On Sunday, President Donald Trump has announced that the national social distancing guidelines are extended to April 30 in an attempt to keep the nation’s coronavirus death toll under 100,000.
Last week, Trump announced that he wanted to reopen the country by Easter (April 12). However, public health experts warned that loosening restrictions by Easter could lead to unwanted deaths and economic damage.
Suggesting that the number of coronavirus deaths would likely to peak in a couple of weeks, Trump said, “Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before the victory has been won.
He also said that reopening the nation by Easter was just an “aspiration.” He hopes the nation will be well on its way to recovery by June 1.
Trump explained that his administration was extending the guidelines to prevent a major death toll. He said his administration has been working to keep the death toll under 100,000.
“So if we can hold that down, as we’re saying, to 100,000, it’s a horrible number, maybe even less, but to 100,000, so we have between 100 and 200,000, we all together have done a very good job,” the President said.
NIAID head Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is leading the White House Coronavirus Taskforce, said the United States could see up to 200,000 deaths and millions of infections. However, he cautioned that the numbers are just based on models and nothing is certain.
In the United States, the virus has affected 142,735 and killed 2,489 so far.
The Trump administration’s guidance recommends practicing social distancing by stay mostly at home. The CDC has urged the residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to avoid non-essential travel for 14 days.
Trump also said that hospitals and health workers were hoarding ventilators. They are facing scarce supply across the country. Health officials have repeatedly been urging for more personal protective equipment (PPE) because hospitals are facing a major influx of coronavirus patients.
