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Home / World

Trump hopes US will be reopened by Easter amid coronavirus outbreak

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24 Mar, 2020 06:37 PM5 mins to read

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Donald Trump continues to predict swift victory over coronavirus as US cases soar and deaths continue to rise. Video / CNN

With lives and the economy hanging in the balance, President Donald Trump said today he is hoping the country will be reopened by Easter, as he weighs how to refine nationwide social-distancing guidelines to put some workers back on the job amid the coronavirus outbreak.

As many public health officials call for stricter, not looser restrictions on public interactions, Trump said he was already looking towards easing the advisories that have sidelined workers, shut schools and led to a widespread economic slowdown.

"I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter," he said during a Fox News virtual town hall.

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Health experts have made it clear that unless Americans continue to dramatically limit social interaction — staying home from work and isolating themselves — the number of infections will overwhelm the healthcare system, as it has in parts of Italy, leading to many more deaths.

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While the worst outbreaks are concentrated in certain parts of the country, such as New York, experts warn that the highly infectious disease is certain to spread.

The US is now more than a week into an unprecedented 15-day effort to encourage all Americans to drastically scale back their public activities.

"I gave it two weeks," Trump said during the virtual town hall from the Rose Garden. He argued that tens of thousands of Americans die from the seasonal flu or in automobile accidents and "we don't turn the country off."

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On Governors asking for help, Trump says, "It's a two way street they have to treat us well too." pic.twitter.com/U0JBBeUYYh

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) March 24, 2020

"We'll assess at that time and we'll give it some more time if we need a little more time, but we need to open this country up," he added. "We have to go back to work, much sooner than people thought."

The reassessment comes as the White House is encouraging lawmakers on Capitol Hill to pass a roughly US$2 trillion ($3.4t) stimulus package to ease the financial pain for Americans and hard-hit industries.

Appearing before the President at the virtual town hall, Vice-President Mike Pence said Trump has asked for recommendations from the White House coronavirus task force for how he can send people back to work while minimising the public health risk. He said Trump wants to find a way "to open America back up."

Trump's enthusiasm for getting people back to work comes as he takes stock of the political toll the outbreak is taking. It sets up a potential conflict with medical professionals, including many within his government, who have called for more social restrictions to slow the spread of the virus, not fewer.

Discover more

World

Trump, Congress agree on $2 trillion coronavirus rescue bill

25 Mar 04:00 PM

CAN WE "LOCK DOWN VIRUS, NOT ECONOMY"?

Yes, but must be smart:
- Health threat still growing. Max response NOW
- Crowds kill
- Defer to state/local leaders
- Businesses can operate responsibly

Common sense: Sooner we lock down #cornoravirus, sooner U.S. economy rebounds.

— Rep. Kevin Brady (@RepKevinBrady) March 24, 2020

Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading expert on infectious diseases and a member of the White House's coronavirus task force, told WMAL today that Trump has always heeded his recommendations.

"The President has listened to what I have said and to what the other people on the task force have said, when I have made recommendations he has taken them. He's never countered or overridden me, the idea of just pitting one against the other is just not helpful," Fauci said.

Larry Kudlow, Trump's top economic adviser, told reporters that "public health includes economic health."

"That's the key point. And it's not either-or. It's not either-or, and that's why we're taking a fresh look at it," he said.

Forget all the quackery and presidential tweets. While we're waiting for a targeted coronavirus vaccine, one of the most promising options to bolster our immune systems is an old vaccine for Tuberculosis--BCG. Urgently needed trials are now underway. https://t.co/EFBi1VCCB9

— Annie Sparrow (@annie_sparrow) March 24, 2020

Earlier, Trump took to Twitter.

"Our people want to return to work," the President tweeted. "They will practice Social Distancing and all else, and Seniors will be watched over protectively & lovingly. We can do two things together. THE CURE CANNOT BE WORSE (by far) THAN THE PROBLEM!"

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During a private conference call with roughly 30 conservative leaders, Pence reinforced Trump's eagerness to lift coronavirus-related work and travel restrictions "in a matter of weeks, not months."

Pence said there would be no formal decisions made until the current 15-day period of social distancing was complete when pressed on a specific timeline for lifting restrictions, according to a conference call participant.

Pence told the group that accommodations would need to be made for the highest-risk populations if and when restrictions begin to be lifted.

- AP

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