WEBVTT

00:10.596 --> 00:12.300
- Hey, good afternoon, everybody.

00:12.300 --> 00:13.540
Thank you for being here.

00:13.540 --> 00:15.160
As the situation continues to evolve

00:15.160 --> 00:17.640
around the COVID-19 outbreak,

00:17.640 --> 00:20.223
we wanna get you some
additional information today.

00:21.210 --> 00:23.380
And then after we give some updates,

00:23.380 --> 00:25.140
we'll take some questions.

00:25.140 --> 00:27.040
So first I'll start off with the numbers

00:27.040 --> 00:28.730
that we have for the day.

00:28.730 --> 00:32.050
Right now we have 49 military cases,

00:32.050 --> 00:34.440
14 civilian cases,

00:34.440 --> 00:38.020
19 dependents, and 7 contractors.

00:38.020 --> 00:39.647
That is as of--

00:41.222 --> 00:42.272
- [Paul] Five o'clock this morning.

00:42.272 --> 00:43.430
- Five o'clock this morning.

00:43.430 --> 00:45.453
So those are our most recent numbers.

00:46.339 --> 00:48.190
Just some other updates, as you're aware,

00:48.190 --> 00:50.250
Secretary Esper was at the
White House earlier today

00:50.250 --> 00:51.500
with the president and the vice president

00:51.500 --> 00:55.070
to provide an update on DOD
response to the coronavirus

00:55.070 --> 00:57.230
and the Department of Support
for the whole of government.

00:57.230 --> 00:58.670
As was announced by the president,

00:58.670 --> 01:02.150
the USNS Comfort and the
USNS Mercy are being prepared

01:02.150 --> 01:05.120
for deployment, as needed,
to assist potentially

01:05.120 --> 01:07.773
overwhelmed communities
with acute patient care.

01:08.760 --> 01:11.550
Finally, recognizing the
importance of transparency

01:11.550 --> 01:13.420
during times of crisis like this,

01:13.420 --> 01:16.270
we're disappointed in the
Chinese government's decision

01:16.270 --> 01:17.960
to ban reporters from the New York Times,

01:17.960 --> 01:21.190
the Washington Post, and
the Wall Street Journal.

01:21.190 --> 01:23.010
In times like this, freedom of the press

01:23.010 --> 01:25.900
and government transparency
are crucial and critical

01:25.900 --> 01:29.070
to combating misinformation and
keeping the public informed.

01:29.070 --> 01:31.300
We strongly encourage
the government of China

01:31.300 --> 01:33.240
to reconsider this decision.

01:33.240 --> 01:35.503
So with that, we'll take your questions.

01:36.592 --> 01:39.080
- I'm wondering if you can
provide some additional details

01:39.080 --> 01:42.400
on the plans for the Comfort and the Mercy

01:42.400 --> 01:47.400
as to whether either of
them is ready to deploy soon

01:47.580 --> 01:49.660
or when they're gonna deploy,
where they're gonna deploy,

01:49.660 --> 01:50.493
that kind of thing?

01:50.493 --> 01:52.700
- So to start off with where
they're going to deploy to,

01:52.700 --> 01:55.730
I think, as mentioned this
morning, earlier today,

01:55.730 --> 01:59.730
by the president, the
Comfort is intended to head

01:59.730 --> 02:03.113
to New York, in that area.

02:04.010 --> 02:06.800
On timing-wise, that is a
little bit more difficult.

02:06.800 --> 02:08.980
So as everyone knows, as we
talked about the last few days,

02:08.980 --> 02:12.180
the Comfort's currently in
for maintenance in Norfolk,

02:12.180 --> 02:14.170
and so they're gonna
expedite the maintenance

02:14.170 --> 02:16.070
that they can, and prepare it.

02:16.070 --> 02:18.040
That's not a days' issue.

02:18.040 --> 02:19.260
That's a weeks' issue.

02:19.260 --> 02:21.470
So it's gonna be a little while.

02:21.470 --> 02:24.350
At that time, it's intended
to head to New York,

02:24.350 --> 02:26.585
but we'll continue to
evaluate the situation

02:26.585 --> 02:29.350
and make a determination
on where it's best suited.

02:29.350 --> 02:30.183
- [Reporter] What about the Mercy?

02:30.183 --> 02:32.640
- With regard to the Mercy,
the Mercy will be prepared

02:32.640 --> 02:34.393
and ready to go much sooner.

02:37.758 --> 02:39.250
They've had a warning order to get ready

02:39.250 --> 02:41.680
for the last few days,
so they are hopefully

02:41.680 --> 02:44.730
gonna be prepared to
go in days, not weeks.

02:44.730 --> 02:47.350
But we'll have more information
for you later at that point.

02:47.350 --> 02:50.480
When it is prepared to sail,
we will make a determination

02:50.480 --> 02:52.134
on where it is gonna go.

02:52.134 --> 02:54.130
- [Reporter] Is it gonna be fully staffed?

02:54.130 --> 02:56.080
- I'll let the General talk
to the staffing situation,

02:56.080 --> 02:57.920
but as we've talked about
over the last few days,

02:57.920 --> 02:59.730
staffing's an issue.

02:59.730 --> 03:01.990
We're gonna make sure that
we do the best we can,

03:01.990 --> 03:03.820
and we get those resources
out to the governors

03:03.820 --> 03:05.230
and to the mayors that have asked for 'em.

03:05.230 --> 03:07.300
And so we're looking to do that,

03:07.300 --> 03:08.810
but we are working through
the staffing issue.

03:08.810 --> 03:13.160
- And so from a staffing
standpoint, we're planning

03:13.160 --> 03:15.860
right now to staff it with a
typical staff that would deploy

03:15.860 --> 03:17.570
with the hospital ships.

03:17.570 --> 03:21.190
And this, we're gonna have
to adjust that, I think,

03:21.190 --> 03:23.510
as we get a better sense
from the local leadership

03:23.510 --> 03:24.343
of what they need.

03:24.343 --> 03:26.860
As we shared with you during
the last press briefing,

03:26.860 --> 03:28.550
these ships are designed for trauma and

03:28.550 --> 03:31.400
for combat casualties, and
so that's the staff that

03:31.400 --> 03:34.300
we're planning to deploy
with it right now.

03:34.300 --> 03:36.890
Our understanding is that
the intent is that the ships

03:36.890 --> 03:39.800
will be used to take
non-coronavirus patients,

03:39.800 --> 03:42.200
which is what our staff are best assigned

03:42.200 --> 03:44.380
and organized to do.

