President Trump’s Coronavirus Response Has Saved Over 2 Million Lives and Outperformed Other Nations

October 28, 2020
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2020

PRESIDENT TRUMP’S CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE HAS SAVED OVER 2 MILLION LIVES AND OUTPERFORMED OTHER NATIONS

 “We will vanquish the virus, we will overcome this pandemic, and we will emerge better, stronger, and more unified than ever before.” – President Donald J. Trump

SAVING LIVES AND OUTPERFORMING OTHER NATIONS: The United States has had a lower mortality rate than Europe during the pandemic and one of the lowest fatality rates.President Trump’s decisive action has helped save American lives.The United States has a lower excess mortality rate than Europe, including many European countries, such as: the United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and others.The United States has among the lowest case fatality rates of any major country.According to the best estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 99.997 percent of individuals aged 19 and younger who contract coronavirus make a full recovery, 99.98 percent of those aged 20 to 49 make a full recovery, and 99.5 percent aged 50 to 69 fully recover.

FOCUSING ON THE SCIENCE: President Trump is following the science by protecting the vulnerable, preventing hospital overcrowding, and saving lives while ending harmful lockdowns.President Trump has deployed point of care testing equipment, millions of rapid tests, and critical PPE to nursing homes to help protect our seniors.  The Administration also put in place safety measures like visitation restrictions, mandated staff testing, and required reporting of cases at certain senior facilities.The Trump Administration mobilized extra beds and personnel to help prevent hospital overcrowding and has deployed medical supplies to aid healthcare workers on the frontlines.Children and young adults are at extremely low-risk of serious illness from coronavirus.Only 0.2 percent of all coronavirus deaths are in those under 25 years old.Of nearly 20,000 total deaths this year in children under 15 years old from any cause, only 0.4 percent involved coronavirus.Of 43,680 total deaths this year in those under 25 years old, only 1 percent involved coronavirus.On the other hand, lockdowns fail to eliminate the virus and are causing irreparable harm to families and children, especially the working class and people with limited resources.Lockdowns have seen cancer cases and other serious illnesses not being diagnosed on time and an increase in drug overdoses and suicides.Due to school shutdowns, children are falling behind in math, reading and other subjects, and have lost access to important support services.The media’s fixation on case numbers ignores both the science and the progress made in fighting the virus.   Of those under the age of 70 who become infected, over 99 percent recover from the disease.   Deaths are down 80 percent and are at the lowest level since late March.   The fewest number of counties are reporting more than 10 deaths per day since March of this year.   Hospitalizations due to coronavirus are near their lowest level nationally, with less than 6 percent of beds currently occupied by coronavirus patients.   COVID-like illnesses make up less than 3 percent of emergency room visits.

DELIVERING NEW TREATMENTS AND VACCINES IN RECORD TIME: President Trump’s Operation Warp Speed is a once-in-a-generation effort to ensure access to a vaccine and life-saving therapies. More than 140 clinical trials for therapeutics are underway and effective therapies have already been developed and deployed, helping lower the fatality rate by over 85 percent since April.The Administration is working to make these therapies and vaccines widely available in record time and as affordable as possible.The Administration is working to develop, authorize, and deploy potentially life-saving antibody treatments while a vaccine is developed.There are 4 vaccines already in the final stage of trials thanks to President Trump’s historic efforts.   Once a vaccine candidate is authorized, we are in a position to quickly deliver 100 million doses, with hundreds of millions of doses following shortly thereafter.