In last 24 hrs thereve been prominent US voices calling for a stop to social distancing, citing rationale that theyre worse than impact of COVID itself, Tom Inglesby tweeted. These big social distancing measures take time to work. To drop all these measures now would be to accept that COVID pts will get sick in extraordinary numbers all over the country, far beyond what the US health care system could bear.
The remarks came hours after the White Houses daily coronavirus briefing, in which Trump claimed that the U.S. will see more deaths by keeping the restrictions in place than by COVID-19 itself.
Sanjana Karanth
Trump Claims U.S. Will See More Death By Keeping Economy Shut Than By Coronavirus 3/23/20, 9:55 p.m. ET
President Donald Trumps insistence on downplaying the coronavirus risks reached dangerous levels on Monday as he scoffed at medical advice and proposed opening up the economy despite skyrocketing case numbers.
There are certain hot spots like New York, and the federal government has to work on those spots, but at the same time, at a certain point, we have to get open, and we have to get moving, Trump said. He added that we can do two things at one time before again bringing up flu deaths and motor vehicle fatalities.
We have a very active flu season, more active than most. Its looking like its heading to 50,000 or more deaths deaths, not cases. Fifty-thousand deaths which is, thats a lot, he said. And you look at automobile accidents, which are far greater than any numbers were talking about. That doesnt mean were going to tell everybody no more driving of cars. So we have to do things to get our country open.
As reporters pushed the president on why he would open up businesses when the country is seeing COVID-19 deaths occur at a faster rate, Trump said that more people would die from economic and social restrictions than from allowing the virus to spread.
You have suicides over things like this, when you have terrible economies, he said, adding that the cure has been very tough.
Sanjana Karanth
