CDC Director: Not All States Reopening Have Met CDC’s Criteria
Earlier today at a House Appropriations Committee hearing on coronavirus, CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield acknowledged that not all states that are reopening have met the CDC’s criteria to do so.
As a result, states that at Trump’s urging reopened before meeting the CDC’s guidelines have seen a surge of new coronavirus cases that predate the current protests taking place across the country.
During the questioning, Dr. Redford also made it clear that he does not believe that America is close to achieving immunity or that the virus has become less contagious.
Watch the exchange:
Rep. @rosadelauro: Are we close to achieving herd immunity across the U.S. Yes or no?
CDC Director: No.
Rep. DeLauro: Are all the states meeting the basic tests that the @WhiteHouse guidance laid out for re-opening?
CDC Director: Not all the states have met those criteria. pic.twitter.com/cXzOL066Qh
— Coronavirus War Room (@Covid19WarRoom) June 4, 2020
See below for a transcript:
- Congresswoman DeLauro: “Are we close to achieving herd immunity across the United States? Yes or no?”
- Dr. Redfield: “No.”
- Congresswoman DeLauro: “Is there any evidence the virus has become less contagious or is becoming tired of infecting us, yes or no?”
- Dr. Redfield: “No.”
- Congresswoman DeLauro: “Okay, are all the states meeting the base test that’s the White House guidance laid out for reopening, downward trajectory of documented cases within a 14-day period, downward trajectory of positive tests within the 14-day period?”
- Dr. Redfield: “Chairwoman, of course, these were guidelines we put out and to answer your question, directly, not all states have met those criteria.”