COVID-19 4/28 UPDATE COVID-19 4/28 Update Global Total cases – 3,083,467 Total deaths – 213,824 United States Positive tests – 1,002,498 (4% increase from prior day) % Positive tests – 18% Total # tests – 5,628,374 (4% increase from prior day) Total deaths – 57,266 (4% increase from prior day) Administration • The White House issued a 17-page strategy to expand U.S. testing for the coronavirus, after enduring criticism that the outbreak has grown to nearly 1 million Americans in part because the government was slow to develop and roll out a functional diagnostic. o The document the White House issued Monday describes a three-stage process to expand testing, with check marks in the first two stages indicating that they’re complete. The remaining stage calls for coordination with governors “to support testing plans and rapid response programs.” o Read action plan o Read blueprint • Dr. Deborah Birx and Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Dr. Brett Giroir presented the eight-part plan at a press briefing on Monday. Giroir said the eight parts are grouped into three distinct phases. He said the US has accomplished all parts of the first two phases, and are now working to fulfill stage three by supporting reopening state economies. Here's what the blueprint suggests: o Stage 1: Launch § Build the foundation for diagnostic testing § Mobilize the private sector to develop tests § Issue Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for tests § Galvanize commercial and research laboratories and professional associations to ramp up testing capacity § Facilitate state efforts to access and utilize all available testing capacity o Stage 2: Scale § Identify and expand public and private-sector testing infrastructure § Strengthen testing supply chain o Stage 3: Support opening up again § Coordinate with governors to support testing plans and rapid response programs § The White House said the federal government should act as the "supplier of last resort" for coronavirus tests as it works with states to ramp up a testing regime that health experts say is necessary before a national reopening. • The administration will also offer a blueprint laying out where it sees the boundaries between federal and state responsibilities. o A White House official said the goal was to help each state reach the ability to test at least 2% of its residents, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations and emergency workers. o The documents will also lay out what the administration has done so far to ramp up testing, including strengthening the US supply chain for supplies and testing kits. • White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett says the administration is weighing the idea of more aid to individuals, possibly adding to the first stimulus package’s $1,200 direct payment per qualified person. o House members also studying this, Hassett tells reporters at White House o “It’s very likely there’ll be a phase-four deal and we’re going to be speaking with the president throughout the week about what he thinks should be in there, and I know that Senator McConnell and Speaker Pelosi are working on that as well,” Hassett tells reporters o Earlier on CNN, Hassett said he sees the U.S. jobless rate at 16%-20% by june o He also says if some estimates are correct in predicting an economic rebound in 2nd half of 2020, it will be due to a strong bipartisan stimulus package • The US Food and Drug Administration authorized a coronavirus antibody test from Abbott Laboratories on Sunday, bringing the total number of FDA-authorized antibody tests to eight. o The Abbott test looks for a class of antibodies – called IgG antibodies – that are produced in the later stages of infection. Other tests can detect antibodies produced earlier. • President Trump is expected to sign a five-page executive order under the Defense Production Act today that compels meat processing plants to remain open, CNN has learned. o Trump is expected to sign the order after some companies, like Tyson, were considering only keeping 20% of their facilities open. The vast majority of processing plans could have shut down, which would have reduced processing capacity in the country by as much as 80%, an official familiar says. o By signing the order, Trump will declare these plants as a part of critical infrastructure in the US. o The administration is also working with the Labor Department on issuing guidance about which employees should remain home. This is to protect facilities that are required to stay open from liability issues. o Trump previewed the order earlier today during an Oval Office spray with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, saying that he expects to sign an executive order later in the day related to the food supply chain. • President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and members of the coronavirus task force briefed the nation's governors Monday afternoon on a new testing blueprint. o According to audio of the call obtained by CNN, Trump said the US has now completed 5.4 million tests and the number of tests being performed each day has "began to skyrocket," citing more than 200,000 tests performed last Wednesday. He praised governors who have implemented testing strategies and contracted with the public and private sector to get what they need. • Admiral Brett Giroir, director of US coronavirus testing, said the federal government will continue to help states procure supplies for testing, despite new guidelines that describe it as a “supplier of last resort” in obtaining tests. o “It’s very important that I think we don’t interrupt our commercial channels, because they’re very efficient and this is what they do, but we do have to prioritize them,” Giroir told reporters at the White House on Monday. o “Some of the larger companies, the testing companies, we need to make sure that the states that have a certain machine or a certain test are adequately supplied until we get 10 times the amount that we need," he added. o Giroir described supplies like swabs as a “small, fragile ecosystem right now.” o “For the next couple of months, we’re going to procure them at the federal level to make sure they’re distributed to the states,” he said, “but towards the middle or the end of the summer that supply chain will be very robust.” o Starting as early as late next week, Giroir said, “for say, swabs and media, we know what the plan is. • President Trump says he takes no responsibility for a spike in people using disinfectants improperly after he suggested ingesting disinfectant as a cure for coronavirus last week. o When asked about the increase, Trump said, "I can't imagine why." o He answered, “No, I don’t" when asked if he takes any responsibility for the numbers. • President Trump described governors as “as thrilled as they can be” over the administration's response to the coronavirus, hours after a meeting with state leaders on Monday. o “We had a fantastic call with the governors today,” the President said during a Rose Garden briefing. “And I would say that today are as thrilled as they can be considering that to the fact is that there has been so much unnecessary death in this country.” o “It could have been stopped,” Trump added, “and it could've been stopped short, but somebody a long time ago it seems decided not to do it that way, and the whole world is suffering because of it, 184 countries at least.” • President Trump says he is confident there is enough coronavirus testing to reopen the country. o U.S. has more than doubled testing capacity and will double again, Trump says at White House briefing o Trump says he has directed Medicare to make “‘it easier” for seniors to get testing • President Trump met with executives from companies including Walgreens, Walmart, Rite-Aid, CVS, Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp and Thermo Fisher o " President Donald Trump and retailers are expected to announce wider availability of coronavirus tests as his administration seeks to address concerns from states and business leaders that U.S. testing must be more robust for Americans to feel comfortable returning to work. • In pushing to start reopening the country, the White House has fielded broad concerns from business leaders and states that the U.S. doesn’t have sufficient testing to relent on social-distancing practices that have crippled the economy. o At Monday’s event, it isn’t clear whether the president will address shortages of materials needed to expand testing, including swabs to collect samples and chemical media to transport them to labs. • President Trump defended Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who downplayed the impact of coronavirus in the early stages of the pandemic. o “I think it’s a very unfair question because you have many great professionals, some of them you have great respect for, and you have many people in the other party… that have said the same thing and with even more confidence,” Trump said when asked about Azar's role. “So a lot of people didn’t get that right." • The U.S. Small Business Administration didn’t resume accepting applications for disaster loans on Monday because the additional money authorized by Congress could be exhausted by previous applicants, agency officials confirmed. o “The SbA is unable to accept new applications at this time for COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan- related assistance…based upon available appropriations funding,” said Matt Coleman, a spokesman for SbA’s Region II, which includes New York State. o “Applicants who have already submitted their applications will continue to be processed on a first come, first serve basis,” he said on Monday.