On Sunday, February 9, representatives of President Trump’s Coronavirus Task Force provided an update at the National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting about the U.S. response to the coronavirus outbreak.
The session was hosted by NGA Chair Governor Larry Hogan and was attended by a bipartisan group of more than 25 U.S. governors. During the discussion, the governors asked questions and expressed their appreciation for the active collaboration and partnership with federal partners. Topics included the importance of close collaboration between federal, state, and local government agencies; the ongoing work to protect and inform the American public; the decisive, proactive steps the Coronavirus Task Force has taken to date to slow the spread of the virus; the coordination with states on temporary travel restrictions, funneling of passengers, and screening activities currently in place; and the ongoing work on diagnostics, therapies, and vaccines.
The panel reiterated that while this is a serious public health matter, the risk to the American public remains low at this time, and that the federal government will continue working in close coordination with state and local governments to keep it that way.
The panelists were Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Robert Kadlec, and CDC Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases Jay Butler.
