LIVE: Coronavirus Pandemic: President Trump Virtual Town Hall

This started at noon EDT. Free stream on Fox.com (linked). Town hall runs two hours.

The format is 30 minutes for the task form team to give updates, then Trump will spend the rest of the time answering viewer questions.

https://www.fox.com/live/channel/FNC/

 

Question 1 for Mike Pence concerns potential national lockdown.

Pence says that has never been discussed. We're relying on everyone to help slow the spread by following their 15-day plan of recommendations.

 

Question 2: On ventilator supply. Citing Cuomo complaints that the U.S. is sitting on a stockpile of ventilators that New York needs.

Pence: We are in the process of distributing all the ventilators in the national stockpile with the top priority being New York. Also, noting that 10's of thousands of respirators can be easily converted from anesthesia machines and that use has been approved by FDA.

 

Question 3: What is the "new normal" of lasting changes? What do we look to regarding future pandemics.

Pence: For now, the plan is to lower the number of cases by practicing the 15-day plan to slow the spread. Trump asks daily for recommendations from experts on best practice to shorten the duration and also get America open for business quickly. We're trying to protect the vulnerable and also try to have the worst behind us in weeks, not months.

(No answer about any future pandemic.)

 

Dr. Birx will be on and Trump will be up in a few minutes.

This is a break with journalist John Roberts filling the time.

 

In a pinch but I shudder at the thought

 

Why?

 

Day 15 is Monday, and Trump administration will analyze and evaluate the progress and determine the next steps from there. Depends on status and outcomes.

Pence: Reviewing the steps we all need to be taking today. Emphasizing that the risk to most Americans remains low, but the contagious nature of the disease is the reason we need to be careful particularly to protect the elderly.

 

What is the government prepared to do for small business?

Pence: Health and safety of the public is the priority. We're working with private industries. Congress is working on negotiating specifics right now so that people and businesses can weather the storm.

We may have a Congressional vote to pass legislation by end of day.

Q: Can you go shake up Congress?

Pence: There was strong bipartisan support on the first 2 relief bills. Now we're needing for Congress to come together to support people and businesses. We remain hopeful that will happen soon.

 

New York City has 2000 ventilators. The government is sending 400 more. That should get them through this week and into next week. If the virus doesn't break, they're going to need a lot more. Converting anesthesia machines to ventilators is better than letting people die. A week and a half supply buys some time.

 

The Democrat party has basically become an extension of the chinese communist party.

They are hell bent on making the Chinese bio weapon as damaging as possible. They want to cause as much pain for Americans as possible to punish them for electing trump.

Democrats are engaged in hiding Coronavirus relief from Coronavirus victims like they hid hurricane relief from hurricane victims.

If you believe the spin they give to excuse their actions, you're the one who looks foolish.

Supporting Democrats is like supporting china.

 

What is the first thing Pence/team looks for in the morning?

Pence: Dr. Birx is Pence's right arm in tracking and analyzing the data. She's the first one he talks to. We're looking at trends in every country. Most people in Italy who died had at least 3 other conditions.

Our hearts go out to every family who has lost a loved one. [Talking about changes to nursing home recommendations now.] Regardless of the timing of "reopening America" we will continue to focus on protecting the most vulnerable.

 

Question about testing everyone and when.

Pence: 50,000 have been tested and testing is expanding daily. Private industry has helped immensely. "We're getting there." FDA just approved a self-administered swab test you can do at home. Priority right now is on people who are hospitalized. Put in practice the 15-day recommendations is what everyone can do to help.

 

Democrats like America shut down. It reminds them of the post American world they been dreaming of.

This is why they hide Coronavirus relief from Coronavirus victims like they hide hurricane relief from hurricane victims. All to hurt Americans for their Chinese masters.

 

New panel: Dr. Oz, Dr. Mark Zeigle, and one more (I missed)

Dr. Oz: Malaria pill...unethical without trials? How to accelerate clinical trials. Would you take these pills if you fell ill today?

Pence: Off label use is approved right now, legal and approved for malaria. No barrier to access these drugs. Clinical trial is being conducted in New York state to better understand the impact. Pence would follow the advice of his physician.

 

Dr. Oz thinks drugs could make a meaningful difference to treat and maybe as a prophylaxis. Questions about supply. One patient needs 20 pills.

Pence: Availability "a significant amount". Millions of doses coming. Manufacturing - we're trying to spin up to make sure it's available. Thousands of doses have been distributed across New York. Priorities on states with highest outbreaks.

 

Dr. Seigel: Health care workers hurting. Q about vaccines. Could we offer vaccines far earlier than normal to health care workers (than time to approval)?

Pence: Trump pushing speed on everything without sacrificing safety. We'll follow the science. Therapeutic breakthroughs are expected this spring. We need the bill passed in Congress to fuel innovation.

 

Dr. Gottlieb (?): Fauci and Birx taking more traditional approach. Encouraging fast track, why not also using parallel track? Any plan to help rural areas with the shift in resources to major hot spot areas?

Pence: Impact on hospitals is very real. We are on a dual-track working with the FDA to use off-label prescriptions and doing traditional trials. All resources, federal-state-local, are being brought to bear. Thanks all the health care workers in the country....they are a priority. Multiple millions of masks were freed up by allowing construction masks to be used.

Backtracking to previous: FEMA shipped 2000 ventilators today; tomorrow another 2000 will ship to New York.

 

I'm going to stop trying to provide notes now. I don't type fast enough to catch everything!!!

 

Trump is next. I'm just going to sit back and watch.

 

Dow’s up 9 percent...expect the dems to continue to block a relief package

 

Trump is talking about how Democrats are trying to throw the Green New Deal and all kinds of things into the temporary relief package. We need to help people today.

 

So true. The true colors of certain people come out in moments like this. Nancy and her party have certainly shown them.

 

I hope that this is the last update because Trump stopped talking or that his other talking points did not yield further harm to the country.

 

Tillerson was right.