5 Questions for HHS Secretary Alex Azar Ahead of his Florida Visit

Today, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar is coming to Florida to do damage control for the Trump administration’s inadequate COVID-19 response that has infected over 48,000 Floridians and left 2 million Floridians unemployed. Floridians deserve answers about this response. Here are five questions Alex Azar should answer today: 

1. A recent New York Times report reveals that Donald Trump could have saved 36,000 lives had he implemented social distancing measures one week prior. Why did the President take so long to take action to keep Americans safe from the coronavirus? 

2. You are in Florida today to highlight individual testing facilities, but Donald Trump has still not released a coordinated national plan to boost testing, what health experts overwhelmingly say is the key to safely reopening our economy. Why is there still no national testing program and why does Florida still not have the number of daily tests public health experts agree is critical to reopening? 

3. Donald Trump fired the HHS Inspector General after she released a damning report showing severe testing and supply shortages in hospitals across the country. Why is Donald Trump silencing watchdogs in your agency who are doing their job, informing the public of the US coronavirus response? 

4. You requested additional funding to boost our national stockpile of emergency medical equipment on February 5th, but the White House cut your budget for it by 75%. The White House also sent 18 tons of PPE to China in February. Why didn’t the president take your request to stock up on PPE in February seriously? 

5. On January 21st, you admitted that you did not have a plan to replace the Affordable Care Act if the Supreme Court sides with Trump and overturns the legislation. Do you still not have a plan for the 3.5 million Floridians with pre-existing conditions and the 2 million Floridians who get their health insurance on the exchange?