03:44.380 --> 03:47.330
And if that's the case, then
we'll adjust the numbers

03:47.330 --> 03:49.998
and the mix of staff
based on what we learn

03:49.998 --> 03:51.593
from the local leadership.

03:52.550 --> 03:54.310
- Are they staffed from
around the country?

03:54.310 --> 03:56.360
And are they both civilian
and military staff?

03:56.360 --> 03:58.630
- So right now, we're looking
at our military staffing,

03:58.630 --> 04:00.080
that's part of the assessment.

04:00.080 --> 04:02.540
The warning order went out Monday,

04:02.540 --> 04:04.110
based on the discussions on Monday.

04:04.110 --> 04:06.450
And so we're going through
and identifying exactly where

04:06.450 --> 04:07.570
the staff will come from,

04:07.570 --> 04:09.250
which military treatment facilities

04:09.250 --> 04:10.970
or the locations the staff will come from.

04:10.970 --> 04:12.571
- [Reporter] What about military base,

04:12.571 --> 04:13.970
what military (muffled)?

04:13.970 --> 04:15.750
- Again, we're working through that.

04:15.750 --> 04:17.780
I suspect that that is gonna be the case,

04:17.780 --> 04:19.630
but that's exactly what we're
working through right now

04:19.630 --> 04:21.380
is to identify where best to take them

04:21.380 --> 04:22.780
so that we balance the load.

04:24.040 --> 04:25.720
- [Reporter] Jonathan,
there was a report today

04:25.720 --> 04:28.414
that a large number of
coronavirus test kits

04:28.414 --> 04:32.170
had been flown by the Air Force from Italy

04:32.170 --> 04:33.160
to the United States.

04:33.160 --> 04:34.949
Can you talk about that?

04:34.949 --> 04:37.384
So how many are we talking?

04:37.384 --> 04:41.690
- So yesterday, the Air
Force, I think it was

04:41.690 --> 04:45.037
a National Guard unit,
transported 500,000.

04:46.210 --> 04:47.790
They were actually swabs.

04:47.790 --> 04:50.023
So it was actually the
swabbing for testing.

04:50.898 --> 04:51.960
So the general can get into more detail.

04:51.960 --> 04:53.150
He knows this a little bit better.

04:53.150 --> 04:55.520
But it was the swabs, not
specifically the kits,

04:55.520 --> 04:58.750
but it's part of that testing
process that were transported

04:58.750 --> 05:02.330
from Italy to Memphis.

05:02.330 --> 05:04.620
And then in Memphis, they were
loaded onto FedEx aircraft

05:04.620 --> 05:08.215
and distributed per HHS
direction around the country.

05:08.215 --> 05:09.070
- [Reporter] They've
already been distributed?

05:09.070 --> 05:10.848
- They were loaded on yesterday.

05:10.848 --> 05:14.094
- Yeah, so Mr. Hoffman is exactly right.

05:14.094 --> 05:16.719
There's multiple parts to testing.

05:16.719 --> 05:19.930
The first is the swabs that
are used to collect the sample

05:19.930 --> 05:22.420
from the individual who's being tested.

05:22.420 --> 05:25.210
Then there's a liquid, that
we call the transport media,

05:25.210 --> 05:26.800
that you put the swab into.

05:26.800 --> 05:29.964
So that's what composed what
we brought over from Italy.

05:29.964 --> 05:33.740
This is, I believe, a great
example of how nations

05:33.740 --> 05:36.100
are working together to
ensure that we're meeting

05:36.100 --> 05:37.070
the global demands.

05:37.070 --> 05:39.030
So there's a company
here in the United States

05:39.030 --> 05:41.900
that's working around the
clock producing these swabs,

05:41.900 --> 05:44.243
and we're working with
international partners

05:44.243 --> 05:47.510
to meet our full demand
going forward on this.

05:47.510 --> 05:49.440
So this is, I think, a good news story

05:49.440 --> 05:51.370
of how countries work together.

05:51.370 --> 05:54.390
When the swabs get here,
HHS is distributing them.

05:54.390 --> 05:55.710
And they can give you more details

05:55.710 --> 05:57.440
on where exactly they're going.

05:57.440 --> 06:00.060
- What's the next step after the swabs?

06:00.060 --> 06:01.993
And then you test it and then what?

06:01.993 --> 06:05.540
- So the swabs are sent
out to the different

06:05.540 --> 06:06.480
medical facilities.

06:06.480 --> 06:08.380
They're used to test
patients, and then they go

06:08.380 --> 06:13.210
to a lab that has the right
equipment to analyze the swabs

06:13.210 --> 06:16.880
and see if there's coronavirus
on the swab or not.

06:16.880 --> 06:19.360
- So the swabs would go
to your doctor's office.

06:19.360 --> 06:20.940
The test kit would go to the lab.

06:20.940 --> 06:23.210
And so these were items that
were intended to go to doctors

06:23.210 --> 06:24.900
in areas where they're
taking the test, instead

06:24.900 --> 06:27.509
of the actual test kits themselves.

06:27.509 --> 06:29.099
- Is there enough equipment and lab space

06:29.099 --> 06:30.663
to get it right through to finding out

06:30.663 --> 06:32.710
if someone is positive for coronavirus?

06:32.710 --> 06:35.270
- So from the DOD perspective,
we've talked a few times

06:35.270 --> 06:36.103
about that.

06:36.103 --> 06:38.540
So we have 14 labs up and
running around the country,

06:38.540 --> 06:40.120
right and around the
Department of Defense,

06:40.120 --> 06:41.890
that are performing these tests for us.

06:41.890 --> 06:44.950
And I know someone will ask,
so I will just tell you.

06:44.950 --> 06:47.130
I've got the number here that--

06:47.130 --> 06:48.610
I had it.

06:48.610 --> 06:49.443
I'll find it.

06:49.443 --> 06:52.620
936 patients have been
tested, as of yesterday,

06:52.620 --> 06:54.720
in our DOD labs.

06:54.720 --> 06:57.170
So we've got the reagents,
we've got the chemicals

06:57.170 --> 07:00.540
that we need, so we're
continuing to move forward

07:00.540 --> 07:01.760
with that testing.

07:01.760 --> 07:04.170
And I'll answer a question
that came up yesterday.

