Everybody and I want to start by saying that our hearts go out to the people of New York as they bear the brunt of the Corona virus pandemic in America.

That seems to be the hot spot right now.

But you have some others, as you know, that Avery.

Very bad.

Very bad.

Louisiana is getting hit very hard parts of Michigan and getting it very, very hard.

New Jersey is, uh is surprisingly, it's much greater than anybody would have thought.

They're doing a really good job.

Governor is doing a really good job out there.

New York's first responders, the empties, doctors, nurses, a showing incredible courage under pressure.

They're the best in the world.

We will take every action and we'll spare no resource, financial, medical, scientific.

We will not spare anything.

Well, get it back into shape.

The Empire State.

The governor is doing an excellent job.

They're all working very hard together at the request of the Governor is, you know, the Javits Center.

We have 2500 beds and we're going to allow that to be a, uh, system where this horrible disease could be looked after the patients could be looked after.

That was going to be for regular medical problems such as accidents.

And, you know, it's very interesting.

The governor's tell me we don't have too many accidents in the very few people driving, so we're going Thio put that facility into play, which is a big facility.

The ship will be staying the way it is, but we're putting that facility into play to help them.

And today also, the CDC is announcing additional steps Americans can take to defend against the transmission of the virus from recent studies.

We know that the transmission from individuals without symptoms is playing a more significant role in the spread of the virus than previously understood.

So you don't seem to have symptoms and it still gets transferred.

In light of these studies, the CDC is advising the use of nonmedical cloth face covering as an additional voluntary public health measures.

So it's voluntary.

You have to do it, they suggested for a period of time.

But, uh, this is voluntary.

I don't think I'm gonna be doing it, but you have a lot of ways you could look at it as follows.

The C D.

C.

Is recommending that Americans were a basic cloth or fabric mask that can be either purchased online or simply made it home.

Probably material that you'd have at home.

Thes face coverings can be easily washed to reuse.

I want to emphasize that the CDC is not recommending the use of medical greater surgical grade masks, and we want that to be used for our great medical people that it's working so hard and doing some job.

Medical protective gear must be reserved for the frontline health care workers who are performing.

Those vital service is the new mass guidelines.

Also do not replace C.

D.

C's guidance on social distancing, including staying in your home when possible, standing at least six feet apart for a period of time.

Again, we're gonna all come back together here.

We're gonna all come back together and practicing hand hygiene, which we should do anyway.

A lot of things I think are going to spill over shaking hands.

Maybe we'll stay with our country for a long time.

Beyond this, one of the one of our great doctors was telling me that as you know, we have flu's every year and the number of people killed by the flu is very substantial, said that if they didn't shake hands, that number would be substantially lower.

So maybe it'll stay.

Maybe some of these things long term will be good.

But those guidelines is still the best in the safest way to avoid the infection.

So with the masks, it's going to be really a voluntary thing.

You can do it.

You don't have to do it.

I'm choosing not to do it.

But some people may want to do it, and that's okay.

It may be good.

Probably will, that making a recommendations only a recommendations voluntary.

We also taken action to ensure the cost of no barrier to any American seeking testing or treatment of the Corona virus, the largest insurer nationwide.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield system has now announced that it will not require any co pays, which is really something.

That's a tremendous statement from patients of the virus treatment for the next 60 days, similar to the commitments of Cigna, Humana anthem, great companies and they're all doing the same thing so co pays for them to do that is a big statement.

We appreciate it today I can so proudly announce at hospitals and healthcare providers treating uninsured Corona virus patients will be reimbursed by the federal government using funds from the economic relief package Congress passed last month.

That was as per the question yesterday and actually the day before yesterday.

They should alleviate any concern uninsured Americans may have about seeking the Corona virus treatment.

So that's, I think, answers the question pretty well and very much in the favor of our great people.

I'm also signing a directive invoking the defense production actor.

Prohibit export of scarce health and medical supplies by unscrupulous actors and profiteers.

Thes security and secretary secretary of homeland security will work with FEMA to prevent the export of in 95 respirator, surgical mask gloves and other personal protective equipment.

We need these items immediately for domestic use.

We have to have him, but we've done really well with the purchase of items, and you'll be hearing about that shortly.

We've already leveraged the d p.

A.

To stop the hoarding and price gouging of crucial supplies under that authority.

This week, the Department of Health and Human Service is working with the Department of Justice took custody of nearly 200,000 and 95 respirators, 130,000 surgical masks, 600,000 loves as well as bottles, many, many, many bottles and disinfectant sprays that were being courted.

All of this material is now being given to healthcare workers.

Most of it's already been given out, and we've given a lot to New York a lot to New Jersey, a lot to other places.

In addition, to ensure that health care workers in New York have the protective equipment they need, the federal government, in the name of the Department of Defense, is providing about 8.1 million in 95 respirators.

Department of Defense and we've already given 200,000 of them to New York City.

Mayor de Blasio needed them very badly, so we got him to marry de Blasio in New York City.

They were very grateful.

A 0.1 million, and we're going to be increasing that number from 8.1 million, two more.

That's a lot of in 95 respirators today.

