Trump Announces Social Distancing Guidelines Through April 30
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It has now become clearer a return to normalcy in the era of the coronavirus pandemic remains elusive for most Americans.
After suggesting a significant portion of the country’s operations, such as commerce and commuter transportation systems, could carry on with minimal interruptions by Easter, President Donald Trump acknowledged over the weekend getting back to business as usual is simply not realistic.
The president explained his team had been evaluating the status of the country’s health systems and concluded federal strict social distancing guidelines needed to remain in place through the end of April. He went on to tell reporters at the White House on March 29 that holding the pandemic’s death toll in the United States to about 100,000 would be somewhat of an achievement.
Mulero
Trump explained, “If we can hold that down, as we’re saying, to 100,000 — that’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 pandemic has forced governors to limit or temporarily shut down government and business activities. Notwithstanding a recent $2 trillion rescue package enacted into law, the supply chain is enduring severe disruptions and unemployment has skyrocketed during these mitigation campaigns. Government and health care officials say they’re scrambling for medical supplies.
The president described scenes from a hospital in New York City, where a truck had pulled up to retrieve casualties of the pandemic. “I grew up in Queens, N.Y., and right next to a place called Elmhurst, Queens. And they have a hospital that’s a very good hospital — Elmhurst Hospital. Right? I’ve known it. I’ve known where it is.
“I can tell you the color on the outside, the size of the windows. I mean, I know it very well, right? That was near my community where I lived,” the president said. “And I’ve been watching that for the last week on television. Body bags all over in hallways. I’ve been watching them bring in trailer trucks — freezer trucks; they’re freezer trucks — because they can’t handle the bodies there’s so many of them.”
The extension of social distancing guidelines notwithstanding, just a short time ago Trump had entertained an Easter (April 12) timeline for restoring normalcy at certain places around the country. At a virtual town hall hosted by Fox News on March 24, the president offered perspective by noting the rate of fatalities on the highways. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported there had been 36,560 individuals killed in traffic crashes in 2018, a 2.4% decrease from the previous year.
His rationale went as follows, “We lose thousands of people a year to the flu. We never turn the country off. We lose much more than that to automobile accidents. We didn’t call up the automobile companies and say, ‘Stop making cars. We don’t want any cars anymore.’ We have to get back to work.”
03.16.20_coronavirus-guidance_8.5x11_315PM by Transport Topics on Scribd
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Favorite Video
(Dr. Evil voice:) Two. Trillion. Dollars.
Favorite Tweet
Alice, we’re officially through the looking glass.
What a time to be alive.. Trump praising John Kerry for bashing Thomas Massie https://t.co/6mQMUg48nX — Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) March 27, 2020
The Last Word
I know we’ll be successful in putting this down now, but we really need to be prepared for another cycle. And what we’re doing, I believe, will prepare us well.
Dr. Anthony Fauci at the White House on March 25
We publish weekly when Congress is in session. E-mail emulero@ttnews.com with tips. Follow us @eugenemulero and @transporttopics.
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