WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and officials from the coronavirus task force held a briefing Sunday on the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Trump at the beginning of the briefing announced the Federal Reserve is lowering interest rates to 0-0.25% until the central bank feels sure the economy has weathered the recent events.
“We are using the full power of the federal government to defeat the coronavirus,” Trump said. “It’s a very contagious virus.”
The president called on all Americans to stop hoarding groceries and other supplies. He said he has spoken with leading grocery store executives, and that the food supply chain remains healthy and stories will remain open.
“You don’t have to buy so much,” Trump said. “Take it easy. Just relax.”
Pence also touched on groceries, urging Americans to only buy what they need for the week ahead.
Trump stressed the need to protect the vulnerable members of the population from the virus.
“Because the risk is heavily weighted to the most vulnerable, people with immunodeficiency and elderly people with underlying health conditions…we will continue to urge every American to exercise good hygiene,” Pence stressed.
In the United States, there are more than 3,000 cases and 60 deaths from COVID-19 as of Sunday afternoon.
Friday, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in the United States in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
In the United States, the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 tracker reports 3,244 confirmed cases. 40 have died in Washington state, 5 in California, 4 in Florida, 3 in New York, 2 in Louisiana, 2 in New Jersey, 1 in Colorado, 1 in Georgia, 1 in Kansas, 1 in Oregon, 1 in South Dakota, 1 in Virginia, for a total of 62 as of 4 p.m. ET. These numbers are complied from state and local health agencies, governments and the CDC.
Only one U.S. state, West Virginia, has yet to report a case.
CNN and the Associated Press contributed to this report
