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America is opening up again! Don is the best!
- Thread starter Leongsam
- Start date
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Had Donald been in charge the Titanic would not have hit any icebergs because when it comes to leading he when it comes to navigating through choppy waters he is the best!
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2018
- Messages
- 29,462
- Points
- 113
Donald Trump backs away from 'total authority' claim, says states 'call own shots' on Opening Up America Again after coronavirus - ABC News
Posted 3h
Donald Trump announces Opening Up America Again plan
Share
US states can start easing coronavirus control measures as soon as tomorrow under new guidelines issued by the US Government.
Key points:
Decisions on easing restrictions rest with state governors
More than 5 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week
Mr Trump said "we're in excellent shape" on testing, but many healthcare officials disagree
However the final decision on winding back restrictions will be made by state governors, some of whom cautiously welcomed the roadmap to economic recovery.
The Opening Up America Again guidelines say states or regions should meet certain criteria before moving into three phases of reopening.
In phase one, the plan recommends strict social distancing for all people in public. Gatherings larger than 10 people are to be avoided and nonessential travel is discouraged.
President Donald Trump announced the guidelines for areas where COVID-19 is on the decline, saying states that had met the criteria could start opening "literally tomorrow".
"We are not opening all at once, but one careful step at a time. And some will be able to open up sooner than others," Mr Trump said.
"A prolonged lockdown combined with a forced economic depression would inflict an immense and wide-ranging toll on public health.
"If the virus returns in the fall, as some scientists think it may, possibly, these guidelines will ensure that our country is up and running so that we can likewise put it out quickly."
But he said he did not want New York or other hard-hit areas to come back too soon.
The announcement came on the same day the Government said 5.2 million more Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week.
Fortnight of decreased cases recommended before reopening
Infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, task force coordinator Deborah Birx and Robert Redfield, director of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, all backed the plan.
There should be a downward trajectory of documented COVID-19 cases within a 14-day period and a robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers, according to the guidelines.
In a call before the public announcement, Mr Trump told governors they "call [their] own shots" on how the country starts to recover economically from the pandemic.
On Monday, Mr Trump had said his "authority is total" to reopen states but he has since backed away from that claim after governors pointed out the constitution does not grant presidents that power.
The hardest-hit state, New York, has planned for a long fight against the outbreak amid hopeful hospitalisation trends.
Governor Andrew Cuomo extended stay-at-home restrictions through until mid-May and New York City is getting ready to use 11,000 empty hotel rooms for coronavirus quarantines.
How the phases will work
Before phase one, states should show a downward trajectory of documented COVID-19 cases, and influenza-like illnesses, within a 14-day period and have a robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers.
Hospitals should have enough protective gear for their workers and enough beds, ventilators and other needed supplies to treat all patients.
During phase one, the guidance affects certain employers differently. For example, schools and organised youth activities that are currently closed, such as child care, should remain closed.
The guidance also says bars should remain closed. However, larger venues such as movie theatres, churches, stadiums and arenas can operate but under strict distancing protocols.
Vulnerable people such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions should continue to shelter in place.
Individuals who do go out should avoid socialising in groups of more than 10 people in places that do not provide appropriate physical distancing.
The guidelines also recommend minimising non-essential travel.
Posted 3h
Donald Trump announces Opening Up America Again plan
Share
US states can start easing coronavirus control measures as soon as tomorrow under new guidelines issued by the US Government.
Key points:
Decisions on easing restrictions rest with state governors
More than 5 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week
Mr Trump said "we're in excellent shape" on testing, but many healthcare officials disagree
However the final decision on winding back restrictions will be made by state governors, some of whom cautiously welcomed the roadmap to economic recovery.
The Opening Up America Again guidelines say states or regions should meet certain criteria before moving into three phases of reopening.
In phase one, the plan recommends strict social distancing for all people in public. Gatherings larger than 10 people are to be avoided and nonessential travel is discouraged.
President Donald Trump announced the guidelines for areas where COVID-19 is on the decline, saying states that had met the criteria could start opening "literally tomorrow".
"We are not opening all at once, but one careful step at a time. And some will be able to open up sooner than others," Mr Trump said.
"A prolonged lockdown combined with a forced economic depression would inflict an immense and wide-ranging toll on public health.
"If the virus returns in the fall, as some scientists think it may, possibly, these guidelines will ensure that our country is up and running so that we can likewise put it out quickly."
But he said he did not want New York or other hard-hit areas to come back too soon.
The announcement came on the same day the Government said 5.2 million more Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week.
Fortnight of decreased cases recommended before reopening
Infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, task force coordinator Deborah Birx and Robert Redfield, director of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, all backed the plan.
There should be a downward trajectory of documented COVID-19 cases within a 14-day period and a robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers, according to the guidelines.
In a call before the public announcement, Mr Trump told governors they "call [their] own shots" on how the country starts to recover economically from the pandemic.
On Monday, Mr Trump had said his "authority is total" to reopen states but he has since backed away from that claim after governors pointed out the constitution does not grant presidents that power.
The hardest-hit state, New York, has planned for a long fight against the outbreak amid hopeful hospitalisation trends.
Governor Andrew Cuomo extended stay-at-home restrictions through until mid-May and New York City is getting ready to use 11,000 empty hotel rooms for coronavirus quarantines.
How the phases will work
Before phase one, states should show a downward trajectory of documented COVID-19 cases, and influenza-like illnesses, within a 14-day period and have a robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers.
Hospitals should have enough protective gear for their workers and enough beds, ventilators and other needed supplies to treat all patients.
During phase one, the guidance affects certain employers differently. For example, schools and organised youth activities that are currently closed, such as child care, should remain closed.
The guidance also says bars should remain closed. However, larger venues such as movie theatres, churches, stadiums and arenas can operate but under strict distancing protocols.
