President Donald Trump Friday declared a national emergency in response to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking in the White House Rose Garden, Trump said the declaration could free up $50 billion to help fight the pandemic.
“To unleash the full power of the federal government in this effort today I am officially declaring a national emergency,” he said.
The president said he was empowering the secretary of Health and Human Services to waive certain laws and regulations to ensure the virus can be contained and patients treated.
“In furtherance of the order, I’m urging every state to set up emergency operation centers effective immediately,” the president said.
Flanked by Vice President Mike Pence, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and other top federal officials and corporate executives from companies such as Walmart, Trump said that the ability to waive certain laws and regulations would allow for easier admission to nursing homes and end limits on the length of hospital stays and the number of beds available, NBC News reports.
Gov. Kemp to declare public health emergency
Several hours after President Trump made his announcement, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced he’s declaring a public health emergency in Georgia effective Saturday, March 14.
“This declaration will greatly assist health and emergency management officials across Georgia by deploying all available resources for the mitigation and treatment of COVID-19,” Kemp says in a press release.
The governor will call for a special session of the Georgia General Assembly to convene at the State Capitol at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 16 to ratify his declaration through a joint resolution.
Kemp also is urging churches and other faith-based organizations to consider canceling public events and services to limit the spread of the virus. Elderly citizens and those with chronic, underlying health conditions face a serious threat to their health. Gov. Kemp stresses, “we must do everything in our power to reduce the risk associated with this virus.” He adds, “Continue to support one another, be mindful of potential exposure, use best practices to prevent infection, and pray for your fellow Americans in the weeks ahead.”
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So far, 33 states have declared states of emergencies in response to the spread of the virus. Earlier this week, Gov. Brian Kemp ordered most state employees to work from home and encouraged schools and colleges to close in an effort to limit the spread of the virus in Georgia.
The state is building a quarantine facility in central Georgia to house people who test positive for COVID-19 but can’t self-isolate.
As of Friday, March 13, there were 42 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Georgia. Most are centered in the north central and northwest part of the state around Cobb County. One person has died as a result of the disease which first surfaced in Georgia in early March.
The National Guard announced Friday it is deploying hundreds of troops to six states in response to the coronavirus pandemic. While the number currently stands at under 500, the National Guard Bureau said those numbers “will rapidly change,” as the agency “expect[s] that number to approach 1,000” by the end of the day, the Military Times reports.
Watch President Trump’s full press conference here. Video and images by the White House.
