Trump Succumbs to COVID-19... "Social Distancing Extended for One Month" (Comprehensive)

Change of Entry Statement Before April 12
US Uninfected Surpasses 130,000
Economic Impact Spread Inevitable

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. President Donald Trump has reversed his stance on ending social distancing measures early.

On the 29th (local time), President Trump stated at a White House Rose Garden press conference of the COVID-19 task force that "social distancing guidelines will be extended for another month until the end of April." The U.S. social distancing guidelines, which restrict gatherings of many people, were originally scheduled to end on the 30th.

This marks a retreat from his earlier position of normalizing economic activities in the U.S. by Easter on the 12th of next month. Although President Trump had previously said the social distancing guidelines might be extended for a few weeks, he decided to extend them by a full month as the spread of infections in the U.S. did not decrease.

According to Johns Hopkins University, as of this day, the number of infected people in the U.S. is 137,000, and the death toll has reached 2,409.

Accordingly, President Trump's plan to end COVID-19 early, hold Easter services normally, and reopen various workplaces has become inevitably subject to revision.

He also said, "Deaths may peak within the next two weeks," and "We will be on a good recovery path by June 1."

He explained the reason for his decision, saying, "There is nothing worse than declaring victory before winning a war," and "This would be the greatest loss of all."

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the U.S. National Institutes of Health, who has voiced a different opinion from President Trump, also supported the decision, calling it a "broad and cautious decision." Fauci appeared on a broadcast that morning and warned that millions in the U.S. could be infected with COVID-19 and the death toll could reach 100,000 to 200,000.