Fox “straight news” show covers for the lethal incompetence of Georgia’s GOP governor

Gov. Brian Kemp says asymptomatic people can spread coronavirus, but America’s Newsroom left out that he just learned this

Fox News “straight news” show America’s Newsroom reported on April 2 that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) will issue a stay-at-home order due to “new research” showing that asymptomatic people can spread coronavirus. America’s Newsroom did not mention that he seemingly just learned this yesterday, despite it being commonly and widely reported for weeks.

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Citation From the April 2, 2020, edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom

JONATHAN SERRIE (FOX NEWS REPORTER): Here in Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp says new research from the CDC is what convinced him to issue a statewide stay-at-home order. He's expected to draft it later today, and it would go into effect on Friday.

(BEGIN CLIP)

GOV. BRIAN KEMP (R-GA): The CDC has announced that individuals can be infected and begin to spread coronavirus earlier than previously thought, even if they have no symptoms. From a public health standpoint, this is a revelation and a game changer.

(END CLIP)

SERRIE: Pennsylvania and Florida have also announced stay-at-home orders. They are among 39 states that have either issued or are about to issue stay-at-home orders and advisories. Sandra, this affects roughly 89% of the entire U.S. population.

Kemp appeared to be referring to a March 31 NPR interview in which the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said “we have pretty much confirmed now” that asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 are transmissible. 

However, as PBS White House correspondent Yamiche Alcindor noted on Twitter, “for at least three weeks, day after day, WH officials & scientists have said on live TV for millions to watch that asymptomatic people can spread the virus.” The CDC, which has also been warning for weeks of the likelihood that asymptomatic people can spread COVID-19, is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.