Vulnerable people such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions should continue to shelter in place.
Individuals who do go out should avoid socialising in groups of more than 10 people in places that do not provide appropriate physical distancing.
The guidelines also recommend minimising non-essential travel.
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2018
- Messages
- 4,593
- Points
- 113
Hokkaido thought they hold C19 as it dropped to 1 or 2 cases a day there.
They opened up.
Kenna 2nd wave lagi worse than the original wave
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-52305055
And Dotard want to open USA again?
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2008
- Messages
- 76,973
- Points
- 113
Trump actually delegating the opening up to health authorities and state governors. Which means he will just sit back and relax.
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2008
- Messages
- 64,030
- Points
- 113
Hokkaido thought they hold C19 as it dropped to 1 or 2 cases a day there.
They opened up.
Kenna 2nd wave lagi worse than the original wave
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-52305055
And Dotard want to open USA again?
This is the expected outcome because the virus is already widespread in the segment of the population that is asymptomatic.
This is why the only way forward is the way that Sweden has handled Covid-19.
You cannot keep stopping and starting and then stopping the economy every time a new cluster forms. Just bite the bullet and get it over and done with.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2018
- Messages
- 29,462
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- 113
Trump unveils three-stage process for states to end coronavirus shutdown
President Donald Trump speaks during an event celebrating Americas Truckers at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. Alex Wong/Getty Images/AFP
17 Apr 2020 06:03AM(Updated: 17 Apr 2020 06:33PM)
Bookmark
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump proposed guidelines on Thursday (Apr 16) under which US state governors could act to revive the US economy from its COVID-19 shutdown in a staggered, three-stage process.
Speaking at his daily briefing on the coronavirus, which has killed more than 32,600 Americans in a matter of weeks, Trump argued that a prolonged shutdown could be deeply harmful to the US economy and society.
"We are not opening all at once, but one careful step at a time," Trump told reporters, without himself providing details on his guidelines.
"A prolonged lockdown combined with a forced economic depression would inflict an immense and wide-ranging toll on public health," Trump said, adding it could lead to a "sharp rise in drug abuse, alcohol abuse, suicide, heart disease."
The new federal guidelines recommend that states record a 14-day "downward trajectory" in COVID-19 cases before beginning a three-phase process of re-opening.
The document lays out Trump's plan for opening businesses in states across the country that have been ravaged by the pandemic and its economic impact even though the responsibility for such decisions lies with state, not federal, authorities.
Advertisement
Before states re-open, hospitals should have a "robust testing programme" that includes antibody testing in place for healthcare workers, the guidelines say.
States should have the ability to set up screening and testing sites for people with symptoms as well as contact tracing capabilities, and healthcare facilities should be able to supply personal protective gear independently and handle surges if COVID-19 cases increase again.
READ: US has most COVID-19 cases in the world
READ: US coronavirus deaths surge higher to over 32,000
The document says the recommendations are "implementable on a statewide or county-by-county basis at governors' discretion." Trump has tussled with governors over who has the ultimate authority to mandate a re-opening of states' economies.
In the first phase of re-opening, the guidelines say groups of more than 10 people should be avoided if appropriate distancing measures are not practical. Non-essential travel should be minimised, telework should be encouraged, and common areas in offices closed.
Schools remain closed in phase 1, but large venues such as movies theaters, restaurants, stadiums, and places of worship can open with "strict physical distancing protocols."
Hospitals, which have been hit hard by the health crisis, may resume elective surgeries, which are critical to their revenue streams, and gyms can re-open with new protocols. Bars should remain closed, it said.
In the second phase, applicable to states and regions with "no evidence of a rebound" in coronavirus cases, the guidelines recommend groups of more than 50 be avoided where social distancing is not practical. Non-essential travel can resume in this period, while schools and youth camps can reconvene and bars with "diminished standing-room occupancy" may re-open.
Phase three includes unrestricted staffing of workplaces.
A White House official described the guidelines as conservative and noted that they had been agreed to by the top doctors on the president's coronavirus task force.
Trump is pushing to get the US economy going again after the coronavirus shutdown left millions of Americans jobless.
READ: Millions unemployed, homebuilding collapses as coronavirus ravages US economy
More than 20 million people have filed for unemployment in the US in the past month and over 90 per cent of the country have been under stay-at-home orders.
Trump said on Wednesday some states with low numbers of infections will be ready to resume economic activity sooner than those hard hit by the highly contagious virus.
READ: Seven US states extend coronavirus shutdown to May 15
The White House official said that each governor will be able to look to the recommendations as a guide.
"They are layered," the official said, adding they were approved by medical experts on the White House coronavirus task force: infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, task force coordinator Deborah Birx and Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event celebrating Americas Truckers at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. Alex Wong/Getty Images/AFP
17 Apr 2020 06:03AM(Updated: 17 Apr 2020 06:33PM)
Bookmark
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump proposed guidelines on Thursday (Apr 16) under which US state governors could act to revive the US economy from its COVID-19 shutdown in a staggered, three-stage process.
Speaking at his daily briefing on the coronavirus, which has killed more than 32,600 Americans in a matter of weeks, Trump argued that a prolonged shutdown could be deeply harmful to the US economy and society.
"We are not opening all at once, but one careful step at a time," Trump told reporters, without himself providing details on his guidelines.
"A prolonged lockdown combined with a forced economic depression would inflict an immense and wide-ranging toll on public health," Trump said, adding it could lead to a "sharp rise in drug abuse, alcohol abuse, suicide, heart disease."
The new federal guidelines recommend that states record a 14-day "downward trajectory" in COVID-19 cases before beginning a three-phase process of re-opening.
The document lays out Trump's plan for opening businesses in states across the country that have been ravaged by the pandemic and its economic impact even though the responsibility for such decisions lies with state, not federal, authorities.
