“If you go back to the swine flu, it was nothing like this. They didn’t do testing like this. And actually, they lost approximately 14,000 people and they didn’t do the testing. They started thinking about testing when it was far too late.”
—Donald Trump, as usual, attempting to deflect attention away from his failure to act promptly to the coronavirus outbreak. And as usual, he is wrong—or worse, lying. The CDC did focus on testing — conducting 5,000 tests in the first month and sending out a million tests in the first five months of the outbreak.
The virus was first detected in the US on April 15, 2009. The CDC informed the World Health Organization about initial cases three days later, on April 18. A test to detect this strain of swine flu was developed by the CDC and cleared for use 10 days later, on April 28, and the CDC started shipping tests across the US and around the world on May 1—only two weeks after first detecting the virus.
Over the next four months, more than a million tests “were shipped to 120 domestic and 250 international laboratories in 140 countries,” according to the CDC’s report. By May 18, one month after detection of the virus, 40 states were authorized to conduct their own 2009 H1N1 testing, with eight states having multiple laboratories that could process the tests, the report says.
Between April 12, 2009 and April 10, 2010, the CDC estimates that the swine flu killed 12,469 people in the US.
The first case of coronavirus was confirmed in the US on January 20 of this year. As of Wednesday, almost two months later, 11,079 specimens had been tested in the US.
Of course, Trump has neglected to mention—and he will never acknowledge the fact—that one year after taking office, he abolished the National Security Council Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense, initially established to prepare for pandemics like covid-19.
Louisiana Voice 
Thanks, good data. Unfortunately, many of us have learned that members of his cult don’t want to be confused with actual facts. It is much easier to simply take their dear leader’s word as Gospel and dismiss anything contradictory as fake news.
Thank you, now I have some facts with which to counter.
His lies multiply. He spreads misinformation as fast as the coronavirus spreads its infections. Hopefully both will soon come to an end. The news media needs to quarantine him and give us a respite from his nonsensical utterances.
Anyone else notice the thinly bearded gentleman standing behind Trump during his Coronavirus press conferences. Bruce Greenstein. The once indicted (bribery, lying, obstruction) sec. of Health and Hospitals. Must have found him around the swamp drain.
I thought my eyes had deceived me, surely that was not Mr. “Greenslime” as the DHH staff called him. Then I thought, noooo, he would never be called to work on a health crisis, he is such a fraud and liar. Oh, wait…he IS in the right place. Thanks for confirming my suspicion.
I thought he looked familiar when I saw the video. Figures that he would end up with this crowd.
Yes that was Bruce Greenstein (or is it Greenstain? considering the bribery charges?) on the front page of the WSJ, Sat, 03/14, rubbing elbows (literally) with Trump. I had to do a double take, after recognizing the name..a blast from the past..thought he had gone away, but he has reappeared, wearing a suit (rarely did that in LA), a bit heavier and with a la mode facial hair. Where did he go after leaving LA? I think he has close ties with Jindal and Rick Scott. Where is Jindal’s health expertise when we need it the most?
Is that JIndal/teeple in the further background?? I am pretty sure there was another swine’flu in the late 70’s, I met an attractive widow in DC who husband in the military had passed from taking the vaccine.. I actually remember her name but lost her number just like in Catch 22 ron thompson
At least Greenstein showed better sense than the President:
https://www.businessinsider.com/health-executive-turns-down-trumps-handshake-offers-him-elbow-bump-2020-3
But, then again, few don’t.
He went to work for the President in 2017 at HHS as chief technology officer, but is now back in the private sector as CEO of the LHC Group home health care services company. He was actually indicted on 9 counts of perjury* here before leaving – excellent qualification for working with the Trump administration – and as a major player in health care delivery. After all, the rule of the day is, “When in doubt (or even when not), lie.”
* A. G. Landry dismissed the perjury counts against Greenstein, so it’s all good.