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BumRushDaShow

(171,793 posts) Sat May 9, 2026, 03:39 AM 18 hrs ago

Experts worry 'we are not prepared' for pandemic under Trump, RFK Jr.

Source: USA Today

Updated May 8, 2026, 4:01 p.m. ET

World Health Organization officials have assured that the hantavirus outbreak is not the start of a pandemic. But as more headlines emerge about the potentially deadly infection, many are reminded of the COVID pandemic − and worried about the United State's preparedness.

"It's very much, we hope, under control," President Donald Trump told reporters when asked if he had been briefed on the virus. But some said his remarks don't instill confidence. “You don’t manage one (disease) you think is going to become a pandemic with hope alone," Dr. Céline Gounder, a physician who specializes in infectious diseases and global health, told reporters on May 8. USA TODAY has reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services for comment.

Preparedness concerns have been fueled by the administration's history of actions that medical experts say weaken public health, from spreading health misinformation to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ending long-standing childhood vaccine recommendations. Public trust in health institutions also eroded in the response to the COVID pandemic — spanning both Trump's and former President Joe Biden's administrations — which included communication missteps that former officials have publicly reflected on.

In a hantavirus-focused press briefing on May 7, the Infectious Diseases Society of America's CEO, Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, shared concerns that “we are not prepared" for public health crises.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2026/05/08/trump-rfk-jr-prepared-potential-pandemics/89991254007/

14 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Experts worry 'we are not prepared' for pandemic under Trump, RFK Jr. (Original Post) BumRushDaShow 18 hrs ago OP

You don't have to be an expert. RandySF 18 hrs ago #1

For those of us w/immune issues TBF 17 hrs ago #2

Secretary of Disease, Pestilence, and Early Death dedl67 16 hrs ago #3

DEI...Disease,early death and incompetence. BattleRow 10 hrs ago #8

This EuterpeThelo 13 hrs ago #4

"Experts worry 'we are not prepared' for pandemic" Ya think? Martin68 11 hrs ago #5

File that under "No Shit Sherlock." Vinca 11 hrs ago #6

The health expert was Captain Obvious. SamuelAdams 11 hrs ago #7

Calling Dr. Fauci. Please report to the dance floor. thought crime 10 hrs ago #9

They'll just call it a Democrat Hoax anyway. No PPE or anything else needed Bengus81 10 hrs ago #10

Don't worry. Whatever virus comes around, it will disappear in the spring like COVID did. Ray Bruns 8 hrs ago #11

And how many died from covid due to this man's negligence ?? vapor2 3 hrs ago #14

"It's very much, we hope, under control," President Donald Trump told reporters AZLD4Candidate 6 hrs ago #12

As long as we have plenty of ivermectin, we should be okay. Aristus 6 hrs ago #13

RandySF

(85,787 posts)

1. You don't have to be an expert.

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat May 9, 2026, 03:41 AM

18 hrs ago

TBF

(37,089 posts)

2. For those of us w/immune issues

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat May 9, 2026, 05:07 AM

17 hrs ago

RFK, Jr is the most terrifying part of this administration.

dedl67

(241 posts)

3. Secretary of Disease, Pestilence, and Early Death

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat May 9, 2026, 05:41 AM

16 hrs ago

... since they are changing the names of Departments these days.

BattleRow

(2,656 posts)

8. DEI...Disease,early death and incompetence.

Reply to dedl67 (Reply #3)

Sat May 9, 2026, 11:46 AM

10 hrs ago

EuterpeThelo

(429 posts)

4. This

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat May 9, 2026, 08:41 AM

13 hrs ago

is triggering the hell out of me. His deliberate mismanagement of COVID last time cost me the love of my life. I participate in a group for people who lost loved ones to the virus and NONE of us are OK, despite society trying to shove our pain down the memory hole as fast as they possibly can.

"It's very much, we hope, under control..."

“We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China. It’s going to be just fine.”

“Looks like by April, you know in theory when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away.”

“The 15 (cases in the US) within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero.”

“It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”

I intended "to always play it down.”

“I don’t take responsibility at all.”

"They are dying. That's true. And you — it is what it is.”

Martin68

(28,040 posts)

5. "Experts worry 'we are not prepared' for pandemic" Ya think?

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat May 9, 2026, 10:48 AM

11 hrs ago

Vinca

(54,279 posts)

6. File that under "No Shit Sherlock."

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat May 9, 2026, 11:05 AM

11 hrs ago

SamuelAdams

(149 posts)

7. The health expert was Captain Obvious.

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat May 9, 2026, 11:25 AM

11 hrs ago

Unless ivermectin or some homeopathic remedy stops a pandemic, I wouldn't expect much from this administration.

thought crime

(1,774 posts)

9. Calling Dr. Fauci. Please report to the dance floor.

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat May 9, 2026, 11:51 AM

10 hrs ago

RFK Jr., Bobby, Bob, "Gloryhallastoopid, Mista Bob Dobalina"

( From Song by Del the Funky Homosapien ).

Bengus81

(10,340 posts)

10. They'll just call it a Democrat Hoax anyway. No PPE or anything else needed

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat May 9, 2026, 11:53 AM

10 hrs ago

Ray Bruns

(6,652 posts)

11. Don't worry. Whatever virus comes around, it will disappear in the spring like COVID did.

Reply to Bengus81 (Reply #10)

Sat May 9, 2026, 01:39 PM

8 hrs ago

Wait! That’s not what happened. It was a total fiasco! And the people in charge then are in charge now!

vapor2

(4,840 posts)

14. And how many died from covid due to this man's negligence ??

Reply to Ray Bruns (Reply #11)

Sat May 9, 2026, 07:19 PM

3 hrs ago

We're in good hands so no need to worry.

AZLD4Candidate

(6,900 posts)

12. "It's very much, we hope, under control," President Donald Trump told reporters

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat May 9, 2026, 03:44 PM

6 hrs ago

We hope? That's a nice way of saying "We have nothing."

Maybe he'll tell us to inject sunlight, shove a floor lamp up our asses, or ingest bleach like he did last time.

Aristus

(72,471 posts)

13. As long as we have plenty of ivermectin, we should be okay.

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat May 9, 2026, 03:44 PM

6 hrs ago

Maybe it will kill off the useless percentage of Americans who thumb their noses at medical science, immunizations, and proper pandemic management.

One can only hope...

Reply to this discussion