>>> WELCOME BACK. RIGHT NOW VICE PRESIDENT PENCE

RIGHT NOW VICE PRESIDENT PENCE SPEAKING AT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR

SPEAKING AT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR THE DAILY BRIEFING ON THE

THE DAILY BRIEFING ON THE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE.

CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE. LET’S DIP IN.

LET’S DIP IN. >> THE COMMON SENSE PRACTICES

>> THE COMMON SENSE PRACTICES THAT I JUST DESCRIBED ARE ALL

THAT I JUST DESCRIBED ARE ALL AVAILABLE AT CDC.GOV.

AVAILABLE AT CDC.GOV. TODAY WE HAD A SERIES OF

TODAY WE HAD A SERIES OF MEETINGS HERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE

MEETINGS HERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE AND ON CAPITOL HILL.

AND ON CAPITOL HILL. WE MET WITH EXECUTIVES OF THE

WE MET WITH EXECUTIVES OF THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY, THE EXECUTIVES

AIRLINE INDUSTRY, THE EXECUTIVES OF COMMERCIAL AVS AND NURSING

OF COMMERCIAL AVS AND NURSING HOMES AND MET WITH THE

HOMES AND MET WITH THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT CAUCUSES

REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT CAUCUSES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND WE WERE PLEASED TO LEARN

AND WE WERE PLEASED TO LEARN THAT JUST SHORTLY AGO THE HOUSE

THAT JUST SHORTLY AGO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSED A

OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSED A FEDERAL FUNDING BILL BY

FEDERAL FUNDING BILL BY VIRTUALLY UNANIMOUS MARGIN AND

VIRTUALLY UNANIMOUS MARGIN AND NOW MOVES TO THE SENATE AND

NOW MOVES TO THE SENATE AND IMPLEMENTS THE PRESIDENT’S

IMPLEMENTS THE PRESIDENT’S VISION THAT NOT ONLY DO THE

VISION THAT NOT ONLY DO THE FEDERAL AGENCIES HAVE THE

FEDERAL AGENCIES HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED AND THE

RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED AND THE STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS HAVE

STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS HAVE THEIR SUPPORT AND MY

THEIR SUPPORT AND MY CONVERSATIONS WITH GOVERNORS

CONVERSATIONS WITH GOVERNORS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON I KNOW

THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON I KNOW THEY’RE GRATEFUL FOR THE

THEY’RE GRATEFUL FOR THE BIPARTISAN SPIRIT THAT’S

BIPARTISAN SPIRIT THAT’S CHARACTERIZED THIS FUNDING BILL

CHARACTERIZED THIS FUNDING BILL AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK

AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AS PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID, WE’RE

AS PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID, WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. AND HE DEPLOYED A WHOLE OF

AND HE DEPLOYED A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH BUT THANKS

GOVERNMENT APPROACH BUT THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT’S LEADERSHIP

TO THE PRESIDENT’S LEADERSHIP IT’S DEVELOPED INTO A WHOLE OF

IT’S DEVELOPED INTO A WHOLE OF AMERICA APPROACH AND THE

AMERICA APPROACH AND THE MEETINGS TODAY WITH INDUSTRY

MEETINGS TODAY WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS IS A REFLECTION OF THAT.

LEADERS IS A REFLECTION OF THAT. AS DR. BIRX WILL INDICATE IN

AS DR. BIRX WILL INDICATE IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS WITH SOME OF

JUST A FEW MOMENTS WITH SOME OF THE DATA WE ARE EVALUATING FROM

THE DATA WE ARE EVALUATING FROM AROUND THE WORLD IT DOES APPEAR

AROUND THE WORLD IT DOES APPEAR THAT THE ELDERLY ARE THE MOST

THAT THE ELDERLY ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE.

VULNERABLE. AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH

AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES.

SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES. AT THE PRESIDENT’S DIRECTION, AS

AT THE PRESIDENT’S DIRECTION, AS A RESULT WE’LL DESCRIBE THAT THE

A RESULT WE’LL DESCRIBE THAT THE CENTERS FOR MEDICAID AND

CENTERS FOR MEDICAID AND MEDICARE SERVICES ISSUED NEW

MEDICARE SERVICES ISSUED NEW GUIDELINES OR NURSING HOMES

GUIDELINES OR NURSING HOMES NATIONWIDE.

