Coronavirus plan issued by Joe Biden, who attacked President Donald Trump’s handling of the outbreak

Joe Biden on Thursday issued a plan to fight COVID-19 he said was based on science while painting his Republican rival, President Donald Trump, as an unprepared leader focused on shifting the blame overseas and hiding facts from the American people.

Speaking from Wilmington, Delaware, the former vice president sought to distinguish himself as a steady alternative to Trump, whose administration is under fire for not paving the way for coronavirus testing to ramp up across the nation to isolate and contain the deadly disease.

The coronavirus pandemic, which has sparked market plunges and cancelations of public events and campus closings out of safety concerns, “laid bare the severe shortcomings of the current administration,” Biden said.

Trump had undermined efforts to prevent the disease “by hollowing out our agencies and the disparagement of science,” and the United States’ ability to lead globally was undercut by “damage to relationships around the world,” Biden added.

“Let’s be crystal clear. The coronavirus does not have a political affiliation,” Biden said. It also doesn’t discriminate, he said, based on race, gender, zip code, power or position in society.

“This disease could impact every nation and every person on the planet. We need a plan," he said.

In an Oval Office address on Wednesday night, Trump pinned the spread of the virus on Europe for failing to restrict incoming travel from China, where the disease originated. He blocked all travel from foreign nationals to the U.S. from Europe and called for an $8 billion boost to a federal program to support small businesses and employees impacted by the virus.

Biden said reclaiming public trust would require that “public health professionals ... be the ones making our public health decisions and communicating with the American people."

He proposed free testing for coronavirus and free treatment for those infected, saying the “administration’s failure on testing is colossal. And it’s a failure of planning, leadership and execution.”

“By next week the number of tests should be in the millions not the thousands,” he said. He called on the federal government to work with local communities, nursing homes, senior centers and private labs in universities and manufacturers to ensure tests were “available to all who need them. The government should stop at nothing to make that happen.”

The White House should receive a daily report, he said, of tests ordered, completed and how many were tested positive. Mapping, tracing and isolating the disease would help prevent the disease’s spread and also calm the nervous markets.

“The markets will respond to strong, steady, capable leadership that responds to the root of the problem," he said.

Biden also called for the re-establishment of the National Security Global Health Security team.

He added that the Department of Defense should prepare for potential deployment of manpower and logistical support. His plan also calls on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue a temporary emergency standard to protect frontline workers and investments in more protective equipment for health care workers.

Like the bill proposed by Democrats on Wednesday night, Biden’s plan calls for reimbursements to businesses impacted by the disease; extended unemployment benefits and expanded food assistance; boosting small business loans to revive the economy; and paid leave for affected workers as well as families who need to take care of children home from school.

Both Biden and Trump have expressed confidence the U.S. would overcome the virus.

“Volunteers raise their hand to help," Biden said. “Neighbors look out for neighbors. Businesses take care of their workers. We’ll meet this challenge. I’m confident of it. But we have to move now."

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