FNC: HHS Secretary Azar Declares Coronavirus Outbreak a Public Health Emergency in the U.S.

EXCERPT:

AZAR: "Today President Trump took decisive action to minimize the risk of the spread of novel coronavirus in the United States. Since taking office, President Trump has been clear. His top priority is the safety of the American people. In addition to the steps that the doctors have outlined, we continue to operationalize a multilayered, cross-agency, public health response. Following the World Health Organization’s decision to declare the 2019 novel coronavirus virus a public health emergency of international concern, I have today declared that the coronavirus presents a public health emergency in the United States. The actions we have taken and continue to take complement the work of China and the World Health Organization to contain the outbreak within China. In accordance with the declaration, beginning at 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time Sunday, February the 2nd, the United States government will implement temporary measures to increase our abilities to detect and contain the coronavirus proactively and aggressively.”