NATIONWIDE. WE HAVE RAISED THE BAR REGARDING

WE HAVE RAISED THE BAR REGARDING INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONTROL AT

INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONTROL AT OUR NURSING HOMES AND IN

OUR NURSING HOMES AND IN ADDITION ADMINISTRATOR WILL

ADDITION ADMINISTRATOR WILL EXPLAIN HOW TO FOCUS ALL OF OUR

EXPLAIN HOW TO FOCUS ALL OF OUR ENSPEX

ENSPEX INSPECTION RESOURCES FOR THE

INSPECTION RESOURCES FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE WITH

FORESEEABLE FUTURE WITH COMPLIANCE OF INFECTION CONTROL

COMPLIANCE OF INFECTION CONTROL STANDARDS.

STANDARDS. GENERALLY WE MONITOR OUR NURSING

GENERALLY WE MONITOR OUR NURSING HOMES FOR ABUSE AND NEGLECT BUT

HOMES FOR ABUSE AND NEGLECT BUT AT THE PRESIDENT’S DIRECTION WE

AT THE PRESIDENT’S DIRECTION WE ARE GOING FOCUS EXCLUSIVELY ON

ARE GOING FOCUS EXCLUSIVELY ON ENSURING THAT THOSE IN NURSING

ENSURING THAT THOSE IN NURSING HOMES, PEOPLE OPERATING THE

HOMES, PEOPLE OPERATING THE NURSING HOMES LIKE MANY THAT WE

NURSING HOMES LIKE MANY THAT WE MET WITH TODAY ARE COMPLYING

MET WITH TODAY ARE COMPLYING WITH THE NEW STANDARDS TO KEEP

WITH THE NEW STANDARDS TO KEEP OUR ELDERLY SAFE.

OUR ELDERLY SAFE. PRESIDENT ALSO MET TODAY WITH

PRESIDENT ALSO MET TODAY WITH AIRLINE EXECUTIVES AND I’LL

AIRLINE EXECUTIVES AND I’LL REITERATE AS THE PRESIDENT SAID

REITERATE AS THE PRESIDENT SAID OUR PROFOUND GRATITUDE TO OUR

OUR PROFOUND GRATITUDE TO OUR PARTNERS IN THE AIRLINE

PARTNERS IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY.

INDUSTRY. THEY HAVE WORKED WITH US IN --

THEY HAVE WORKED WITH US IN -- AS WE SAY FLOWING AMERICANS

AS WE SAY FLOWING AMERICANS THROUGH PARTICULAR AIRPORTS, THE

THROUGH PARTICULAR AIRPORTS, THE SCREENING, WE’RE WORKING VERY

SCREENING, WE’RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH AIRLINES ON CONTACT

CLOSELY WITH AIRLINES ON CONTACT INFORMATION.

INFORMATION. IF A PERSON IS TESTED AS

IF A PERSON IS TESTED AS POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS

POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS WE’RE WORKING WITH THE AIRLINES

WE’RE WORKING WITH THE AIRLINES TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION, NOT

TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION, NOT JUST ABOUT THAT PERSON, BUT

JUST ABOUT THAT PERSON, BUT ABOUT WHO THEY SAT NEXT TO AND

ABOUT WHO THEY SAT NEXT TO AND WHO ELSE WAS ON THE FLIGHT AND

WHO ELSE WAS ON THE FLIGHT AND THE PRESIDENT AND I ARE VERY

THE PRESIDENT AND I ARE VERY GRATEFUL.

GRATEFUL. AS WE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY, I’M

AS WE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY, I’M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT AS OF

PLEASED TO REPORT THAT AS OF YESTERDAY MORNING IN ADDITION TO

YESTERDAY MORNING IN ADDITION TO THE TRAVEL BAN FROM CHINA, WE’VE

THE TRAVEL BAN FROM CHINA, WE’VE SUSPENDED ALL TRAVEL COMING IN

SUSPENDED ALL TRAVEL COMING IN FROM CHINA.

FROM CHINA. WE HAVE SUSPENDED ALL TRAVEL

WE HAVE SUSPENDED ALL TRAVEL COMING IN FROM IRAN AND EVEN

COMING IN FROM IRAN AND EVEN FOREIGN NATIONALS WHO VISIT

FOREIGN NATIONALS WHO VISIT EITHER WITHIN OF THE COUNTRIES

EITHER WITHIN OF THE COUNTRIES ARE BARRED FROM COMING INTO THIS

ARE BARRED FROM COMING INTO THIS COUNTRY FOR 14 DAYS.

COUNTRY FOR 14 DAYS. BUT WE ALSO ESTABLISHED A TRAVEL

BUT WE ALSO ESTABLISHED A TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR ITALY, PORTIONS OF

ADVISORY FOR ITALY, PORTIONS OF ITALY AND PORTIONS OF SOUTH

ITALY AND PORTIONS OF SOUTH KOREA OVER THE WEEKEND.

