New York Governor Andrew Cuomo blasted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Trump administration over their mixed messages regarding coronvirus testing.

In a press conference on Friday, Cuomo cited the contradictory statements issued by the federal health agency and Vice President Mike Pence.

'I don't understand CDC's instructions, they say anyone can get tested if they want...but Pence says we don't have enough tests,' Cuomo told reporters.

'How can you bring in more people into the pipeline than you can address at the end of the pipeline?' he said.

'That is not only bad government and poor planning, it will increase the fear.'

It comes just hours after Dr Anthony Fauci, a top official at the NIH, said he can't make any promises about when enough test kits will be made available.

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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo blasted the CDC and Trump administration for sending mixed messages about coronavirus testing in press conference on Friday (pictured)

The CDC says one can get test but the US has admitted it doesn't have the testing capacity. Cuomo said this will incite fear among the general public because people will not understand why they can't get tested. Pictured: Cuomo (right) speaks at a press conference on Friday alongside Dr Howard Zucker(keft), Commissioner of Health for New York State

Cuomo argued that people will be fearful because they won't understand why doctors don't have the capacity to test them.

'Their position is absurd and nonsensical,' the governor said.

'I think the anxiety and the fear is a bigger problem than the virus.'

Cuomo also lamented that CDC and FDA were slow in approving New York's use of private labs as well as giving New York State's Wadsworth Lab And NYC's Public-Health Lab permission to test for the virus.

His comments came hours after Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the goal in the next few weeks to have more than a million tests ready but that he couldn't guarantee it.

It echoed comments made by Vice President Mike Pence at a press conference on Thursday admitted that there is a shortage of test kits, which currently cannot meet demand.

'I can't guarantee that, that's an issue that would have to go through the FDA and the companies to see if that's available,' Dr Fauci told TODAY.

'So I cannot promise it but that's what the goal is - within the next couple of weeks - to get the million plus [out].'

Dr Anthony Fauci (pictured), a top official at the National Institutes of Health, says he's not happy about the shortage of coronavirus testing kits

He told TODAY show hosts that he can't promise that one million kits will be available soon. Pictured: Dr Fauci speaks with Craig Melvin (left) and Kristin Welker (center)

Delays with testing after the CDC sent out a first batch of faulty kits and had narrow criteria regarding who can be tested. Pictured: CDC laboratory kits for coronavirus

In the US, there are more than 270 cases and 14 deaths, all but one in Washington state

A North Carolina company claims it's created a 15-minute test for the virus, but the CDC and FDA have not approved it

Medical professionals blast the CDC for not testing them for coronavirus after working with sick patients

A California man said his aunt was told she could visit shops in her community after his uncle tested positive for the virus

The CDC has been taking so long to test because there is a three-step process

It has also come under fire for not approving outside test kits quickly enough

Trump is set to visit CDC headquarters in Atlanta on Friday after initially canceling the trip

Passengers on the Grand Princess cruise ship are waiting for their test results after they were dropped off by helicopter on Thursday

In the US, there are more than 270 cases and 15 deaths, all but one in Washington

It is believed one of the chemicals used in the test did not work properly, resulting in the test needing to be remanufactured.

Another issue was that the CDC initially set narrow criteria on who could be tested.

At first, only those with a travel history to China - where the outbreak emerged - or those who had been exposed to a confirmed coronavirus patient were tested.

That changed after the first patient of 'unknown diagnosis' was confirmed in California, believed to be of so-called community spread.

'There were certainly some missteps in the beginning regarding getting tests out, some technical issues that slowed down the process,' Dr Fauci told TODAY.

Worldwide, there are more than 101,000 confirmed cases and more than 3,400 people have died

'The Vice President was absolutely correct. There has been a delay and we didn't have enough right now but, hopefully, in the near future hopefully we will.'

The CDC and other health officials have come under fire for how slowly Americans are being tested.

'I'm not happy about the lack of the appropriate number of test kits - that's for sure - but other areas of the response, I think, are going well,' Dr Fauci said.

Heath and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar explained on Thursday the three steps that stand in the way to broader, faster testing.

He said that even when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) itself developed a test, it had to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before distributing it.