Advertisement
Before states re-open, hospitals should have a "robust testing programme" that includes antibody testing in place for healthcare workers, the guidelines say.
States should have the ability to set up screening and testing sites for people with symptoms as well as contact tracing capabilities, and healthcare facilities should be able to supply personal protective gear independently and handle surges if COVID-19 cases increase again.
READ: US has most COVID-19 cases in the world
READ: US coronavirus deaths surge higher to over 32,000
The document says the recommendations are "implementable on a statewide or county-by-county basis at governors' discretion." Trump has tussled with governors over who has the ultimate authority to mandate a re-opening of states' economies.
In the first phase of re-opening, the guidelines say groups of more than 10 people should be avoided if appropriate distancing measures are not practical. Non-essential travel should be minimised, telework should be encouraged, and common areas in offices closed.
Schools remain closed in phase 1, but large venues such as movies theaters, restaurants, stadiums, and places of worship can open with "strict physical distancing protocols."
Hospitals, which have been hit hard by the health crisis, may resume elective surgeries, which are critical to their revenue streams, and gyms can re-open with new protocols. Bars should remain closed, it said.
In the second phase, applicable to states and regions with "no evidence of a rebound" in coronavirus cases, the guidelines recommend groups of more than 50 be avoided where social distancing is not practical. Non-essential travel can resume in this period, while schools and youth camps can reconvene and bars with "diminished standing-room occupancy" may re-open.
Phase three includes unrestricted staffing of workplaces.
A White House official described the guidelines as conservative and noted that they had been agreed to by the top doctors on the president's coronavirus task force.
Trump is pushing to get the US economy going again after the coronavirus shutdown left millions of Americans jobless.
READ: Millions unemployed, homebuilding collapses as coronavirus ravages US economy
More than 20 million people have filed for unemployment in the US in the past month and over 90 per cent of the country have been under stay-at-home orders.
Trump said on Wednesday some states with low numbers of infections will be ready to resume economic activity sooner than those hard hit by the highly contagious virus.
READ: Seven US states extend coronavirus shutdown to May 15
The White House official said that each governor will be able to look to the recommendations as a guide.
"They are layered," the official said, adding they were approved by medical experts on the White House coronavirus task force: infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, task force coordinator Deborah Birx and Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2018
- Messages
- 29,462
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- 113
Donald Trump urges supporters to 'liberate' states, encouraging protests against coronavirus restrictions - ABC News
Posted 1h
Hundreds of people have protested outside the house of the Minnesota Governor.
Share
US President Donald Trump has urged supporters to "liberate" three states led by Democratic governors, apparently encouraging the growing protests against the stay-at-home restrictions aimed at stopping the coronavirus.
Key points:
Many Americans in regions that have not seen major outbreaks have urged governors to reopen their states
Protestors have gathered outside state government buildings across the country
Governors of both parties have called for federal assistance with testing so businesses can reopen
A day after laying out a road map to gradually reopen the crippled economy, Mr Trump took to Twitter with the kind of rhetoric some of his supporters have used in demanding the lifting of the orders that have thrown millions of Americans out of work.
"Liberate Minnesota!" "liberate Michigan!" "liberate Virginia," he said in a tweet-storm in which he also lashed out at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for criticising the federal response.
Mr Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to see businesses reopen quickly and claimed earlier this week that he had total authority over the matter, even though the lockdowns and other social-distancing measures had been imposed by state and local leaders, not Washington.
The shutdowns have inflicted heavy damage on economies around the world.
In the US, the crisis has cost at least 22 million Americans their jobs, pushing the unemployment rate toward levels not seen since the Great Depression.
A woman carrying a baby holds up a sign saying 'facts not fear' in a protest.
In Florida, protesters have been calling for the relaxing of the state's coronavirus prevention measures.(AP: John Raoux)
Many Americans, especially in rural areas and other parts of the country that have not seen major outbreaks, have urged governors to reopen their economies.
Protesters have taken to the streets in Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia and Michigan, where more than 3,000 turned out on Wednesday (local time) in what looked like one of the President's rallies, with MAGA (Make America Great Again) hats and Trump flags.
The protests continued, including one outside the home of Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota and another in Idaho, where the governor is a Republican.
More than 1,000 protesters gathered at the Idaho Statehouse in defiance of Governor Brad Little's extension of the statewide stay-at-home order to the end of April.
Hundreds of people waving American flags walk outside a house in Minnesota.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says the state needs to improve its testing capacity before it can relax restrictions.(AP: Glen Stubbe/ Star Tribune)
The extension was met with derision by some members of the far-right in Idaho, and some libertarian, gun-rights and anti-vaccine organisations began directing members to defy the order. Most at the Boise protest were standing shoulder-to-shoulder and not wearing face masks.
Some carried signs claiming the coronavirus is a hoax, while others held signs with slogans like, "All workers are essential" and "Freedom not fear".
At least 400 people gathered outside the Governor's mansion in St Paul, Minnesota to demand relief after Mr Walz extended the state's stay-at-home order to May 4.
He has said the state needed to significantly expand its testing capacity before it could begin relaxing restrictions, even as he had begun coming under increasing pressure from Republicans to move more quickly.
People waving American flags wave at cars in Oregon.
Dozens of cars circled Oregon's state Capitol to protest stay-at-home orders.(AP: Andrew Selsky)
Many wore pro-Trump gear but very few practised social distancing or wore masks. Dozens carried American flags or signs bearing messages such as "Reopen MN". Others drove by in vehicles bearing signs denouncing the restrictions.
Mr Walz said he had tried calling the White House about Mr Trump's tweet but could not get through to the President or Vice-President Mike Pence.
In Oregon, dozens of people circled the state's Capitol in their vehicles to protest against the state's stay-at-home order.
Democratic Washington state Governor Jay Inslee said Mr Trump was encouraging "illegal and dangerous acts".