07:04.170 --> 07:06.200
Somebody had asked the
Secretary of Defense

07:06.200 --> 07:08.860
about where we are with
other testing opportunities.

07:08.860 --> 07:11.110
As many of you know, over the weekend,

07:11.110 --> 07:12.810
the Food and Drug Administration did

07:12.810 --> 07:16.220
an emergency use
authorization for a new test

07:16.220 --> 07:19.110
to be performed in the lab
that was developed by Roche,

07:19.110 --> 07:20.650
and then another one that was developed

07:20.650 --> 07:22.960
by Thermo Fisher Scientific.

07:22.960 --> 07:25.770
And so, as those roll out,
we're looking at whether we have

07:25.770 --> 07:28.170
the equipment in our labs
to perform those tests.

07:28.170 --> 07:30.590
And we have one lab that
has the Roche equipment,

07:30.590 --> 07:32.390
and then all of the labs that

07:32.390 --> 07:34.910
are currently performing
the coronavirus test

07:34.910 --> 07:37.090
can also perform the Thermo Fisher test.

07:37.090 --> 07:38.933
So we're expanding our ability.

07:40.350 --> 07:42.060
- Do we know where these
swabs have been sent?

07:42.060 --> 07:44.250
Is is going to the hotspots first or--

07:44.250 --> 07:45.740
- That's a question for HHS.

07:45.740 --> 07:48.353
So this was a request
from them to support.

07:49.667 --> 07:53.190
I think the comment is
that not the test kits,

07:53.190 --> 07:55.690
but part of that testing
process is what this was.

07:57.210 --> 07:58.180
- If you could just give us some details

07:58.180 --> 08:00.630
on the few hospitals that were mentioned.

08:00.630 --> 08:02.443
What is the stockpile
that we're talking about?

08:02.443 --> 08:04.450
Are we talking dozens in
hospitals that should end up

08:04.450 --> 08:06.501
at Army Corps of Engineers
or up in New York?

08:06.501 --> 08:10.210
What is the potential that
could actually be provided?

08:10.210 --> 08:13.580
- Yeah, so I'm gonna not
completely answer that

08:13.580 --> 08:16.020
because we typically don't
lay out every deployable

08:16.020 --> 08:17.980
capability in numbers that we have.

08:17.980 --> 08:21.620
We have a variety of
deployable medical units

08:21.620 --> 08:23.210
that we can provide.

08:23.210 --> 08:24.270
The Air Force has units

08:24.270 --> 08:26.610
called the Expeditionary Medical System

08:26.610 --> 08:28.370
that have 25 beds in them.

08:28.370 --> 08:31.430
Those are rapidly
deployable, usually by air.

08:31.430 --> 08:34.800
The Army has Combat Support
Hospitals, much larger.

08:34.800 --> 08:37.513
Those can deploy by air or by ground.

08:38.540 --> 08:39.970
And then they also have field hospitals,

08:39.970 --> 08:40.900
which are not as big.

08:40.900 --> 08:42.690
They're about 32 beds.

08:42.690 --> 08:44.190
The Navy has the two hospital ships

08:44.190 --> 08:45.590
that we were talking about before.

08:45.590 --> 08:47.950
And then they have
something called an EMF,

08:47.950 --> 08:52.280
an Expeditionary Medical
Facility, which has 150 beds.

08:52.280 --> 08:55.310
So, we have a variety
of options, depending

08:55.310 --> 08:57.640
on what the requirement
is, that we could provide,

08:57.640 --> 08:59.500
but we're not gonna
provide the exact numbers

08:59.500 --> 09:02.040
of how many the DOD has of this or that.

09:02.040 --> 09:04.100
- In New York, what's the
magnitude of potential--

09:04.100 --> 09:05.880
I mean, are we talking
dozens of field hospitals?

09:05.880 --> 09:07.480
Hundreds, or what is it?

09:07.480 --> 09:09.610
- Well, I don't think
we know at this point.

09:09.610 --> 09:11.960
We're eager to hear the exact requirement

09:11.960 --> 09:16.290
and understand what it is and
understand across the country

09:16.290 --> 09:17.743
what that requirement is.

09:19.000 --> 09:21.200
I can't speak for New York,
but we're all watching

09:21.200 --> 09:23.510
the same news channels, and
we're watching the numbers

09:23.510 --> 09:24.630
as they change.

09:24.630 --> 09:26.810
I think we're seeing a
number of people coming back,

09:26.810 --> 09:28.923
growing numbers with positive tests.

09:29.800 --> 09:33.280
We are hoping to better
understand where there's a demand

09:33.280 --> 09:35.500
on the hospital system that exceeds that

09:35.500 --> 09:37.333
hospital system's capacity.

09:38.240 --> 09:40.780
And then we'll work with
HHS as the supported

09:40.780 --> 09:42.620
or the lead federal agency for this

09:42.620 --> 09:44.680
to decide what's the best capability,

09:44.680 --> 09:46.794
if we're asked to help with that.

09:46.794 --> 09:48.540
- And part of that is we want to make sure

09:48.540 --> 09:50.180
that this is our reserve.

09:50.180 --> 09:53.320
I mean, this is the
government's, the whole

09:53.320 --> 09:54.770
of government's, reserve.

09:54.770 --> 09:57.804
And so once we deploy
that reserve in one place,

09:57.804 --> 10:00.410
we don't have the ability
to move it to another place.

10:00.410 --> 10:04.464
So we need to be able
to monitor, keep track.

10:04.464 --> 10:06.910
Secretary's been having
conversations with governors.

10:06.910 --> 10:07.920
He had a number of them yesterday.

10:07.920 --> 10:10.700
He's had a number of calls
today to talk with them

10:10.700 --> 10:13.080
and just get a better sense
of exactly what they need

10:13.080 --> 10:15.120
because they may be--

10:15.120 --> 10:17.867
People on their team
may be asking for beds.

10:17.867 --> 10:20.080
We talked to a couple governors
where it's actually one type

10:20.080 --> 10:21.269
of equipment.

10:21.269 --> 10:24.420
We talked to one governor where
they were looking for swabs.

10:24.420 --> 10:27.470
So there's different things
they're looking for that a lot

10:27.470 --> 10:30.990
of times they're getting reported
up and just, we need help.

10:30.990 --> 10:32.450
And so we've been trying to work

10:32.450 --> 10:34.450
to understand a little bit better.

