Down The Middle News: A Timeline Of Coronavirus Comments From President Trump And WHO

On Tuesday, President Trump mentioned he is suspending U.S. funding for the World Well being Group. He mentioned the company has “mismanaged” the pandemic, has been gradual to reply to the disaster and is “China-centric.”

We appeared on the public file to see what Trump and WHO needed to say over the previous 15 weeks in regards to the coronavirus pandemic. Here is a timeline highlighting key quotes.

Jan. 5

WHO reported a “pneumonia of unknown trigger” in Wuhan, China.

The well being group suggested in opposition to restrictions to China: “WHO advises in opposition to the appliance of any journey or commerce restrictions on China primarily based on the present info obtainable on this occasion.”

Jan. 9

WHO launched a press release saying the supply of the illness: “Chinese language authorities have made a preliminary willpower of a novel (or new) coronavirus, recognized in a hospitalized individual with pneumonia in Wuhan.”

It added: “Within the coming weeks, extra complete info is required to grasp the present standing and epidemiology of the outbreak, and the scientific image.”

Jan. 22

Requested by CNBC whether or not there have been any issues in regards to the virus spreading to the U.S., Trump responded: “We’ve it completely underneath management. It is one individual coming in from China, and we’ve it underneath management. It is — going to be simply high quality.”

We’ve it completely underneath management. It is one individual coming in from China, and we’ve it underneath management. It is — going to be simply high quality. – President Trump

Jan. 23

WHO Director-Normal Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned in a press release that it’s too early to declare the coronavirus outbreak a public well being emergency of worldwide concern. “Make no mistake. That is an emergency in China, nevertheless it has not but grow to be a worldwide well being emergency. It might but grow to be one.”

Jan. 24

In a tweet, Trump praised China for its efforts to forestall the unfold of the virus. “China has been working very exhausting to include the Coronavirus. The US significantly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It can all work out effectively. Specifically, on behalf of the American Folks, I wish to thank President Xi!”

Jan. 29

Mike Ryan, head of the WHO well being emergencies program, mentioned “the entire world must be on alert now. The entire world must take motion and be prepared for any instances that come from the epicenter or different epicenter that turns into established.”

Jan. 30

At a marketing campaign rally in Iowa, Trump talked in regards to the U.S. partnership with China to regulate the illness. “We solely have 5 individuals, hopefully, every little thing’s going to be nice. They’ve considerably of an issue, however hopefully, it is all going to be nice. However we’re working with China, simply so you understand, and different international locations very, very carefully. So it does not get out of hand.”

Tedros introduced that the outbreak has grow to be a “public well being emergency of worldwide concern over the worldwide outbreak of novel coronavirus.”

Feb. 2

In an interview with Sean Hannity, Trump mentioned, “We just about shut it down coming in from China.” His government order banning anybody who has been in China within the earlier 14 days – excluding U.S. residents and members of the family or spouses of U.S. residents or residents – goes into impact.

Feb. 4

In a WHO briefing, Tedros urged that there be no journey bans. “We reiterate our name to all international locations to not impose restrictions that unnecessarily intrude with worldwide journey and commerce. Such restrictions can have the impact of accelerating concern and stigma, with little public well being profit … The place such measures have been applied, we urge that they’re quick in period, proportionate to the general public well being dangers and are reconsidered often because the state of affairs evolves.”

If the world does not wish to get up and think about this enemy virus as Public Enemy no 1, I do not suppose we are going to be taught our classes. – WHO Director-Normal Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Feb. 10

At a marketing campaign rally in Manchester, N.H., Trump mentioned: “Seems to be like by April, you understand, in principle, when it will get a bit hotter, it miraculously goes away. I hope that is true. However we’re doing nice in our nation. China, I spoke with President Xi, and so they’re working very, very exhausting. And I feel it’ll all work out high quality.”

Feb. 11

At a WHO briefing Tedros urged world leaders to provide precedence to containing the virus: “To be sincere, a virus is extra highly effective in creating political, financial and social upheaval than any terrorist assault. A virus can have extra highly effective penalties than any terrorist motion and that is true. If the world does not wish to get up and think about this enemy virus as Public Enemy no 1, I do not suppose we are going to be taught our classes.”

Feb. 13

In an interview with Geraldo Rivera, Trump characterised the specter of the virus within the U.S. by saying: “In our nation, we solely have, mainly, 12 instances and most of these persons are recovering and a few instances totally recovered. So it is truly much less.”

Feb. 24

In a tweet, Trump wrote, “The Coronavirus could be very a lot underneath management within the USA. We’re in touch with everybody and all related international locations. CDC & World Well being have been working exhausting and really sensible. Inventory Market beginning to look superb to me!”

CDC & World Well being have been working exhausting and really sensible. Inventory Market beginning to look superb to me! – President Trump

Feb. 26

In a press convention, Trump mentioned: “When you may have 15 individuals, and the 15 inside a few days goes to be down to shut to zero, that is a fairly good job we have performed.”

Feb. 28

WHO raises the worldwide threat to coronavirus from “excessive” to “very excessive.”