Public health experts have warned that an easing of the shutdowns must be accompanied by wider testing and tracing of infected people to keep the virus from coming back with a vengeance.
Governors of both parties have suggested they would be cautious in returning to normal, with some of them warning that they cannot do it without help from Washington to expand testing.
The official death toll in the US is near 35,000, with about 685,000 confirmed infections.
Posted 1h
Hundreds of people have protested outside the house of the Minnesota Governor.
Share
US President Donald Trump has urged supporters to "liberate" three states led by Democratic governors, apparently encouraging the growing protests against the stay-at-home restrictions aimed at stopping the coronavirus.
Key points:
Many Americans in regions that have not seen major outbreaks have urged governors to reopen their states
Protestors have gathered outside state government buildings across the country
Governors of both parties have called for federal assistance with testing so businesses can reopen
A day after laying out a road map to gradually reopen the crippled economy, Mr Trump took to Twitter with the kind of rhetoric some of his supporters have used in demanding the lifting of the orders that have thrown millions of Americans out of work.
"Liberate Minnesota!" "liberate Michigan!" "liberate Virginia," he said in a tweet-storm in which he also lashed out at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for criticising the federal response.
Mr Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to see businesses reopen quickly and claimed earlier this week that he had total authority over the matter, even though the lockdowns and other social-distancing measures had been imposed by state and local leaders, not Washington.
The shutdowns have inflicted heavy damage on economies around the world.
In the US, the crisis has cost at least 22 million Americans their jobs, pushing the unemployment rate toward levels not seen since the Great Depression.
A woman carrying a baby holds up a sign saying 'facts not fear' in a protest.
In Florida, protesters have been calling for the relaxing of the state's coronavirus prevention measures.(AP: John Raoux)
Many Americans, especially in rural areas and other parts of the country that have not seen major outbreaks, have urged governors to reopen their economies.
Protesters have taken to the streets in Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia and Michigan, where more than 3,000 turned out on Wednesday (local time) in what looked like one of the President's rallies, with MAGA (Make America Great Again) hats and Trump flags.
The protests continued, including one outside the home of Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota and another in Idaho, where the governor is a Republican.
More than 1,000 protesters gathered at the Idaho Statehouse in defiance of Governor Brad Little's extension of the statewide stay-at-home order to the end of April.
Hundreds of people waving American flags walk outside a house in Minnesota.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says the state needs to improve its testing capacity before it can relax restrictions.(AP: Glen Stubbe/ Star Tribune)
The extension was met with derision by some members of the far-right in Idaho, and some libertarian, gun-rights and anti-vaccine organisations began directing members to defy the order. Most at the Boise protest were standing shoulder-to-shoulder and not wearing face masks.
Some carried signs claiming the coronavirus is a hoax, while others held signs with slogans like, "All workers are essential" and "Freedom not fear".
At least 400 people gathered outside the Governor's mansion in St Paul, Minnesota to demand relief after Mr Walz extended the state's stay-at-home order to May 4.
He has said the state needed to significantly expand its testing capacity before it could begin relaxing restrictions, even as he had begun coming under increasing pressure from Republicans to move more quickly.
People waving American flags wave at cars in Oregon.
Dozens of cars circled Oregon's state Capitol to protest stay-at-home orders.(AP: Andrew Selsky)
Many wore pro-Trump gear but very few practised social distancing or wore masks. Dozens carried American flags or signs bearing messages such as "Reopen MN". Others drove by in vehicles bearing signs denouncing the restrictions.
Mr Walz said he had tried calling the White House about Mr Trump's tweet but could not get through to the President or Vice-President Mike Pence.
In Oregon, dozens of people circled the state's Capitol in their vehicles to protest against the state's stay-at-home order.
Democratic Washington state Governor Jay Inslee said Mr Trump was encouraging "illegal and dangerous acts".
Public health experts have warned that an easing of the shutdowns must be accompanied by wider testing and tracing of infected people to keep the virus from coming back with a vengeance.
Governors of both parties have suggested they would be cautious in returning to normal, with some of them warning that they cannot do it without help from Washington to expand testing.
The official death toll in the US is near 35,000, with about 685,000 confirmed infections.
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2015
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- 43
trump is not so stupid lah. He is not a simpleton like shit putra , laksagirlyboy. Read what other americans said about trump , and you realise that he is a master tactician. No wonder LeongfuckSam love him so much.
trump comment : I love the poorly educated .
It is not a gaffe but an honest recognition of the degree to which successful political campaigns are now dependent on an uninformed public.
trump knows interesting is preferable to informed or reasonable or lucid. His free-wheeling approach means he could say anything at any moment and thats the kind of thing people want to watch.
trump produced a pseudo-campaign , one that supports theatrics and personalities over substance. Images is more important than issues.
trump is treated almost like paris hilton by the media. CBS head Les Moonves admitted : It may not be good for america .... but it is damn good for CBS rating.
trump is certainly aware of the power of celebrity culture and boasted that he knew how to 'work the media' to a group of republicans who asked him in 2013 to run for governor of new york. To their surprise , he declined and added that they would be useful when he run for president.
' I am going to walk away with it and win outright.'
trump told the group : " I am going to get in and all the polls are going to go crazy. I am going to suck the oxygen out of the room . I know how to work the media in a way that they will never take the lights off of me".
trump knew that his celebrity and media savvy were sufficient to support his campaign with spending much on paid advertising.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2018
- Messages
- 29,462
- Points
- 113
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2018
- Messages
- 29,462
- Points
- 113
Donald Trump says Texas and Vermont will partially reopen as protests against coronavirus measures spread - ABC News
Posted 37m
Groups of protesters have continued to gather across the United States.
Share
US President Donald Trump says Texas and Vermont will allow certain businesses to reopen this week while still observing coronavirus-related precautions, as protests against the restrictions continue to spread around the country.
