Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 27 February 2020

Trump says U.S. 'very ready' for virus; Pence to lead response

with CDC, NIH and other who were evacuated sponse to the coronavirus.
government agencies to from the Diamond Prin- Trump has wondered
coordinate the response. cess cruise ship docked aloud if Health and Human
In previous outbreaks, the in Japan. On Capitol Hill, Services Secretary Alex
White House has appoint- senior lawmakers called Azar is the right person to
ed a "czar" to pull together for a bipartisan spending lead the administration's
the different departments' package that would give response. The White House
work. "We're very, very federal, state and local had considered naming a
ready for this, for anything," officials more resources. virus czar, but was not sure
even if it's "a breakout of Trump had requested $2.5 that was the right route,
larger proportions," Trump billion to fight the virus; Sen- said a person familiar with
President Donald Trump, with members of the President's told a news conference. ate Democratic Leader the discussions. Azar himself
Coronavirus Task Force, holds a paper about countries best The U.S. announced a Chuck Schumer of New was said to be supportive
and least prepared to deal with a pandemic, during a news 15th case of coronavirus York countered with an of naming a czar.
conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Wednesday, bringing the $8.5 billion proposal. Among those under con-
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, in Washington.
Associated Press total number of infected Trump told reporters he was sideration for such a post:
people in the country to 60. open to spending "whatev- Former Food and Drug Ad-
Continued from Front have to push ahead. No details were released er's appropriate." ministration Commissioner
NIH's Dr. Anthony Fauci immediately on the new- Republican and Demo- Scott Gottlieb. The person
The National Institutes of called it "quite conceiv- est case. But the higher cratic lawmakers alike spoke on condition of ano-
Health's top infectious dis- able" that the virus will count includes people who have questioned whether nymity to discuss private
ease chief cautioned a "come back and recycle traveled back from out- Trump's original request is deliberations.
vaccine won't be ready for next year. In that case, we break areas in Asia: three sufficient. House Appro- White House press secre-
widespread use for a year hope to have a vaccine." who were evacuated from priations chairwoman Nita tary Stephanie Grisham
or more — but said the virus Trump said Vice President the central China city of Lowey, D-N.Y., said it's pre- was also pushing back.
might return, so researchers Mike Pence will be working Wuhan and 42 Americans mature to put a price tag Grisham retweeted a CDC
on the package. "We're post that said "there is cur-
working on it and we'll have rently no reported commu-
a number but I'm not sure nity spread" of coronavirus
it's going to be the number in the U.S. This week, the
that Schumer's proposing," NIH received a shipment
said Lowey, adding that of test doses of a vaccine
she's working with lawmak- candidate from Moderna
ers of both parties. Inc., in preparation for first-
Aides said the House meas- step safety testing in a few
ure is likely to be unveiled dozen people aimed to be-
next week. Bipartisan "four gin by April. But Fauci cau-
corner" meetings — Demo- tioned reporters that in a
crats and Republicans in best-case scenario, "you're
both the House and Sen- talking about a year to a
ate — began Wednes- year and a half" before any
day, a House Democratic vaccine would be ready
aide said, with a biparti- for widespread use. Fauci
san bill the goal. Schumer said that while only a few
has been harshly critical cases have turned up in
of Trump's response to the the U.S. from travelers out-
outbreak, and his request side the country, "we need
— announced before to be able to think about
the Democratic-control- how we will respond to a
led House Appropriations pandemic outbreak."
Committee has weighed "It's very clear. If we have
in — rankled some Demo- a global pandemic, no
crats hoping for quick, bi- country is going to be with-
partisan action to address out impact," Fauci said.
the crisis. A pandemic involves the
Arriving back in the U.S. continual spread of sus-
early Wednesday, Trump tained transmission from
immediately began to person to person in multiple
counter critics who say he regions and hemispheres
should have acted sooner throughout the world simul-
to bolster the federal re- taneously, Fauci noted.q