Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, enabling Donald Trump

The Trump administration wants you to know that it is taking the coronavirus threat very seriously, and that no one is trying to minimize it or its risks:

x HHS Sec. Alex Azar on Fox News: "This is a very serious health problem. Nobody is trying to minimize that." — Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) March 9, 2020

Donald Trump disagrees:

x So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 9, 2020

But, to be fair, as the number of coronavirus cases in the United States continues to rise, and people continue to die—with no discernible plan to deal with it from the administration—Trump did take the time to insist that the plummeting stock market is the fault of Saudi Arabia and Russia. And that Barack Obama and Joe Biden are crooks. So, carry on. Nothing to see here. Oh, and wash your hands.