Key points:
Some US states have announced plans to start gradually reopening their economies
It comes as protests against stay-at-home measures continue to spread across the country
A predictive model shows adherence to strict orders was a key factor behind an improved outlook for the US death toll
Mr Trump has been vocal in his desire to reopen large parts of the US, which has the world's largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 720,000 infections and over 37,000 deaths, touting a thriving economy as the best case for his re-election in November.
His administration laid out guidelines for state governors to start relaxing strict mitigation measures, which have pummelled the US economy and put 22 million Americans out of work.
"Texas and Vermont will allow certain businesses to open on Monday, while still requiring appropriate social distancing precautions," Mr Trump said.
"Montana will begin lifting restrictions on Friday. Ohio, North Dakota and Idaho have advised non-essential businesses to prepare for a phased opening starting May 1.
"We continue to see a number of positive signs that the virus has passed its peak."
Despite Mr Trump's wishes and the spread of protests, some state governors have warned that they will not act prematurely to reopen their economies until there is more testing for the virus.
Health experts say that to avoid a second wave of infections as people return to work, extensive testing must be available to track infections, as well as contact tracing and antibody testing to learn who had been previously infected and might have some immunity.
Business leaders have also told Mr Trump the country needed to have widespread testing in place before their companies could return to normal operations.
Donald Trump says some governors will start relaxing COVID-19 restrictions
Mr Trump said "our testing is getting better and better", but offered no concrete evidence, while Vice-President Mike Pence said the US had the capacity to do a sufficient amount of testing for states to move into a phase one of reopening.
Governors and state health officials say there are nowhere near enough test kits and equipment available.
Mr Trump said his Government's response to the pandemic rivalled that of Germany, which has recorded nearly 4,500 coronavirus-related deaths.
"While we mourn the tragic loss of life, and you can't mourn it any stronger than we're mourning it, the United States has produced dramatically better health outcomes than any other country with the possible exception of Germany. And I think we're as good or better," he said.
Protests spread to more states
A protestor holds up his thumb while gripping a sign saying 'liberate Indiana'
More than 200 people protested against coronavirus restrictions outside the Indiana governor's house.(AP: Michael Conroy)
Mr Trump has thrown his support behind protests around the US that have demanded an end of the stay-at-home measures, saying the demonstrators were "very responsible".
Mr Trump appeared to encourage protesters with a series of Twitter posts calling for them to "liberate" Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia, all run by Democratic governors.
The most recent demonstrations were in Texas, Indiana and Wisconsin, after similar protests in Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Michigan, Minnesota and Idaho during the week.
People protest in Austin, Texas carrying placards for the reopening of the country.
In Austin, Texas, protesters carried placards and chanted 'Let us work'.(AP: Eric Gay)
Several dozen protesters gathered in the Texas capital of Austin on Saturday, chanting "USA! USA!" and "Let us work!"
In Brookfield, Wisconsin, hundreds of demonstrators cheered as they lined a main road and waved American flags to protest against the extension of that state's "safer at home" order.
The Texas protest was organised by Owen Shroyer, a host of Infowars, which is a part of a company owned by conspiracy theorist and radio host Alex Jones.
Texas has more than 17,300 cases and at least 428 related deaths. Texas ranks last in the US in testing per capita, according to an analysis by The Associated Press of data collected by The COVID Tracking Project.
More than 200 people upset over restrictions on Indiana residents protested outside the state mansion of Governor Eric Holcomb, urging him to back off and restart the economy.
Case numbers rise in states with looser restrictions
The handful of states that did not issue stay-at-home orders have all seen significant surges in new cases, according to researchers.
An influential research model said the strict adherence to the orders imposed in 42 of the 50 US states was a key factor behind an improved outlook for the country's coronavirus death toll.
The University of Washington's predictive model, regularly updated and often cited by state public health authorities and White House officials, projected the virus would take 60,308 US lives by August 4, down 12 per cent from a forecast earlier in the week.
The model predicted some states may be able to begin safely easing restrictions as early as May 4.
Meanwhile, the US and Canada have agreed to keep the border closed to nonessential travel for another 30 days, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.
Posted 37m
Groups of protesters have continued to gather across the United States.
Share
US President Donald Trump says Texas and Vermont will allow certain businesses to reopen this week while still observing coronavirus-related precautions, as protests against the restrictions continue to spread around the country.
Key points:
Some US states have announced plans to start gradually reopening their economies
It comes as protests against stay-at-home measures continue to spread across the country
A predictive model shows adherence to strict orders was a key factor behind an improved outlook for the US death toll
Mr Trump has been vocal in his desire to reopen large parts of the US, which has the world's largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 720,000 infections and over 37,000 deaths, touting a thriving economy as the best case for his re-election in November.
His administration laid out guidelines for state governors to start relaxing strict mitigation measures, which have pummelled the US economy and put 22 million Americans out of work.
"Texas and Vermont will allow certain businesses to open on Monday, while still requiring appropriate social distancing precautions," Mr Trump said.
"Montana will begin lifting restrictions on Friday. Ohio, North Dakota and Idaho have advised non-essential businesses to prepare for a phased opening starting May 1.
"We continue to see a number of positive signs that the virus has passed its peak."
Despite Mr Trump's wishes and the spread of protests, some state governors have warned that they will not act prematurely to reopen their economies until there is more testing for the virus.
Health experts say that to avoid a second wave of infections as people return to work, extensive testing must be available to track infections, as well as contact tracing and antibody testing to learn who had been previously infected and might have some immunity.
Business leaders have also told Mr Trump the country needed to have widespread testing in place before their companies could return to normal operations.
Donald Trump says some governors will start relaxing COVID-19 restrictions
Mr Trump said "our testing is getting better and better", but offered no concrete evidence, while Vice-President Mike Pence said the US had the capacity to do a sufficient amount of testing for states to move into a phase one of reopening.
