Trump gives update on coronavirus testing strategy
Nearly 1 million, for. Historically, black colleges, and universities. And also. Tribal, nation, colleges. 100. Million, rapid point of care tests will be given to states and territories, to support. Efforts to reopen their economies, and schools immediately, and fast as they can. For example, the support my administration. Is providing. Would allow every state to, on a very regular, basis, test every teacher who needs it. This continues, our critical, effort to use. Testing, to protect high-risk. Communities. These new abbott rapid point-of-care, tests are, easy to use and return, results within just minutes. You'll have a, result at a maximum. 15, minutes, machine, no machine is required, to process, them so. In the old days when we just started this you remember we'd go out and. We'd have to find these massive, laboratories. With, tremendously. Expensive, equipment, now we're. Down to something that you'll see that, is really. From a different planet. Uh i would like to ask admiral. Jarrah, to come up and demonstrate, how, these tests are performed, he'll do this very nicely, i think, good luck hope you don't test positive. So thank you mr president. Uh as of today the nation, has performed, over, 111. Million, tests for the virus causing covid. On 13, separate days, we have achieved tests over 1 million per day, and our average test numbers are now approximately. 920. 000, per day. We are now at an inflection, point in testing. We now have available, on average, three million, tests per day. Not counting, pool testing which could multiply, that number several fold. Nearly half of our current tests, are rapid point of care. All of the actions of your administration. Including, aggressive, use of multiple titles of the dpa. Hundreds of millions of dollars in, hhs, and dod, investments. And regulatory. Flexibility. Including, over, 200, fda, emergency, use authorizations. Clia, enforcement, discretion. And application, of the prep act, have led us to this inflection, point. Which brings us why we're here today. On august 27th. After months of planning and only after one day after the fda authorization. The trump administration. Awarded, a contract, for 760.
Million Dollars. To abbott, for the delivery, of 150. Million. Of these avid, binax. Now. Rapid, test. The binax, now detects the presence of the covet antigen. It uses a specific, nasal swab. And that oops, that swab, comes with the test. And it's made by purity. And the reason why puritan swabs, are here, is because the administration. Used the dpa. In 120. Million dollars in investment. To make these swabs, able, for to use, by avid. It does not require, an instrument to determine the result. It's 15, it's in 15 minutes the result. Testing may be performed by laboratories, with a clear certificate, of waiver, this is not a home test. But during the health emergency. Sema verma and cms. Permits, laboratories. To extend their certificate. To operate in temporary, sites like schools. Or churches, or parking lots. So though i we anticipate, that the test will generally be performed by a trained individual, and a patient. I will demonstrate, a self swab. For you to show you just exactly, how easy the test is performed. So, um, literally, it almost could not be easier. It starts, with, six drops of liquid onto this piece of paper. One. Two. Three. Four, five. Six. And then there's a nasal swab. And again, this is uh. This is not the deep brain biopsy, that we talk about. Uh this will generally done by a health care provider but it can be done supervised, it's this easy. One two three four five. One two three four five. Into the test. Twisted, three times. The adhesive, is pulled off. And you wait 15, minutes, and that is the test. It really could not be easier than this, this is a very sophisticated. Little piece of cardboard, with lots of antibodies. And incredible, technology, into that. We've already shipped 65. 000 of these. To disaster, operations, in california, oregon texas and louisiana. And we have already, shipped 2.1. Million tests, to 7. 600, nursing homes. Over 900, 000 tests to assisted, living. Three hundred thousand tested the indian health service. And three hundred and thirty nine thousand tests to historically, black colleges and university. Today, we start the shipment of a hundred million tests to governors. Beginning with a total of six point five, million, tests. This week, to be shipped this week, this is in addition. To the continuing, support to other priorities, like nursing homes. Allocation, to states and territories. Is based strictly, on their relative. Population. Governors, have the flexibility, to use these tests, as they deem fit, but we strongly, encourage governors, to utilize, them in settings, that are uniquely, in need of rapid, low-tech, point-of-care, tests. Like. Opening, and keeping open our k-12. Schools. Supporting, critical infrastructure, and first responders. Responding, to outbreaks, specifically. In certain demographics. Or locations. And screening of surveillance, in congregate, settings. Mr president we just completed, a briefing to the governors. And their state health officials from the sit room, and we heard words like game changer, for their states. Thank you mr president for your