Washington – President Donald trump He called on Americans to stop stockpiling groceries and other supplies on Sunday, while the chief infectious disease expert called on the nation to act more urgently to safeguard its health while the coronavirus continues to expand in the United States.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergic and Infectious Diseases, commented that he would like to see aggressive measures applied, such as a cancellation of non-essential activities for 14 days to help curb the pandemic.
After speaking with executives at major supermarket chains, Trump assured Americans that those stores will remain open and that the supply chain continues to operate properly. At the same press conference at the White House, Vice President Mike Pence urged residents to buy only the items they need for the following week.
“They don’t have to buy that much,” said Trump. “Don’t worry, just relax.”
For his part, Fauci commented that travel restrictions within the national territory, including the state of Washington, highly affected by the disease, and California are probably not necessary in the short term.
Hours earlier, Trump had a conference call with executives from more than two dozen store and supply chains about his response to the coronavirus outbreak. Stores have reported that customers are turning to them to store food and other essential items. Consumers have expressed frustration that some items – for example, hand sanitizer and toilet paper – are becoming scarce.
During the call, Trump expressed appreciation for his work to ensure there was “constant availability” of food so that “Americans feel calm and secure when the shelves are stocked with the items they need,” according to Judd Deere, spokesman for the House. Blanca.
The Trump administration said millions of new tests to detect the coronavirus will be available in the coming weeks, including tests that speed up the processing of the samples, but that calls on Americans to be careful not to request to be tested.
Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House response to the pandemic, said those most vulnerable to respiratory illness and the health care providers who care for them should take priority.
“We ask that you give them priority,” he said.
In many people, the coronavirus only causes moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. In some, particularly older adults and people with pre-existing health problems, it can cause more serious effects. However, the vast majority of people sick with COVID-19 recover.
The worldwide outbreak has infected more than 156,000 people and left more than 5,800 dead. The death toll in the United States has exceeded 50, while the number of infections approached 3,000 in 49 states.
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