Monday’s White House Task Force briefing on the COVID-19 Chinese coronavirus was quite somber as the projected deaths of 100,000 to 200,000 deaths of Americans in the next few months was discussed President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci. Trump warned the nation about “the hard days that lie ahead”, adding, “We’re gonna go through a very tough two weeks.” (Update: Trump later said it could be three weeks.)
The demeanor of the press corps changed from the combativeness of the previous two days as Dr. Birx displayed modeling charts that showed where the nation stood at the end of March with mitigation efforts so far compared to the nightmare projections of over one million deaths if nothing had been done.
ABC News reporter Karen Travers, “The tone at this White House coronavirus task force briefing feels different than all prior COVID-19 briefings: grave, sober, grim, realistic. Trump: “I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead. We’re gonna go through a very tough two weeks.”
The tone at this White House coronavirus task force briefing feels different than all prior COVID-19 briefings: grave, sober, grim, realistic.
Trump: "I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead. We're gonna go through a very tough two weeks."
— Karen Travers (@karentravers) March 31, 2020
President Trump:
"This is going to be a very painful two weeks… Our strength will be tested and our endurance will be tried but America will answer with love and courage and ironclad resolve." pic.twitter.com/Hoa1FXzfOE
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 31, 2020
Trump has extended the government’s efforts to slow the spread of the virus to the end of April. Fauci and Birx told reporters that the predicted deaths of the models are not set in stone, but can be affected by the mitigation efforts.
Projections show 1.5 million to 2.2 million Americans could die from coronavirus if there are no mitigation efforts, Dr. Deborah Birx says. With social distancing, 100,000 to 200,00 deaths are expected https://t.co/GkInFxQK4R pic.twitter.com/iErZGOECII
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 31, 2020
The somber demaeanor of the briefing was noted online: “The body language by Trump-Birx-Fauci is different tonight.” “I hate to think of the briefing they saw.”
The body language by Trump-Birx-Fauci is different tonight.
— John T. Bennett (@BennettJohnT) March 31, 2020
I hate to think of the briefing they saw.
— Kate Brannen (@K8brannen) March 31, 2020
Update: Death toll estimate of up to 240,000.
The White House today raised it’s projections of the possible death toll by 40% from yesterday.
They now predict as many as 240,000 Americans will die from Covid-19.
That number could climb again.
— David Wright (@WrightUps) March 31, 2020
