Page 13 - BOL Apr20 Edition

TRUMP REASSURANCES DOWNPLAY

PUBLIC HEALTH RISK

Despite regular assurances from President Trump in recent weeks that closing
their national borders has been a ‘great success’, the 26th March saw the United
States overtake all other countries to become the nation with the largest number
of reported Coronavirus cases, with 18.5 thousand new cases reported that day,
bringing their total to almost 105 thousand infected and close to 1700 deaths.
The reason for the large spike was an eventual and significant ramp up of testing.
By March 18, the US had conducted just 70,000 tests, while countries like South
Korea had tested 270,000, despite reports of both countries having detected
their first case on 20th January.
As we now know, testing, contact tracing and physical distancing are the most
effective and proven ways to ‘flatten the curve’. We are fortunate in Australia
that our political leaders and medical fraternity are pro-actively communicating
strongly and providing useful advice.
We hope that it is all under control in the US, just like Donald Trump has been
saying. He has recently been speaking very optimistically about treatments.
Perhaps he knows something that we don’t, or perhaps he just knows that he
missed the boat on testing.
Whether there is any merit there, we will have to wait and see, but here are
some President Trump quotes leading up to the US becoming the global
Coronavirus epicentre:

Jan22 Feb27 that border a while ago, so that was lucky
Reporter: “Are there words about a “They’re getting better, and soon they’re all or through talent or through luck. Call it
Pandemic at this point?” going to be better”. whatever you want.”
Trump: “No, and we have it totally under “It’s going to disappear one day, it’s like a “To unleash the full power of the Federal
control”. It’s one person, coming in from miracle, it will disappear”. Government in this effort today, I am
China”. Feb29 (First death recorded) officially declaring a national emergency.
“Our country is prepared for any Two very big words.”
Jan30 circumstance, we hope it’s not going “If we do a really good job, we’ll not only
“We only have five people. Hopefully to be a major circumstance, it’ll be a hold the death down to a much lower level
everything is going to be great”. smaller circumstance, but whatever the than the other way, had we not done a
“We think we have it very well under circumstance is, we’re prepared”. good job, but people are talking about July,
control. We think it’s going to have a very August, something like that. So, it could
good ending for us, so that I can assure Mar3 – 126 confirmed cases be right in that time where I say it washes
you”. “Things are going very well as you’re through, other people don’t like that term.”
seeing. We’ve done a good job by “We have a problem, that a month ago
Feb2 combating it so early”. nobody ever thought about.”
“We pretty much shut it down, coming
in from China. We’re going to see what Mar5 – 228 confirmed cases Mar16 – 4200 confirmed cases
happens, but we did shut it down, yes”. “It’s going to all work out. Everybody has to A lot of testing has been going on, and I
be calm. It’s going to be fine”. don’t believe anybody has been able to do
Feb10 what we’re doing”.
“The virus, they’re working hard. Looks like Mar7 – 500 confirmed cases
by April, you know in theory, when it gets “Anybody that needs a test, gets a test. Mar17 – 6,400 confirmed cases
a little warmer, it miraculously goes away, They’re there. They have the tests, and the “We’re going to win, and I think we’re going
hope that’s true”. tests are beautiful”. to win faster than people think”.
Feb25 Mar10 – 750 confirmed cases Mar21 – 33,500 confirmed cases
“We have very few people with it. The “We’re doing a great job with it and it will “We’re going to be celebrating a great
people are getting better. They’re all go away, just stay calm it will go away”. victory in the not too distant future”.
getting better”.
Mar12 – 1200 confirmed cases Mar27 – 123,500 confirmed cases
Feb26 “It goes away, it’s going away”. On the 2 Trillion Dollar Coronavirus Relief
“Because of all we’ve done, the risk to the Bill
American people remains very low”. We’ve Mar14 – 2700 confirmed cases “It’s going to go a long way. It’s going to
had tremendous success, beyond what “To this point, and because we have had a make a lot of people very happy”.
people would have thought”. very strong border policy, we have had 40
“We’re testing everybody that we need to deaths related to Coronavirus. If we had Mar28 – 139,000 confirmed cases
test and we’re finding very little problem”. weak or open borders, that number would “We were attacked and we’re winning the
be many times higher!” battle and we’re going to win the war, and
“
“As you know, Europe was just designated it’s not going to take hopefully that much
as the hot spot right now, and we closed longer”.