The United States (US) is expected to record more coronavirus deaths and economic damage in case of the economy reopening too early, a top infectious disease expert has said. It comes as a sharp contrast to what the US President Donald Trump has been advocating lately. The American cities and states could “turn back the clock” and see more damage in terms of COVID-19 deaths and economy if the government orders on stay-at-home are lifted too soon, Dr Anthony Fauci said in a warning to a Senate committee. “There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control,control,” Fauci added.
Several other US government officials have also advised against going too fast on withdrawing state-ordered restraints amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis. However, Trump is at odds to what the advisers have been pitching in the last few days. “Day after day, we’re making tremendous strides,” he was recently quoted as saying in the media. Trump’s chances of a re-election in the upcoming presidential elections depend substantially on how the economy shapes up.
According to a recent analysis by Associated Press, 25 out of the 33 US states having a 14-day downward trajectory are partially opened or mulling reopening in the coming days. The remaining states with no 14-day decline continue to be under a lockdown despite meeting some benchmarks.
Coronavirus has claimed over 80,000 deaths in the US, the highest globally. The life-threatening virus has infected about 4.2 million people and killed more than 287,000 all across the world.