10:34.450 --> 10:36.180
The military works well if you tell us

10:36.180 --> 10:38.500
what the problem you're
trying to solve is,

10:38.500 --> 10:39.930
not the resource you need.

10:39.930 --> 10:41.630
And then we can come back and say,

10:41.630 --> 10:43.680
here's the problem you have,
here's what we can do to help.

10:43.680 --> 10:44.954
And that's what we're
trying to do right now.

10:44.954 --> 10:46.080
Cordy.

10:46.080 --> 10:47.630
- I don't understand how that matches

10:47.630 --> 10:50.450
with putting the Mercy
on a warning order then

10:50.450 --> 10:53.610
because so you must have
gotten some kind of--

10:53.610 --> 10:57.420
I feel like all we keep
hearing is the request comes in

10:57.420 --> 11:00.720
for this specific capability,
for this location,

11:00.720 --> 11:01.770
this many people, and stuff.

11:01.770 --> 11:05.100
So you must know where the Mercy's going

11:05.100 --> 11:06.180
and what they need from it.

11:06.180 --> 11:08.700
And I also don't really
understand how we've been hearing

11:08.700 --> 11:12.040
for several days that ships
like this and bringing

11:12.040 --> 11:14.750
in the military just takes
these same capabilities

11:14.750 --> 11:16.650
from the civilian world
because many of them

11:16.650 --> 11:18.020
are reservists and volunteers and stuff.

11:18.020 --> 11:19.860
So, how--

11:19.860 --> 11:21.797
- I think, to your second
part first, I would say

11:21.797 --> 11:24.690
nobody said that that was
an insurmountable problem.

11:24.690 --> 11:26.530
We just were laying out that
there was an issue there,

11:26.530 --> 11:30.460
so we're working through how
to work through that concern,

11:30.460 --> 11:33.290
that trade off, and find
a way to provide that.

11:33.290 --> 11:36.520
With regard to the timing
of it, the reason the Mercy

11:36.520 --> 11:38.890
and the Comfort are being
put on warning orders is

11:38.890 --> 11:41.690
because unlike the field
hospitals, which are small,

11:41.690 --> 11:44.680
deployable, that can readily
be put on an aircraft,

11:44.680 --> 11:46.550
flown anywhere in the
country and dropped wherever

11:46.550 --> 11:49.860
you need them within
hours or days, the Mercy

11:49.860 --> 11:52.500
and the Comfort, even after
the Mercy leaves San Diego,

11:52.500 --> 11:54.753
it's still got to sail
wherever it's gonna go.

11:55.654 --> 11:56.487
So it's just a longer lead time.

11:56.487 --> 11:57.870
So we're trying to lean into that.

11:57.870 --> 12:00.210
This is a fast-evolving situation.

12:00.210 --> 12:02.240
We don't know where we're gonna
be in a week or two weeks.

12:02.240 --> 12:05.040
So we're trying to move
forward as quickly as we can

12:05.040 --> 12:05.970
and lean forward on it.

12:05.970 --> 12:08.530
And so even when the secretary
was in here yesterday

12:08.530 --> 12:11.440
and indicated we had given
that warning over the weekend,

12:11.440 --> 12:13.758
so we're trying to lean
forward and get ahead of it.

12:13.758 --> 12:16.453
- And this is more for you, doctor.

12:17.590 --> 12:19.850
Do you believe at this point,
now it's been several days

12:19.850 --> 12:21.310
since the Mercy got their warning order,

12:21.310 --> 12:23.290
that it's gonna be uniformed military

12:23.290 --> 12:25.950
who will be staffing it, as
far as medical personnel?

12:25.950 --> 12:27.960
- Yeah, so I think that's
what we're gonna look at first

12:27.960 --> 12:31.030
and understand what we can do
with the uniformed personnel

12:31.030 --> 12:33.070
and whether there are
other options available.

12:33.070 --> 12:36.070
But it, as Mr. Hoffman
said, this is dynamic.

12:36.070 --> 12:39.940
And so what I'm reluctant to
do is say here's the answer

12:39.940 --> 12:42.990
for what we're gonna do in
ten days or even in eight days

12:42.990 --> 12:46.870
because we're trying to find
the best way to balance all

12:46.870 --> 12:48.520
of the requests that we're receiving,

12:48.520 --> 12:50.617
both from our own patients
who are seeking care

12:50.617 --> 12:53.370
and from those communities
that are seeking assistance,

12:53.370 --> 12:54.520
and figure out how best to support.

12:54.520 --> 12:57.172
- And then to the point
on the military personnel,

12:57.172 --> 13:00.942
it's fastest for DOD to
activate and deploy military,

13:00.942 --> 13:04.450
active-duty military personnel
and then the reserves

13:04.450 --> 13:07.130
and then into the communities
for civilian personnel.

13:07.130 --> 13:10.370
So given the short timeframe
and what we're trying to do,

13:10.370 --> 13:12.390
we're gonna look at the
active component first

13:12.390 --> 13:13.223
and then we'll start to work through it,

13:13.223 --> 13:14.380
given how much time we have.

13:14.380 --> 13:16.870
- Can you bring up retirees?

13:16.870 --> 13:19.130
Medical retirees, is there
a precedent for that?

13:19.130 --> 13:23.270
- So, there absolutely is
congress precedent for that.

13:23.270 --> 13:27.470
Congress has passed a number
of laws that provide a variety

13:27.470 --> 13:30.730
of tools or mechanisms to
augment the military force,

13:30.730 --> 13:33.460
but it kinda gets back
to your earlier point.

13:33.460 --> 13:37.210
As we look at people who are
no longer in uniform or who are

13:37.210 --> 13:40.120
in guard or reserve units, taking them out

13:40.120 --> 13:42.780
of the civilian community
may not necessarily

13:42.780 --> 13:44.640
be the right risk benefit trade off.

13:44.640 --> 13:49.640
And so, I think Mr. Hoffman
will vouch for this.

13:49.960 --> 13:52.300
Most of us were in here all weekend,

13:52.300 --> 13:55.310
working through different
scenarios to see what's

13:55.310 --> 13:58.920
within the realm of possible
that creates the least strain

13:58.920 --> 14:01.250
on the whole healthcare
system, while providing

14:01.250 --> 14:04.640
the greatest options to
support different communities

14:04.640 --> 14:06.090
as they need it.