Governors and state health officials say there are nowhere near enough test kits and equipment available.
Mr Trump said his Government's response to the pandemic rivalled that of Germany, which has recorded nearly 4,500 coronavirus-related deaths.
"While we mourn the tragic loss of life, and you can't mourn it any stronger than we're mourning it, the United States has produced dramatically better health outcomes than any other country with the possible exception of Germany. And I think we're as good or better," he said.
Protests spread to more states
A protestor holds up his thumb while gripping a sign saying 'liberate Indiana'
More than 200 people protested against coronavirus restrictions outside the Indiana governor's house.(AP: Michael Conroy)
Mr Trump has thrown his support behind protests around the US that have demanded an end of the stay-at-home measures, saying the demonstrators were "very responsible".
Mr Trump appeared to encourage protesters with a series of Twitter posts calling for them to "liberate" Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia, all run by Democratic governors.
The most recent demonstrations were in Texas, Indiana and Wisconsin, after similar protests in Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Michigan, Minnesota and Idaho during the week.
People protest in Austin, Texas carrying placards for the reopening of the country.
In Austin, Texas, protesters carried placards and chanted 'Let us work'.(AP: Eric Gay)
Several dozen protesters gathered in the Texas capital of Austin on Saturday, chanting "USA! USA!" and "Let us work!"
In Brookfield, Wisconsin, hundreds of demonstrators cheered as they lined a main road and waved American flags to protest against the extension of that state's "safer at home" order.
The Texas protest was organised by Owen Shroyer, a host of Infowars, which is a part of a company owned by conspiracy theorist and radio host Alex Jones.
Texas has more than 17,300 cases and at least 428 related deaths. Texas ranks last in the US in testing per capita, according to an analysis by The Associated Press of data collected by The COVID Tracking Project.
More than 200 people upset over restrictions on Indiana residents protested outside the state mansion of Governor Eric Holcomb, urging him to back off and restart the economy.
Case numbers rise in states with looser restrictions
The handful of states that did not issue stay-at-home orders have all seen significant surges in new cases, according to researchers.
An influential research model said the strict adherence to the orders imposed in 42 of the 50 US states was a key factor behind an improved outlook for the country's coronavirus death toll.
The University of Washington's predictive model, regularly updated and often cited by state public health authorities and White House officials, projected the virus would take 60,308 US lives by August 4, down 12 per cent from a forecast earlier in the week.
The model predicted some states may be able to begin safely easing restrictions as early as May 4.
Meanwhile, the US and Canada have agreed to keep the border closed to nonessential travel for another 30 days, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.
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Hundreds protest against US COVID-19 rules
A protester holds up a sign during the "Reopen America" rally in Austin, Texas
A protester holds up a sign during the "Reopen America" rally in Austin, Texas AFP/Mark Felix
19 Apr 2020 11:40AM
Bookmark
WASHINGTON: Hundreds protested on Saturday (Apr 18) in cities across America against coronavirus-related lockdowns - with encouragement from President Donald Trump - as resentment grows against the crippling economic cost of confinement.
An estimated 400 people gathered under a cold rain in Concord, New Hampshire - many on foot while others remained in their cars - to send a message that extended quarantines were not necessary in a state with relatively few confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The crowd included several armed men wearing military-style uniforms, with their faces covered.
In Texas, more than 250 people rallied outside the State Capitol in Austin, including far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, founder of the Infowars site, who rolled up in a tank-like truck.
READ: Some states to begin lifting coronavirus restrictions in coming days, says Trump
"It's time to reopen Texas, it's time to let people work, it's time for them to let voluntary interaction and good sense rule the day, not government force," said Justin Greiss, an activist with Young Americans for Liberty.
Stay-at-home mother Amira Abuzeid added: "I'm not a doctor but I'm an intelligent person who can do math and it looks like at the end of the day, these numbers are not that worrisome."
Few if any observed social distancing recommendations.
Demonstrators outside Maryland's colonial-era statehouse in Annapolis stayed in their cars but waved signs with messages like "Poverty kills too."
Dolores, a hairdresser, told AFP she is not eligible for unemployment because she is a business owner, not an employee.
"I need to save my business. I need to work to live. Otherwise I will die," she said.
Other demonstrations took place across the country in cities such as Columbus, Ohio and San Diego, California, as well as the states of Indiana, Nevada and Wisconsin.
Few practiced social distancing but many of the protesters waved American flags.
'LIVE FREE OR DIE'
Protesters have drawn encouragement in certain Democratic-led states from tweets by Trump, who has said he favors a quick return to normal, though protests have also taken place in Republican-led states like New Hampshire and Texas.
The US has seen more coronavirus cases and deaths than any other country in the world - with more than 734,000 confirmed infections and 38,800 fatalities as of Saturday evening.
The vast majority of Americans are under lockdown orders restricting public movement and keeping all but essential businesses closed.
In Concord, demonstrators carried signs with slogans like "The numbers lie" and "Reopen New Hampshire."
Their common demand was that the stay-at-home order for the state of 1.3 million people be called off before its scheduled May 4 end date.
Others, amid a sea of American flags, chanted the state's Revolutionary War-era slogan, "Live Free or Die."
A protester in Concord, New Hampshire waves a flag during a rally urging a quick end to
A protester in Concord, New Hampshire waves a flag during a rally urging a quick end to virus-related confinement rules AFP/Joseph Prezioso
"People are very happy on a voluntary basis to do what's necessary," one demonstrator, 63-year-old Skip Murphy, told AFP by phone.
He added, however, that "the data does not support the egregious lockdown we are having in New Hampshire."
As of early Friday, New Hampshire had reported 1,287 confirmed coronavirus cases and 37 deaths.
'FREE COUNTRY'
"All over the country, a lot of people are saying, 'We will do our part, but at the same time, this is supposed to be a free country,'" Murphy said.
