Biden On Coronavirus Response: Trump Blew It By Not Taking Pandemic Seriously 'When It Mattered'

Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden on Thursday said President Trump bears “full responsibility for the slow and uncoordinated response” to the coronavirus pandemic that resulted in the mushrooming number of cases across the country and at least 3.28 million in initial unemployment claims last week.

The number of confirmed infections in the United States approached 80,000 Thursday afternoon with more than 1,000 deaths as the economy has stalled and millions of people have hunkered down in their homes.

The former vice president praised the Senate action late Wednesday approving a $2.2 trillion bill to help consumers and businesses deal with the fallout from the pandemic. He said once the relief bill is signed into law, “effective planning, implementation and execution” will be required to get the money into the hands of the people who need it most.

“The president is not responsible for the coronavirus, but he bears full responsibility for the slow and uncoordinated response that has exacerbated both the public health and economic impact on our country,” Biden said in a press release e-mailed to IBTimes. “The harsh reality is that at least 3 million people now don’t have jobs because our president didn’t do his job when it mattered.”

Trump has tried to downplay the severity of the crisis all along, first comparing it to just the flu and most recently saying he wants to lift medical guidelines designed to stem the spread of the virus. He also has accused the media of whipping up fears.

Biden accused Trump of ignoring the example set by South Korea, which moved aggressively to stem the spread of the virus.

“He didn’t get ahead of it when he had the chance. And in the absence of an early, aggressive response to flatten the curve, cities and states have been left with no option other than extreme social distancing measures, causing businesses to close and lay off workers. Now we are facing the economic fallout as well as a worsening public health crisis,” Biden said, calling on the White House to shift its attitude.

In a fact sheet posted on his website, Biden said no amount of economic stimulus will matter if the virus is not conquered.

“In recent days, there’s been talk that we have to choose between public health and our economy. That’s not just a false choice. It’s a dangerous one,” he said.