Economists are warning that the sudden halt of business activity in the United States caused by the COVID-19 virus will take a serious toll on the economy in the months ahead, and may send the country into a recession.

The duration of a temporary ban on nonessential travel between the United States and Canada could be a month, President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on March 18.

American Trucking Associations is asking the Trump administration to take specific steps that will help the trucking industry in its efforts to keep stores and medical facilities stocked with supplies as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic.

FedEx announced March 17 that year-over-year quarterly net income for its fiscal third quarter fell 57% to $315 million, compared with $739 million in the same period a year ago. But Q3 revenue rose 3% to $17.5 billion from $17 billion a year ago.

Despite the pressure the coronavirus is putting on the economy, some transportation-related companies are hiring.

The U.S. economy is rapidly moving from 121 consecutive months of growth to a recession, the result of consumers and businesses hitting the brakes over mounting fears of the coronavirus.

Amazon .com will hire 100,000 people — and give U.S. workers a $2-an-hour raise — in an effort to meet crushing demand from customers placing online orders for household essentials rather than going to crowded stores.

Canada is closing its borders to anyone who is not a citizen or a permanent resident amid the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced March 16. However, the declaration does not affect the shipment of goods into the country, and for now, U.S. citizens.

Online retail giant Amazon.com Inc. is warning its customers may see some delivery delays, and some items could be out of stock as the impact from the coronavirus spreads across the country. The company says the increase in people buying things online is having an effect on how it serves its customers.

Economists and other experts who watch the U.S. economy on a minute-by-minute basis are now suggesting, some loudly, that the nation is lurching towards a recession, as the coronavirus damages the economy.