Wuhan Coronavirus Could Test the Trump Administration ’s Ability to Respond to a Crisis. Experts are Worried

As a new strain of coronavirus moves from the Wuhan province of China to other parts of the world, including the United States, public health leaders are advising government officials to embrace a deliberate, measured response. But with President Donald Trump at the helm of an often unpredictable administration, infectious disease and epidemic experts tell TIME they’re concerned about which officials will have the President’s ear, and how the Commander-in-Chief will manage his Twitter presence during a potential pandemic. On Friday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced that, against the advice of the World Health Organization, the U.S. was declaring the coronavirus a public health emergency and denying entry to any foreign national who “poses a risk” of transmitting the virus. The WHO on Thursday had recommended against limiting trade and movement; doing so can potentially exacerbate the problem by encouraging those in impacted areas to move through underground channels and stigmatizing the sick. Experts say the coronavirus may be coming at a time when the administration is unprepared. Several high-level health officials have left the administration in the last few years and significant vacancies remain. Trump began his administration with Rear Admiral Timothy Ziemer, a long-time official who had served under President George W. Bush and Barack Obama, leading a global health security team on the White House National Security Counc...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized 2019-nCoV Infectious Disease White House Source Type: news