Report By Jim Collura, NEFI Vice President & Director of Government Affairs (jim.collura@nefi.com)
President Trump announced an extension of his coronavirus social distancing guidelines for another month. The original coronavirus guidelines, called 15 Days to Slow the Spread, will be extended through April 30, 2020. The president’s decision is based on new administration data that suggests a potentially staggering death toll if the nation does not act.
According to the president, “you’re talking about 2.2 million deaths” if the nation did nothing and ignored strict social distancing measures experts say are needed to mitigate further spread of the virus. The president aims to keep the death toll to the lower end: 100,000-200,000 deaths. “It’s a horrible number,” Trump said.
The White House numbers are based on more than a dozen models of how the pandemic could progress in the United States. The data suggests a “peak” in COVID-19 cases could come in about two weeks. This could vary depending on location and the ability of healthcare providers to respond to local outbreaks. “We can expect that, by June 1st, we will be well on our way to recovery,” the president said.
Mr. Trump’s tone is increasingly that of a wartime president seeking to harden the resolve of the American people. “In our present crisis, the strength of our people is our single most important asset, and together we will defeat this invisible curse, this invisible enemy, and rise to incredible new heights,” he said.
The White House is expected to issue revised coronavirus guidelines in the coming days.