Coronavirus Crisis Could Last Until July or August – Trump Says

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump said the growing coronavirus crisis could last as long as August, the White House Coronavirus Task Force reported.

During a press briefing on Monday, Trump called for Americans to avoid discretionary travel and gatherings of more than 10 people, as well as public spaces in order to curb the spread of the virus.

“They think August, it could be July,” he said. “Could be longer than that. But I’ve asked that question many, many times.”

He also urged Americans to work from home and homeschool children, if possible.

Relatively, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, clarified that the guidelines won’t be in effect until July, but that the “trajectory of the outbreak” could last until then. He said the guidelines are in place for at least 15 days.

Trump said he doesn’t have immediate plans to call for a nationwide quarantine.

He has long been criticized for downplaying the severity of the crisis and for his slow response to the outbreak. Monday’s message marked a shift in tone as he urged Americans to stick to the 15-day guideline.

There are currently at least 3,400 confirmed coronavirus cases in the US and 169,000 worldwide.