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A26 U.S. NEWS
Friday 17 april 2020
Trump unveils phased approach to reopening economy

By ZEKE MILLER, when to ease up will rest the legislators repeatedly phy said at a news confer- can companies raised
ALAN SUDERMAN, and with governors. urged the president not to ence before the call with concerns about the test-
KEVIN FREKING The recommendations also sacrifice public health in an the White House that he ing issue, according to one
Associated Press will make clear that the effort to reopen the econ- planned to ask the presi- participant who spoke on
WASHINGTON (AP) — New return to normalcy will be omy. dent for "direct cash as- condition of anonymity to
White House guidelines out- describe the private discus-
line a phased approach sion.
to restoring normal com- Another participant said it
merce and services, but was stressed to Trump that
only for places with strong expansion of testing and
testing and seeing a de- contact tracing was cru-
crease in COVID-19 cases. cial, as well as guidelines for
President Donald Trump best practices on reopen-
unveiled his administra- ing businesses in phases or
tion's plans to ease social in one fell swoop.
distancing requirements on The participant said those
a call Thursday with the na- on the call noted to the
tion's governors. administration that there
The new guidelines are was about to be a rush on
aimed at clearing the way personal protective equip-
for an easing of restrictions ment. Many businesses that
in areas with low trans- are now shuttered will need
mission of the coronavi- the protective equipment
rus, while keeping them in to keep their employees
place in harder-hit places. and customers safe.
Places with declining in- Trump was told "the econ-
fections and strong test- omy will look very different
ing would begin a three- and operations will look
phased gradual reopening very different," one partici-
of businesses and schools, pant said.
which each phase lasting President Donald Trump waves during an event celebrating American truckers, at the White South Carolina Sen. Lind-
House, Thursday, April 16, 2020, in Washington.
at least 14 days, meant to Associated Press. sey Graham, a Republican
ensure that the virus out- close to Trump, said the
break doesn't accelerate a far longer process than "My highest priority on this sistance," citing the state's lack of widespread testing
again. Trump initially envisioned, task force will be to ensure troubled tax revenues. He was an impediment to lift-
Those most susceptible with federal officials warn- the federal government's also said he would press ing the social distancing
to the respiratory disease ing that some social dis- efforts to reopen our econ- for "robust health care in- guidelines. "We are strug-
would be advised to re- tancing measures may omy are bipartisan, data- frastructure" and mass test- gling with testing at a large
main sheltered in place un- need to remain in place driven, and based on the ing with quick turnaround scale," he told ABC's "The
til the final phase. through the end of the year expertise of public health times before reopening the View." "You really can't go
President Donald Trump to prevent a new outbreak. professionals," said Demo- economy. back to work until we have
prepared to unveil nation- Trump briefed the nation's cratic Sen. Mark Warner of Trump said Wednesday more tests."
al guidelines Thursday on governors on the plan Virginia. that data indicates the U.S. But some of Trump's conser-
when and how the country Thursday afternoon, say- Business leaders, too, raised is "past the peak" of the CO- vative allies, like economist
starts to recover from the ing they were going to be concerns to the president VID-19 epidemic. He said Stephen Moore, have en-
sharp economic pain of responsible for deciding in a round of calls Wednes- the numbers have "put us couraged him to act swift-
the coronavirus pandemic when it is safe to lift restric- day, warning that a dra- in a very strong position to ly, warning of "a mini Great
as a bipartisan panel of tions in their states. matic increase in testing finalize guidelines for states Depression if we keep the
lawmakers urged him to "You're going to call your and wider availability of on reopening the country." economy shut down."
heed the advice of public own shots," Trump told gov- protective equipment will Dr. Deborah Birx, the White "That is a catastrophic out-
health experts. ernors, according to an be necessary before they House coronavirus task come for our country. Peri-
The new guidelines are audio recording obtained can safely revive opera- force coordinator, added od," Moore said he advised
aimed at clearing the way by The Associated Press. tions. that data from across the the president. "We can't
for an easing of restrictions "We're going to be stand- The federal government country showed the nation have 30 million people in
in areas with low trans- ing alongside of you." envisions a gradual recov- "improving," but that Ameri- this country unemployed or
mission of the coronavi- Seven governors in the ery from the virus, in which cans had to recommit to you're going to have social
rus, while keeping them in Midwest announced Thurs- disruptive mitigation mea- social distancing to keep chaos."
place in harder-hit places. day they will coordinate on sures may be needed in up the positive momentum. The panel, which Trump
Ultimately, decisions on reopening the economy, some places at least until She said nine states have dubbed the new Great
after similar pacts were an- a vaccine is available — fewer than 1,000 cases and American Economic Re-
nounced earlier this week a milestone unlikely to be just a few dozen new cas- vival Industry Groups, also
in the West and Northeast. reached until sometime es per day. She said those could help give him a
Trump held conference next year. would likely be the first to measure of cover. If cas-
calls earlier Thursday with "It's not going to immedi- see a lifting in social dis- es surge once restrictions
lawmakers he named to a ately be a situation where tancing restrictions at the are lifted, as many experts
new congressional advisory we have stadiums full of direction of their governors have warned, Trump will be
task force. The economic people," said Housing and under the guidelines set to able to tell the public he
costs were clear in new fed- Urban Development Sec- be released Thursday. didn't act alone and the
eral data showing that at retary Ben Carson on Thurs- But participants in a nation's top minds — from
least 22 million Americans day. "We're Americans. We Wednesday call with Trump manufacturing to defense
have been thrown out of will adapt," he added. that included executives of to technology — helped
work in the last month. But New Jersey Gov. Phil Mur- dozens of leading Ameri- shape the plan.q