leadership, and support, of all our efforts to defeat this virus, thank you very much. And, let me ask you uh governor reeves, do you uh, do you agree would you like to say. Well something you mr president, for your. Leadership. Through this. Pandemic, and through this crisis. This is it was said by republicans, and democrats, alike, earlier. This is a game changer. In our state of mississippi, our k-12. Schools have been, open for nine weeks. Our institutions, of higher learning have been open. For about the same. But while we have, testing, available, now at least once a week. In every county of our state. What this. Allocation. Is going to allow for us. Is we will have. Testing, available, for our k-12. Teachers. Every single day going forward. And the thing that we know. Is that kids, learn, and secretary, devos knows this so well, kids learn so much better when they're in the classroom. Than when they're doing distance, learning, or a hybrid. And while we have 75, to 80 percent of our kids back in the classroom, we want to get 100, of our kids. Back in the classroom. It is also incredibly, important mr president, your decision, to allocate. On the front end to the historically. Black colleges, and universities. Means the world to mississippi, our larger, institutions, have the financial, resources. To provide testing. But in mississippi, with jackson, state university, and alcorn, univer alcorn state university. And mississippi, valley state university, three of our eight institutions, of higher learning, will get, an allocation.
Of These tests, and it's going to make a difference. And kids all across. Our state. Are going to be better served because of it and i want to personally, thank you, on behalf of the residents of mississippi. For doing this mr president thank you, thank you very much thank you ted. Great job. In a short period of time my administration. Has built the most advanced, testing, system, in the world. There's never been anything like this when the pandemic, struck. There were zero tests, for the china virus. But we've marshaled, all of america's, resources. To achieve these. Unparalleled. Capabilities. We slashed, red tape and approved. Emergency, use, authorizations. For. 243. Type of tests that's how many tests we have. I invoked the defense production, act and related. Authorities, more than 100, times and distributed. 171. Million dollars to expand testing production. We've done. Nearly twice as much testing per capita as france. Italy. And germany, and over six times more testing. Per capita than south korea. We've done far more than any other country. Usually, times, two three four five or six. We perform nearly 40 million more tests in india and, by the end of next month we will have over 100, million tests available, in the market. More than half will be point of care tests those are the quick ones and. They're really. The ones that have the best impact. With the results in less than 15, minutes we've also, prioritized. Resources. For the votes, most vulnerable, including, nursing home residents, we delivered, rapid testing. Devices, to nearly 14, 000 certified, nursing homes. We opened, over 1 000, community, testing, sites in low-income, communities, nobody could have done this we invested. An unprecedented. Eight billion dollars to help. Tribal communities, have the tests, and resources, they need. To combat, the virus. And it's important to remember that as younger and healthier, people return to work. And as we, massively, increase testing capacity. We will identify, more cases, and. Asymptomatic. Individuals. In low-risk. Populations. This should not cause undue alarm the total, number of cases, is not the full metric, of success. Hospitalization. Capacity, and mortality, rates are far. More instructive. Metrics. As we do more tests you can have automatically. More cases. We are relentlessly. Focused, on protecting, the vulnerable, while enabling, healthy americans, to go back to work. We can do both as florida, and arizona, and other states have, recently, shown. Over the last eight weeks hospitalizations. Have declined, by 48. Percent. And they've just reached the lowest point since march, it's a long time ago. Due to advances. In treatment, the fatality, rate has fallen, 85. Percent, since april. Our excess mortality, has been considerably, lower than comparable. Countries. Excess, mortality. Compares. Total deaths during, a pandemic, to what we would be expected. In a normal, year this is a critical measurement, because it includes, undetected. China virus, deaths. Along with deaths. Resulting, from lockdowns. And lockdowns, can be very harmful. And we have too many states that are locked down right now the governors, are. Nobody knows what the governors, are doing actually. Europe has experienced, a 50 percent, greater excess mortality, rate during the virus than the, us, and their economic, contraction, has. Been far more, severe. Under operation. Warp speed my administration, is on track to deliver a safe and effective vaccine, in record time. We're doing very well with the vaccines, as most of you know. Four vaccines, are now in the final stage of trials. The day the vaccine, is approved, by the fda, we'll begin distributing. It, within 24, hours with hundreds of millions of doses. To follow very quickly.
