Donald Trump is pushing the gas: The US President wants to open the economy as soon as possible. However, experts warn. Image: AP
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Despite dramatic deaths, Donald Trump is pushing the pace – can that work?
Since the weekend, the United States has been the country with the most corona deaths worldwide. Nevertheless, the president wants to open the economy as soon as possible. Experts warn of hasty decisions.
The American president wants to move forward. Over the Easter weekend, Donald Trump sent a message on the short message service Twitter to get his country ready for the economic resurrection.
To the address of the 50 governors, Trump wrote: He will not accept an apology; now the infrastructure had to be provided so that as many Americans as possible could be tested for the corona virus. It is also up to the governors to organize enough protective masks. “Be ready,” wrote the president, announcing an early decision in a separate tweet.
However, the experts who advise the president advise against hasty decisions. For example, Anthony Fauci, a leading immunologist who has headed the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984, said in a conversation on Sunday with the CNN news channel: Perhaps it will be possible to see the American economy in some parts of the country next month to start up again. The situation in Arkansas, in the south of the country, differs from the situation in New York City, the current epicenter of the crisis with more than 10,000 deaths.
Expert warns of “second wave”
At the same time, however, Fauci pointed out the “extraordinary risk” of a second wave of corona diseases, should all recommendations of the experts be ignored – mass accumulations will therefore remain prohibited for a long time. The frankness with which Fauci talks about missed opportunities to contain the virus seems to be slowly starting to trump Trump. So he spread a tweet over the weekend with the catchphrase «FireFauci»; although it is not possible for the President to fire official Fauci.
Similar tones are struck by Scott Gottlieb, the former director of the FDA. In an interview with the commercial broadcaster CNBC on Monday, Gottlieb said that the number of infections is developing better even in New York City than forecast a few weeks ago. Gottlieb therefore believes that mid-May is a realistic date for parts of the economy to restart.
Trump can only make recommendations
In addition, in the federal system of America, health policy decisions are the responsibility of the states. The government can issue recommendations in Washington; However, it is up to the respective governors to issue specific bans. Trump claimed on Monday that it was his responsibility to “open the states”. But even party friends disagree with the president.
Popular with the population: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Picture: EPA
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Meanwhile, a slow relaxation of the situation is becoming apparent in America’s epicenter. “If we continue to be smart, the worst will be over,” said New York governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday. The number of daily deaths (671 at Easter) is still “terribly high”, but the number of admissions to hospitals has decreased.
The situation in the intensive care units, which had been overwhelmed in the past few weeks, is also slowly easing. According to official figures, 195,000 people in New York alone contracted the corona virus. To date, the United States has had around 22,800 deaths – more than any other country in the world. (aargauerzeitung.ch)
