Update (1315ET): The press conference has concluded. VP Pence said the administration will make an announcement at 7pmET on Sunday regarding measures to speed up testing across the US.

* * *

Update (1235ET): As has become custom following every meeting of the White House coronavirus task force in the situation room, President Trump kicked off the press briefing, celebrating yesterday's "record" market rebound (we're not exactly certain about the record, but the market was clearly pleased), and insisting that the national emergency declaration and the new economic bill that has been passed by Congress and is awaiting Trump's signature would give the government all the tools it needs to combat the virus, and enough economic support to ensure that all Americans will receive paid leave and coverage for any treatments related to the virus.

In response to one of the first questions of the press conference, Trump said he was tested for the virus, and that he was awaiting the results, which are expected in two or three days. Before reporters could interrupt him with accusations that he was being inconsistent, Trump assured them that he would stop shaking hands, but hadn't done so yet out of force of habit, a problem that isn't unique to him, but is part of a broader adaptation by all Americans. Trump insisted that he felt Americans should avoid shaking hands, and should follow the federal guidelines for greetings and 'social distancing'.

Trump delivered his remarks wearing a black 'USA' ball cap, which some found to be in poor taste. Dr. Fauci also confirmed that there 2,226 cases confirmed across the US, with 50 deaths.

Trump giving a press conference from the White House in a ball cap. He’s a fucking joke. #TrumpPressConference — Rhonda Lynn (@frogsgirl2016) March 14, 2020

VP Pence also announced that the travel ban had been expanded to include the UK and Ireland as of midnight on Sunday. As with the prior travel ban, US legal residents and citizens won't be affected. The VP also said that the White House was working with the Republican controlled Senate to explain the House rescue package and get it passed "expeditiously."

The team also confirmed that "community-spread" has been confirmed in six states: Washington, Cali, New York, Oregon, Florida (though Gov. DeSantis reportedly disagreed with the fed's finding) and, of course, Ohio.

The fact that the outbreak has shifted from China to Europe is what motivated the US to expand its travel ban to focus on Europe, Dr. Fauci said (note: the ban is only set to last for 30 days from the date it was announced on Wednesday).

While the US will see more cases and "more suffering and death" among the "vulnerables" of our society, but built in that is a "challenge" - the opportunity to influence the course of the curve, to make it flatter, and ensure that the US health-care system isn't overwhelmed by the outbreak

As an aside, one member of the CNN White House team was denied entry to the press conference because they had a temperature of 99.9.

CNN White House Team: A journalist was denied entry into the press briefing after having a 99.9 fever. He was trying to get access to the briefing and was turned away and is being held by the press office on the White House driveway — Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) March 14, 2020

* * *

Now that Democrats and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin have managed to strike a deal on the federal Covid-19 economic rescue package, which Trump said he fully supports, the White House task force is holding another press conference to update the public on the coronavirus containment effort.

News Conference at White House in 10 minutes. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 14, 2020

Notably, Trump announced the press conference shortly after the White House announced that it was implemented new procedures lie mandatory temperature checks for everybody coming into close contact with the president (including reporters in the briefing room).

Though, if this truly is another task force update, it's possible that Trump won't play a big role, though he has shown a penchant for stealing the spotlight from Pence and the team.

As the task force prepared for the press conference, an official with the White House physician's office went around the press workspace on Saturday morning and took the temperatures of reporters before they were ushered into the briefing room.

Watch live below: