Defense of Trumps coronavirus record

The U.S. case fatality rate, for instance, compares favorably with that of other Western countries. Rather than relying on inaccurate, incomplete public health measures, we should look at the concrete steps that the Trump administration has taken. Early on, the administration covered the basics. When it looked as if the country would not have enough ventilators, the president invoked the Defense Production Act and created the “dynamic ventilator reserve,” ramping up manufacturing and ensuring that breathing machines were sent where they were most needed. Soon, the U.S. had surplus ventilators and was shipping them around the world. When it looked as if New York might run out of hospital beds, Trump expanded capacity well beyond what was ultimately needed. The administration expanded the availability of telehealth services The United States expanded testing through regulatory reform and payment incentives. We have performed over 125 million tests and are now administering more than 1 million tests per day. The FDA’s enhanced regulatory efficiency has resulted in the authorization of more than 250 new tests for diagnosis of acute infection and prior exposure, for use in central laboratories and at the point of care. The administration is distributing 150 million rapid diagnostic tests to nursing homes, extended living facilities, historically black colleges, and states, which will help contain outbreaks among vulnerable populations. These tests will also help limit local spread in schools and businesses, allowing them to remain open, and will bring testing capacity up to 3 million tests per day—half of them rapid tests.

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