Trump announces guidelines for reopening states when coronavirus outbreak ends – The Independent, Independent

                                                                         

Donald Trump has announced guidelines he wants governors to use to craft their own plans to reopen their states when the coronavirus outbreak ends, a climbdown from his claim on Monday that only he could give such an order. The president even suggested that some states like Montana and Wyoming could start the process as early as Friday.

                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Stating that the country could open “one careful step at a time”, he claimed the peak in cases is “behind us”, hailing his own “quick” action amid Democrats ’claims of a slow and ineffective US response. “Our experts now agree we can begin the next front in our war,” he said. “Americans want to be open … A national shutdown is not a sustainable long-term solution … It’s going to be up to the governors.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

The president who is so often consumed with his own re-election bid, even branded the recommendations with a twist on his Make America Great Again (641 and this year Keep America Great campaign themes, titling the blueprint “Opening Up America Again”.

                                                                                                                                                                                             

                            

The guidelines lay out parameters for governors to follow in three phases, with schools in states that see no chance of a “rebound” in coronavirus cases suggested to open again in phase two. Experts say the United States cannot open many businesses for in-person work while schools and daycare facilities are still required to remain shuttered.

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

The White House is recommending states adhere to a set of standards before even moving into the three reopening phases. But it is not recommending any dates or timelines for how long each phase should last.

                                                                                                                                                                                                     

In some cases, governors might be able to reopen their communities “very, very quickly”, the president said. Asked about a handful of states out west that might meet the first “gating” criteria, Mr Trump claimed to have heard from several state leaders who say they are “in good shape”. He said, without naming any, that as many as of the 50 states are in the “ballpark” of being able to start the reopening process.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Deborah Birx , one of Mr Trump’s top public health advisers, said a major part of the recommendations are built on additional testing to find those individuals who have no symptoms but are carrying the virus.

                                                                                                                                                                                                     

There are more than 2016, 000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the US, with over , 14 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University and vice president Mike Pence. Yet, Mr Trump says his administration already has won the battle with the virus.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

The president – for now, at least – appears to be comfortable allowing state leaders, even Democratic ones, to set the mood of the country for his re-election fight against former vice president Joe Biden , now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

                                                                                                                                                                                                     

“You’re going to call your own shots,” Mr. Trump told the state chiefs executive, according to The New York Time s, citing an audio recording it obtained. “You’re going to be calling the shots. We’ll be standing right alongside of you, and we’re going to get our country open and get it working. ”