March 9, 2020

As Americans Continue To Get Coronavirus, Trump Shows He Doesn’t Really Care

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coronavirus-trump-doesnt-care_n_5e63ca67c5b68d6164551e41
"At least 17 people in the U.S. have died from the coronavirus and more than 200 people in the country are infected. That number could be much higher, but the CDC has bungled its response and limited the number of diagnostic tests that can be administered. None of these facts stopped the president from patting himself on the back as he bragged about being as smart as the public health experts tasked with handling the situation. “People are really surprised I understand this stuff,” Trump said during a press briefing at the CDC. “Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability.” He doesn’t. In fact, he has disputed a report from World Health Organization scientists that put the death rate from the virus at 3.4%. “I think the 3.4% is really a false number,” Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday. “Now, and this is just my hunch, and — but based on a lot of conversations with a lot of people that do this.” In a meeting with health experts on Monday, Trump asked why doctors don’t just administer the flu vaccine to combat the virus. “But the same vaccine could not work?” he said. “You take a solid flu vaccine — you don’t think that would have an impact or much of an impact on corona?” It would not have an impact, the experts told him. During Friday’s visit to the CDC, Trump bragged about having “beautiful” coronavirus testing kits, and bizarrely claimed they were as “perfect” as the phone call that got him impeached. And when asked about infected passengers on a cruise ship anchored near San Francisco, Trump strongly indicated that he cares about bad PR — in the form of a higher number of infected Americans — above all else."