Early last month, President Trump said that "anyone who needs a test, gets a test," boasting about the accessibility Americans would have to tests and, ultimately, care.
But one month later, the numbers tell a different story. In America, the total number of reported test results was 3,882,002 as of April 20. The U.S. population is around 329.5 million people. That means that just around 1.2 percent of the population has been tested for coronavirus — a far cry from Trump's claim that "anyone who needs a test, gets a test."
In reality, it isn't just the sick, hospitalized, or those who are at greater risk for catching the disease that need a test. We all need tests.
40,000 people have already died from coronavirus. And according to U.S. News, "Research suggests that up to 25 percent of those who become infected with the coronavirus may not show symptoms." That means if the majority of Americans don't get tested, those who might not be at risk or might not be showing symptoms of the disease could, in fact, continue to spread it because they are asymptomatic.
Trump's major interest lies in reopening the country and the economy. He has falsely claimed that, as president, he has "total authority" when it comes to lifting coronavirus restrictions on a state level — the overall health of the population evidently not front-of-mind.
With 40,000 people already dead and projections that up to 25 percent of those infected being asymptomatic, it's truly remarkable that a little more than 1 percent of the total population have been tested. Americans are still waiting for their tests, and with Trump's mind on the economy, it might be a while before that becomes a reality.