HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement on President Trump's Oval Office address regarding the COVID-19 outbreak:

"President Trump's address to the American people laid out bold new steps he is taking to protect our country from COVID-19 and alleviate the economic impacts of the pandemic. Some criticized the President's decisive steps early on in this outbreak as an overreaction. Now, as the world works to stop the virus's spread, the President's early actions have proven prescient.

"The President made a powerful, unifying call to action for all Americans to play a role in protecting our country from the virus. The policies he laid out are the recommendations of our best experts. All Americans, and especially older Americans, should be observing commonsense hygiene steps and following guidance from federal, state, and local authorities about avoiding unnecessary travel and large gatherings in some areas. If we take these kinds of steps, put politics aside, and come together as a country, we can slow the spread of the virus and keep all Americans as safe and healthy as possible."