCHOOL CLOSINGS AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL, SECRETARY AZAR, BASED ON
WHAT YOU’RE SEEING AND HEARING
ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE
WHITE HOUSE IS LIMITING
IN-PERSON MEETINGS?
IN-PERSON MEETINGS? >> WE HAVEN’T RECOMMENDED THAT
EVERY COMMUNITY IN AMERICA
CLOSE SCHOOLS.
CLOSE SCHOOLS. WE’RE WORKING WITH INDIVIDUAL
COMMUNITIES BASED ON THE DATA
IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND WHAT
CASES THEY HAVE SEEN.
SOME COMMUNITIES CLOSING
SCHOOLS IS A VERY APPROPRIATE
MEASURE.
MEASURE. IN OTHERS IT MIGHT BE HAVING
SCHOOL BUT LIMITING ASSEMBLES
AND LARGER GATHERINGS WITHIN
THE SCHOOL.
THE SCHOOL. IT IS VERY MUCH A LOCAL AND
STATE DECISION ABOUT THE
APPROACH TO TAKE BASED ON DATA,
WE’RE THERE TO HELP AND ADVISE
THEM.
THEM. >> Jon: ALEX AZAR, YOU WITH A