By Lizzie Day • Published: 16 Mar 2020 • 21:51
President Donald Trump on Monday released a series of coronavirus guidelines to slow the spread that calls for a lockdown of America, including the closing of restaurants and schools.
‘Each and every one of us has a critical role to play in stopping the spread,’ the president said in the White House briefing room.
He predicted the virus could be a threat until the summer.
‘People are talking about July, August, something like that,’ Trump said. ‘They could be right in that period of time where it washes through.’
But Dr. Anthony Fauci stepped in to clarify the guidelines were not in affect that long.
‘The guidelines are over a 15 day-trial guideline,’ Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said and added that they will be reconsidered after the initial run.
‘The president was saying that the trajectory of the outbreak may go until then, make sure you don’t think that it’s solid in stone until July’ for the guidelines.
The two-page list, called ’15 Days to Slow the Spread,’ advises avoiding ‘eating or drinking in bars, restaurants, and food courts – use drive through, pickup, and delivery options.
It also calls on governors that have states with ‘evidence of community transmission’ to close schools in the affected areas.’ And it asks those states to address childcare issues as well as nutritional needs of children who use schools for their meals.
And there may be stronger guidelines to come.
‘We have taken a tough stance. We may make other decisions,’ the president said.
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