Trump says he slowed coronavirus testing

At campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, President Donald Trump defended his response to the COVID-19 pandemic and told the audience: “When you do (coronavirus) testing to that extent, you’re going to ... find more cases. So, I said to my people, ‘Slow the testing down, please.’” A White House official said later he was “obviously kidding.” Trump said a few days earlier, “If we stop testing right now, we’d have very few cases, if any.”

Class discussion: Do you think the president was just “kidding” about trying to slow down coronavirus testing? Why or why not? Are increases in the numbers of COVID-19 cases in several states simply tied to more testing? What about rising hospital admissions of coronavirus patients? Would you avoid a medical test that could reveal a condition you could be treated for? Is the pandemic “fading away” like Trump says? Are you tired of dealing with COVID-19?