14:06.090 --> 14:08.720
What we ask for is that the
communities are as specific

14:08.720 --> 14:11.483
as possible about what they
really need, rather than saying

14:11.483 --> 14:14.960
I want this, as was
described a moment ago.

14:14.960 --> 14:16.400
We need help with ventilators

14:16.400 --> 14:19.760
or we need help with testing
equipment or whatever.

14:19.760 --> 14:22.530
So that we can tailor what
we send forward because,

14:22.530 --> 14:24.905
as was mentioned, once
the hospital ship sails,

14:24.905 --> 14:27.700
it takes a while for it
to go somewhere else.

14:27.700 --> 14:28.533
It just does.

14:28.533 --> 14:30.530
Not for lack of desire, it's just physics

14:30.530 --> 14:31.870
and gravity, unfortunately.

14:31.870 --> 14:33.406
- Dave

14:33.406 --> 14:37.080
- I understand you're not gonna
tell us your total capacity

14:37.080 --> 14:39.533
in mobile units.

14:41.080 --> 14:44.340
But when the secretary was
talking about putting units

14:44.340 --> 14:48.270
on alert, was he talking
about all the units?

14:48.270 --> 14:52.570
Or can you tell us how
many hospital beds worth

14:52.570 --> 14:55.070
of units have been put on alert,

14:55.070 --> 14:57.470
as opposed to your entire capacity?

14:57.470 --> 15:01.650
- Yes, so the chairman put a
number of active-duty units

15:01.650 --> 15:03.440
on alert, and this goes
back to that discussion

15:03.440 --> 15:05.140
about active-duty and reserve units.

15:05.140 --> 15:08.610
We did not put reserve
units on alert at this time

15:08.610 --> 15:11.050
because we're sensitive
to that competing demand.

15:11.050 --> 15:15.350
So we're looking at active-duty
units, and we put a number

15:15.350 --> 15:18.410
of different types on alert
so that we at least have

15:18.410 --> 15:20.530
some units ready to go out the door,

15:20.530 --> 15:22.503
depending on what request we get.

15:23.530 --> 15:28.510
Again, right now what we're
trying to do is make sure

15:28.510 --> 15:31.100
that we have a range of options available

15:31.100 --> 15:33.410
to meet the requests that may come to us

15:33.410 --> 15:35.070
from the Department of
Health and Human Services

15:35.070 --> 15:36.550
and from other communities.

15:36.550 --> 15:38.440
I'm a little reluctant
to get into specifics

15:38.440 --> 15:40.560
because if I say this unit's on alert,

15:40.560 --> 15:42.470
I'm pretty confident that in
30 minutes, someone's going

15:42.470 --> 15:44.660
to come back and say, well
that's the unit that I want.

15:44.660 --> 15:48.790
So what we would recommend
is as communities identify

15:48.790 --> 15:50.480
where they have a challenge, work

15:50.480 --> 15:52.430
with the Department of
Health and Human Services

15:52.430 --> 15:55.320
and with FEMA and identify
what that challenge is

15:55.320 --> 15:58.520
so that we can then describe
which capability is best suited

15:58.520 --> 15:59.740
to meet that challenge.

15:59.740 --> 16:01.243
- How many beds are on alert?

16:02.370 --> 16:05.940
- So right now, I think
we have over 1,000,

16:05.940 --> 16:08.923
not counting the hospital
ships, over 1,000 beds on alert.

16:09.770 --> 16:11.740
- And a separate issue.

16:11.740 --> 16:12.950
- [Jonathan] Sure.

16:12.950 --> 16:16.000
- A soldier's been
texting from Fort Bliss.

16:16.000 --> 16:20.240
He's in quarantine, and he says
prisoners are treated better

16:20.240 --> 16:21.970
than they're being treated.

16:21.970 --> 16:26.970
Three to a 15 by 15 room,
two meals a day, no exercise.

16:29.970 --> 16:31.210
Are you trying to do anything about that?

16:31.210 --> 16:33.670
- So, I've talked to the secretary
about this earlier today,

16:33.670 --> 16:34.543
so he's aware.

16:35.410 --> 16:39.090
His response is we can do
better, and we need to do better.

16:39.090 --> 16:42.910
And so, I know that the
commander at Fort Bliss is aware.

16:42.910 --> 16:44.400
He has been in contact.

16:44.400 --> 16:47.110
My understanding is that he
met with all the soldiers

16:47.110 --> 16:50.350
who are quarantined
and talked through some

16:50.350 --> 16:51.780
of their concerns.

16:51.780 --> 16:55.750
They're looking to make some
changes, such as setting up

16:55.750 --> 16:58.670
for more time for people
to be outside of the rooms

16:58.670 --> 17:01.290
and being able to travel
around, setting up access

17:01.290 --> 17:05.470
to AAFES so that they
can get some sundries

17:05.470 --> 17:06.990
and items like that.

17:06.990 --> 17:09.820
And also looking at other bases
that are doing quarantines,

17:09.820 --> 17:11.190
we're checking to see
how they're holding up

17:11.190 --> 17:12.023
and doing this, as well.

17:12.023 --> 17:13.970
So, we can do better.

17:13.970 --> 17:15.803
They're aware of it, and
they're working through it.

17:15.803 --> 17:19.280
- Seems like you can take
passengers on a cruise ship

17:20.260 --> 17:22.003
and give them each their own room.

17:23.520 --> 17:27.690
Soldiers coming back from a
war zone might deserve better

17:27.690 --> 17:29.890
than three to a room, so--

17:29.890 --> 17:31.670
- Like I said, David, we can do better.

17:31.670 --> 17:34.250
- You're just talking about
letting them out more.

17:34.250 --> 17:35.520
- David, like I said, we can do better.

17:35.520 --> 17:38.188
The commander on the
ground's looking into it.

17:38.188 --> 17:40.100
So, we can get you with the
Army on what they're doing,

17:40.100 --> 17:43.020
but each commander is looking at it,

17:43.020 --> 17:44.563
and we're gonna do better on this.

17:44.563 --> 17:46.810
This is something that's
unusual for all these bases

17:46.810 --> 17:50.180
to be handling, and they're
doing the best they can.

17:50.180 --> 17:52.310
And the secretary mentioned
today that we appreciate

17:52.310 --> 17:55.980
the members who are either
affected by this outbreak,

17:55.980 --> 17:59.250
either through infections,
their family's infections,

17:59.250 --> 18:01.810
and even these individuals
who are being quarantined.

