The former FBI agent says that declaring a National Emergency provides more funding, gives the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services permission to waive certain provisions, and allows for extended hospital stay, added hospital beds and physicians.
Dr. Southers said he was disapointed that Trump led off with border closures at the press conference and treated the coronavirus as though it was a foreign disease. Instead, he says that Trump should be addressing concerns like the fact that we're behind on testing and supplies.
Although there will be 5 million drive-thru testing kits availabe by next month, Dr. Southers says that's inadequate to how many Americans there are and is concerned that not everyone will be able to get tested. He is also concerned for the majority of Americans who don't get paid if they don't go to work and says that this need to be addressed short term rather than long term.
We are facing a global pandemic and we are at a maximum uncertainty so he suggests listening to a doctor for how this virus will play out. He also says that we need to stop thinking of this as a foreign disease because that only fuels microaggressions, bigotry, and racism.