Page 19 - HOH_Neat

A3
U.S. NEWS Wednesday 28 OctOber 2020
Melania Trump slams Biden, Dems in first solo campaign stop

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM The first lady's event 50
Associated Press miles (80 kilometers) west of
ATGLEN, Pa. (AP) — Mela- Philadelphia drew a couple
nia Trump lined up squarely of hundred supporters who
with her husband Tuesday piled into a converted barn
on her first solo trip of the typically used for wedding
2020 campaign, slamming receptions. Two large doors
Joe Biden, Democrats and at the rear were opened
the media as she pushed to allow fresh air into the
the president's reeelec- building. The overwhelm-
tion message in the battle- ing majority of those in at-
ground state of Pennsylva- tendance wore masks, but
nia. there was little social dis-
The first lady defended tancing.
Donald Trump's record on Pennsylvania Democratic
COVID-19 even as he con- Chairwoman Nancy Patton
tinues to play down the Mills ridiculed Mrs. Trump's
threat of a virus that has campaign stop, saying the
killed more than 226,000 first lady would not have
Americans. She sought to an answer for Pennsylva-
shift the blame to Demo- nia's soaring unemploy-
crats, who she said tried ment rate or why her hus-
to "put their own agendas band's administration has
ahead of the American First lady Melania Trump speaks during a campaign rally on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020, in Atglen, Pa. "stopped trying to combat
people's well-being" and Associated Press a virus that's killed 8,700
focused on a "sham im- "We must keep Donald in COVID-19 deaths and hos- But she defended her hus- Pennsylvanians and count-
peachment" instead of the the White House so he can pitalizations in Pennsylvania band's handling of the virus ing."
coronavirus. finish what he's started and have more than doubled and said his administration Mrs. Trump spoke one day
Mrs. Trump also denounced our country can continue since the beginning of Oc- "chooses to keep moving after the president held
what she called Biden's "so- to flourish." tober. forward during this pan- three rallies in Pennsylva-
cialist agenda" and criti- The first lady, who recently Mrs. Trump also struck an demic, not backward," in- nia, a state that helped de-
cized media coverage of recovered from what she empathetic tone on the sisting that schools, restau- liver him the White House
"idle gossip and palace in- has described as a mild virus, calling herself a "wor- rants and businesses have in 2016 and one that is key
trigue" in the White House. case of COVID-19, ap- ried mother and wife" who learned to operate safely to his reelection bid. Polls
Biden's "policies and social- peared on a day when knows "there are many during the pandemic. show a tight race in the
ist agenda will only serve Pennsylvania health au- people who have lost loved "We don't close down and state between Trump and
to destroy America and all thorities reported a record- ones or know people who hide in fear. We get to work Biden, who also visited the
that has been built in the ing-shattering 2,751 new have been forever impact- to find real and lasting solu- state Monday to boost get-
past four years," she said. virus infections statewide. ed by this silent enemy." tions," she said. out-the-vote efforts.q

Medicare finalizing coverage policy for coronavirus vaccine

By RICARDO ALONSO- use authorization from the stacles that could get in the
ZALDIVAR Food and Drug Administra- way of Medicare payment
Associated Press tion, as expected for the never got unscrambled.
WASHINGTON (AP) — eventual coronavirus vac- Earlier this month, Medi-
Medicare will cover the cine. Emergency use desig- care administrator Seema
yet-to-be approved coro- nation is a step short of full Verma said her agency
navirus vaccine free for approval. was close to resolving the
older people under a pol- The administration official issue.
icy change expected to said Medicare's announce- "I think we've figured out a
be announced shortly, a ment will try to resolve sev- path forward," Verma said
senior Trump administration eral legal technicalities at the HLTH conference, a
official said Tuesday. that could conceivably forum for innovators. "It was
The coming announce- get in the way of deliver- very clear that Congress
ment from the Centers for ing free vaccines to millions wants to make sure that
Medicare and Medicaid of seniors, a high-risk group Medicare beneficiaries
Services aims to align the for COVID-19, the disease have this vaccine and that In this April 7, 2020, file photo, Seema Verma, administrator of
time-consuming process caused by the coronavirus. there isn't any cost-sharing." the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, speaks about
for securing Medicare cov- The official spoke to The As- "Stay tuned," she added. the coronavirus, in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the
erage of a new vaccine, sociated Press on the con- The $1.8 trillion CARES White House in Washington.
drug or treatment with the dition of anonymity to dis- Act passed by Congress Associated Press
rapid campaign to have a cuss a pending regulation. in March called for free
coronavirus vaccine ready President Donald Trump vaccination for all Ameri- have a vaccine ready for livery. Officials at the FDA
for initial distribution once it and lawmakers of both cans, from seniors covered distribution in the coming have committed that the
is ready, possibly as early as parties in Congress have by Medicare to families months. The government is program will not interfere
the end of the year. spelled out their intention with employer-sponsored spending billions of dollars with their own science-
It's questionable under nor- that all Americans will be health insurance. to manufacture vaccines based decisions. Vac-
mal circumstances if Medi- able to get the vaccine for A White House-backed ini- even before they receive cines that don't meet the
care can pay for a drug free. But the official said a tiative called "Operation FDA approval, thereby test for approval would be
that receives emergency series of potential legal ob- Warp Speed" is pushing to cutting the timeline for de- discarded.q