My team spoke with the CEO of actioner health and the CEO of L C M Say the two largest health systems in New Orleans, they said, they feel that they currently have enough ventilators.

I think a lot of people are gonna have enough ventilators and masks and appreciate what we did and all of the things we've been doing with them working with them.

UH, the CEO of Asher Warner Thomas, who's really been fantastic, I have to say, indicated a need for 230,000 surgical gowns and instructed FEMA to deliver them tomorrow So they have the 230,000.

That's Louisiana New Orleans, 230,000 surgical gowns.

They'll have them by tomorrow.

We're expanding the role of the armed forces in our response effort because no one is better prepared to win a war than the United States military.

And we're in a war invisible enemy.

Remember, over 9000 retired Army medical personnel have answered their nation's call and are now supporting field hospitals and medical facilities all across the country.

Like what?

I just told you that Governor Cuomo requested We do something and Javits where we take it over, and we're gonna have that manned by the military because it's very tough to get people more people in the New York area, so we're gonna have it, man by the military.

Javits Center National Guard members of been activated to help states build new treatment centers and assist in the seamless distribution of medical supplies that includes National Guard.

The National Guard is assisting very strongly because the states were in many cases unable to have, uh, the delivery capability from warehouses and other places that we put the supplies.

So I've given approval to use the National Guard's of various national guards in the different states, and they're doing a fantastic job of not only protecting people but delivering material.

The Army Corps of Engineers has assessed more than 100 facilities at all 50 states and is rapidly building temporary hospitals.

An alternative care sites in many states in New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, Ohio.

They're doing a lot of work, and just those states, plus additional sze that are being will be announced probably tomorrow.

But they're doing some job the Army Corps of Engineers, what a job they're doing and female, what a job they're doing as we deploy the power for military were also deploying the skill of our doctors, scientists and medical researchers.

We continue to study the effectiveness of hydroxy claure, Quinn and other therapies in the treatment of prevention of the virus.

And we will keep the American people fully informed enough findings.

Hydroxy pleura Quinn.

I don't know.

It's looking like it's having some good results.

I hope that that would be a phenomenal thing, but we have it right now.

In approximately now it's increased to 1500 people.

I spoke with Dr Zucker in New York.

Terrific guy, by the ways We're doing a good job and I spoke to Governor Cuomo last evening in this morning about it, so it's been there for about 3.5 days.

But I think, uh, and what many other places It's being tested, too, and we have a tremendous supply of it.

We've ordered it in the case that it works, and it's, uh, could have some pretty big impacts.

We'll see what happens.

My administration is also working to get relief to American workers and businesses and Day one of the paycheck protection program.

As Kevin said, more than $3.5 billion in guaranteed loans have been processed to have small businesses keep their workers employed during the unprecedented time.

This unprecedented time and, uh, Bank of America has been incredible of the big banks.

Bank of America's really stepped forward and done a great job.

And then you have the community banks, you're smaller banks, and, uh, we're already at $3.5 billion going out incredible people.

But that's way ahead of schedule.

The S P A and the Treasury are working around the clock, and our banking partners are really incredible.

And they're ensuring that the money gets to small businesses as quickly as possible.

And then the small business, in turn, take care of employees that they would have had to let go.

And now they'll keep them.

And that's good.

And then they can open for business and they're gonna have their employees, and we'll try and get back to where we were.

Eventually, we're going to supersede where we were.

The energy industry has been especially hard hit in the crisis.

This afternoon I met with Greg Garland of Phillips, 66 Dave Hager of Devon Energy.

Harold Hamm of Continental Resource is Jeff Hildebrand of Hill Corp Energy.

Vicky Holland of Occidental Petroleum, Mike Summers of the American Petroleum Institute, Kelcy Warren of energy transfer partners Mike Worth of Chevron and Darren Woods of Exxon Mobil.

I informed them that we will be making space available in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to let American producers store surplus oil that could be sold at a later time.

There's a tremendous abundance of oil, primarily because of the virus.

The virus has just stopped demand of everything, including oil.

So we're working with our great energy companies.

He's a great companies, employed tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people.

And they've kept America really going for a long time and no big price hikes, no big anything.

I mean, they just kept it going, and now they got hit.

But with all the jobs and all of the good that they do, we're gonna make sure that they stay in good shape.

America's engaged in a historic battle to safeguard the lives of our citizens are future society.

Our greatest weapon is the discipline and determination of every citizen to stay at home and stay healthy for a long time.

We want them to stay healthy for a long time.

So stay at home.

This is ending.

This will end.

You'll see some bad things, and then you're going to see some really good things.

And it's not gonna be too long.

We will heal our citizens and we will care for our neighbors.

And we will unleash the full might of the United States of America to vanquish the virus.

And with that, I'd like to ask Mike Pence to come up vice president, say a few words and we'll have a couple of other quick talk.

So in a couple of subjects will take questions.

And it's a beautiful Friday in Washington, D.

C.

And our country is a great place and we're getting better.

We're getting better very quickly.

This was artificially induced.

We just said They said, Close it down.

You have to close it and we close the damn and we're healing.

We're going to get better fast.

So hi, everyone.

George Stephanopoulos here.

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