14 things to know today about the fight against COVID-19

Welcome to The Hill’s daily roundup of coronavirus news.

The coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. has far surpassed other countries. There are more than 1.4 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, and more than 85,000 deaths. 

The numbers are likely higher, with cases that have not yet been caught by the country’s still-limited testing. Still, President Trump on Thursday seemed pleased with the country’s testing capacity, even as he said testing may be “overrated.” Trump argued that the reason the U.S. has so many cases is because it is testing so many people, and if the country tested more people they would find more cases – which could hurt him politically.

At the same time, a former top federal immunologist testified in the House and criticized the administration for its lack of a coordinated coronavirus response plan. 

At the White House and Trump administration

• President Trump said Thursday during a trip to Pennsylvania that testing is “frankly overrated,” despite experts insisting that expanded testing is a key step in safely defeating the virus. Brett Samuels and Jessie Hellmann report.
• Trump also did not wear a mask during his visit to a factory making protective equipment in Pennsylvania, despite other officials in the group doing so. Brett Samuels reports.
• The Department of Health and Human Services went on the offensive against ousted federal vaccine official Rick Bright, as Secretary Alex Azar rebuked Bright’s comments while Bright was still testifying before a House committee. Read Morgan Chalfant’s full story. 
• Trump also attacked Bright, tweeting that while he has never met nor heard of Bright, the former federal vaccine doctor was “not liked or respected” by people whom the president has consulted, labeling him a “disgruntled employee.” Get more on the tweets from Morgan.
• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has started a clinical trial to evaluate whether a drug combination promoted by President Trump as a potential COVID-19 treatment is effective. Read more here from Jessie.

In Congress

• Ousted vaccine official Rick Bright warned Congress in closely-watched testimony on Thursday that the U.S. needs to step up a coordinated response to the virus or else face the “darkest winter in modern history.” Nathaniel Weixel reports.
• Bright also said he repeatedly warned Trump administration officials about the coming need for more masks to fight the pandemic, but was brushed aside, which he said led to a dire lack of resources for front line health workers. Read more here.  
• Bright also warned that projections of a coronavirus vaccine being available in 12 to 18 months may be overly optimistic. Zack Budryk reports.
• Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Thursday said that the Senate should “improve” House Democrats’ $3 trillion coronavirus relief package so that it better addresses families’ health care and economic needs. Naomi Jagoda reports.
• Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) are asking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to assess the risk of strokes in younger and middle-aged coronavirus patients. Zack has the story here. 
• Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said he plans to buck party lines and vote in favor of the $3 trillion coronavirus relief package proposed by House Democrats and slated to come to the floor on Friday. Juliegrace Brufke reports. 

 Other News 

• The United Nations is warning that the world may experience a surge in “psychological distress” during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Over a third of patients treated at a New York hospital had kidney damage, according to a new study. John Bowden reports. 
• President Trump on Thursday cheered the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Gov. Tony Evers’s (D) stay-at-home order intended to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Brett has the story here.