The White House will discuss a possible economic relief package with Senate Republicans on Tuesday, it said, as fears over the new coronavirus prompted stunning declines in the stock market and major disruption to daily life.
The public response to the rapidly spreading virus has gone into overdrive, as schools shut down, colleges shift to online classes, offices tell employees to work remotely, and local governments scramble to contain the virus. Major events have been canceled, including Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day parade this weekend.
What became clearest on Monday, however, was the full extent of the virus’s potential economic impact. Wall Street experienced its worst day in over a decade, with the Dow Jones industrial average falling more than 2,000 points.
At a news conference, President Trump announced new plans to assist hourly wage workers, cut payroll taxes, and help airlines, cruises and hotels, all of which have been hit especially hard. More details about the administration’s response are expected on Tuesday.
“The main thing,” Trump said, “is we are taking care of the American public.”
Yet even as the virus sends some lawmakers — including the incoming White House chief of staff — into quarantine, questions continue to circle about whether enough testing is being done to keep up with the virus.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar could not say Monday how many Americans had been tested for the virus, citing internal tech issues. He promised that more than 4 million tests would be available by the end of the week.
On Tuesday, more passengers are expected to disembark the virus-stricken Grand Princess cruise ship, which docked in Oakland, Calif., following days of uncertainty about what might happen to more than 3,000 people on board.
An unprecedented domestic operation is under way to care for and quarantine the Americans who may have been exposed to the virus, a chaotic effort that has already drawn frustration and anxiety from some local governments.
Still, on Monday morning, Trump dismissed the risk posed to the public, charging that Democrats and the media have been playing up the situation. Then, he landed in Orlando and shook hands with his supporters.
The president had not been tested for the virus, the White House said, and “remains in excellent health.”
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiSWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS93b3JsZC8yMDIwLzAzLzEwL2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLWxpdmUtdXBkYXRlcy_SAVhodHRwczovL3d3dy53YXNoaW5ndG9ucG9zdC5jb20vd29ybGQvMjAyMC8wMy8xMC9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy1saXZlLXVwZGF0ZXMvP291dHB1dFR5cGU9YW1w?oc=5
2020-03-10 07:00:11Z
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