New York Post, Friday, March 13, 2020
nypost.com
outbreak
Confusion’s in the air at WH
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders
laid out similar plans to combat
coronavirus on Thursday, calling
for more testing and an expan-
sion of paid leave to help working
families affected by the outbreak.
They also criticized President
Trump’s handling of the crisis
and promised to grant more au-
thority to their top health experts
and technocrats if elected.
“We will lead with science, lis-
ten to the experts, will heed their
advice,” Biden said during a
speech in Wilmington, Del., his
adopted hometown.
“We’ll build American leader-
ship and rebuild it to rally the
world to meet the global threats
that we are likely to face again.”
Both Democratic presidential
hopefuls spoke of the need for
the country to come together to
battle the virus and look out for
those most at risk physically and
financially.
“Now is the time for solidarity,”
Sanders said in his adopted
hometown of Burlington, Vt.
“Now is the time to come to-
gether with love and compassion
for all, including the most vulner-
able people in our society.”
The socialist senator spoke just
hours after Biden’s speech and
less than 24 hours after Trump
delivered a prime-time address to
the nation from the Oval Office.
Trump announced that begin-
ning Friday night at midnight, the
US will suspend travel from most
European countries — including
Germany, France and the Nether-
lands — for 30 days and that
Americans returning home will
be carefully screened.
Biden criticized Trump’s travel
plan as ineffective.
“Banning all travel from Europe
or any other part of the world
may slow it, but as we’ve seen, it
will not stop it. And travel re-
strictions based on favoritism
and politics rather than risk will
be counterproductive,” the
former vice president said.
Sanders and Biden called for
paid leave and financial assist-
ance for workers and small busi-
ness owners who have to take
time off work because they are ill
or taking care of a sick family
member. Mark MooreDrs. Joe
& Bernie:
More med
testing
By Yaron Steinbuch
and David MeyerAn air traveler tested posi-
tive for the coronavirus right
before flying to Florida from
JFK Airport, raising alarm bells
as thousands scrambled to re-
turn to the United States ahead
of new travel restrictions.
The Palm Beach-bound pas-
senger received a text message
toward the end of JetBlue Flight
253 on Wednesday informing
him of his diagnosis, the airline
confirmed on Thursday.
He was isolated in the back
of the plane when the crew
overheard him discussing his
condition, the airline said.
He did not sneeze or cough
during the flight, WPTV in
West Palm Beach reported.
That did not ease concerns of
his fellow travelers.
“The guy was sitting, you
know, five feet from me, and
his wife was sitting two
feet from me so, no, I’m not
feeling great about it,” ScottRodman told WPTV.
The Port Authority said it was
informed late Wednesday and
“immediately commenced addi-
tional cleaning of the Gate 7
area [at JFK’s Terminal 5], where
the flight departed, as well as
surrounding gates, security
checkpoints, check-in counters
and kiosks, elevators, restrooms
and any other areas the passen-
ger went through based on secu-
rity-camera footage.”
JFK is one of 11 airports
where federal officials plan tofunnel flights before the US-
imposed travel ban on 26 Euro-
pean nations goes into effect
Friday night at midnight.
Federal officials said travelers
would be screened at those air-
ports but did not provide details.
Meanwhile, an American Air-
lines pilot based in Dallas-Fort
Worth tested positive for the
coronavirus, the airline an-
nounced in a Thursday state-
ment.
The carrier didn’t immedi-
ately respond to questions aboutwhen the pilot tested positive or
how recently he had flown.
American Airlines said it is in
contact with the US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
and other public-health authori-
ties to coordinate on required
health and safety measures. It
said the risk of transmission to
passengers was low.
Additional reporting by Tamar
LapinJFK flier to Fla.
tested positive
EPAWait, What? There’s no line to
get a taxi at JFK Airport’s
international terminal on Thursday,
a day before the 30-day flight ban
President Trump imposed on 26
European nations goes into effect.Editorial / Page 24