We're All set to go we're, all ready and. Logistically. We're we have the military, lined up and some incredible, people are just waiting to have it. Over 100, million doses, will be available, before the end of the year. We will. Defeat the virus, and we will end the pandemic. And next year will be one of the greatest years in our history, and we think it's going to be a very exciting, period of time. With that i'd like to ask mike to say a few words because you just left a task force meeting. Vice president, mike. Pence. Thank you mr president. This is a historic, day. And other than the day, that i believe will come soon that america. Produces, the first safe and effective, vaccine. What's announced today. With the distribution, of 150. Million, rapid. Point of care tests, all across america. It's a testament, to your leadership mr president, testament. To this great team that you've assembled. From secretary, azar. Admiral girard. And others. It's a testament, to the partnership, that we forge with governors like governor reeves. All across america and it's a testament to great companies, like. Abbott laboratories. And the thousands, of employees. Who. Mr president i know have literally worked around the clock. Since those early days in this pandemic. When you brought in the greatest, research, companies. In america. And said, that, we need medicines, known as therapeutics, we need a vaccine, for america but you also challenge, them, to develop, a rapid, point of care test that could be distributed, all across. America. And enable, us. More effectively, slow the spread. Flatten the curve protect the vulnerable. And save lives. Mr president today's announcement is really emblematic, of the public-private. Partnership, that you forged. From the early days. Of this pandemic. As you said we met today. With the nation's governors, the white house coronavirus, task force completed, our 38th. Conference, call, with america's. Governors. But all along the way from our very first. Meeting you made it clear that, we'd spare no expense of the federal government the full resource, of the federal government you made available. To put the health of america, first. But. You also, challenged, us and you challenged american industry to being the full power and innovation. Of the american economy, to bear on this moment. And whether it be, ppe. Where. We forged a partnership, to see to the delivery, the manufacturer. Of hundreds of millions, of personal protective, equipment.
Whether It be how we started with fifteen, thousand. Ventilators. In the strategic, national stockpile. And today in partnership, with. Ge healthcare, ford and general motors we have over 150. 000 ventilators. In the strategic, national stockpile. Whether it be the extraordinary, progress, on, therapeutics. Remdessevier. Convalescent, plasma that are literally, saving lives or whether it be as you reflected. Mr president, on our steady. Progress, toward, achieving, a safe and effective, vaccine, before the end of this year, it's been that public-private, partnership. That you've led. That's made these advances. Possible. And on testing, the american, people. Really deserve, to know. That when we began, as you said mr president it was literally a standing, start. We didn't have information, on the coding of the coronavirus. Until. Mid-february. But america's. Cdc, labs and public health labs did their level best. By the end of february, we done less than 10 000 coronavirus. Tests but as, as you just announced a few moments ago last week we cleared 100. Million. Tests, all across the country. It's extraordinary. We have the capacity, to do three million. Tests a day it's a testament, to american, innovation, and the leadership. That you've provided. Also mr president, we've, delivered. To nearly, 14, 000 nursing homes in america, point-of-care, tests already. That are making it possible, for us to really keep focus. On the most vulnerable. As you know, only eight percent. Of those who have contracted, the coronavirus. Are in nursing homes but 40, percent. Of those, that have lost their life. Have been in nursing homes and so we've surged, those resources. And surged them to vulnerable. Populations. But with the announcement, today this abbott laboratories, buy next now test. We began a process, first announcing, 50 million tests, to go to our vulnerable, communities. To go to minority, communities, to, indian health services, but as we told all the nation's governors today. We begin the process, this week of distributing. 100. Million, tests. To each state, and territory, in the country, free of charge. So they can begin to deploy those tests. On the priorities, that the state has set but, mr president given the extraordinary, capacity, that we have in testing, today we. We expressed, a hope. To all the governors, today that they would particularly. Use these abbott binax, tests to. Open up america's, schools.
