It appears that Trump is trying to recover form the generally negative response he has gotten on a blanket relaxing of the C.D.C. push for social distancing and testing along with no non-essential businesss…
In the letter, released following the president’s teleconference with governors on Thursday, Trump writes that the new guidelines would incorporate data gleaned from “expanded testing capabilities” to “monitor the spread of the virus throughout the country.”
Based on that data, the administration would categorize counties as “high risk, medium risk and low risk.” This would allow areas less affected by the virus to put in place looser restrictions than ones that have been ravaged by the illness.
It’s uncertain how effective such labels might be in containing the virus, however, because asymptomatic carriers could move from region to region undetected. Just this week, the administration urged anyone who’d recently been in New York City, the new epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, to self-quarantine after health experts raised questions about whether people fleeing the city were transmitting the virus to other locales.
And before more governors began to order the closure of “nonessential” businesses like bars and restaurants in the name of social distancing, some state leaders complained that a patchwork of different guidelines in neighboring states undermined their more stringent restrictions.
Trump’s letter did not set a date for publishing or implementing the county-by-county guidelines. But he made no mention of the Easter deadline he spoke of Tuesday, when he said he’d like to have the country “opened up and raring to go” by the holiday.
The omission might indicate he’s heeding the advice of medical experts, who’ve warned it’s still premature to lift the current nationwide guidelines….
Note…
Trump should have to decide if he wants the CDC guidelines changed by March 31st…
Governor’s would have a hard time following such a risk area program because of the daily movement of people to and from work…
Some state’s aren’t gonna be smart….
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said she had no plans to issue a stay at home or shelter-in-place order any time soon, the Montgomery Advertiser reports.
Said Ivey: “Y’all, we are not Louisiana, we are not New York State, we are not California. Right now is not the time to order people to shelter in place.”…
Politicalwire…
In order for state’s to get favourable treatment from THEWIR Federal government?
They MAY have to kiss Trump’s ass….
Associated Press: “Underlying this political dance is Trump’s tendency to talk about the government as though it’s his own private business. The former real estate mogul often discusses government business like a transaction dependent on relationships or personal advantage, rather than a national obligation… Trump has kept a close eye on the coronavirus media coverage and noted which local officials were praising or criticizing him.”
“There’s no evidence that Trump has held up a governor’s request for assistance for personal or political reasons. Still aides say it’s understood that governors who say nice things about the federal response are more likely to be spared public criticism from the White House or threats of withheld assistance.”
Politicalwire…
Preview of Trump’s CDC policy changes coming next week one would assume…
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Friday that some areas of the United States will need to continue to focus on efforts to rein in coronavirus even after the Trump administration decides portions of the country can ease up on containment efforts.
“Let me be very clear, there is going to be areas of the country where we need to continue to lean into mitigation efforts,” Pence told CNBC.
Reuters….