Trump Coronavirus Response: Here's A Short List Of False Statements President Has Made About Outbreak

President Trump has made misleading or false statements about the coronavirus and the administration’s response.

The Washington Post fact-checked Trump's address to the nation Wednesday and concluded that it "was filled with misleading and wrong information," while the New York Times fact-checked Trump and found that he "falsely blamed his predecessor for testing shortages and misstated the role Google was playing in mitigating the outbreak."

Here’s a short list of false statements Trump has made about the outbreak and why they are inaccurate.

Statement: On Feb. 25, during a state visit to India, Trump said that “we’re very close to a vaccine.”

Truth: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that a vaccine would be deployable “in a year to a year and a half, no matter how fast you go.”

Statement: On March 4, Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity that the mortality rate for coronavirus, which the World Health Organization estimates is 3.4%, is a “false number.” Trump also compared the virus to the flu and said that “we have thousands or hundreds of thousands of people that get better, just by, you know, sitting around and even going to work.”

Truth: Dr. Fauci said on March 11 that “the seasonal flu that we deal with every year has a mortality of 0.1%.” He added that “The stated mortality, overall, of [the coronavirus], when you look at all the data including China, is about 3%.”

Fauci has also said that the virus is 10 times more lethal than the flu, making Trump’s comparison inaccurate. Workers who catch the virus should not go to work, unlike Trump’s suggestion that they can.

Statement: In regards to coronavirus testing, Trump said on March 6 that, "anyone who wants a test can get a test," contradicting other administration officials. He made the statement while on a visit to the Centers for Disease Control.

Truth: Vice President Mike Pence said that the U.S. can only test around 15,000 to 20,000 patients a day. Tests are ultimately up to a patient’s doctor to decide, contradicting Trump's assertion that tests are freely available to the public.

Statement: On a March 11 address from the White House, Trump said that health insurance industry leaders have agreed to “waive all copayments for coronavirus treatments.”

Truth: Only health insurance copayments for testing will be waived, not for all treatments.

Statement: During that same address, Trump claimed that “all travel from Europe” would be suspended for the next 30 days.

Truth: Travel is suspended only for individuals from the 26 Schengen-area countries. U.S. citizens and permanent residents in Europe will be allowed to go home but will be screened for the virus. On Saturday, Pence said that the travel ban would be extended to the U.K. and Ireland, but this still does not mean "all travel from Europe" is affected.