Coronavirus task force expert Dr. Anthony Fauci claimed on Sunday that roughly four million test kits will be available by the end of next week.
On NBC’s Meet the Press, Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, admitted to “some missteps” by the administration in providing vital testing resources.
“Early on, there were some missteps with regard to the test and some technical aspects to it,” Fauci said. “But right now, I believe, 1.1 million tests have already been sent out. By Monday, there’ll be an additional 400,000. And by the end of next week, probably around 4 million.”
Fauci also said officials are getting a “better sense” of the magnitude of the coronavirus outbreak as the situation continues to escalate. “Unfortunately,” he said, “that ‘better sense’ is not encouraging, because we’re seeing community spread.”
He then advised caution, especially for those in the most vulnerable populations. “If you’re a person with an underlying condition and you are particularly an elderly person with an underlying condition, you need to think twice about getting on a plane, on a long trip,” he warned. “And not only think twice. Just don’t get on a cruise ship.”
The Trump administration continues to face widespread criticism for its response to the global pandemic. As countries like Israel, Italy, and South Korea struggle to contain major outbreaks, the U.S. continues to lag behind in testing its population. Despite this, coronavirus has been officially confirmed in most states.
President Donald Trump continues to downplay the pandemic, blaming the “Black Monday” stock market crash on coronavirus “fake news.” Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence continues to lead the public response. The conflicting messages have created the impression of a divide between the two leaders, though Pence has remained supportive of the POTUS.
“President Trump has no higher priority than the health and safety and well-being of the American people,” Pence said on Saturday. “It’s the reason why, from the first advent of the coronavirus in America, the president launched a whole of government approach, but as evidenced here today it’s not just a whole of government approach … but it’s really a whole of America approach.”
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