As important as it is for the president and administration officials to keep the public abreast of developments in the spread of the coronavirus, the daily marathon press conferences President Trump has been hosting are diminishing in utility and, more importantly, putting himself and others at risk.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, said as much in an interview on Sunday.
“The situation on stage [for the press briefings] is a bit more problematic,” he said. “I keep saying, is there any way we can get a virtual press conference. Thus far, no.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising that people isolate themselves, remain indoors, and avoid gatherings of more than 10 people.
The briefings feature at least five officials standing shoulder to shoulder on stage, plus the president, rotating at the microphone in a room of at least 30 journalists.
That’s not social distancing. That’s dangerous. Worse, it was reported on Monday that one White House reporter might actually have tested positive for the virus.
Of course, it’s possible to host a virtual press conference. It can even be televised. Recall that Trump’s first press secretary Sean Spicer several times brought in TV monitors that allowed reporters outside of Washington to appear on webcam and ask their questions.
There’s no reason that setup can’t be done for every reporter.
Trump is even aware of the problem. During a briefing last week, he suggested that reporters in the room were seated too close together and, in jest, he said he might reduce the journalists allowed in the room to about two or three.
So what is he waiting for — for someone to sneeze on his neck?
Besides, the first three questions from the press are the only ones worth paying attention to. They then devolve into insightful inquires such as, “Do you really think, you know, going off on Peter or going off on a network is appropriate when the country is going through something like this?” and, “Why do you keep calling this the ‘Chinese virus’?”
Neither of those questions saves lives or reassures the public that this is under any sense of control.
Cut the fat and make the briefings virtual.
