Trump says coronavirus will 'go away' as pressure grows for economic relief

[webfact]

Trump says coronavirus will 'go away' as pressure grows for economic relief

By Steve Holland and Richard Cowan

 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks next to Vice President Mike Pence during a coronavirus briefing with health insurers in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., March 10, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the coronavirus outbreak would "go away" and urged Americans to remain calm as cases jumped and the White House came under mounting pressure to boost its response to the health and economic crisis.

 

A steady rise in the number of U.S. cases of COVID-19, a highly contagious and sometimes fatal respiratory illness, has concerned health officials and spurred calls within Congress for action to expand testing and avert an economic meltdown.

 

About three quarters of U.S. states now have confirmed COVID-19 with over 800 Americans infected, Washington state's governor warned of tens of thousands more cases without "real action" and New York's governor deployed National Guard troops as a containment measure in a hard-hit New York City suburb.

 

"It will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away," Trump said after a meeting on Capitol Hill with Republican lawmakers. "We want to protect our shipping industry, our cruise industry, cruise ships. We want to protect our airlines industry."

 

Trump, who in the past two days has broached a payroll tax cut and relief for companies hard hit by coronavirus fears, offered no specific details on what had been discussed in a meeting with his top economic officials.

 

Democrats accused Trump, a Republican, of being more focused on soothing Wall Street's nerves after another stock market plunge on Monday than on protecting the public from the health and economic fallout of the fast-spreading epidemic.

 

"President Trump and his administration should be putting people before corporations, and they should be focused on taking appropriate steps to keep the American people and their economic security safe," Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said.

 

Democrats are pushing for paid sick leave, expanded and free testing for the coronavirus and other measures.

 

Senate Republicans said they hoped the administration could reach a deal with House Democrats for an economic relief package, including a possible $300 billion in payroll tax relief that could and help people make rent and mortgage payments, or pay medical bills if family members' work hours are reduced during the outbreak.

 

The White House has come under attack for a lack of epidemic preparation by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and early problems with their coronavirus test kits that delayed confirmation of results.

 

Vice President Mike Pence, who is heading the government's response to the outbreak, said more than 1 million test kits for the coronavirus were in the field and that 4 million more were going out this week. "We want people to get tested," he said after he and Trump met with health insurer executives.

 

Pence announced that private U.S. health insurers had agreed to extend coronavirus treatment coverage in all of their plans and waive co-payment fees for testing. He did not mention the millions of uninsured Americans.

 

Major U.S. stock indexes were up 4% on Tuesday, recouping some of Monday's steep sell-off.

 

OUTBREAK EXPANDS

More than 116,000 people have contracted the coronavirus worldwide with over 4,000 deaths since it surfaced in China late last year, according to the World Health Organization. It has spread to more than 100 nations. Italy, which has the highest death toll outside of China, has put its entire population of 60 million on virtual lockdown.

 

Along with the more than 800 U.S. cases, there have been 28 deaths, most of them in Washington state, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. New Jersey on Tuesday reported its first coronavirus death.

 

At least 35 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have reported infections of COVID-19.

 

Washington state has been hardest hit, with a nursing home in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland accounting for the bulk of the state's 22 confirmed deaths.

 

Governor Jay Inslee on Tuesday said he was considering "real action" to prevent a rapid increase of cases in the state. Asked whether he was considering mandatory measures to slow the virus, he said: "I would not be shocked if we have some news on that in the next few days."

 

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said schools would be closed and public gatherings suspended in a coronavirus "hot zone" in New Rochelle, a New York City suburb, and deployed National Guard troops there. New York state has one of the highest numbers of cases, most of them in and around New Rochelle.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he will ask Congress for a payroll tax cut and other "very major" stimulus moves to ease the economic pain of the coronavirus, but details of his plan remain unclear. Conway G. Gittens has more.

 

The United Nations announced that it would be closing its headquarters in New York to the public until further notice.

 

In California, the Grand Princess cruise ship docked at the Port of Oakland continued offloading its 2,400 passengers, most of whom will go into quarantine at military bases. The vessel was barred from returning to San Francisco last week due to a coronavirus outbreak on board.

 

The governors of North Carolina and Colorado on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in their states.

 

As the outbreak spreads, daily life in United States has been increasingly disrupted, with concerts and conferences canceled, and universities telling students to stay home and take classes online.

