President Donald Trump indicated in a tweet Sunday night that he will be making a decision on the nation’s next coronavirus response as soon as next week.
“WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!” Trump tweeted.
WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 23, 2020
Last Monday, Trump implemented a 15-day guidance urging all Americans to help reduce the spread of coronavirus by limiting social gatherings, working from home, and avoiding unnecessary travel. Federal health officials have said that such measures are essential to slow the spread of the virus.
That 15-day period will conclude next Tuesday, March 31.
“We’re asking everyone to work at home, if possible, postpone unnecessary travel, and limit social gatherings to no more than 10 people,” Trump had said at a press briefing last Tuesday, just one day after releasing the guidelines.
“If we do this right, our country — and the world, frankly — but our country can be rolling again pretty quickly,” Trump said.
Anonymous officials told CNN that Trump is eager to ease social distancing guidelines due to the detriment it has caused to the economy. The dilemma has raised debate as to which measures can effectively balance the health of Americans with the health of the economy.
“The President is right, the cure can’t be worse than the disease, and we’re going to have to make some difficult tradeoffs,” said Trump’s top economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Monday on Fox News. “I spoke with the President about this very subject late last evening, so we’ll be looking at a number of different things. Let’s give it another week.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may issue new guidelines allowing Americans to return to the workplace if they wear masks, Vice President Mike Pence indicated at a Sunday press briefing. The move could help restore some frozen economies in states with low cases of coronavirus.
The United States now has the third-highest number of coronavirus cases behind China and Italy.
According to Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus tracking map, there are now 41,511 confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. as of Monday afternoon, and 499 Americans have died from the virus.
Worldwide, there are now 367,457 confirmed coronavirus cases, 16,113 deaths, and 100,879 people have recovered.
