With a plan on how to deal with the coronavirus. He will be appearing in the oval office which is seldom done and gives you some idea of the severity. And also the just the state the nation is in right now. This is a cbs news special report. Im nora odonnell. President trump is about to address the nation as the coronavirus outbreak worsens. He will speak from the oval office underscoring the gravity of the situation this country faces. Today the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. There are now more than 125,000 confirmed cases worldwide including 1200 cases right here in the u. S. I want to speak with you about our nations unprecedented response to the coronavirus outbreak. That started in china and is now spreading throughout the world. Today the World Health Organization officially announced that this is a global pandemic. We have been in frequent contact with our allies and we are marshaling the full power of the federal government and the private sector to protect the american people. This is the most aggressive and comprehensive effort to confront a foreign virus in modern history. I am confident that by counting and continuing to take these tough measures we will significantly reduce the threat to our citizens and we will ultimately and expeditiously defeat this virus. From the beginning of time nations and people have faced unforeseen challenges. Including largescale and very Dangerous Health threats. This is the way it always was and always will be. It only matters how you respond and we are responding with great speed and professionalism. Our team is the best anywhere in the world. At the very start of the outbreak we instituted sweeping travel restrictions on china and put in place the first federally mandated quarantine in over 50 years. We declared a Public Health emergency. An issue the highest level of travel warning on other countries as the virus spread its horrible infection. Taking early intense action we have seen dramatically fewer cases of the virus in the United States then are now present in europe. The European Union failed to take this same precautions and restrict travel from china and other hotspots. As a result a large number of new clusters in the United States were seated by travelers from europe. After consulting with our top Government Health professionals i have decided to take several strong but necessary actions to protect the health and well being of all americans. To keep new cases from entering our shores. We will be suspending all travel from europe to the United States for the next 30 days. The new rules will go into effect friday at midnight. These restrictions will be e jur st. Aded they will be exemptions for americans who have undergone appropriate screenings and these prohibitions will not only apply to the tremendous amount of trade and cargo but various other things as we get approval. Anything coming from europe to the United States is what we are discussing. These restrictions will also not apply to the united kingdom. At the same time we are monitoring the situation in china and south korea. As they are situation improves we will reevaluate the restrictions and warnings that are currently in place for a possible early opening. Earlier this week i met with the leaders of Health Insurance industry. Who have agreed to waive all copayments for coronavirus treatments extended Insurance Coverage to these treatments and to prevent surprise medical billing. We are cutting massive amounts of red tape to make antiviral therapies available in record time. These treatments will significantly reduce the impact and reach of the virus. Additionally last week i signed into law and a . 3 billion funding bill to help cdc and other Government Agencies fight the virus and support vaccines treatments and distribution of medical supplies. Testing and testing capabilities are expanding rapidly. Day by day we are moving very quickly. The vast majority of americans the risk is very very low. Young and Healthy People can expect to recover fully and quickly if they should get the virus. The highest risk is for Elderly Population. With Underlying Health conditions. The Elderly Population must be very very careful. In particular we are strongly advising that Nursing Homes for the elderly suspend all medically unnecessary visits. In general Older Americans should also avoid nonessential travel in crowded areas. My administration is coordinating directly with communities with largest outbreaks and we have issued guidance on School Closures social distancing and reducing large gatherings. Smart action today will prevent the spread of the virus tomorrow. Every Community Faces different risks and it is critical for you to follow the guidelines of your local officials who are working closely with our federal Health Experts and they are the best. For all americans it is essential that everyone take extra precautions and practice good hygiene. Each of us has a role to play in defeating this virus. Wash your hands. Clean often used surfaces. Cover your face and mouth if you sneeze or cough. And most of all if you are sick or not feeling well stay home. To ensure that working americans have impacted the virus can stay home without fear of Financial Hardship i will soon be taking Emergency Action which is unprecedented to provide financial relief. This will be targeted for workers who are ill quarantined or caring for others due to coronavirus. I will be asking congress to take legislative action to extend this relief. Because