Democrats Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden Call For More Decisive Action On Coronavirus

Democratic presidential hopefuls Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday took aim at the coronavirus and the administration’s response, calling for more decisive measures to deal with the outbreak.

The number of confirmed U.S. cases grew to at least 1,323 with at least 38 deaths as the government struggled to get testing kits to areas hit by the infection. Worldwide, the number of cases climbed toward 128,000 with more than 4,700 deaths.

At a news conference in Burlington, Vermont, Sandersa equated coronavirus with “a major war, and we must act accordingly,” urging the Trump administration to declare a national emergency.

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“Nobody knows how many fatalities we may see, but they could equal or surpass the U.S. casualties we saw in World War II,” Sanders said. “It is an absolute moral imperative that our response -- as a government, as a society, as business communities, and as individuals -- meets the enormity of this crisis.”

Biden said closing U.S. borders is not the answer.

"Labeling COVID-19 a foreign virus does not displace accountability for the misjudgments that have been taken thus far by the Trump administration," Biden said.

Biden’s campaign issued a fact sheet calling for a decisive response by the government to both the immediate health and economic aspects of the outbreak as well as planning for future outberaks, and urged the government to “spend whatever it takes, without delay, to meet public health needs and deal with the mounting economic consequences.

“The federal government must act swiftly and aggressively to help protect and support our families, small businesses, first responders and caregivers essential to help us face this challenge, those who are most vulnerable to health and economic impacts, and our broader communities – not to blame others or bail out corporations.”

The comments came as professional sports leagues suspended or postponed their schedules, the NCAA canceled March Madness and Broadway Theaters shut down their stages. The also followed Trump’s Wednesday Oval Office address that imposed a 30-day travel ban from most of Europe but was light on specifics for other actions.

“Now is the time for solidarity. We must fight with love and compassion for those most vulnerable to the effects of this pandemic,” Sanders said. “If our neighbor or co-worker gets sick, we have the potential to get sick. If our neighbors lose their jobs, then our local economies suffer, and we may lose our jobs. If doctors and nurses do not have the equipment and staffing capacity they need now, people we know and love may die.

“Unfortunately, in this time of international crisis, the current administration is largely incompetent, and its incompetence and recklessness has threatened the lives of many people.”

Sanders urged public-private sector cooperation to contain the virus.

“The American people deserve transparency, something the Trump administration has fought day after day to stifle. We need daily information -- clear, science-based information -- from credible scientific voices, not politicians,” Sanders said.

“Public health emergencies require disciplined, trustworthy leadership grounded in science. In a moment of crisis, leadership requires listening to experts and communicating credible information to the American public. We must move boldly, smartly, and swiftly,” the Biden campaign said.

Biden said Trump needs to stop spreading misinformation and allow scientists and public health leaders to communicate openly with the public, and to make decisions without fear of political retribution.