Day by day: What Trump said about the pandemic (March 11-20, 2020)

 

New York Times 

(arrows added; longer arrow indicates extent of "tremendous

control" exerted by Trump administration over the virus)

March 20, 2020.   U.S. total Covid cases =  21,246 (+6,006), which is 0.0071% of current total. 

March 20, 2021.  U.S. total Covid cases = 29,753,600

Dictionary definition from Merrianm-Webster

KPBS, 3/20/2020

Trump scoffed at questions about continued testing shortfalls and deficiencies in medical supplies, suggesting that even mentioning the issues was problematic. When asked to speak directly to those marooned at home and frightened, Trump voiced objection to the question itself. 

“I say that you’re a terrible reporter,” Trump responded. 

"I think it's a very bad signal that you're putting out to the American people,” he added. "The American people are looking for answers and they're looking for hope. And you’re doing sensationalism.”

March 20, 2020.   U.S. total Covid deaths = 310 (+71), which is 0.0057% of current total.

March 20, 2021.  U.S. total Covid deaths = 540,717

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March 19, 2020.   U.S. total Covid cases =  15,240 (+4,844), which is 0.0051% of current total. 

March 19, 2021.  U.S. total Covid cases = 29,692,800

Dictionary definition from Merriam-Webster (textbox added)

C-SPAN, 3/19/2020 (highlights added below)

Right to try?  Yup, another Trump FDA disaster.

Science-Based Medicine, 9/16/2019

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March 18, 2020.   U.S. total Covid cases =  10,396 (+3,192), which is 0.0035% of current total. 

March 18, 2021.  U.S. total Covid cases = 29,632,000

Definition from Merriam-Webster

(Sometimes used disparagingly, as is the case here)

Vox, 3/18/2020

“I’ve always known this is a real — this is a pandemic. I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.”

And then there's this:

Many lives were saved?  At this point in the pandemic:  170 lives lost, 537,479 to go.

March 18, 2020.   U.S. total Covid deaths = 170 (+50), which is 0.0032% of current total.

March 18, 2021.  U.S. total Covid deaths = 537,649

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March 17, 2020.   U.S. total Covid cases =  7,204 (+2,259), which is 0.0024% of current total. 

March 17, 2021.  U.S. total Covid cases = 29,573,100

Dictionay definition from Merriam-Webster (highlight added)

Unintentionally conmic, in this case.

Rev, 3/17/2020

No one with any medical expertise, in other words

TRUMP:  One day we’ll be standing possibly up here. We’ll say, “Well, we won,” and we’re going to say that. Sure as you’re sitting there, we’re going to say that, and we’re going to win. I think we’re going to win faster than people think, I hope.  [red and orange bold added]

March 17, 2020.   U.S. total Covid deaths = 120 (+26), which is 0.0021% of current total.

March 17, 2021.  U.S. total Covid deaths = 536,472

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March 16, 2020.   U.S. total Covid cases =  4,945 (+1,115), which is 0.0017% of current total. 

March 16, 2021.  U.S. total Covid cases = 29,518,700

Dictionary entry from Merriam-Webster

CNN, 3/16/2020

Trump flagrantly contradicted Fauci's warnings at a White House briefing Sunday at which he celebrated the Federal Reserve's decision to cut interest rates to 0% to help the shocked economy. 

"It's a very contagious virus, it's incredible, but it's something we have tremendous control of," the President said.

March 16, 2020.   U.S. total Covid deaths =94 (+22), which is 0.0018% of current total.

March 16, 2021.  U.S. total Covid deaths = 535,277

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March 15, 2020.   U.S. total Covid cases =  3,830 (+887), which is 0.0013% of current total. 

