At least 254,000 Americans have been tested for coronavirus and received results — with more than 30,000 testing positive, Vice President Mike Pence said on Sunday.
The government hopes to have the backlog of tests cleared by the middle of the week, Pence said during a briefing from the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
He urged all commercial labs to prioritize the testing of hospital patients, and said a formal guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services will be issued Monday.
The White House is also encouraging those without symptoms not to get tested, warning that it depletes already scarce supplies of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers.
Asked whether undocumented immigrants can show up to testing sites without fears of being deported, Pence said that Customs and Border Patrol do not target emergency rooms or health clinics “absent certain circumstances.”
President Trump said that “Yes, we will do those tests” since “it’s important that we test that person” regardless of their immigration status.
“The virus doesn’t judge where you are from,” US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said, adding a message to healthcare workers: “We hear you. We hear you. And we are absolutely prioritizing your health and safety.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Dept. of Homeland Security will issue a guidance Monday that if a member of law enforcement is exposed to coronavirus, they can return to work wearing a mask, Pence said.
With Post wires
