Cornell Medical Prof. Demolishes Press Secretary’s Claim Widespread Testing is Unnecessary: ‘Preposterous,’ ‘Fundamentally Absurd’

A Cornell medical professor called out and debunked a claim on testing made by the White House press secretary on Wednesday, dismissing the comments as both “preposterous” and “fundamentally absurd.”

Speaking with CNN’s Don Lemon, Dr. Kent Sepkowtiz, a leading researcher into pandemics, tore into the misinformation coming from the podium during the White House press briefing hours before. That’s when Trump press secretary Kayleigh McEnany brushed off as a “myth” and “nonsensical” the need for comprehensive testing of Americans to ensure a safe restart of businesses and travel — despite overwhelming recommendations from public health experts, like Sepkowitz and the administration’s own infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, to the contrary.

“So, listen, doctor, the White House is saying that the notion that everyone needs to be tested is, quote, ‘nonsensical,'” Lemon said, quoting McEnany, who infamously predicted in February that the coronavirus, which has now killed more than 73,000 Americans, would not come to the United States. “Which is interesting because they all have access to tests whenever they want, but they’re talking about how people would have to be tested over and over and over again, right? From a medical point of view, how do you see it?”

“We have to test everyone and probably repeatedly,” Sepkowitz said bluntly, contradicting McEnany’s claim almost word for word. “It’s preposterous to think we can reopen the country safely without knowing who’s got what. I’ve likened it to trying to cross a busy street with your eyes closed. You can’t do it. You have to know what’going on. It’s just so fundamentally absurd that I think we’ve lost track of how preposterous an idea this is that we don’t need the tests. It’s completely illogical. Not acceptable.”

“Did hearing today that the task force is going to stay in place, did that —did that offer you any peace of mind?” Lemon asked.

“No, I think that this has been mostly a political crisis for the president. It’s not been a medical one,” Sepkowitz dryly responded, turning his scrutiny to President Donald Trump. “He’s let us know how disinterested he is in us as citizens, but also in the problem, which is really a tough problem. I mean, even a very engaged humanist president would have a hard time with this. This is tough business. One who is as uninterested and as disinterested creates a very, very unique challenge.”

Watch the video above, via CNN.