That request was submitted February 3 and approved February 4. The CDC didn't start shipping its first batch of tests until February 6.

Dr Fauci said he's also frustrated at the lack of screenings at US airports.

In a press conference on Monday evening, Pence said there will be 100 percent screening at all airports with direct flights from Italy and South Korea over the next 12 hours.

However, Vice News producer Julia Lindau said she did not undergo any health screenings or additional questioning after landing at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York from Italy on Thursday night.

'I just landed at JFK after reporting on #coronavirus in Milan and Lombardy - the epicenter of Italy's outbreak - for @vicenews,' she tweeted.

'I walked right through US customs. They didn't ask me where in Italy I went or if I came into contact with sick people. They didn't ask me anything.'

Meanwhile, several people say they've returned from coronavirus hotpots, such as Italy and China, without being screened such as this Vice News producer (above)

At a press conference on Monday evening, Pence said there will be 100 percent screening at all airports with direct flights from Italy and South Korea over the next 12 hours. Pictured: Pence speaking to the media on Thursday

TODAY host Craig Melvin asked Dr Fauci if it was right for Lindau to be able to walk through US Customs and Border Protection without questioning.

'I don't know what happened there, but that does not that sound that's the way it should have been,' Dr Fauci replied.

'The way you are describing it, that should not have happened. The flights that come in from northern Italy need to get screened. '

Even though Dr Fauci says that any flight coming from the five 'hotspot' countries - China, Iran, Italy, Japan, South Korea should be tested, he does not believe Americans need to be undergoing 'social distancing.'

Social distancing is a hygiene practice by which means people avoid unnecessary contact or being in close proximity with other people.

It's being practiced in Washington, where there are 75 confirmed cases and 13 of the 14 US deaths have occurred.

'In Seattle, I think that the governor and the health authorities made the right choice in beginning a mitigation strategy, which is social distancing,' Dr Fauci said.

'We're not there yet as a nation.'

On Friday morning, President Donald Trump signed an $8.3 billion measure to combat the coronavirus outbreak (pictured)

However, Trump canceled - and then 'uncanceled' - a trip to CDC headquarters in Atlanta amid growing scandal over the lack of testing kits. Pictured: Trump shows the signed bill alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar

Hours later, President Donald Trump signed an emergency bill on Friday, committing $8.3billion to US efforts to fight coronavirus, and decided to visit CDC headquarters in Atlanta after all.

About $3billion will be allocated towards vaccine research, about $2.2billion will go towards prevention efforts and $1billion will go towards purchasing medical supplies.

The bill passed in the Senate yesterday 96-1 in a rare sign of bipartisanship.

Confusion was abound Friday morning after a trip to the CDC was canceled, and then reappeared on the president's itinerary.

Trump told reporters that the reason the trip has been scrapped was because someone at the Atlanta lab was being tested for the virus.

However, after the person tested negative, a flight to Atlanta and a visit to the CDC in was once again listed on the president's official schedule.

CDC COMES UNDER FIRE FOR LACK OF TESTING AND DELAY IN APPROVING KITS

Less than week after the CDC shipped its first batch of kits, several state labs said the diagnostic was returning 'inconclusive results.'

This forced the federal health agency to remanufacture components of the kit.

Ever since the CDC started to address this issue, delays have continued.

On Monday, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn promised one million kits would me made available.

But figures from the Association of Public Health Laboratories show that likely no more than 100,000 people would be tested by week's end.

Both Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Vice President Pence said the government currently does not have enough kits to keep up with demand

FDA Dr Stephen Hahn (pictured) told reporters on Monday that close to one million people would be tested by the end of the week, but figures indicate it's likely closer to 100,000

HHS Secretary Azar (pictured, Tuesday) said that with both federal and outside tests, about 400,000 people will be able to be screened

Within days of shipping its tests, several states reported that the CDC's diagnostic was returning 'inconclusive' results. The agency was forced to re-make one of the test components are reissue kits.

On Saturday, the FDA gave approval for other states, companies and research institutions to make their own coronavirus tests to expedite increase the number of people who can be tested.

CDC's own manufacturer, IDT, is ramping up production, and Azar thinks that they'll distribute enough kits to test about 75,000 people for the virus.