of the economic policies that we have put into place over the last three years we have the greatest economy anywhere in the world by far. Our banks and Financial Institutions are fully capitalized and incredibly strong. Our unemployment is at a historic low. This vast Economic Prosperity gives us flexibility reserves and resources to handle any threat that comes our way. This is not a financial crisis. This is just a temporary moment of time that we will overcome together as a nation and as a world. However to provide extra support for American Workers families and businesses tonight i am announcing the following additional actions. I am instructing the Small Business administration to exercise available authority to provide capital and liquidity to firms affected by the coronavirus. Effective immediately the sba will begin providing economic loans in affected states and territories. These low interest loans will help Small Businesses overcome temporary economic disruptions caused by the virus. To this end im asking congress to increase funding for this program by an additional 50 billion. Using emergency authority. I will be instructing the Treasury Department to defer tax payments without interest or penalties for certain individuals and businesses negatively impacted. This action will provide more than 200 billion of additional liquidity to the economy. Finally i am calling on congress to provide americans with immediate payroll tax relief. Hopefully they will consider this very strongly. We are at a critical time in the fight against the virus. We made a lifesaving move with early action on china. Now we must take the same action with europe. We will not delay. I will never hesitate to take any necessary steps to protect the lives health and safety of the american people. I will always put the well being of america first. If we are vigilant and we can reduce the chance of infection which we will we will significantly impede the transmission of the virus. The virus will not have a chance against us. No nation is more prepared or more resilient in the United States. We have the best economy. The most advanced healthcare. And the most talented doctors scientists and researchers anywhere in the world. We are all in this together. We must put politics aside. Stop the partisanship. A unified together as one nation and one family. As history has proven time and time again americans always rise to the challenge and overcome adversity. Our future remains brighter than anyone can imagine. Acting with compassion and love he will heal the sick. Care for those in need. Help our fellow citizens and emerge from this challenge stronger and more unified than ever before. God bless you and god bless america. Thank you. The president for the first time from the oval office addressing a pandemic now of the global coronavirus. Outbreak. I want to bring in Major Garrett our chief washington correspondent. The president saying we are in this together. Clearly this address meant to reassure the fears throughout this country. This is a different crisis for this president and this presidency. You cant give this a nickname. You cannot belittle the coronavirus. It is growing and spreading. Travel restriction on china as every Public Health official we talked to bought the Company Country time. We dont have enough test. And we dont know how many cases the country has. That is why you see dominoes falling all day today across sporting venues colleges athletic Events People are shutting things down. They dont know what the risk factor is one of the reasons for that is because the administration was slow to move on testing. When the president said we will beat this over time that is not reassuring the markets and it is not reassuring institutions that have to make decisions about large gatherings. They dont know exactly how threatening this is when the president talks about we are all in this together he is absolutely right. But the public sees this and needs a lot more reassurance than one oval office address. Extraordinary to hear the president of United States giving Public Health advice in terms of washing your hands and staying home from work if you are sick. Also announcing some concrete steps in terms of severe travel restrictions. The president Just Announced he is restricting all travel from europe to the u. S. For 30 days. And said there will be exceptions for americans for example who have the proper screening ahead of time. He said anyone and anything that comes into this country will have to undergo extra testing to make sure that one it is here it is not going to impact americans. He talked about significant Economic Relief that he intends to give to americans which includes that payroll tax holiday that he has been talking about. He also said he would defer the tax payments that americans have to be directed the department of treasury to do that as well as direct the Small Business administration to give out loans to impacted businesses. This almost plays in to what critics have been saying all along. The president appears to be more focused on the economy and how the virus is impacting the economy rather than the Public Health part of this. He really did not address what his Health Officials are doing to make sure tests are readily available. How Many Americans have been tested. How many more tests are going out. These are questions people want to know as they worry about this virus spreading even though he took drastic measures there is still a lot of questions