"When that gets transgressed, people start to say, 'Wait a minute, this is wrong.'"
Most Americans - by a two-to-one margin - actually worry about virus restrictions being lifted too soon, not too late, a recent Pew survey found.
But demonstrators found encouragement Friday from the president, who in a series of tweets called to "LIBERATE" Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia - all states with Democratic governors - from stay-at-home orders.
Trump has repeatedly called for the earliest possible return to normality as virus-related closings have had a crushing impact on American workers and businesses.
"I really think some of the governors have gotten carried away," Trump said at a White House news conference on Saturday.
Far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones addresses a "Reopen America" rally at the State
Far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones addresses a "Reopen America" rally at the State Capitol in Austin, Texas AFP/Mark Felix
He welcomed the reopening of some businesses in Texas and Vermont on Monday "while still requiring appropriate social distancing precautions."
The largest protest against stay-at-home rules so far took place Wednesday in the Michigan capital of Lansing, which drew some 3,000 people.
Murphy said he had voted for Trump, but insisted his motives were not partisan. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu is a Republican, he noted.
"This has nothing to do with Trump or the Democratic and Republican governors," Murphy said.
"It is a case of one size not fitting all - the lockdown should cease where it does not make sense."
A protester holds up a sign during the "Reopen America" rally in Austin, Texas
A protester holds up a sign during the "Reopen America" rally in Austin, Texas AFP/Mark Felix
19 Apr 2020 11:40AM
Bookmark
WASHINGTON: Hundreds protested on Saturday (Apr 18) in cities across America against coronavirus-related lockdowns - with encouragement from President Donald Trump - as resentment grows against the crippling economic cost of confinement.
An estimated 400 people gathered under a cold rain in Concord, New Hampshire - many on foot while others remained in their cars - to send a message that extended quarantines were not necessary in a state with relatively few confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The crowd included several armed men wearing military-style uniforms, with their faces covered.
In Texas, more than 250 people rallied outside the State Capitol in Austin, including far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, founder of the Infowars site, who rolled up in a tank-like truck.
READ: Some states to begin lifting coronavirus restrictions in coming days, says Trump
"It's time to reopen Texas, it's time to let people work, it's time for them to let voluntary interaction and good sense rule the day, not government force," said Justin Greiss, an activist with Young Americans for Liberty.
Stay-at-home mother Amira Abuzeid added: "I'm not a doctor but I'm an intelligent person who can do math and it looks like at the end of the day, these numbers are not that worrisome."
Few if any observed social distancing recommendations.
Demonstrators outside Maryland's colonial-era statehouse in Annapolis stayed in their cars but waved signs with messages like "Poverty kills too."
Dolores, a hairdresser, told AFP she is not eligible for unemployment because she is a business owner, not an employee.
"I need to save my business. I need to work to live. Otherwise I will die," she said.
Other demonstrations took place across the country in cities such as Columbus, Ohio and San Diego, California, as well as the states of Indiana, Nevada and Wisconsin.
Few practiced social distancing but many of the protesters waved American flags.
'LIVE FREE OR DIE'
Protesters have drawn encouragement in certain Democratic-led states from tweets by Trump, who has said he favors a quick return to normal, though protests have also taken place in Republican-led states like New Hampshire and Texas.
The US has seen more coronavirus cases and deaths than any other country in the world - with more than 734,000 confirmed infections and 38,800 fatalities as of Saturday evening.
The vast majority of Americans are under lockdown orders restricting public movement and keeping all but essential businesses closed.
In Concord, demonstrators carried signs with slogans like "The numbers lie" and "Reopen New Hampshire."
Their common demand was that the stay-at-home order for the state of 1.3 million people be called off before its scheduled May 4 end date.
Others, amid a sea of American flags, chanted the state's Revolutionary War-era slogan, "Live Free or Die."
A protester in Concord, New Hampshire waves a flag during a rally urging a quick end to
A protester in Concord, New Hampshire waves a flag during a rally urging a quick end to virus-related confinement rules AFP/Joseph Prezioso
"People are very happy on a voluntary basis to do what's necessary," one demonstrator, 63-year-old Skip Murphy, told AFP by phone.
He added, however, that "the data does not support the egregious lockdown we are having in New Hampshire."
As of early Friday, New Hampshire had reported 1,287 confirmed coronavirus cases and 37 deaths.
'FREE COUNTRY'
"All over the country, a lot of people are saying, 'We will do our part, but at the same time, this is supposed to be a free country,'" Murphy said.
"When that gets transgressed, people start to say, 'Wait a minute, this is wrong.'"
Most Americans - by a two-to-one margin - actually worry about virus restrictions being lifted too soon, not too late, a recent Pew survey found.
But demonstrators found encouragement Friday from the president, who in a series of tweets called to "LIBERATE" Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia - all states with Democratic governors - from stay-at-home orders.
Trump has repeatedly called for the earliest possible return to normality as virus-related closings have had a crushing impact on American workers and businesses.
"I really think some of the governors have gotten carried away," Trump said at a White House news conference on Saturday.
Far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones addresses a "Reopen America" rally at the State
Far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones addresses a "Reopen America" rally at the State Capitol in Austin, Texas AFP/Mark Felix
He welcomed the reopening of some businesses in Texas and Vermont on Monday "while still requiring appropriate social distancing precautions."
The largest protest against stay-at-home rules so far took place Wednesday in the Michigan capital of Lansing, which drew some 3,000 people.
Murphy said he had voted for Trump, but insisted his motives were not partisan. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu is a Republican, he noted.
"This has nothing to do with Trump or the Democratic and Republican governors," Murphy said.
"It is a case of one size not fitting all - the lockdown should cease where it does not make sense."