And To keep them open. And we heard about the enthusiasm. Of. Governors, from. Both sides of the aisle about what this test will mean in, in helping to process. Helping to process, uh. The testing, that will get our kids into school, and keep our kids. In school. Mr president let me just close by saying this is a, we've passed through a challenging, time in the life of this nation in 2020., in our hearts. I know your heart is with all the families that have suffered loss. But as you said. The cases. Are declining, hospitalizations. Have been declining. The. Was testing, twenty percent, positivity, rate now. Now it's less than four percent consistently. But with cases, and positivity. Rising, in ten states. In the midwest. And the near west. And with this historic. Advance. In testing, that's being distributed. 150. Strong around the country. Mr president, the american, people. Should anticipate. That that cases will rise, in the days, ahead. But as we. As we more readily, identify. Those who've contracted. The coronavirus. The american people can be confident, because of this extraordinary, and historic. Public and, private partnership, that you've forged because of this. Whole of government, approach. We're ready. As we prove through the outbreak in the sun belt this summer. We'll make sure that any community, any state that's impacted, with rising cases any school. That's impacted, we'll have the ppe, we'll have the supplies, we'll have the medicines. And as you said mr president, we will continue. Uh at your direction. Our relentless. Drive. Toward achieving the first, safe and effective, vaccine, so we can achieve the day. That we once and for all. Put this coronavirus. In the past so mr president with thanks to our industry partners thanks to this team. But thanks to you for your strong leadership. Uh, i hope for that day and the american people can be confident. We will not rest we will not relent. Until we put this coronavirus. In the past. Thank you very much mike. Uh scott atlas would you say a few words please as to how we're doing and. Where you see us going. Please. Okay thank you mr president, and uh. I also want to echo the congratulations. To the team. Uh the task force, admiral, geroir, in particular, who's worked very hard on the, testing. This is a remarkable, day because we have. State of the art testing, this is not the typical, point of care test even this is new. This is does not require. Any kind of machine. It's very rapid. And, this is not one of those deep, swab, things that people are uh reluctant, to use so i think we're. We're really making an advance here to do what testing is supposed to do, and that's to save, lives. As the vice president, mentioned we know that there are areas of the country that have more cases. This is to be expected, with more social mingling. And. The testing. But particularly. Protecting, the vulnerable. Is the key here. We have not seen hospital, overcrowding. We're doubling, down now with testing, to protect. Vulnerable, people not just inside, nursing homes but in residential. Settings, and senior, day care centers. This is a remarkable, advance. And uh i anticipate, that as, as this uh, virus. As we get toward the end of this pandemic. And the vaccine, is being developed as quickly as it has been.
America, Will uh, be uh, in a different position. And there really should be as i've said many times. The fear is not the issue here, uh we really have a handle on what's going on, we know what to anticipate. And there's remarkable, advances, being made as we see today, thank you very much, well thank you very much tremendous, progress, is being made and, i say it i'll say it all the time we're rounding the corner. And. Very importantly, vaccines, are coming but we're rounding, the corner regardless. But vaccines, are coming and they're coming fast we have four great companies, already and, uh it's going to be added to very rapidly. Uh they're in final stages, of testing. And from what we're hearing, the, results, are going to be very extraordinary. So. Thank you very much i appreciate, it and. Thank you very much great job by abbott, right from the beginning great job by abbott, thank you thank you very much everybody, thank. You. Financial. Information.
2020-10-03 18:54
