Biden fires back at Trump and offers White House his coronavirus plan

2020 Democratic candidate tells president that 'foreign virus' label 'does not displace accountability'

Joe Biden unveiled his own plan to combat the coronavirus spread following Donald Trump's dramatic announcement of a ban on all travel from Europe despite warnings from public health officials that a surge of community infections within the US is inevitable.

Offering the White House his campaign's own plan to face the outbreak, the former vice president and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate called for increased transparency, including daily updates of the number of Covid-19 tests performed, as well as positive diagnoses, and for the installation of at least 10 mobile testing and drive-though sites in each state.

Mr Biden called the lack of a comprehensive federal paid sick leave policy a "national disgrace" as millions of American workers could face cut hours or layoffs and quarantines that could significantly impact their incomes.

He said the president's recently announced plans to combat the virus shouldn't "fall back on xenophobia" after Mr Trump called the flu-like respiratory illness a "foreign virus" in his Wednesday night address to the nation.

"Downplaying it or being overly dismissive or spreading misinformation is only going to hurt us and further advantage of the spread of disease", Mr Biden said on Thursday. "Neither should we panic or fall back on xenophobia. Labelling it a 'foreign virus' does not displace accountability for the misjudgements that have been taken thus far from the Trump administration."

He said that "travel restrictions based on favouritism or politics, rather than risk, will be counterproductive" as the number of cases in the US has spiked to more than 1,200, requiring an "aggressive" plan within the country's own borders.

"Unfortunately, the virus laid bare the severe shortcomings of the current administration", he said. "Public fears are being compounded by a pervasive lack of trust in this president, fuelled by adversary relationships with the truth he continues to have ... Our government's ability to respond effectively is undermined by the hollowing out of our agencies and disparagement of science."

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The administration's plan for tax cuts to provide economic relief "will not get the job done", Mr Biden said. "Indiscriminate corporate tax subsidies will not target people who really need the help now. ... People are already losing jobs. We need to replace their wages."

Mr Biden's remarks — invoking "compassion" and calls for mobilising a "decisive" public health response — stood in stark contrast to the president's address, which didn't discuss testing, despite demands from health systems for more resources and guidance, or any massive public health response, other than a reminder about personal hygiene.

"We'll never fully solve this problem if we're not looking beyond our own borders", Mr Biden said in his call for a "global" effort to combat the outbreak. "We have to confront coronavirus everywhere."