March 15, 2021.  U.S. total Covid cases = 29,461,600

Dictionary entry from Merriam-Webster

Rev, 3/15/2020

We see what’s happening. We see what’s going on in other countries. We’re learning from watching other countries, frankly. This is a very contagious virus. It’s incredible, but it’s something that we have a tremendous control of. I think very important the young people, people of good health and groups of people just are not strongly affected. Elderly people that are not well or not well in certain respects are a really a very dangerous group. We have to watch them, we have to protect them very much. We have to really watch over them and protect them because they are very vulnerable. And with that if it’s okay I’m just going to go and make some calls. I’m talking about Federal Reserve. I think it’s a tremendous thing that took place just now. I didn’t know I would be surprised on a Sunday. I don’t know if that’s ever happened on a Sunday before, but I would think there are a lot of people on Wall Street that are very happy. And I can tell you that I’m very happy. I didn’t expect this and I like being surprised. So our Vice President who is doing an incredible job is going to take over and I will see you probably tomorrow.

CNBC, 3/16/2020

March 15, 2020.   U.S. total Covid deaths =72 (+15), which is 0.0013% of current total.

March 15, 2021.  U.S. total Covid deaths = 534,476

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March 14, 2020.   U.S. total Covid cases =  2,943 (+653), which is 0.001% of current total. 

March 14, 2021.  U.S. total Covid cases = 29,423,000

Thesaurus entry from Merriam-Webster

Rev, 3/14/2020

Thank you very much. Thank you very much. We just completed a very good meeting of the Coronavirus Task Force and they’re really doing a great job, our professionals. The results are very, very good and when you compare this to what’s happening around the world, we’re very proud of our people. There’s been a tremendous amount of coordination with states, with cities, and they’re a little smaller form of government and they have things going well, they’re coordinating with us.

March 14, 2020.   U.S. total Covid deaths =57 (+10), which is 0.001% of current total.

March 14, 2021.  U.S. total Covid deaths = 533,904

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March 13, 2020.   U.S. total Covid cases =  2,290 (+599), which is 0.00078% of current total. 

March 13, 2021.  U.S. total Covid cases = 29,373,900

Dictionary entry from Merriam-Webster

New York Times, 3/13/2021

I would also like to thank Thermo Fisher. The F.D.A.’s goal is to hopefully authorize the application within 24 hours. It is going very quickly, which will bring additionally 1.4 million tests on board next week and five million within a month. I doubt we’ll need anywhere near that.

 That adds up to 6.4 million tests.

Total number of Covid tests adminstered in the U.S. as of 3/12/2021:  376,136,148

March 13, 2020.   U.S. total Covid deaths =47 (+7), which is 0.0011% of current total.

March 13, 2021.  U.S. total Covid deaths = 532,058

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March 12, 2021.  U.S. total Covid deaths = 530,351

March 12, 2020.   U.S. total Covid cases = 1,691, which is 0.00058% of current total. 

March 12, 2021.  U.S. total Covid cases = 29,309,700

Dictionary entry from Merriam-Webster

CNN, 3/12/2020

"The virus will not have a chance against us. No nation is more prepared or more resilient than the United States," the President said, before painting a rosy picture of an economy that is already taking a beating from the virus fallout.

 

March 12, 2020.   U.S. total Covid deaths =  40 , which is 0.00075% of current total.

March 12, 2021.  U.S. total Covid deaths = 530,351

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New York Times (arrows added)

March 11, 2020.   U.S. total Covid cases = 1,301, which is 0.00044% of current total. 

March 11, 2021.  U.S. total Covid cases = 29,247,000

Thesaurus entry from Merriam-Webster

New York Times, 3/11/2020

Our team is the best anywhere in the world. At the very start of the outbreak, we instituted sweeping travel restrictions on China and put in place the first federally mandated quarantine in over 50 years. We declared a public health emergency and issued the highest level of travel warning on other countries as the virus spread its horrible infection.

March 11, 2020.   U.S. total Covid deaths =  38 , which is 0.0007% of current total.

March 11, 2021.  U.S. total Covid deaths = 528,829

Related series of posts:
March 1-10, 2021.
Day by day: What the Trump administration/GOP said about the pandemic. (February 2020)