Vice President Mike Pence listens as President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Monday, April 6, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Vice President Mike Pence has confirmed we are currently performing 150,000 coronavirus tests in the U.S. each day. During a recent interview, he suggested the number of daily tests could double once all labs across the country are activated.
This came as good news amid rising concerns over testing and the increasing number of cases in the country.
The Trump administration is seeking to reopen the economy following a month of lockdown, which was implemented to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
“We believe that on the phase one criteria, we have a sufficient amount of testing at that level to allow states to begin to responsibly reopen,” stated Pence.
The progress the American people have made over the last few months is incredible and because of their extraordinary effort along with Governors across the County & our incredible health care workers, we are continuing to see every day that cases & hospitalizations are declining. pic.twitter.com/bInYZNxOlJ
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) April 19, 2020
According to Health and Human Service officials, the administration will have 5 million more swabs by the end of this month.
Pence also reaffirmed “nobody wants to reopen America more than President Trump.” However, he emphasized the U.S. has to be careful when reopening the economy, in order to “ensure the cure isn’t worse than the disease.”
The vice president has said the guidelines recently introduced to governors will allow them to get people back to work at a time of their choosing.
“The guidelines for opening up America are a framework for doing that, and we’ll work with governors across the country to implement those,” he explained. “We want to put America back to work as soon as we responsibly can and, at the president’s direction, we’re going to continue to work to do that every day.”
Workers administer tests at a drive-thru COVID-19 testing location Saturday, April 18, 2020, in Franklin, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Meanwhile, Vice President Pence gave an address at the Air Force Academy’s commencement in Colorado Springs, where he acknowledged the hardship of these times. On Saturday, he stated now is the moment for “courage, resilience and strength.”
The vice president suggested “America is being tested” and added, despite recent progress, “many have lost their lives.” However, he noted when tough times strike, Americans come together and “rise to the challenge.”
He encouraged the graduating class by saying the American people “are doing their duty” and he was proud the Air Force Academy was doing theirs.
“I believe with all my heart that for Americans looking on from around the country at this very hour, seeing you brave men and women setting off on your mission to defend this nation, on this day you’ll also inspire confidence that we will prevail against the invisible enemy in our time as well,” stated Pence.
In this time of trial and testing for our Nation, the courage demonstrated by the men and women of the @AF_Academy is an inspiration to every American. When hardship comes, Americans come together and rise to the challenge. pic.twitter.com/8nd0rM9U39
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) April 18, 2020
The graduation was notably following social distancing guidelines, with every airmen sitting eight feet apart.
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