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Administration Under Pressure for COVID-19 Response
Chaim Blum//845.274.4196
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THE PULSE: The Trump administration has
been on the receiving end of much criticism for its response to the coronavirus. Much of the criticism has been directed against the president for his initial reaction of downplaying the threat of the virus and for his administration’s failure to procure adequate testing kits. Many have also criticized the president for spreading inaccurate information regarding the illness and for muddling the administration’s policies to contain it. In early comments, the president repeatedly insisted that the virus was under control and that it posed a threat similar to that of the seasonal flu. He intimated that the hype around the virus was the work of Democrats and the media with the intent to take him down. In a recent speech, intended to calm a jittery nation, the president appeared to announce that all travel from Europe would be shut down, and that cargo shipments of goods would be halted. He also said that copays and deductibles would be waived for coronavirus treatment. In the hours after the speech, the administration was forced to clarify that the travel policy does not apply to U.S. citizens arriving from Europe, that the ban does not apply to goods and cargo, and that copays and deductibles are being waived for coronavirus testing but not treatment. THE IMPACT: Americans understand that the situation regarding COVID-19 is unprecedented and fluid. Many will understandably not hold the president accountable for what appears to be the inevitable spread of the disease in the United States. However, the president will need to account for how he deals with the impending crisis. It is imperative that his messaging is accurate and correct and not hyperbolic or merely wishful thinking. Trump did act decisively in shutting down travel from China when the virus first broke, but evidently, that was not enough. Friday’s bipartisan Emer-
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P: 845.244.1756 E: Profoundleatherny@gmail.com March 18, 2020 / THE MONSEY VIEW / 109 www.themonseyview.com / 845.600.8484