EpidemicsTrump Admits COVID-19 Severity as White House Tightens Guidance
In a coronavirus briefing yesterday at the White House President Trump warned that the COVID-19 outbreak could last until July or August, and said the virus was “really bad,” a noted change in tone from the president’s earlier remarks on the virus. The White House also issued new guidelines, titled “15 Days to Slow the Spread,” meant to promote social distancing in America.
In a coronavirus briefing yesterday at the White House President Trump warned that the COVID-19 outbreak could last until July or August, and said the virus was “really bad,” a noted change in tone from the president’s earlier remarks on the virus.
“We’re announcing new guidelines for every American to follow over the next 15 days,” Trump said, flanked by Vice President Mike Pence and other members of the coronavirus task force.
The guidelines, “15 Days to Slow the Spread,” are meant to promote social distancing in America. The guidelines say gatherings should be limited to 10 people or fewer, and bars and restaurants should be avoided, as should all non-essential travel. No visits to nursing homes, and limits to shopping malls, are also mentioned.
Most important, the task force said everyone in a household should stay home if any family member is sick.
Plea to Limit Travel
CIDRAP reports that Deborah Birx, MD, the coronavirus response coordinator, said the recommendation came from the latest modeling studies. She also issued a personal plea to millennials, the largest population demographic in the United States, composed of young adults aged 25 to 40. Though that population is not at great risk for severe complications from the virus, they are the most mobile in society and the most likely to spread the virus to vulnerable populations.
In states and cities with known community spread, the task forces suggests, gyms, bars, restaurants, and any public places where people congregate should be closed.
“It will always seem that the best way to address it would be to be doing something that looks like it might be an overreaction. It isn’t an overreaction. It’s a reaction we feel is commensurate with what is actually going on in reality,” said National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director Anthony Fauci, MD, of the recommendations.
During the press conference, Trump also clarified comments made earlier yesterday on a call with state governors. Trump reportedly told the governors to obtain respirators, ventilators, and other necessary medical equipment themselves. The president said he did so because that may expedite getting the critical care machines into the hands of local hospitals.
Yesterday during an appearance on CNN, Fauci said the United States had 12,700 ventilators in the national stockpile.