With the addition of outside tests, Azar estimated that enough tests will be sent out to screen about 400,000 people - because two of the nearly one million tests to be shipped have to be used to test each patient under current guidelines.

He thinks that will happen by the end of the weekend.

But even then, it could be 'a week, a week-and-a-half, two weeks' before they are 'up and running.'

US COMPANY SAYS IT CAN TEST FOR CORONAVIRUS IN JUST 15 MINUTES, BUT CDC AND FDA HAVE NOT APPROVED IT

A North Carolina-based company says its 15-minute blood test is already being used by China, Italy and Japan to test for coronavirus but not in America because CDC and FDA officials have not approved it.

BioMedonics claims its test can screen for the virus in 15 minutes using a small drop of blood and a tiny device that can be carried into the field.

A blood sample is collected, inserted into the reader, a buffer is combined, and results come back very quickly, the company claims.

BioMedomics claims its test can screen for coronavirus in 15 minutes using a small drop of blood and a tiny device that can be carried into the field

It can be read similarly to a pregnancy test, with one line for a negative test, two signifying it's positive for either early or late antibodies, and three when the sample is positive for both

One line means negative while two lines spread out mean the sample contains antibodies that the body starts making shortly after infection.

Two lines close together mean the person is positive for later-stage antibodies, and three lines mean the patient is positive for both types of antibodies.

The CDC and FDA have not specified why the rapid test isn't being used and did not respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS BLAST CDC OVER LACK OF TESTING FOR DOCTORS AND NURSE

CALIFORNIA NURSE BLASTS CDC FOR LACK OF TESTING

Medical professionals have blasted the CDC over the lack of testing for healthcare workers at the frontline of the outbreak.

One California nurse said they fell ill after caring for a patient but that federal health officials believed they wouldn't contract the virus due to their protective clothing while treating the patient.

And a California doctor at another hospital said they're worried about transferring the virus to immuncompromised patients.

The CDC has previously stated that people with underlying health conditions are twice as likely to develop serious outcomes as healthy people.

The nurse who fell ill is an employee of Kaiser Permanente in the northern part of the state and currently in quarantine.

'As a nurse, I'm very concerned that not enough is being done to stop the spread of the coronavirus,' they wrote in a statement released via the National Nurses United and California Nurses Association unions on Thursday.

'I know because I am currently sick and in quarantine after caring for a patient who tested positive.'

The nurse said he or she volunteered to care for the patient and, within a few days, began experiencing symptoms themselves of coughing and a fever.

They were put in a 14-day quarantine, and the nurse' doctor as well as a public country health officer called the CDC to ask for testing, but the agency allegedly refused.

An unidentified California nurse who is contracted coronavirus from a patient and is currently in quarantine has blasted the lack of testing for medical professionals. Pictured: Bonnie Castillo, executive director of National Nurses United, speaks during a news conference at the National Nurses United offices, March 5

The nurse said that she volunteered to be on the care team of the patient and she experience symptoms with a few days. Pictured: Medical personnel prepare to test travelers on the Grand Princess cruise ship off the coast of California for the coronavirus, March 5

The nurse said his or her doctor asked for testing, but the CDC allegedly declined, saying that if the nurse was wearing protective gear properly, he or she wouldn't have gotten sick. Pictured: Passengers wear face masks at Los Angeles International Airport, March 5

The nurse then claimed that she had to wait for testing because her symptoms were not as severe as others that needed testing.

'This is not the ticket dispenser at the deli counter; it's a public health emergency!' the nurse wrote.

'I am a registered nurse and I need to know if I am positive before going back to care for patients.'

'Delaying this test puts the whole community at risk. I have the backing of my union. Nurses aren't going to stand by and let this testing delay continue; we are going to stand together to make sure we can protect our patients - by being protected ourselves.'

In statement to The Hill, a CDC spokesperson said the agency was aware of the nurse's case but couldn't comment on it.

The shortage of test kits is making it difficult for healthcare workers who need to treat several groups of patients.

'Last night I had a patient with clear coronavirus symptoms, but the health department didn't think he should be tested,' an emergency room doctor in Downey told The Los Angeles Times.

'I went from that patient into the next room, where I had an 80-year-old, immune-compromised, diabetic patient. If I'm taking coronavirus in there, it's mild for me, but it's deadly for her.'

