But at the president s direction we are going to focus exclusively on ensuring those in Nursing Homes, people operating the Nursing Homes are complying with the new standards to keep our elderly safe. The president met with airline executives. I will reiterate our profound gratitude to our partners in the Airline Industry. They have worked with us, as we say, flowing americans through particular airports and screening, we are working closely with airliness Contact Information. If a person is positive for the coronavirus we will work to get information not just about the person but who they sent us to and who else was on the flight and the president and i are grateful. I am pleased to report as of yesterday morning in addition to the travel ban from china we suspended all travel from china we have suspended all travel from iran, foreign nationals who visit either of those countries are barred from coming into this country for 14 days. We also established a travel advisory for italy. Portions of italy and portions of south korea over the weekend but even as importantly as of yesterday morning we fully implemented a screening process. All direct flights from all airports in south korea and italy are subject to multiple screens before passengers come to the United States of america. State department will work vigorously to bring that about. Im grateful for the cooperation from governments of italy and south korea as well as our Airline Partners for making that a reality. With regard to testing we had a meeting today that gave us hope for progress in the near future on expanding testing across the country. We have a ways to go yet. We have been able to convey to state governments, governors around the country, thanks to the good work of the fda, doctor steve hahn. All laboratories at the state level can conduct coronavirus tests without any additional assets or resources from the federal government, they have the fda approved tests and they can conduct these tests across the country and all the state. Beyond that as we announced through the efforts of hhs, 2500 kids kits of tests are going out this week, 2500 kids including tests have gone out this week, roughly 1. 5 million, a test that will be available this week will build on that number but most significantly thanks to doctor burkes efforts and leadership we have brought together today at the white house the leaders of all the largest commercial laboratories in this country. Companies like qwest that have vast capabilities, logistics and testing capabilities and pleased to report they had a consortium to share information and resources and literally have told us as we go through the validation process on testing that by next week, individual companies will be able to do as they said to me thousands of tests for coronavirus if they are needed, many multiples more of that in the not distant future. Our objective here is we have hospitals in affected areas in those that have kits, universities and state labs can perform the test on a requested basis. Our objective ultimately, quickly as possible is to have tests made through these commercial laboratories and commercial providers that your local doctor, your cvs, your med check is able to have coronavirus test and that isnt there yet. We are working to make that a reality. It is not just a whole of government approach but a whole of america approach whether it is Nursing Home Industry or Airline Industry or our commercial laboratories. I can speak on behalf of of donald trump and our entire task force when i say we are grateful for the spirit being reflected by companies all across the United States of america, grateful for leadership at the state level and the American People should be confident. That spirit of partnership will drive this at every level. I will recognize doctor Deborah Burke for her comment. Over the last 12 hours we received information from south korea and italy adding to our china aspiration, and a serious illness, reassuringly, no one has died under 30. In italy, was 81 of those who succumbed. Those the median age was 60. We find the data reassuring but it also has focused on the americans who are most vulnerable. Focusing resources and capacity to ensure those with preexisting condition and treatment options. To ensure we have good protective hygiene. Because of the risk for our nations seniors we are doubling down on our efforts, one was hospitals, triageing and patients with coronavirus. Nursing homes about limiting visitors, monitoring staff and put out information, state surveyors surveying our nations Nursing Homes and hospitals around infection control. All of that information went out this morning. Thank you. Cdc. Thank you. I would like to highlight today, to first echo what the Vice President started when giving the American People the advice he did that we have listed on our cdc website. It really is very important, very pragmatic about washing your hands 20 seconds with soap and water or using other disinfectants, training yourself to cover your sneeze or cough either in your elbow or with a kleenex you can dispose of as these are important things. Working hard not to touch your face, the most important thing for many of those individuals that might be a little tight, if you get sick stay home, you are not helping your colleagues. Going to work sick. We have listed them. They are no different than what we asked the American People to do for flu. The second thing i would like to do is continue to get help from you because to get those messages out the one that is most important that the Vice President also talked about is the role of