(BREAKING NEWS) – President Donald Trump is expected to declare a national emergency this afternoon under the Stafford Act in response to the growing coronavirus pandemic.

Trump has announced a press conference at 3 p.m. and it is anticipated that he will declare a national emergency as concerns over the outbreak wreak havoc and continue to disrupt daily American life.

The announcement comes as major sporting and other events have been called off or postponed, businesses across the country institute telework policies, government buildings and schools shutter and other disruptions rock the nation, amid efforts to curb the transmission of the virus.

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act allows the White House to mobilize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and direct federal aid to states hit by disasters and health crises.

Senate Democrats urged Trump to invoke the Stafford Act and other requests that they say would free up more than $42 billion in funding for states available in the Disaster Relief Fund.

And what does this mean?

Such a declaration would allow a state to request a 75 percent cost-share for expenses such as emergency workers, testing, medical supplies and vaccinations,