Amidst America becoming the epicenter of Covid-19 Outbreak, Trump announces plans to reopen the state economies in the upcoming months. The POTUS has sent guidelines “Opening up America Again” to the governors of the respective states.
The three-tiered guideline is set to ease the lockdown arrangements in the states. The governors will have the federal bureau at its side to implement the measures.
Severe criticism and backlash followed this announcement. Scientists and Medical experts suggest against it given the current predicament of the US with 654,301 confirmed cases and 32,186 deaths due to the virus. Leading Democrat, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, condemns the guidelines calling it “misleading and vague.”
Donald Trump, in his daily briefing, declared “the next front in our war – opening up America again.”
“America wants to be open, and Americans want to be open,” he said. “A national shutdown is not a sustainable long-term solution.”
He predicts that a prolonged lockdown may incur a “sharp rise” in drug abuse, alcohol abuse, heart disease, and other “physical and mental” problems.
When asked about the measures regarding social distancing, Mr. Trump quipped that unaffected citizens would be able to return to work as “conditions follow.” He said that reopening the US economy would be done “one careful step at a time,” but he called on state governors to move “very, very quickly, depending on what they want to do.”
The 18-page guidance guidelines details three phases of plans to resume state economies. Each stage will continue for a minimum of 14 days before transferring to the next.
Phase one bears a lot of resemblance to the current lockdown measures, such as avoiding non-essential travel and not gathering in groups. But it gives relaxation to large venues such as restaurants, places of worship, and sports venues, which “can operate under strict physical distancing protocols.”
Phase two begins at the behest of zero cases of coronavirus resurgence. Non-Essential travel will be permitted along with the reopening of schools and bars “with diminished standing-room occupancy.”
Phase Three in the states will prompt “public interactions.” However, this is applicable only for the areas which have successfully managed to flatten the curve. Physical distancing and the unrestricted staffing of worksites, along with visits to care homes and hospitals can resume, and bars can also increase their standing room capacity.
Trump conceding his control, gave the governor powers “to call your own shots.”