masks. We need these masks for the healthcare workers taking care of these patients. We do not recommend them to be used by the general public and if you tell the stories, your great communicators of that so the American Public gets Accurate Information and good guidance from experts that you will reach out to for your stories and i will reiterate what the Vice President said at the beginning. We are continuing to see new Community Cases in this nation the overall risk to the American Public remains low. Just to reiterate, we make policy recommendations how to recommend based on accumulation of data, what doctor burke told you was data underscores what we have until you. When you talk about risk, risk is vague to people and if you talk about risk of infection throughout the country it is a low risk. You talk about someone who is infected. And you understand the situation, taking seattle as a microcosm of that it is what doctor burke said. And heavily weighted to people with underlying conditions and the elderly. What we see with influenza, the risk for a young person, and a lot of data coming out of Foreign Countries out of china. Doctor carson. I think the Vice President from aggressive and careful leadership, i was involved throughout my surgical career with a lot of complex cases that dealt with a lot of renowned physicians, extremely impressive, all the different possibilities outlining scenarios for all the possibilities that can occur and it is comforting and recognized the risk to healthy adults remain low because of the aggressive actions that continue to be taken every day. One last point, pharmaceuticals have worked together voluntarily. Wouldnt that be a great lesson for the politicians . Quick informational announcement, i will be traveling with many members of the task force to minnesota, visiting 3m which is poised to begin manufacturing millions more masks for healthcare workers and traveling on to Washington State. In the name of governor inslee and his health team to ensure full resources of the federal government are being brought to bear in support of their efforts, in the seattle area. One about washington and florida, i will start with washington. Will secretary azar be with you, in spite of that . I have spoken to governor inslee who i know well from our time in congress together since being tapped to lead the white house effort on coronavirus a week ago. He has been providing strong leadership for the state of washington, after meeting with members of the senate and the house, particularly those from the Washington State delegation we thought it would be important to bring our team out and make sure they have the full support, to those who are affected by the disease, in the fool community and we are going out just to make sure. To exceed to their health of their people. On saturday with the cruise liners, which ones come to that meeting, what is the goal of that meeting, is there something you would like to see them do differently that they are not doing now . We will talk about just that. The diamond princess issue, there are unique challenges experts tell us in a closed environment of a cruise liner. We will talk about best practices and spend some time. And industries around the country. The first one. I have been looking at Hand Sanitizer. There are some. His these skyrocket. You are telling them cant afford or find it at this point . They have some clear guidance. Thank you, mister Vice President. I want to be clear. Soap and water, vigorously washing your hands for 20 seconds is what the American Public needs to do. If they want to use the Hand Sanitizer that is another option but i dont want people to think it is inferior to what we recommended for decades which is vigorous washing your hands with soap and water. Another one, go ahead. I recommend getting tested, doctors and other places will be able to have it. How far along are you in that goal and how soon do you get tested . Just so you know, there are three levels. Number one, we have 1. 5 million test kits as we speak, hospitals, particularly hospitals in areas like that. In addition to that. Donald trump authorized this. The University Lab can conduct coronavirus tests. That expands the capacity. As doctor burke will explain, our objective is in addition to those tests being available we want to get to a place where any american who has a concern can go to their doctor, go to a medical plan and know that there is a coronavirus available. We think we can get there in a matter of weeks in partnership with the commercial labs, we are challenging them to do just that. You are interested in costs. This would be an essential lab tests. What we talked about with the commercial laboratories is your question and there is validation this week and some of them thought they would have tests available friday and the rest on monday. I have asked them to prioritize the areas we had these clusters so that people can be reassured in those areas where we have identified the virus has been circulating. In those cases they will have it available at Doctors Office and all of our pediatric offices and they will transport it to make sure they can be run. With regard to the cost i want to be very clear. Hhs has designated the coronavirus test as an essential health benefit. By definition it is covered in the private Health Insurance of every american as well as covered by medicare and medicaid. We are working with members of congress and monitoring it very carefully. Imposing more restrictions on travel . I will ask doctor fauci to speak to that. At this time they are not recommending the president