Another doctor in Downey said he begged officials to test a suspected patient, who is a transplant nurse that works with at-risk people.

'I said: "Come on! Please! We need to test her!"' the doctor told the Times.

CALIFORNIA MAN LASHES OUT AT HEALTH OFFICIALS FOR NOT TESTING HIS AUNT AFTER HIS UNCLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CORONAVIRUS

A California man lashed out at his local health department for not testing his aunt for coroanvirus after his uncle was diagnosed with the disease.

Scott Bell, from Los Angeles, tweeted on Thursday that his uncle, from Venice Beach, was recently skiing in the Italian Alps with six friends.

Four of them, including Bell's uncle were diagnosed with COVID-19. Bell said his uncle, who didn't have any of the typical symptoms, immediately called his local health department.

Scott Bell, from Los Angeles, California, tweeted that his

After testing positive, Bell said his aunt was told to wear a mask, stay 10 feet away from his uncle, but that she was free to go about her daily activities.

According to Bell, she visited the grocery store and a hair salon.

'Believe me, I'm upset to hear that she did this,' he wrote.

'The crazier part is that they have not tested her, and will not, and again - advised her she is free to move at-will. This is how our health dept. is leading this effort.'

Bell later updated that his aunt was ordered into animated quarantine.

PASSENGERS ON THE GRAND PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP WAIT FOR THE RESULTS OF THEIR CORONAVIRUS TESTS

Passengers and crew on a giant cruise ship being held off the coast of San Francisco were waiting on the results of tests to determine if any of the 3,500 people on board have the new coronavirus.

The California National Guard flew in test kits to the Grand Princess on Thursday, and the findings were expected to be announced early Friday.

Princess Cruises said in a statement samples had been taken from 45 people, a mix of guests and team members - and all passengers had been confined to their quarters pending the outcome.

The ship is being prevented from docking while the results are due.

'We have big news on the ship,' President Donald Trump told reporters at a morning briefing where he signed into law $8.3billion in emergency funding that was set aside by Congress to fight the disease.

'I just spoke to the governor of California Gavin Newsom, we just had a good conversation. We're working on the ship together,' he added.

Passengers and crew on the Grand Princess cruise ship (pictured) being held off the coast of San Francisco were waiting on the results of coronavirus tests

The California National Guard flew in test kits to the Grand Princess on Thursday (pictured), and the findings were expected to be announced early Friday

Samples have been taken from 45 people, a mix of guests and crew members - and all passengers had been confined to their quarters. Pictured: A National Guard helicopter delivering virus testing kits lowers crew down to the Grand Princess cruise ship, March 5

Health officials sounded the alarm after two passengers who had been on board during a previous voyage between San Francisco and Mexico later fell ill and one of them died.

Several other passengers who had remained on the vessel for its next voyage to Hawaii also developed flu-like symptoms during that trip.

Princess Cruises said there were 3,533 people onboard, including 2,422 passengers and 1,111 crew. In total, they represent 54 nationalities.

Carolyn Wright, a passenger, told AFP there was no panic on board and people seemed to be taking the setback in their stride.

'I can't get over how the news is sensationalizing our ship,' said the 63-year-old professional photographer from New Mexico who was traveling with a friend.

'There were two cases on the previous cruise and they act like everybody on board has the plague.'

Ellen Carroll, the head of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, said that once test results are back, the CDC and California state officials will determine the most appropriate location for the ship to berth.

OREGON SAYS IT HAS THE CAPACITY TO TEST 80 KITS BUT IS ONLY TESTING 20

Oregon health officials have been testing 10 to 20 coronvirus kits per day, on average, but say they have the capacity to test 80.

That means that the state laboratory is testing at between 12.5 to 25 percent capacity.

According to Willamette Week, 48 residents have been tested by the Oregon Health Authority, and 13 results are sill pending.

Healthcare workers are frustrated that they can't test as many people as they are able to and are wondering when kits will arrive from Washington, DC.

'We know people are scared,' Dr Dean Sidelinger, health officer and epidemiologist at the Oregon Health Authority, said at a press conference on Thursday.

'We know that there is transmission in the community.'