By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas Congressman Dr. Roger Marshall is pleased to see President Trump continue to be proactive with regard to the coronavirus threat that right now is still mostly overseas.
"We want to do everything we can to prevent it from coming in this country, but if it does get here, we want to be ready," Marshall said. "The President is asking for money to help stockpile some protective equipment and medical supplies and also to speed up the development of a vaccine. I believe there's already a phase one vaccine being used now in China. In a normal situation, it would take at least six months to a year before that was available for the public to use. The President's trying to speed up that process to protect Americans."
Coronavirus is getting the headlines, but it's important to use proper hygiene practices this time of year, whether it's here yet or not.
"Realistically, people are more likely to die from the other flu viruses going across Kansas than they are from this one," Marshall said. "If this virus would become pandemic in this country, it's a pretty serious virus. It looks like one or two percent of people are dying when they get it. Usually, that's the elderly, children, pregnant women, those are the ones whose immune systems are compromised. Especially, those people will want to take extra precautions, but everybody should be doing those things we've always been taught, wash your hands, use hand sanitizer, those types of things."
Marshall notes that the threat from coronavirus is likely around on the planet for awhile longer.
"What I've been told by the CDC is this virus may not be through peaking until April," Marshall said. "Then, like the flu virus around here, we're hoping it kind of wears itself out and that pandemic goes away. So we've got to stay on our guard."
There has also been a negative economic impact on China and Japan in particular and that could slow some of the implementation of the purchases promised in the recent phase one trade deal at least for a few months.