Trump boasts about Covid response as December turns into deadliest month but

WASHINGTON — Within the ultimate days of 2020, the USA noticed coronavirus deaths spike, circumstances surge to staggering ranges, hospitals strained and the rollout of desperately wanted vaccines fall wanting expectations.

December was the deadliest month for America throughout the pandemic. But President Donald Trump barely uttered a phrase about Covid-19’s tragic toll.

As an alternative, the president spent the month obsessing over unfounded claims of a stolen election, delaying aid laws earlier than signing it, weighing in on cable information broadcasts, and lashing out at members of his personal occasion.

And, on Thursday, the final day of the month and the yr, Trump tweeted a video during which he boasted about his administration’s response to the pandemic.

Throughout December, the nation plunged into what would turn out to be its hardest battle towards Covid-19, whilst vaccines began to exit. The nation reported greater than 6.1 million new infections and greater than 74,140 deaths, in keeping with knowledge compiled by Johns Hopkins College.

The newest totals make December the deadliest month of the Covid-19 pandemic in the USA, surpassing April, when greater than 60,738 Individuals misplaced their lives to the coronavirus.

Because the begin of the coronavirus outbreak, no less than 342,414 Individuals have died due to the illness, which Trump has repeatedly pledged on 40 completely different events would go away.

In a recorded message launched Thursday, Trump took the lion’s share of the credit score for the unprecedented velocity within the improvement of vaccines calling the feat a “medical miracle.”

“Because of Operation Warp Velocity we developed a vaccine in simply 9 months, we have already begun a nationwide vaccination program, and we’re sending the vaccine all around the world. The world will profit we’ll profit, and all people’s calling to thank me,” the president stated.

Trump additionally took a second to reward his work on the economic system, saying that his administration “constructed the best economic system within the historical past of the world.”

“We’re doing numbers now like no one’s ever seen earlier than, together with having the very best inventory market within the historical past of the world,” Trump stated, including “one of the best is but to return” in his log off.

The White Home didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Trump, who spent the previous week vacationing at his personal membership in Palm Seaside, Florida, returned to the White Home on Thursday as lawmakers debated laws that will improve Covid aid funds to $2,000 amid historic unemployment and enterprise closures.

The president himself pushed for these larger funds, though the Republican chief within the Senate, Mitch McConnell, has resisted holding a standalone vote on the invoice offering for the upper funds, which handed with bipartisan help within the Home.

Whereas in Palm Seaside, Trump spent a number of days {golfing} at his for-profit golf course and despatched 110 tweets which have been largely centered on false claims of a rigged presidential election and the upcoming Senate runoff votes in Georgia.

Trump, regardless of a slew of failed authorized challenges, has not conceded the election to Democrat Joe Biden, who shall be inaugurated Jan. 20. The president additionally took to Twitter to garner help for an upcoming rally in Georgia.

The president’s refusal to handle different facets of the unfolding public well being catastrophe comes because the governors of Colorado and California affirm a brand new and probably extra infectious pressure of Covid-19 of their states.

Officers from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention stated earlier Wednesday that the brand new pressure might add stress to the nation’s hospitals, that are already overwhelmed with Covid-19 sufferers.

Workers-strapped hospitals from coast to coast are already operating out of obtainable intensive-care models and normal beds for the surge in sufferers, knowledge printed by the Division of Well being and Human Providers reveals.

Earlier this month, the USA started to roll out vaccines to fight the illness. However well being officers have warned {that a} vaccine will not give the nation quick aid from the outbreak.

The nation’s well being officers have beforehand stated their aim is to vaccinate no less than 20 million Individuals with their first photographs earlier than the tip of the yr. The desire fall properly wanting that aim.

Learn extra: Trump blames states as he faces criticism for sluggish Covid vaccine rollout

Greater than 11.four million doses of Pfizer and Moderna’s two-dose vaccines have been distributed throughout the nation as of Monday morning. Roughly 2.1 million of these photographs have been administered to individuals, in keeping with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

Trump, dealing with criticism for the missed vaccination aim, blamed on the disorganized rollout of the vaccines on states.

“The Federal Authorities has distributed the vaccines to the states,” the president stated in a tweet. “Now it’s as much as the states to manage. Get shifting!”

CNBC’s Kevin Breuninger, Will Feuer and Noah Higgins Dunn contributed to this report.