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After New York’s governor begged for tens of thousands of ventilators from the federal government to treat patients infected with coronavirus, Trump gave the idea a resounding no.
Instead, he’s stating that he doesn’t believe the numbers are accurate and that New York doesn’t really need help.
While speaking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Thursday night, President Donald Trump rejected the idea that New York needs the number of ventilators that they requested.
“I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they’re going to be,” said Trump. “I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators.”
“You know, you go into major hospitals sometimes, they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they’re saying can we order 30,000 ventilators?”
TRUMP on New York’s ventilator needs for the coronavirus outbreak:
“I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You know, you go into major hospitals sometimes, they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they’re saying can we order 30,000 ventilators?” pic.twitter.com/WMuOlkaGZk
— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) March 27, 2020
Trump then added, “Look. It’s a very bad situation. We haven’t seen anything like it, but the end result is we’ve got to get back to work, and I think we can start by opening up certain parts of the country.”
“I think we can open up sections, quadrants, keep them going until the whole country’s opened up,” said Trump to Hannity. “The people want to get back to work. They want to get back.”
Many people are now opting or being encouraged to work from home, though some worry that their cell service might suffer from the increased load.
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Trump’s statements on the country opening up again come as public health officials declare that the United States is now number one in terms of coronavirus cases.
The president has continued to press for the country to open up again soon, even as states are urging their residents to self-isolate and socially distance themselves. Trump is pushing Easter as his deadline, despite the warnings from health officials who say doing so could end up in disaster.
New York is currently suffering the worst outbreak in the nation, given its dense population.
When New York Gov. Cuomo learned the Federal Emergency Management Agency was sending only 400 ventilators, he said on Tuesday that the state needed thousands more. He expected that within a few weeks the state would reach an impending “apex” of its infection rate.
“What am I going to do with 400 ventilators when I need 30,000,” said Cuomo during the news conference at Manhattan’s Javits Center. “You want a pat on the back for sending 400 ventilators? You’re missing the magnitude of the problem.”
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New York’s Hospital system will be sent 4,000 ventilators, Trump later said, but he blasted New York, saying the leadership had a chance to buy ventilators in 2015, but “turned it down.”
Cuomo has since ordered 7,000 more ventilators but said it still wasn’t enough, and the state has approved a plan that will allow two patients to share one ventilator if necessary.
