Mike Pence: Trump admin supports state measures, still no national lockdown planned

Vice President Mike Pence said the White House believes in its 15-day guidelines for slowing transmission of the coronavirus and has no plans to force everyone to shelter in place.

“At no point has the White House coronavirus task force discussed what some people call a nationwide lockdown,” Mr. Pence said at a Fox News virtual town hall on the pandemic.

Rather, he said, Mr. Trump is focused on finding a way to protect older people and the medically vulnerable while getting other Americans back to work in the coming weeks.

“The president said we want to find a way to open America back up, to get American business moving again,” the vice president said.

Mr. Trump on March 16 announced a 15-day period during which people were encouraged to work and learn at home if possible, avoid groups of 10 or more and use takeout instead of entering bars and restaurants.

But the country can’t stay shut down forever, the president said. He’d like to take another look at things at the end of the 15-day freeze this weekend.

Mr. Pence said the president is fielding recommendations from his coronavirus task force.

However, Mr. Pence said the White House “fully supports” states that have decided to take actions that might be stronger than the White House guidelines, including “stay at home” orders and directives to shutter nonessential businesses.

The federal response to the coronavirus is “state-managed,” he added, “and then it’s federally supported.”

Mr. Pence said he is working with private industry, states and FEMA to identify respirators and ventilators for hospitals, especially in hard-hit areas such as New York City.

The administration invoked the Defense Production Act on Tuesday to get its hands on more diagnostic tests, though Mr. Pence continued to say U.S. companies, including automakers, have offered to produce gear voluntarily.

“Every time we’ve asked American industry to step forward, they’ve said yes,” Mr. Pence said.

Mr. Pence also highlighted a clinical trial in New York that looks at whether a malaria drug, chloroquine, will be effective against the coronavirus.

“There’s no barrier to access to chloroquine in this country. We’re working to add to that supply even as we speak,” Mr. Pence said, responding to a question from TV personality Dr. Mehmet Oz. “At the same time, we are engaging in a clinical trial.”

Asked whether Mr. Pence would take the medicine personally, the vice president said he would follow the advice of his doctor.

The vice president said he’s hoping to see direct therapies for the coronavirus by this spring.

• David Sherfinski contributed to this story.