KOREA OVER THE WEEKEND. BUT EVEN AS IMPORTANTLY AS OF

BUT EVEN AS IMPORTANTLY AS OF YESTERDAY MORNING WE FULLY

YESTERDAY MORNING WE FULLY IMPLEMENTED A SCREENING PROCESS

IMPLEMENTED A SCREENING PROCESS ALL DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM ALL

ALL DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM ALL AIRPORTS IN SOUTH KOREA AND

AIRPORTS IN SOUTH KOREA AND ITALY ARE NOW BEING SUBJECT TO

ITALY ARE NOW BEING SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE SCREENS BEFORE

MULTIPLE SCREENS BEFORE PASSENGERS BOARD TO COME TO THE

PASSENGERS BOARD TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. STATE DEPARTMENT WORKED VERY

STATE DEPARTMENT WORKED VERY VIGOROUSLY TO BRING THAT ABOUT

VIGOROUSLY TO BRING THAT ABOUT AND WE’RE GRATEFUL FOR THE

AND WE’RE GRATEFUL FOR THE COOPERATION, THE GOVERNMENTS OF

COOPERATION, THE GOVERNMENTS OF ITALY, GOVERNMENTS OF SOUTH

ITALY, GOVERNMENTS OF SOUTH KOREA AS WELL AS OUR AIRLINE

KOREA AS WELL AS OUR AIRLINE PARTNERS IN MAKING THAT A

PARTNERS IN MAKING THAT A REALITY.

REALITY. FINALLY, WITH REGARD TO TESTING,

FINALLY, WITH REGARD TO TESTING, WE HAD A MEETING TODAY THAT GAVE

WE HAD A MEETING TODAY THAT GAVE US GREAT HOPE FOR GREAT PROGRESS

US GREAT HOPE FOR GREAT PROGRESS IN THE NEAR FUTURE ON EXPANDING

IN THE NEAR FUTURE ON EXPANDING TESTING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

TESTING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE HAVE A WAYS TO GO YET AND I’M

WE HAVE A WAYS TO GO YET AND I’M PLEASED TO REPORT AS WE’VE BEEN

PLEASED TO REPORT AS WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO CONVEY TO STATE

ABLE TO CONVEY TO STATE GOVERNMENTS, GOVERNORS AROUND

GOVERNMENTS, GOVERNORS AROUND THE COUNTRY, IS THAT THANKS TO

THE COUNTRY, IS THAT THANKS TO THE GOOD WORK OF THE FDA AND

THE GOOD WORK OF THE FDA AND STEVE HAHN HERE WITH US TODAY

STEVE HAHN HERE WITH US TODAY ALL STATE LABORATORIES, ALL

ALL STATE LABORATORIES, ALL UNIVERSITY LABORATORIES AT THE

UNIVERSITY LABORATORIES AT THE STATE LEVEL CAN CONDUCT

STATE LEVEL CAN CONDUCT CORONAVIRUS TESTS.

CORONAVIRUS TESTS. WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL ASSETS OR

WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL ASSETS OR RESOURCES FROM THE FEDERAL

RESOURCES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

GOVERNMENT. THEY HAVE THE FDA APPROVED TEST.

THEY HAVE THE FDA APPROVED TEST. THEY CAN CONDUCT THE TEST ALL

THEY CAN CONDUCT THE TEST ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN ALL THE

ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN ALL THE STATES.

STATES. BEYOND THAT, AS WE ANNOUNCED,

BEYOND THAT, AS WE ANNOUNCED, THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF HHS,

THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF HHS, 2,500 KITS OF TESTS ARE GOING

2,500 KITS OF TESTS ARE GOING OUT THIS WEEK.

OUT THIS WEEK. OF 2,500 KITS INCLUDING TESTS

OF 2,500 KITS INCLUDING TESTS HAS GONE OUT THIS WEEK, ROUGHLY

HAS GONE OUT THIS WEEK, ROUGHLY 1.5 MILLION TESTS THAT WILL BE

1.5 MILLION TESTS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE THIS WEEK.

AVAILABLE THIS WEEK. WE’LL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT

WE’LL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT NUMBER BUT PERHAPS MOST

NUMBER BUT PERHAPS MOST SIGNIFICANTLY THANKS TO DR.

SIGNIFICANTLY THANKS TO DR. BIRX’S EFFORTS AND LEADERSHIP WE

BIRX’S EFFORTS AND LEADERSHIP WE BROUGHT TODAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE

BROUGHT TODAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE THE LEADERS OF ALL OF THE

THE LEADERS OF ALL OF THE LARGEST COMMERCIAL LABORATORIES

LARGEST COMMERCIAL LABORATORIES IN THIS COUNTRY.

