WHITE House coronavirus task force expert admitted testing failures occurred in the US because the government “didn’t have what we needed.” Dr Anthony Fauci’s bombshell comments came as the death toll on American soil surged to 41, with at least 1,654 cases in 46 states as of Friday, March 13. The director of the National […]
WHITE House coronavirus task force expert admitted testing failures occurred in the US because the government “didn’t have what we needed.”
Dr Anthony Fauci’s bombshell comments came as the death toll on American soil surged to 41, with at least 1,654 cases in 46 states as of Friday, March 13.
The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases was interviewed on ABC News Live Prime tonight after his earlier testimony that the testing system was failing.
“I mean, we have to admit that in the beginning we didn’t have what we needed, but now we will fix it,” Fauci said, promising that there would be more tests soon as panic grips the nation.
The disease expert explained that at start of the outbreak, the testing system was designed for a “patient-to-doctor” relationship, in which the CDC would give a test to relevant local authorities.
It could not accomodate the global reach and rapid community spread of the deadly disease, which has pummelled states like Washington, New York and California.
“We’ve transcended that, we need to do much better,” Fauci told ABC. “We need to get much more testing. And I believe that will be available relatively soon.”
Fauci said there will be more testing soon after enlisting the help of commercial companies and the government was going to fix the system so people could “much more easily get a test.”
He revealed that althought the testing methods were working when the outbreak first emerged, the coronavirus task force, led by Vice President Mike Pence, is close to coming up with a better one.
“It’s going to be within the next week or two — probably even more like a week,” Fauci said as confirmed cases increase all over the country amid the ongoing pandemic.
He said the HHS under Secretary Azar, the CDC and the FDA were all “working right now to get this done” as big names like Tom Hanks and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were diagnosed.
Fauci said it was up to the White House whether Trump would be tested after meeting wiith the Brazilian President’s press secretary who reportedly tested positive.
“I’m not too familiar with the details of that interaction,” Fauci said, after Trump met Fabio Wajngarten at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
“I would leave that to the President and the Vice president’s Physician,” he said, before praising the travel restrictions on China before last night’s travel ban on 26 European countries.
“We are still in for some significant infections right now,” he continued, adding that they are hoping to “blunt” the confirmed cases and deaths in this country.
At least 1,654 people in 46 states tested positive for the virus, which has killed 41 people in Washington, California, South Dakota, Kansas, New Jersey, Georgia and Florida as of March 12.
Fauci’s testing revelation comes after Trump implemented a travel ban on 26 European countries last night and the stock market plummeted in the worst day on Wall Street since 1987.
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