18:01.810 --> 18:03.520
We owe it to 'em, and
we're gonna look into it

18:03.520 --> 18:04.510
and try to do better.

18:04.510 --> 18:05.550
Barbara.

18:05.550 --> 18:07.700
- I have a number of medical questions,

18:07.700 --> 18:08.533
if I might.

18:08.533 --> 18:09.366
The first--

18:09.366 --> 18:10.199
- Is that for me or for him?

18:10.199 --> 18:11.440
- For Dr. Friedrichs, if that's okay.

18:11.440 --> 18:13.777
So when you said, "1,000 beds on alert,

18:13.777 --> 18:16.740
"not including the two hospital ships,"

18:16.740 --> 18:18.610
to make sure I understand,
you were talking

18:18.610 --> 18:20.650
about field hospitals.

18:20.650 --> 18:24.660
- So the field hospitals are
an Army capability, and then

18:24.660 --> 18:26.618
as I mentioned, the Air Force--

18:26.618 --> 18:28.420
- [Barbara] 4,000 beds, if I might.

18:28.420 --> 18:31.910
So, they're deployable beds in
a variety of different units.

18:31.910 --> 18:34.770
And again, these are tent-based units.

18:34.770 --> 18:37.540
These are not we're gonna
come and build a hospital

18:37.540 --> 18:38.857
in ten days or anything like that.

18:38.857 --> 18:41.870
- And so the units that you put on alert,

18:41.870 --> 18:46.300
are those all medical
hospital related units?

18:46.300 --> 18:48.785
- [Paul] Yes, just as
we described last time.

18:48.785 --> 18:51.890
- Can you just consider letting us know

18:51.890 --> 18:53.363
what their capabilities are?

18:54.310 --> 18:58.160
- So these are all designed
for combat casualty care,

18:58.160 --> 18:59.880
for taking care of deployed units,

18:59.880 --> 19:02.570
and so their primary
capability is surgical.

19:02.570 --> 19:04.810
That's what they're designed to do,

19:04.810 --> 19:07.250
as far as the most challenging cases.

19:07.250 --> 19:08.340
And then they take--

19:08.340 --> 19:09.970
- What I really wanted to ask you is

19:09.970 --> 19:12.190
at the White House
briefing, Dr. Birx talked

19:12.190 --> 19:14.490
about new data that they're receiving

19:14.490 --> 19:18.600
that indicates a serious
concern of young people

19:18.600 --> 19:23.200
in France and Italy now
suffering serious cases

19:23.200 --> 19:24.680
of coronavirus.

19:24.680 --> 19:27.670
Younger people than they expected.

19:27.670 --> 19:31.310
I'm wondering if you guys
are seeing any data yet

19:31.310 --> 19:36.310
that lead you to modify,
amend, or be concerned

19:36.800 --> 19:41.420
about your overall conclusions that

19:41.420 --> 19:44.840
the U.S. military is generally
a young, healthy force,

19:44.840 --> 19:48.350
and you expect and hope
for minimal impact.

19:48.350 --> 19:52.940
Are you seeing any data yet
that increases your concern

19:52.940 --> 19:56.100
about the infection
rate in younger people?

19:56.100 --> 19:59.180
And the secretary now
is very forward leaning

19:59.180 --> 20:01.663
on military assistance,
when just a few days ago,

20:01.663 --> 20:06.663
he was more traditional about
it, calling it a last resort.

20:06.760 --> 20:11.760
What have you seen medically
in the country that is leading

20:12.500 --> 20:15.430
to that change, as well as
the younger people concern?

20:15.430 --> 20:17.350
- I can take the second question first

20:17.350 --> 20:19.850
because I think what the
secretary's comments the other day

20:19.850 --> 20:22.740
were is laying out what the facts were

20:22.740 --> 20:25.140
about what our capabilities
were and what we are able to do

20:25.140 --> 20:27.670
in the timelines and setting
the groundwork for that.

20:27.670 --> 20:30.570
So, the people like the secretary,
the president, the media,

20:30.570 --> 20:32.940
the governors are able
to have conversations

20:32.940 --> 20:37.790
about what capabilities we
have in an informed manner.

20:37.790 --> 20:38.650
And so I think that's what we've seen

20:38.650 --> 20:40.170
over the last few days.

20:40.170 --> 20:41.920
And I think we've had a good conversation

20:41.920 --> 20:43.530
about what the trade offs are.

20:43.530 --> 20:45.090
I think that was part of
what we've been talking

20:45.090 --> 20:47.240
about the last few days,
of activating the Mercy

20:47.240 --> 20:48.490
or the Comfort, there are trade offs.

20:48.490 --> 20:50.230
- [Barbara] What changed his mind?

20:50.230 --> 20:52.470
- Well, I think it's
not just the secretary.

20:52.470 --> 20:53.717
So, the secretary works for the president,

20:53.717 --> 20:55.990
and the president makes determinations

20:55.990 --> 20:59.070
about military assets and personnel.

20:59.070 --> 21:01.500
And the president and his entire team,

21:01.500 --> 21:02.390
I don't want to speak for them,

21:02.390 --> 21:05.530
but the whole government
approach is to lean very forward.

21:05.530 --> 21:09.260
And so, leaning forward
with the Comfort is we need

21:09.260 --> 21:12.610
to start getting ready so
that in days, weeks, not days,

21:12.610 --> 21:13.990
that we're able to deploy it.

21:13.990 --> 21:15.250
So, we're monitoring it.

21:15.250 --> 21:17.320
We're gonna be making
changes every day and trying

21:17.320 --> 21:20.269
to get new assets available
and online if they need to be,

21:20.269 --> 21:23.180
but it's a very dynamic,
very fluent situation.

21:23.180 --> 21:24.013
And your questions was--

21:24.013 --> 21:25.980
- So I think on the medical questions,

21:25.980 --> 21:28.390
the short answer to your
question is among the active duty

21:28.390 --> 21:31.750
who have gotten sick so
far in our population,

21:31.750 --> 21:35.390
we're not seeing that they're
having an unexpectedly

21:35.390 --> 21:38.230
more severe infection, which is good news.

21:38.230 --> 21:39.720
Could that change?

21:39.720 --> 21:40.610
Quite possibly.

21:40.610 --> 21:42.580
And, yes, I have seen some
of the data coming out

21:42.580 --> 21:44.580
of Europe and also out of Korea.

