“Challenging times are ahead,” the president says.
The White House coronavirus task force convened another update on Monday as the magnitude of the disaster continues to expand and the prospect for disruptions stretch into the future. President Trump acknowledged that his goal for a return to normalcy by Easter won’t happen and that he extended the federal guidelines for social distancing and mitigation to April 30.
“Challenging times are ahead for the next 30 days,” President Trump said. At least another month of social distancing, and the consequences that has for everyday life and the economy, is necessary based on modeling that said the peak in fatalities might not arrive for another two weeks.
By very vigorously following guidelines, we can save millions of lives. Without the guidelines, up to 2.2 million people could have died, he said.
Additional guidelines for the next month will be made available tomorrow. Every state needs to adhere to similar rules and restrictions. The whole globe is using these recommendations now.
Travel and border restrictions will continue in place, the president said.
Testing is expected to skyrocket in the coming days, which means we will see many more positive results. The new 5-minute self-administered test should be out in a matter of days. He showed a copy of the new rapid test kit, calling it “a milestone in our war against the coronavirus”
Dr. Anthony Fauci acknowledged that the virus, even if stopped for a period this summer, could reappear in the fall, in the same form or in another. He felt that between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths could eventually come from the coronavirus. “But it is such a moving target, that we could be wrong,” Dr. Fauci said.
The president said, “My focus is saving lives. The economy will take care of itself.” He added, “The sacrifices we make will determine the fate of the virus and the rate of our victory.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For President Trump, his medical advisers and economic advisers, as they battle the coronavirus.
- For a decline in the number of new cases to come sooner instead of later.
- For the various private companies that are being mobilized to help with testing, personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, ventilators and more.
Sources: WhiteHouse.gov, NPR, C-SPAN
