Dr. Anthony Fauci Suggests America Could Start Reopening Next Month
With the Trump administration hinting at an impending return to normal lives in America, White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci has expressed "cautious optimism" that the deadly virus is losing its grip on the country.
On Sunday, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Fauci showed cautious enthusiasm that the COVID-19 is slowing down in the United States, saying that some parts of the country may reopen next month. During CNN’s State of the Union, Dr. Fauci warned that Americans shouldn't expect the entire country to turn back on like a “light switch.”
Indications, Dr. Fauci pointed out suggests some of the metrics designed to measure the crisis have started to level off in specific areas. Talking about when parts of the country can loosen up the strict social-distancing restrictions, Dr. Fauci said that the process is likely to begin in some ways, probably in May.
Dr. Fauci's positive remark comes less than a day after America recorded over an alarming 20,000 deaths from the disease, towering above Italy as the country with the highest number of deaths in the world. Over 530,000 Americans have tested positive for coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
Last week, New York’s metropolitan area recorded its highest death toll in a single day, but even as the death count continue to rise, hospitalizations, ICU check-ins, intubations, and other metrics have started to flatten, Dr. Fauci said. Health experts suggest that the number of deaths due to the virus is likely to be less than the number of hospitalizations and infections, which means; even when coronavirus is at the peak of its strength, proof of progress can still be found.
As soon as that corner turns, Dr. Fauci says there's a possibility America will see a sharp decline. While New York is deemed as the epicenter of the outbreak, other states with less harsh outbreaks are more likely to be reopened, provided there is an element that suggests pulling back on can be done safely, Dr. Fauci explained.
Dr. Fauci appeared on CNN on Easter Sunday, when Trump previously advised churches to open doors to the public for them to gather in for the Christian holiday. Following those remarks, the White House agreed to extend the social distancing guidelines through the end of this month.
A report from The New York Times indicated that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has indicated that if the Trump administrations lift states' containment measures including social distancing, closing nonessential businesses and schools after just 30 days, there could be a rise in infection this summer.