impose additional travel advisories or restrictions but as doctor fauci can explain we will follow the data closely and follow the cases. This is evaluated in real time, it is clear the situation in northern italy and in korea was unique compared to several other countries. Let me evaluate this every single day. We do. Right here. I was wondering what sort of progress was made about coordinating passenger data and reports that the cdc is investigating the case in a cruise ship in california that could be linked to the states first death and can you confirm that and who is investigating that . The first question. I know the president was moved by the level of commitment from our airlines, Customers Health and safety. They described to us their activities in cleaning the aircraft, sanitizing aircraft and as donald trump said today it is safe to fly in america and safe to fly internationally apart from travel advisories available to the public. That being said, it is a work in progress, having Contact Information but we were assured by the airlines that they will work closely with us to provide manifests, passengers on an individual flight in the event of a Coronavirus Infection and cooperation has been just what the American People expect from our airlines. Let me see cdc speaking to the other issue. We are working in support of the California Health department in the process of evaluating another cruise ship where they have confirmed cases where they got off the cruise and involved in the contact followup. The question regarding spring break coming along, grandparents may be coming to watch over kids. It is a necessary travel that is why we are talking the common sense approach. If you have preexisting medical conditions or you are of the elderly and frail that is something they need to take into context. We want everyone to know what we know. We received this data and gone through it carefully. There is significant greater risk of serious illness as you become older and if you have other medical conditions which what i talk about also was protecting the elderly and protecting those with other medical conditions and the other medical conditions included people recovering from cancer so just as you would protect them when they have chemotherapy and immune responses are lower you do that with careful handwashing and again insuring if you have children in the household they are following the same procedures. I have a 9month backend the 2yearold has learned to launch hands wash and carefully. This is something we need to ensure is happening every day. Do you have any hesitation traveling tomorrow for your on personal health and you are trying to send a message to the American People it is safe to fly . I have no station at all. The job Washington State has done in confronting the Coronavirus Infections in the seattle area has really been inspiring, and Outstanding Health facility, outstanding Health Department and we are sitting down the hall are Health Officials but i am a real believer is the president is in sitting down, sitting nose to nose as the president did today with executives and asking questions and making sure, the American People expect nothing less, expect us to be there for the community and we will be bringing our task force to make sure Washington State has the support they need and that is the purpose of the trip. In light of what doctor redfield said about how quickly the virus has been spreading, what needs to happen specifically for you to declare this a National Emergency . What is the threshold, the number of deaths, the number of cases . Let me let doctor fauci speak to that as far as when a recognition to the president , we have declared a Public Health emergency but you might Public Health what precisely do you mean . To declare a National Emergency what is the threshold . A number of cases . The number of deaths . Take the decisionmaking out of the hands of states and we are going to quarantine the city, shutdown big events or say no travel. That would be made by serious discussions among the task force. If we were in a situation and hopefully we never even approach that where you have clear, wide, diffuse Community Spread throughout the country and you have to have federal mandates that come in to enforce certain types it would have to come to that but i am a bit humble about that. I would like to discuss it with a variety of other people who have more of a handle on the implications of that. It is probably egg very good place to step off and go back to work but let me end where i begin. Combination of domestic cases and people we brought home from china and the diamond princess, slightly more than 100 cases and the vast majority of those people either have recovered or are continuing to recover. That is not going to lessen the focus of donald trump has charged us to continue to put on this issue, continue to work with members of congress to make sure we have the resources to confront the spread of the coronavirus but our state and local governments are doing an exceptional job. As a former governor, i can tell you the people that are on the ground, Health Officials at the state and local level are responding to this with compassion, professionalism and a big part of our job is to make sure they have the support, that we come alongside them, they have personal protective equipment and gear to administer to everyone but the American People can take some comfort that the reality is today the risk of the coronavirus to the average american remains low. As we take these steps and people take commonsense practices to protect their own health