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2018
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- 29,462
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- 113
COVID-19: Governors tell Trump it's too soon to reopen America
Demonstrators place fake body bags outside Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles
Demonstrators place fake body bags outside Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in protest against President Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus, in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. REUTERS/Patrick T. Fallon
19 Apr 2020 11:41PM
(Updated: 19 Apr 2020 11:44PM)
Bookmark
REUTERS: Governors in US states hardest hit by the novel coronavirus sparred with President Donald Trump over his claims they have enough tests and should quickly reopen their economies as more protests are planned over the extension of stay-at-home orders.
"The administration I think is trying to ramp up testing, they are doing some things with respect to private labs," said Republican Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland during a CNN interview.
"But to try to push this off, to say the governors have plenty of testing and they should just get to work on testing, somehow we aren't doing our jobs, is absolutely false."
Democratic Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia told CNN that claims by Trump and Vice President Mike Pence that states have plenty of tests were "just delusional."
The region of Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC is still seeing increasing cases even as the epicenter of the US outbreak, New York, has started to see declines. Boston and Chicago are also emerging hot spots with recent surges in cases and deaths.
Several states, including Ohio, Texas and Florida, have said they aim to reopen parts of their economies, perhaps by May 1 or even sooner, but appeared to be staying cautious.
Trump's guidelines to reopen the economy recommend a state record 14 days of declining case numbers before gradually lifting restrictions. Yet the Republican president appeared to encourage protesters who want the measures removed sooner with a series of Twitter posts on Friday calling for them to "LIBERATE" Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia, all run by Democratic governors.
USA protest
Protesters rally in downtown San Diego against California's stay at home order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. ARIANA DREHSLER/AFP
The United States has by far the world's largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 730,000 infections and over 39,000 deaths.
Demonstrations to demand an end to stay-at-home measures that have pummelled the US economy have erupted in a few spots in Texas, Wisconsin and the capitols of Ohio, Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia. More than 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits in the past month.
READ: Hundreds protest against US COVID-19 rules
The coronavirus outbreak in Los Angeles
A person wearing a face mask waits to cross a street during the coronavirus outbreak in Los Angeles, California. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Trump had touted a thriving economy as the best case for his re-election in November.
On Saturday, several dozen protesters gathered in the Texas capital of Austin chanting "USA! USA!" and "Let us work!"
READ: Hungry, jobless Americans turning to food banks to survive COVID-19 pandemic
In Brookfield, Wisconsin, hundreds of demonstrators cheered as they lined a main road and waved American flags to protest at the extension of that state's "safer at home" order.
The demonstrators mostly flouted the social-distancing rules and did not wear the face masks recommended by public health officials.
US lawmakers are very close to an agreement on approving extra money to help small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic and could seal a deal as early as Sunday, congressional and Trump administration officials said.
An agreement would end a stalemate that has lasted more than a week over Trump's request to add US$250 billion to a small-business loan programme. Congress established the programme last month as part of a US$2.3 trillion coronavirus economic relief plan, but it has already run out of money.
Demonstrators place fake body bags outside Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles
Demonstrators place fake body bags outside Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in protest against President Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus, in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. REUTERS/Patrick T. Fallon
19 Apr 2020 11:41PM
(Updated: 19 Apr 2020 11:44PM)
Bookmark
REUTERS: Governors in US states hardest hit by the novel coronavirus sparred with President Donald Trump over his claims they have enough tests and should quickly reopen their economies as more protests are planned over the extension of stay-at-home orders.
"The administration I think is trying to ramp up testing, they are doing some things with respect to private labs," said Republican Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland during a CNN interview.
"But to try to push this off, to say the governors have plenty of testing and they should just get to work on testing, somehow we aren't doing our jobs, is absolutely false."
Democratic Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia told CNN that claims by Trump and Vice President Mike Pence that states have plenty of tests were "just delusional."
The region of Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC is still seeing increasing cases even as the epicenter of the US outbreak, New York, has started to see declines. Boston and Chicago are also emerging hot spots with recent surges in cases and deaths.
Several states, including Ohio, Texas and Florida, have said they aim to reopen parts of their economies, perhaps by May 1 or even sooner, but appeared to be staying cautious.
Trump's guidelines to reopen the economy recommend a state record 14 days of declining case numbers before gradually lifting restrictions. Yet the Republican president appeared to encourage protesters who want the measures removed sooner with a series of Twitter posts on Friday calling for them to "LIBERATE" Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia, all run by Democratic governors.
USA protest
Protesters rally in downtown San Diego against California's stay at home order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. ARIANA DREHSLER/AFP
The United States has by far the world's largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 730,000 infections and over 39,000 deaths.
Demonstrations to demand an end to stay-at-home measures that have pummelled the US economy have erupted in a few spots in Texas, Wisconsin and the capitols of Ohio, Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia. More than 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits in the past month.
READ: Hundreds protest against US COVID-19 rules
The coronavirus outbreak in Los Angeles
A person wearing a face mask waits to cross a street during the coronavirus outbreak in Los Angeles, California. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Trump had touted a thriving economy as the best case for his re-election in November.
On Saturday, several dozen protesters gathered in the Texas capital of Austin chanting "USA! USA!" and "Let us work!"
READ: Hungry, jobless Americans turning to food banks to survive COVID-19 pandemic
In Brookfield, Wisconsin, hundreds of demonstrators cheered as they lined a main road and waved American flags to protest at the extension of that state's "safer at home" order.
The demonstrators mostly flouted the social-distancing rules and did not wear the face masks recommended by public health officials.
US lawmakers are very close to an agreement on approving extra money to help small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic and could seal a deal as early as Sunday, congressional and Trump administration officials said.
An agreement would end a stalemate that has lasted more than a week over Trump's request to add US$250 billion to a small-business loan programme. Congress established the programme last month as part of a US$2.3 trillion coronavirus economic relief plan, but it has already run out of money.
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song Boh?
- Joined
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- Messages
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- Joined
- Apr 14, 2011
- Messages
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truth!