March 5

In a WHO briefing Tedros praised China and the U.S. for taking “the proper strategy.” He mentioned: “After our go to to Beijing and seeing China’s strategy, and President Xi main that, and in addition within the U.S., President Trump himself, and in addition for normal coordination, designating the vice chairman. These are the approaches we’re saying are the proper ones, and these are the approaches we’re saying are going to mobilize the entire authorities.”

In a Fox Information city corridor, Trump mentioned,”It is going to all work out. All people must be calm. It is all going to work out.”

March 10

In a gathering with Republican senators on the U.S. Capitol, Trump mentioned, “This was surprising … And it hit the world. And we’re ready, and we’re doing an incredible job with it. And it’ll go away. Simply keep calm. It can go away.”

We’ve a easy message for all international locations: check, check, check. Take a look at each suspected case. – WHO Director-Normal Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

March 11

Trump mentioned in an Oval Workplace tackle: “The overwhelming majority of Individuals, the chance could be very, very low.”

Tedros mentioned WHO has “made the evaluation that COVID-19 might be characterised as a pandemic.”

March 16

“You can’t combat a fireplace blindfolded. And we can’t cease this pandemic if we do not know who’s contaminated,” Tedros mentioned at a briefing in Geneva. He added, “We’ve a easy message for all international locations: check, check, check. Take a look at each suspected case.”

Trump points orders to regulate the unfold of the virus within the U.S. in a press briefing: “My administration is recommending that each one Individuals, together with the younger and wholesome, work to have interaction in education from residence when potential. Keep away from gathering in teams of greater than 10 individuals. Keep away from discretionary journey. And keep away from consuming and ingesting at bars, eating places and public meals courts. If everybody makes this variation or these important modifications and sacrifices now, we are going to rally collectively as one nation and we are going to defeat the virus. And we will have a giant celebration all collectively. With a number of weeks of centered motion, we will flip the nook and switch it shortly.”

March 17

Trump informed reporters: “This can be a pandemic … I felt it was a pandemic lengthy earlier than it was known as a pandemic.”

March 21

Trump tweeted about potential coronavirus remedies: “HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken collectively, have an actual likelihood to be one of many largest recreation changers within the historical past of medication. The FDA has moved mountains – Thank You! Hopefully they’ll BOTH (H works higher with A, Worldwide Journal of Antimicrobial Brokers)…..”

March 23

In a WHO briefing, Tedros mentioned “utilizing untested medicines with out the proper proof might increase false hope and even do extra hurt than good.”

He additionally mentioned that the “pandemic is accelerating … It took 67 days from the primary reported case to succeed in the primary 100,000 instances, 11 days for the second 100,000 instances and simply 4 days for the third 100,000 instances.”

March 24

Trump said: “Easter is a really special occasion for me. And I see it form of in that timeline that I am fascinated with. And I say, would not it’s nice to have all the church buildings full?”

March 26

“We’re at conflict with a virus that threatens to tear us aside,” mentioned Tedros to world leaders in a particular digital summit on the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 6

Mike Ryan, head of the WHO well being emergencies program, mentioned you’ll be able to’t elevate a lockdown . “You might want to say, ‘We’ll cease doing this factor of the shutdown, after which we are going to wait, and we are going to take a look at the information. And if that works, we go to the subsequent stage and the subsequent stage.’ So a cautious calibrated step-wise exit from lockdown.”

“The W.H.O. actually blew it. For some purpose, funded largely by america, but very China centric.” – President Trump

April 7

Trump criticized WHO for mishandling the pandemic. “The WHO actually blew it. For some purpose, funded largely by america, but very China- centric. We will likely be giving {that a} good look. Fortuitously I rejected their recommendation on preserving our borders open to China early on. Why did they provide us such a defective advice?”

April 8

“Please do not politicize this virus,” Tedros mentioned in a briefing in Geneva after he was requested about Trump’s remarks the day earlier than. He later urged political leaders to “please quarantine politicizing COVID.”

April 14

“In the present day I’m instructing my administration to halt funding of the World Well being Group whereas a assessment is performed to evaluate the World Well being Group’s position in severely mismanaging and protecting up the unfold of the coronavirus,” Trump mentioned in a briefing on the White Home.

April 15

“We remorse the choice of the President of america to order a halt in funding to the World Well being Group,” mentioned Tedros in a information convention.

Responding to the U.S. accusations, Mike Ryan of the WHO mentioned “within the first weeks of January the WHO was very, very clear.”

“We alerted the world on January the fifth,” Ryan mentioned. “Programs around the globe, together with the U.S., started to activate their incident administration programs on January the sixth. And thru the subsequent variety of weeks, we have produced a number of updates to international locations, together with briefing a number of governments, a number of scientists around the globe, on the creating state of affairs — and that’s what it was, a creating state of affairs.”

In an interview with NPR that may air on April 16, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Kelly Craft said: “[the World Health Organization] was not correct, had it been correct it could have slowed the virus and saved 1000’s of lives.”

Jason Beaubien, Pien Huang, Ben de la Cruz, Isabella Gomez Sarmiento and Domenico Montanaro contributed to this report.