that he has to answer. Any drastic efforts in action that the president could do would require the cooperation of congress. I want to bring in nancy. How likely is congress to go along with such a payroll tax relief . Congress hasnt been waiting for this president to make an announcement they are planning to vote in the house tomorrow on a sweeping package aimed at helping families and low income workers in particular. This bill would expand Unemployment Insurance for people who lose their jobs as a result of this outbreak. What provide paid sick leave for up to a few months so people are encouraged to stay home when they do get ill. And it would expand access to Food Security programs. We see a lot of bipartisan support for this package even though it is being crafted so hastily. We havent been told exactly how much it is going to cost. Probably in the tens and billions of dollars. An emergency effort underway as well. Our coverage continues on our streaming service cbs. You can find it at cbs news. Com. Most patients will now return to regular programming. For some of you in the west the cbs evening news is next. This is been a cbs news special report. Im nora odonnell. Welcome back. Lets get you the latest on the coronavirus here in the bay area. You saw what is going on at the white house. Several counties here announced a ban on gatherings with more than 1000 people. One of which is San Francisco. Andrea joins us now and what that will mean. Reporter that will mean no warriors games no giants games no other large gatherings of 1000 people. It seems not everyone is following the entire spirit of the order. After deliberation in Santa Clara County taking definitive reps first large events of over 1000 people will be banned in San Francisco for at least two weeks. This is necessary because right now it is about mitigating the impacts. It is about making sure that we reduce and eliminate the spread. Warriors games will be played without fans. Even after the team refused to cancel last nights game the 18,000 seat arena. The warriors did what they wanted to do. They didnt follow the recommendation. They were within their rights to do what they did. Reporter the warriors president defended the decision. We did not feel based on the best advice that we could get that anyone was being put at risk. Reporter reporter the giants wont be played at oracle part. Broadway musical hamilton playing at the orpheum on Market Street is canceled through march 25. Not cancel yet is harry potter and the curse child playing at the 600 seat theater on gary. In a statement following the letter. Producer said in compliance with the city of San Franciscos mandate current theater has reduced his capacity to 1000 persons and is contacting patrons to voluntarily Exchange Tickets for any performance that exceeds this capacity. Theatergoers outside the last full matinee this afternoon had this to say. People are making decisions to protect people. I think the smartest thing to do is to keep washing your hands and be smart. Reporter of course there are other large venues in the city and county of San Francisco that could be affected by this unknown with the status of the fillmore at historic music venue in the fillmore district of San Francisco is whether they will continue to play shows. Multiple upcoming shows at that venue. Lots of questions to be answered about exactly what will stay open and what will be closed and of course whether or not these orders will change any. A lot of questions all around the bay area. In the south bay in particular a lot of confusion over the exposure of some tsa agents who were working at san jose minette up. Right now three are in quarantine after testing positive. Lynn ramirez is live with some claims that dozens more have been pulled off the job. What is the real story . Reporter this is a very concerning situation here at minetta san jose international. For right now the tsa lines are open and running smoothly by all appearances. Fortunately there are not very long lines today. A lot of people are not traveling today. We did see some the screeners in regular street clothes nonuniform personnel possibly management filling in. The tsa screeners union told us that in addition to the three screeners who tested positive for coronavirus to 42 other coworkers had to be quarantined because they had contact with the three who tested positive. A tsa spokesperson disputed the number but did not give any other details as to what the tsa contends the actual number is three screeners who tested positive worked at terminal b child the Southwest Airlines and alaska airlines. It is unknown what kind of contact they would have had with the public. The south bay congressional delegation and local elected leaders called on the tsa to release Vital Information about the three screeners including where they worked exactly what times they worked and what days. Meantime the Santa Clara County department of Public Health is also weighing in saying it is not recommending the airport be shut down or quarantined off. But they do say people should take some extra precautions. We have a quote this as we continue to recommend that persons at higher risk of severe illness from trent to avoid all air travel and that businesses cancel nonessential travel. We have seen a lot of travelers today taking extra precautions Wearing Masks and gloves and things like that. Stay with kpix 5 for your coverage on coronavirus. What you need to know to stay safe can all be found on kpix. Com. S