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U.S. NEWS Saturday 18 april 2020
`LIBERATE!’: Trump pushes states to lift virus restrictions

Continued from Front West Virginia Gov. Jim Wyoming, Maine and Sou- Virginia and Michigan, emerged as governments
Justice, a Republican ally th Dakota, governors said where more than 3,000 revised their death tolls or
Trump has repeatedly ex- of Trump’s, endorsed the they were not anxious to turned out on Wednesday openly questioned the ac-
pressed his desire to see White House plan but made quickly resume business as in what looked like one of curacy of them.
businesses reopen quickly clear that he will listen to usual. the president’s rallies, with Authorities said that al-
and claimed earlier this medical experts in deci- “Until we’ve got the testing MAGA hats and Trump most everywhere, thou-
week that he possesses ding how to move forward. up to speed — which has flags. sands have died with CO-
total authority over the He said more testing is nee- got to be part of the fede- Protests continued Friday, VID-19 symptoms — many
matter, even though the ded before any restrictions ral government stepping in including one outside the in nursing homes — wit-
lockdowns and other so- can be rolled back. and helping — we’re just home of Gov. Tim Walz of hout being tested for the
cial-distancing measures “I am not going to do so- not going to be there,” said Minnesota and another in virus, and have thus gone
have been imposed by mething that I feel in my Wyoming Gov. Mark Gor- Idaho, where the governor uncounted.
state and local leaders, not heart is the wrong thing don, a Republican. is a Republican. “We are probably only see-
Washington. that’s going to endanger Worldwide, the outbreak Public health experts have ing the tip of the iceberg,”
On Thursday, the president our people,” he said. has infected nearly 2.2 mil- warned that an easing of said Barcelona University
detailed a three-step set of Other states did take some lion people and killed over the shutdowns must be ac- epidemiologist Antoni Trilla,
guidelines for easing restric- of the nation’s first, small 145,000, according to a companied by wider tes- who heads the Spanish go-
tions over a span of several steps toward loosening res- Johns Hopkins University tal- ting and tracing of infected vernment’s expert panel
weeks in places that have trictions. ly based on figures supplied people to keep the virus on the crisis.
robust testing and are see- In Florida, GOP Gov. Ron by government health au- from coming back with a In Italy, for example, where
ing a decrease in COVID-19 DeSantis gave the green thorities around the globe, vengeance. the official toll has climbed
cases, assuring the nation’s light for municipalities to though it has becoming The clash between Trump past 22,000, a government
governors: “You’re going to reopen beaches and parks increasingly clear that the and Cuomo was personal, survey released Friday of
call your own shots.” if they can do so safely. In true numbers are much hi- with the president complai- about one-third of the
Governors of both par- Texas, Republican Gov. gher. The official death toll ning the governor hasn’t country’s nursing homes
ties Friday suggested they Greg Abbott said stores in the U.S. neared 34,000, said thanks for the help he found more than 6,000 resi-
would be cautious in retur- can begin selling curbside, with more than 670,000 has received from Washing- dents have died since Feb.
ning to normal, with some nonessential surgery can confirmed infections. ton. Cuomo countered by 1. It was unclear how many
of them warning that they resume and state parks The shutdowns have in- saying: “I don’t know what were a result of COVID-19.
can’t do it without help can reopen. flicted heavy damage on I’m supposed to do, send a In Britain, with an official
from Washington to ex- Cuomo, whose state is the economies around the bouquet of flowers? `Thank count of about 14,600
pand testing. most lethal hot spot in the world. In the U.S., the crisis you to the federal govern- dead, the country’s statis-
Michigan Gov. Gretchen nation and is still seeing has cost at least 22 millions ment for participating in a tics agency said the actual
Whitmer, a Democrat who over 600 deaths a day, ac- Americans their jobs, pu- federal emergency.’” number could be around
has been critical of the go- cused the government of shing the unemployment Meanwhile, China, con- 15% higher. Others think it
vernment’s response to the “passing the buck without rate toward levels not seen firming long-held suspici- will be far more.
crisis, acknowledged that passing the bucks.” since the Great Depression. ons, acknowledged that The official death toll in
people are “very anxious” “The federal government Many Americans, especi- the coronavirus death toll New York City soared by
about their livelihoods and cannot wipe its hands of ally in rural areas and other in the one-time epicenter more than half earlier this
worried about paying the this and say, `Oh, the states parts of the country that city of Wuhan was nearly week when health aut-
rent when they are out of are responsible for testing.’ have not seen major out- 50% higher than reported, horities began including
work. We cannot do it. We can- breaks, have urged gover- amounting to more than people who probably had
“But the last thing I want not do it without federal nors to reopen their econo- 4,600. COVID-19 but died without
to do is to have a second help,” he said. mies. Protesters have taken In Italy, Spain, Britain, the being tested. Nearly 3,800
wave here, so we’ve got to Even in largely rural states to the streets in Ohio, Texas, United States and else- deaths were added to the
be really smart,” she said. with small populations, like North Carolina, Kentucky, where, similar doubts city’s count.q

Governor gives green light for some Fla. beaches to reopen

Associated Press Gatherings of 50 or more profile beaches in South
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) people are prohibited and Florida — including Miami
— Florida's governor on Fri- people must still practice Beach — were closed by
day gave the green light social distancing. state order.
for some beaches and "Folks, this could be the At a news conference in
parks to reopen if it can beginning of the pathway Fort Lauderdale, Gov. Ron
be done safely, and north back to normal life, but DeSantis said some munic-
Florida beaches became please respect and follow ipalities should feel free to
among the first to allow al- these limitations," Curry start opening up parks and
low beach-goers to return said. "We'll get back to life beaches, if that can be
since closures because of as we know it, but we must done safely, with distanc-
the coronavirus. be patient." ing guidelines remaining in
Mayor Lenny Curry said Florida officials were criti- place.
Duval County beaches cized for leaving beaches The governor said it was
were reopening Friday open during part of the important for people to
afternoon with restricted In this March 23, 2020 photo, workers take advantage of the spring break period last have outlets for getting ex-
hours, and they can only lack of beachgoers to do some repairs to the dune walkover month. Most counties ercise, sunshine and fresh
be used for walking, bik- bridges along Jacksonville Beach in Jacksonville, Fla. closed their beaches in re- air.
Associated Press.
ing, hiking, fishing, running, sponse or kept them open "Do it in a good way. Do
swimming, taking care of The beaches will be open 8 p.m., Curry said in a vid- under very restrictive con- it in a safe way," DeSantis
pets and surfing. from 6 to 11 a.m. and 5 to eo posted to social media. ditions. Other more high- said.q