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Updated April 19th, 2020 at 11:59 IST

Trump says some US states 'to begin a safe, gradual and phased opening'

Donald Trump has showcased confidence that Vermont and Texas will be among the states that would start allowing certain businesses to reopen on April 20.

Reported by: Aanchal Nigam
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While COVID-19 disease has now impacted over 2.3 million people in the world, US President Donald Trump has showcased confidence on April 18 that Vermont and Texas will be among the states that would start allowing certain businesses to reopen on April 20. The states will continue to maintain the precautionary measures to curb the further spread of coronavirus, and Montana would start lifting the restrictions on April 24. During the daily coronavirus task briefing at White House, Trump said that the country continues to see “a number of positive signs that the virus has passed its peak”. The US President even said that US states have begun to declare "concrete steps for safe, gradual, phased opening".

The Trump administration had unveiled the three-phase plan for re-opening the country and gave the decision to the state governors. However, some governors have raised caution that they will not make premature decisions to reopen their economies until they are able to conduct more coronavirus tests. According to reports, businessmen across the US have told the US President that they need to ramp-up their tests before resuming normal operations. But, in the same briefing, Trump said, “our testing is getting better and better”. This came as the death toll in US due to coronavirus infections have now reached 39,015 with over 738,913 infections.

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Trump's plan to re-open US

Meanwhile, in the belief that the coronavirus outbreak in the United States has “passed the peak”, country’s President Donald Trump has announced a three-phase plan to re-open America for “rejuvenation of economy” on April 17. Giving most control over the decision to the state governors, Trump administration has chosen to shelter more vulnerable individuals from the risk of contracting COVID-19 disease, instead of continuing the "blanket shutdown". The White House has released the entire plan in three phases based on state or regional “gating criteria”. 

From the number of recorded infections to availability of hospital staff, there are a series of qualifications, that states have to fulfill in order to proceed to “phase comeback”. The documents should be submitted to the White House by state governors showing a downward trajectory in coronavirus cases, fatalities, with the graph of tests conducted in the area either be flat or growing. The official statement by Trump administration said that state and local officials might have to “tailor the application” of all criteria mentioned if not, the governors should continue to mobilise resources to work towards the re-opening of the region. 

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Published April 19th, 2020 at 11:59 IST

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