Appearing on CNN early Sunday morning, the head of the American Federation of Teachers lambasted Donald Trump's administration for its response to the coronavirus pandemic, warning of sick kids and extended school closing.
Speaking with CNN host Christi Paul, Randi Weingarten took multiple shots at Donald Trump while noting the president earlier gutted pandemic specialists from the government.
"We pushed very hard to get the Trump administration, you know, back in January and February to do something as opposed to pretending that this was not real," Weingarten told the host. "We've had infections before and whether it was MERS or other -- remember ebola -- and people should brush up those plans. But it comes down to precautions, preparedness, no profiling and not to panic. And when I talk about precautions and preparedness, there may be a situation where schools will be closed."
Asked about the spread of COVID-19, as the White House struggles to get a handle on how to respond, Weingarten took a direct shot at the president.
"I think what happens is that's where you have to be guided by the science and not by fear. The scientists right now become really important," she explained. "There are still -- I mean, I know that the president basically got rid of all the pandemic experts in the White House -- but there are still scientists at the CDC who really understand and know what they're doing. There are scientists around the country who know what they're doing."
The union head also pointed out that the Trump administration is not providing communities with the help they need.
"There is a test for the coronavirus'" she stated. "And those test kits have to be made readily available and number three, we have to make sure that there's protective equipment like the specialized masks that health care practitioners and providers have to have. so these things have to be available. Unfortunately, our government, you know, pretended that this didn't exist."
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