IN THIS COUNTRY. COMPANIES OF -- LIKE QWEST WITH

COMPANIES OF -- LIKE QWEST WITH PROLO GISTICS AND TESTING

PROLO GISTICS AND TESTING CAPABILITIES AND PLEASED TO

CAPABILITIES AND PLEASED TO REPORT TODAY THEY HAVE CREATED A

REPORT TODAY THEY HAVE CREATED A CONSORTIUM TO SHARE INFORMATION

CONSORTIUM TO SHARE INFORMATION AND TO SHARE RESOURCES AND

AND TO SHARE RESOURCES AND LITERALLY HAVE TOLD US THAT AS

LITERALLY HAVE TOLD US THAT AS THEY GO THROUGH WHAT IS CALLED

THEY GO THROUGH WHAT IS CALLED THE VALIDATION PROCESS ON

THE VALIDATION PROCESS ON TESTING THAT BY NEXT WEEK

TESTING THAT BY NEXT WEEK INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES WILL BE

INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES WILL BE ABLE TO DO AS THEY SAID TO ME

ABLE TO DO AS THEY SAID TO ME THOUSANDS OF TESTS OF

THOUSANDS OF TESTS OF CORONAVIRUS IF THEY ARE NEEDED

CORONAVIRUS IF THEY ARE NEEDED AND REQUIRED.

AND REQUIRED. AND MANY, MANY MULTIPLES MORE OF

AND MANY, MANY MULTIPLES MORE OF THAT IN THE NOT DISTANT FUTURE.

THAT IN THE NOT DISTANT FUTURE. OUR OBJECTIVES HERE AS DR. BIRX

OUR OBJECTIVES HERE AS DR. BIRX RAISED WITH THE TASK FORCE IS WE

RAISED WITH THE TASK FORCE IS WE HAVE GOT HOSPITALS IN AFFECTED

HAVE GOT HOSPITALS IN AFFECTED AREAS AND THOSE REQUESTING KITS.

AREAS AND THOSE REQUESTING KITS. WE HAVE UNIVERSITIES AN STATE

WE HAVE UNIVERSITIES AN STATE LAB THAT IS CAN NOW PERFORM THE

LAB THAT IS CAN NOW PERFORM THE TEST ON A REQUESTED BASIS BUT

TEST ON A REQUESTED BASIS BUT OUR OBJECTIVE ULTIMATELY AND AS

OUR OBJECTIVE ULTIMATELY AND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IS TESTS

QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IS TESTS MADE THROUGH THE COMMERCIAL

MADE THROUGH THE COMMERCIAL LABORATORIES AND COMMERCIAL

LABORATORIES AND COMMERCIAL PROVIDERS THAT YOUR LOCAL

PROVIDERS THAT YOUR LOCAL DOCTOR, YOUR CVS, YOUR MED CHECK

DOCTOR, YOUR CVS, YOUR MED CHECK IS ABLE TO HAVE A CORONAVIRUS

IS ABLE TO HAVE A CORONAVIRUS TEST.

TEST. AND THAT ISN’T THERE YET.

AND THAT ISN’T THERE YET. WE’RE WORKING TO MAKE THAT A

WE’RE WORKING TO MAKE THAT A REALITY BUT AGAIN IT IS ONE MORE

REALITY BUT AGAIN IT IS ONE MORE EXAMPLE, NOT JUST A WHOLE OF

EXAMPLE, NOT JUST A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH BUT A WHOLE

GOVERNMENT APPROACH BUT A WHOLE OF AMERICA APPROACH AND WHETHER

OF AMERICA APPROACH AND WHETHER IT BE THE NURSING HOME INDUSTRY,

IT BE THE NURSING HOME INDUSTRY, THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY, WHETHER IT

THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY, WHETHER IT BE OUR COMMERCIAL LABORATORIES,

BE OUR COMMERCIAL LABORATORIES, I CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF

I CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE ENTIRE

PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE ENTIRE TASK FORCE WHEN I SAY WE ARE

TASK FORCE WHEN I SAY WE ARE PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL FOR THE

PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL FOR THE SPIRIT THAT’S BEING REFLECTED BY

SPIRIT THAT’S BEING REFLECTED BY COMPANIES ALL AN I CROSSCROSS TH

COMPANIES ALL AN I CROSSCROSS TH STATES OF AMERICA AND GRATEFUL

STATES OF AMERICA AND GRATEFUL FOR THE STATE LEVEL AND THE