 

U.S. health officials have urged older people, especially those with chronic medical concerns, to avoid big social gatherings, cruise ships and airline flights.

 

"Not every community has an outbreak going on right now, but people should know that this is likely to get worse before it gets better," U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said on ABC's "Good Morning America."

 

(Reporting by Richard Cowan, Susan Cornwell, Susan Heavey, Andrea Shalal, David Lawder and Lisa Lambert in Washington, Deborah Bloom in Olympia, Washington and Nathan Layne and Gabriella Borter in New York; Writing by Paul Simao; Editing by Bill Berkrot)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-11

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[daveAustin]

Being rich doesn't make one immune, ole mate. How's your ticker? 

[pegman]

So more tax cuts for billionaires by the sounds of it. One trick pony this guy.

[PatOngo]

If only Old Don de don don would just "go away!"

[Tayaout]

It's funny how they tried to delay/limit the testing but because of free speech they can't prevent doctors from publishing the results. Trump probably know this crisis is the greatest threat to his re-election and the economy but I think he is only making it worse. I thought his chance of re-election were great because the democrat don't have any solid candidate but now he is playing with fire. 

Edited March 10, 2020 by Tayaout

[JWRC]

It will go away.... This is a new low, even for Trump, the man is not fit to hold the position of president.

[UbonThani]

1 it will go away

2 it's minor compared with roads, heart disease and murder

3 the Trump haters will hate

 

The Corona con job will be over in 3 or 4 months.

[rabas]

22 minutes ago, JWRC said:

It will go away.... This is a new low, even for Trump, the man is not fit to hold the position of president.

And yet, incredibly, it will according to science. Perhaps Trump reads the  scientific website ARS technica.

 

Don’t Panic: The comprehensive Ars Technica guide to the coronavirus

 

[UbonThani]

Great link

 

Common sense at last!!!!@

[Boon Mee]

1 hour ago, pegman said:

So more tax cuts for billionaires by the sounds of it. One trick pony this guy.

A zero payroll tax is hardly a good thing for billionaires. 

But even that far left Governor of California is praising Trump's methods to contain the Wuhan Flu. 

 

MAGA 

[RJRS1301]

Good to know Dr Trump has the cure for the virus, money.

Proves his medical qua;ifications are up there with his science qualifications.

[URMySunshine]

At the heart of UK government.

 

Health minister Nadine Dorries has been diagnosed with coronavirus.

The Under-Secretary of State for Health, 62, is said to have fallen ill last Friday and was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Tuesday night.

The Times reports that she is now in isolation and is recovering from her symptoms.

Her diagnosis could send a wave of fear through Downing Street as she attended a reception at No. 10 with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and has met hundreds of people in Parliament over the past week.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8097893/Health-minister-Nadine-Dorries-diagnosed-coronavirus.html

Edited March 10, 2020 by URMySunshine

[RJRS1301]

I am wondering about medical confidentiality when papers are nameing people infected. Hope they gained consent from the people before publishing their names.

[URMySunshine]

A tsunami of grief and suffering is waving over the world now god help all those it touches. 

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8095835/Overwhelmed-Italian-hospitals-running-200-cent-capacity.html

Edited March 10, 2020 by URMySunshine

[AlexRich]

3 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

A zero payroll tax is hardly a good thing for billionaires. 

But even that far left Governor of California is praising Trump's methods to contain the Wuhan Flu. 

 

MAGA 

Sure, Democrats are loving Trump’s slow moving train crash ... as the number of infections and deaths rises, Trump approval ratings and markets fall.

 

He’s going to be a one term President. 
 

MASA ... Make America Sick Again. Just like 1918.

[Tayaout]

8 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

Sure, Democrats are loving Trump’s slow moving train crash ... as the number of infections and deaths rises, Trump approval ratings and markets fall.

 

He’s going to be a one term President. 
 

MASA ... Make America Sick Again. Just like 1918.

It shows that the democrats aren't that strong if they need a major world crisis to have any hope... 

[rabas]

10 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

Sure, Democrats are loving Trump’s slow moving train crash ... as the number of infections and deaths rises, Trump approval ratings and markets fall.

 

He’s going to be a one term President. 
 

MASA ... Make America Sick Again. Just like 1918.

