Yes, but he associated germs as both bacteria and virus. But to be fair and accurate it's just speculation based on my decoding of what he said during the briefing video. It's not a definitive my way or the highway situation.

The context is a broken and an unrefined thought. Off the cuff response at best.

I don't believe he understands what he's saying biologically speaking as much as he's poorly repeating something that was told/taught to him as an abstract concept. It's likely bits and pieces he might remember from school or maybe it's just a casual conversation from Fauci or perhaps it's a situation room conversation that just wasn't flushed out for a press briefing. Honestly without a decent press secretary and a president who understands the importance of concise and purposeful communication. I'm surprised anything is coherent.

He understands the abstract better than the literal so he transitions to the abstract when talking about subjects he's unfamiliar with. I've heard him do this a few times now with some of his more spontaneous comments during broadcasts.