Trump urges social distancing, warns COVID-19 could disrupt U.S. until August
WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday urged all older Americans to stay home and everyone to avoid crowds and eating out at restaurants as part of sweeping guidelines meant to combat an expected surge of coronavirus cases.
President Donald Trump, in a marked shift in tone about a crisis that has enveloped the globe, for the first time acknowledged that the pandemic may send the U.S. economy into a recession and suggested that the nation may be dealing with the virus until “July or August.”
The president, in an appearance in the White House briefing room, when asked when the pandemic would subside, said that “if we do a really good job” the crisis could pass by the height of summer. That was a far less optimistic take than in his earlier predictions that it could be over within weeks. He also acknowledged that the virus, which has battered the global markets, may send the nation’s economy into a recession, a potentially brutal blow for an incumbent in an election year.
Trump was unusually somber about the matter after playing it down for weeks. He acknowledged the pandemic was “not under control” in the United States or globally but said he did not yet plan to call for domestic travel restrictions and said he was reluctant to advise states to cancel the primary elections ahead.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health...warns-covid-19-could-disrupt-u-s-until-august
WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday urged all older Americans to stay home and everyone to avoid crowds and eating out at restaurants as part of sweeping guidelines meant to combat an expected surge of coronavirus cases.
President Donald Trump, in a marked shift in tone about a crisis that has enveloped the globe, for the first time acknowledged that the pandemic may send the U.S. economy into a recession and suggested that the nation may be dealing with the virus until “July or August.”
The president, in an appearance in the White House briefing room, when asked when the pandemic would subside, said that “if we do a really good job” the crisis could pass by the height of summer. That was a far less optimistic take than in his earlier predictions that it could be over within weeks. He also acknowledged that the virus, which has battered the global markets, may send the nation’s economy into a recession, a potentially brutal blow for an incumbent in an election year.
Trump was unusually somber about the matter after playing it down for weeks. He acknowledged the pandemic was “not under control” in the United States or globally but said he did not yet plan to call for domestic travel restrictions and said he was reluctant to advise states to cancel the primary elections ahead.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health...warns-covid-19-could-disrupt-u-s-until-august