21:44.580 --> 21:47.000
And we've made this comment several times.

21:47.000 --> 21:50.400
The good news is the
Italians, the Koreans,

21:50.400 --> 21:52.130
and our other European allies are being

21:52.130 --> 21:54.760
very transparent in
sharing their full data

21:54.760 --> 21:57.380
about what they're seeing
with their patient population.

21:57.380 --> 21:58.450
That's invaluable.

21:58.450 --> 22:01.270
That's what every responsible
country should do,

22:01.270 --> 22:03.390
should have done from day one with this,

22:03.390 --> 22:05.520
so that we have a clear understanding

22:05.520 --> 22:07.170
about exactly what's gonna happen

22:07.170 --> 22:10.140
as this affects our own country.

22:10.140 --> 22:13.770
So we're not seeing that yet
in our military population.

22:13.770 --> 22:14.603
Will we?

22:14.603 --> 22:15.436
I don't know.

22:15.436 --> 22:17.360
We're certainly tracking
it very, very carefully.

22:17.360 --> 22:18.830
We've got people around the clock

22:18.830 --> 22:20.750
as the data comes in, looking at it to see

22:20.750 --> 22:22.890
if there's anything noteworthy from that.

22:22.890 --> 22:23.960
- So, I need to--

22:23.960 --> 22:25.580
We've got a couple more
minutes, and I need to get

22:25.580 --> 22:27.900
to some of the people who
are on the phone quota

22:27.900 --> 22:29.460
to instill confidence in our

22:29.460 --> 22:31.628
teleconferencing abilities here.

22:31.628 --> 22:35.878
So I'm going to go open
the lines for Fadi Mansour.

22:37.549 --> 22:38.599
- [Fadi] Hi, Jonathan.

22:38.599 --> 22:39.432
Thank you for doing this.

22:39.432 --> 22:40.857
I have two questions.

22:40.857 --> 22:43.524
One for the general on COVID-19.

22:44.410 --> 22:46.490
General, number of days ago, I asked you

22:46.490 --> 22:50.040
about the measures taken
to deal with COVID-19,

22:50.040 --> 22:52.020
and you told me that at that time,

22:52.020 --> 22:55.410
you thought that the season
of flu is more dangerous

22:55.410 --> 22:56.550
than COVID-19.

22:56.550 --> 23:00.620
I'm wondering if you still
hold that view, and if not,

23:00.620 --> 23:04.520
how did this change the
way you're dealing with it

23:04.520 --> 23:05.490
within the department?

23:05.490 --> 23:08.890
And one question for Mr. Hoffman.

23:08.890 --> 23:12.550
It's about Iraq and pulling
out from al-Quaim base?

23:12.550 --> 23:17.550
Can you talk about the latest
movement of the U.S. military

23:18.360 --> 23:20.660
in Iraq, number of bases
you're pulling out from,

23:20.660 --> 23:25.660
and whether the pullout from
al Aqar will open the door

23:25.850 --> 23:30.680
for Iraqi militia associated
with Iran to move in

23:30.680 --> 23:32.740
and out of Syria?

23:32.740 --> 23:34.315
Thank you.

23:34.315 --> 23:36.410
- So I think to start with
the question about the flu,

23:36.410 --> 23:38.360
I believe what I said, or
at least what I intended

23:38.360 --> 23:41.600
to convey, was at the time,
and still is the case,

23:41.600 --> 23:44.240
there are more people with the flu

23:44.240 --> 23:47.012
than there are people
with the coronavirus.

23:47.012 --> 23:50.110
The difference between the
two, as we've talked about

23:50.110 --> 23:52.340
before in other sessions and as Dr. Fauci

23:52.340 --> 23:55.210
and others have discussed,
is the coronavirus is easier

23:55.210 --> 23:56.310
to spread.

23:56.310 --> 23:57.770
And as we collect more and more data,

23:57.770 --> 24:00.160
that's becoming very
clear that the coronavirus

24:00.160 --> 24:03.690
spreads more easily than
the seasonal flu does.

24:03.690 --> 24:06.440
So, there is no question
about that that there are

24:06.440 --> 24:10.070
more people right now
with the flu infection

24:10.070 --> 24:12.570
and have been over the
course of the flu season

24:12.570 --> 24:15.410
than there are people with
the coronavirus infection.

24:15.410 --> 24:17.670
That does not change the
fact that we are concerned,

24:17.670 --> 24:19.707
as we watch how quickly
the coronavirus has spread.

24:19.707 --> 24:20.900
And the reason we've been out here

24:20.900 --> 24:23.320
for the last several weeks
is 'cause we are concerned

24:23.320 --> 24:24.890
about this new virus.

24:24.890 --> 24:26.210
One of the reasons we're concerned,

24:26.210 --> 24:28.930
and we mentioned this before,
is unlike with the flu

24:28.930 --> 24:31.400
for which we have a vaccine to minimize

24:31.400 --> 24:34.210
how many people become
infected, we don't yet have

24:34.210 --> 24:35.790
a vaccine for the coronavirus.

24:35.790 --> 24:37.830
We're doing a lot of great
work on that, and I'm happy

24:37.830 --> 24:40.340
to talk about that at a follow-up session.

24:40.340 --> 24:42.310
We also don't have
medical counter-measures

24:42.310 --> 24:44.710
for the coronavirus,
like we have for the flu.

24:44.710 --> 24:48.230
So you can go out and you can get Tamiflu

24:48.230 --> 24:51.490
from your pharmacy, from your
doctor, if you have the flu,

24:51.490 --> 24:53.670
that shortens the
duration and the severity

24:53.670 --> 24:54.700
of the infection.

24:54.700 --> 24:56.240
We don't have similar drugs yet.

24:56.240 --> 24:58.180
We're doing a lot of
testing on a lot of drugs,

24:58.180 --> 25:00.570
both in this country
and with other partners,

25:00.570 --> 25:02.740
so that we can identify
whether there are drugs

25:02.740 --> 25:05.610
that will be similarly effective
for coronavirus infections.

25:05.610 --> 25:07.480
But right now, we don't have those.

25:07.480 --> 25:10.554
And so, not having those
measures is one of the reasons

25:10.554 --> 25:14.090
that we are paying a great
deal of attention to this

25:14.090 --> 25:17.550
because we don't know exactly
how this is gonna unfold.

25:17.550 --> 25:19.934
We still don't know if
it's gonna be seasonal.