Wishing total destruction of 320 million people due to political affliction. Makes one wonder which disease is worse.

 

[spiekerjozef]

Eventually it will.

So he's not lying this time...

[lannarebirth]

59 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Good to know Dr Trump has the cure for the virus, money.

Proves his medical qua;ifications are up there with his science qualifications.

Money would help, but not a suspension of the payroll tax. Giving people money to help provide for themselves and their loved ones is a much better idea. If your factory, store, school, whatever, closes down due to this virus, what good does lowering the payroll tax do? If you're disabled, elderly, an unpaid caregiver, what good does a payroll tax suspension do?

[RJRS1301]

4 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

Money would help, but not a suspension of the payroll tax. Giving people money to help provide for themselves and their loved ones is a much better idea. If your factory, store, school, whatever, closes down due to this virus, what good does lowering the payroll tax do? If you're disabled, elderly, an unpaid caregiver, what good does a payroll tax suspension do?

Agreed, but it wont make the virus go away as such, it is a containment strategy, to decrease possibilty of community transmission

[UbonThani]

1 hour ago, AlexRich said:

I think when you hear the words of a “stable genius” you should listen and learn. 
 

The problem is that the virus is not listening. When you don’t test people because you can’t test them, you have no information on how this is spreading. Now that they are rolling out test kits I’d guess there will be an explosion in the numbers ... and the decisions that the US will then have to take will damage the economy, the labour market, and will put more pressure on the financial markets. Trumpty Dumpty is toast!

 

 

 

The virus is nothing new and nor is the hype justified.

 

And Trump is telling ylthe truth unlike the fear mongering left.

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, rabas said:

Wishing total destruction of 320 million people due to political affliction. Makes one wonder which disease is worse.

 

The total hatred of humanity that exists in the hearts of the radical Trump haters is truly alarming.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, rabas said:

Wishing total destruction of 320 million people due to political affliction. Makes one wonder which disease is worse.

 

Please identify the ‘wishing’ bit.

[Chomper Higgot]

37 minutes ago, UbonThani said:

The virus is nothing new and nor is the hype justified.

 

And Trump is telling ylthe truth unlike the fear mongering left.

One of the principal characteristics of COVID-19 is its new, which is why there is no immunity to it.

 

Doh!

[PremiumLane]

1 hour ago, Boon Mee said:

A zero payroll tax is hardly a good thing for billionaires. 

But even that far left Governor of California is praising Trump's methods to contain the Wuhan Flu. 

 

MAGA 

far left governor? Just about sums up the idiocy of political understanding in the US

[PremiumLane]

2 hours ago, rabas said:

And yet, incredibly, it will according to science. Perhaps Trump reads the  scientific website ARS technica.

 

Don’t Panic: The comprehensive Ars Technica guide to the coronavirus

 

Not telling the whole story, are you? Yes, we shouldn't panic and yes it will be beaten (ironically with public money, those pesky socialist types again!) but that doesn't mean ignoring it or thinking it will just blow over. We still need to take steps to control it and limit the exposure for vulnerable people. What this requires is level-headed planning, something Donny and his bunch of cowboys are incapable of doing.

[Ventenio]

a Thai told me America gave Thailand the MAXIMUM amount of money for some aid relief.....anyhow, this is what America does.  

 

I'm sure Trump didn't mean it will magically just "go away"...

 

I'm more worried about all the morons who take people words as gospel and plan their life without thinking.  that's 80% of everyone, total morons.

 

i don't care what he says, it's what they do.   nobody on here could manage a lemonade stand, so there's that

[Langsuan Man]

15 minutes ago, Ventenio said:

I'm sure Trump didn't mean it will magically just "go away"...

Do you have a reading comprehension problem ?  

 

How else can you try and spin his words, especially when he says it twice  !

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

"It will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away,"

 

[lannarebirth]

3 minutes ago, Langsuan Man said:

Do you have a reading comprehension problem ?  

 

How else can you try and spin his words, especially when he says it twice  !

 

 

Quote

 

  4 hours ago, webfact said:

"It will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away,"

 

 

 

One of his spokespeople later clarified that like the Buddha, our esteemed president was only commenting on the impermanence of all things save for his stable geniousness.  OK, I made that up.

[Tug]

Why can’t the senile old fool just shut up and let competent professionals handle it