Coronavirus: Pelosi and Trump reach deal on testing and paid leave package

President reportedly approves deal with House Democrats on aid package as pressure mounts for aggressive response to outbreak

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she has reached a deal with the White House to pass legislation that provides free testing for coronavirus patients, including uninsured people, as well as paid sick leave and family leave for up to three months.

In a statement, she said: "This legislation is about testing, testing, testing. To stop the spread of the virus, we have secured free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured. We cannot fight coronavirus effectively unless everyone in our country who needs to be tested can get their test free of charge."

Speaker Pelosi said they also have "secured paid emergency leave with two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave" as well as unemployment insurance, a Medicaid expansion, and food security plans for poor families impacted by the outbreak.

Her announcement came after Donald Trump announced his declaration of a national emergency under the Stafford Act, relinquishing millions of dollars in FEMA funds and mobilising testing centres and health workers across the US to respond to Covid-19 cases.

Next, the Senate must pass the bill, while Congress begins work on a "third emergency response package to protect the health, economic security and well-being of the American people," Ms Pelosi said.

"We will do so in continued consultation with scientists, researchers, health care professionals, public health officials and community leaders, so that we can craft the most effective, evidence-based response," she said.

Democrats have urged lawmakers and the White House to provide paid sick leave for millions of impacted workers forced to self-isolate or quarantine.

House Democrats had several rounds of meetings this week with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and administration officials but a deal had yet to be reached until Friday afternoon.

But the president appeared to express doubts about a deal, relying on his well-tread attacks on his opponents while in the middle of a crisis, telling reporters outside the White House that he didn't believe House Democrats "are giving enough" despite assurances from Republican allies.

He said: "We are negotiating. We thought we had something, but all of the sudden they didn't agree to certain things that they agreed to. So we could have something, but we don't think they are giving enough. They are not doing what's right for the country."

As the deal was announced, the president also announced that Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC cruise lines "have all agreed to suspend outbound cruises" for the next 30 days, effective at midnight.

The deal and emergency declaration marks a remarkably sharp turn in the White House response to the pandemic after he told reporters days ago that the virus was likely to be diminished once a handful of patients were treated, and after he had slammed Democrats and the media for allegedly relying on politically motivated panic to undermine his administration.

Just two days ago, he had addressed the nation to announce a ban on most travellers entering the country from Europe, despite public health officials warning that the outbreak already posed a threat within the US without any significant public health response protocol. The president showed no signs of declaring an emergency then.

And only yesterday, Senate Republicans blocked an attempt from Democratic Senator Patty Murray to introduce a measure for paid sick leave.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cancelled the Senate recess set for next week and could take up the new legislation as soon as Monday.

The battle over paid sick leave has emerged as a crucial message among the Democratic presidential campaigns, as Bernie Sanders underlined the need for such a policy as Americans brace for impact from cut hours, layoffs or hospitalisation with a surge in illnesses.

In remarks on Thursday, Joe Biden said the lack of paid medical leave is a "national disgrace" as he called for the White House to adopt his own platform.