Trump extends national social distancing guidelines to April 30

Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-30 08:00:20|Editor: huaxia

"We will be extending our guidelines to April 30, to slow the spread."

WASHINGTON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that the national social distancing guidelines aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus will be extended to April 30.

A patient is transferred to Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn of New York, the United States, March 28, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

"We will be extending our guidelines to April 30, to slow the spread," Trump said at a White House Coronavirus Task Force news briefing held at the White House Rose Garden. "On Tuesday, we will be finalizing these plans and providing a summary of our findings, supporting data and strategy to the American people."

The president said "modeling suggests" that the peak of the COVID-19 death rate in the United States "is likely to hit in two weeks," adding that he hopes the country will be on its way to recovery by June 1.

People exercise social distancing in Main Street Park in New York, the United States, on March 27, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

Anthony Fauci, one of the leading health experts on the task force team, warned earlier in the day that the country could see 100,000 to 200,000 deaths due to the contagious disease.

The social distancing guidelines -- originally designed to last 15 days and due to expire soon if not extended -- advise Americans to avoid nonessential travel, prevent gatherings of 10 people or more, and the elderly to stay at home, among other steps.

(Article by Xinhua Reporter Deng Xianlai; Video by Xinhua Reporter Hu Yousong)

KEY WORDS:
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011102121389295611