25:19.934 --> 25:22.180
Best case, it may prove to be seasonal,

25:22.180 --> 25:23.930
and this is gonna start tapering off.

25:23.930 --> 25:25.820
It doesn't seem to be happening right now,

25:25.820 --> 25:28.830
but that's part of what
we are also watching.

25:28.830 --> 25:30.730
It's a known unknown, if you will.

25:30.730 --> 25:32.670
So I'm sorry if I created
confusion earlier,

25:32.670 --> 25:34.921
but I hope that clarifies my comment.

25:34.921 --> 25:37.850
- With regard to Iraq,
I'm not gonna be able

25:37.850 --> 25:40.130
to give you a lot of
detail on that right now,

25:40.130 --> 25:42.070
and I apologize.

25:42.070 --> 25:45.070
I'll have to get you in touch
with Joint Task Force Iraq

25:45.070 --> 25:47.270
or CENTCOM to give a
little bit more detail.

25:48.360 --> 25:51.270
Been focused on coronavirus
a great deal around here,

25:51.270 --> 25:53.340
so I don't have more on that.

25:53.340 --> 25:55.253
Next, Dan Lamothe, Washington Post.

25:59.180 --> 26:00.530
- [Dan] Yes, thank you.

26:00.530 --> 26:02.440
I was hoping you could walk us

26:02.440 --> 26:06.070
through the quarantine
policy, if there is one,

26:06.070 --> 26:09.120
when it comes to returning
from Afghanistan, returning

26:09.120 --> 26:12.900
from Iraq, and essentially
in some of these cases,

26:12.900 --> 26:15.410
these service members are also transiting

26:15.410 --> 26:18.006
through a place like Kuwait or Ireland,

26:18.006 --> 26:20.280
where there's multiple hops,

26:20.280 --> 26:23.330
and those countries are also involved.

26:23.330 --> 26:24.913
- Yeah, so thanks, sir.

26:25.795 --> 26:27.780
And we're basically
following the same guidance

26:27.780 --> 26:30.050
that the CDC has put
out for all Americans,

26:30.050 --> 26:32.360
and it's a pretty
straight-forward approach,

26:32.360 --> 26:37.360
14 days after leaving a CDC
Level 2 or Level 3 country.

26:37.410 --> 26:40.920
And the CDC has
recommended home isolation,

26:40.920 --> 26:43.370
if you're not having any symptoms.

26:43.370 --> 26:45.240
The challenge with home
isolation if you live

26:45.240 --> 26:48.930
in a barracks is that that's
not exactly the ideal place

26:48.930 --> 26:51.610
if you've got an open bay barracks.

26:51.610 --> 26:54.573
So we're adapting, and
as was mentioned earlier,

26:55.452 --> 26:57.410
on some of the bases,
they're finding solutions,

26:57.410 --> 27:00.210
seeing what works, and then
adjusting as they go forward.

27:00.210 --> 27:02.690
But the goal is to minimize the risk that

27:02.690 --> 27:05.180
someone would come back into
this country, bring the virus,

27:05.180 --> 27:08.060
and then immediately get
out into the community,

27:08.060 --> 27:08.994
and spread it.

27:08.994 --> 27:10.930
And so that's what we're
very mindful of that

27:10.930 --> 27:13.220
not only do we have an
obligation to the health

27:13.220 --> 27:16.010
of our service members
and to their families,

27:16.010 --> 27:18.390
we also have an obligation
to preserve our ability

27:18.390 --> 27:21.160
to do our military mission,
and we have an obligation

27:21.160 --> 27:23.040
to the communities in which we have bases.

27:23.040 --> 27:26.510
So we're doing exactly
what the CDC recommended

27:26.510 --> 27:28.780
with folks who are
coming back from overseas

27:28.780 --> 27:31.564
so that we minimize the
risk in all those areas.

27:31.564 --> 27:34.943
- All right, Paul Henley, AFP,
will be the last question.

27:39.060 --> 27:40.900
- [Paul] Hello, Paul Henley from AFP.

27:40.900 --> 27:45.396
Look, I'm wondering if I can
follow-up on the Iraq stuff.

27:45.396 --> 27:49.220
Do you think you've reduced
the spread of attacks

27:49.220 --> 27:50.343
from the militias?

27:51.546 --> 27:53.110
You haven't responded in a few days

27:53.110 --> 27:55.520
to recent attacks that we know of.

27:55.520 --> 27:57.680
Is there a kind of response coming?

27:57.680 --> 28:00.270
And I had a second follow-up.

28:00.270 --> 28:02.260
Is there any worry that the spread

28:02.260 --> 28:06.020
of the COVID-19 virus
might affect the ability

28:06.020 --> 28:11.020
to keep ISIS detainees
in Iraq and in Syria?

28:11.300 --> 28:14.959
- So on the first part
of that, I think that

28:14.959 --> 28:19.959
we still are looking at how
we may respond to any type

28:20.870 --> 28:23.140
of attack on American forces
anywhere in the world.

28:23.140 --> 28:25.270
We retain the right to defend ourselves.

28:25.270 --> 28:28.050
I don't have an update for you on anything

28:28.050 --> 28:31.560
that's being considered or evaluated.

28:31.560 --> 28:34.220
But, obviously, if
something were to happen,

28:34.220 --> 28:37.580
we will keep everybody in the
press corps informed of that.

28:37.580 --> 28:40.790
With regard to detainees,
General, I know very little

28:40.790 --> 28:43.720
about the COVID-19 and our detainees.

28:43.720 --> 28:45.300
I would have to get somebody
get back to you on that,

28:45.300 --> 28:46.180
unless the general--

28:46.180 --> 28:49.970
- Yeah, no, I would say that
we are continuing to take care

28:49.970 --> 28:54.690
of every one of our service
members going forward,

28:54.690 --> 28:56.780
so I have nothing on detainees either.

28:56.780 --> 29:00.150
We're focused on taking care
of our U.S. service members

29:00.150 --> 29:02.214
and our allies and partners going forward.

29:02.214 --> 29:04.450
So I don't have anything more on that.

29:04.450 --> 29:06.140
- Yeah, sorry.

29:06.140 --> 29:08.390
We'll get somebody from
CENTCOM in touch with you

29:08.390 --> 29:10.020
to address that question.

29:10.020 --> 29:10.853
Thank you, guys.

29:11.840 --> 29:12.673
- Thank you.