Coronavirus: Trump extends social distancing guidelines as US braces for 200,000 deaths

US President Donald Trump says the death toll from the virus is likely to continue to climb for another two weeks, and estimates that recovery is likely by June 1

He says his earlier plan to lift the restrictions by Easter, on April 12, was only ‘aspirational’

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A woman makes a donations during the Personal Protective Equipment drive in Chicago, Illinois. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:14am, 30 Mar 2020Updated: 10:22am, 30 Mar 2020

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that social distancing guidelines put into effect earlier in March to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic will be extended until the end of April, as the country’s death toll is likely to continue climbing for another two weeks.

Officials in the White House coronavirus task force, including director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, deputy to Vice-President Mike Pence in the task force, have determined that Covid-19 – the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus – would kill as many as 2.2 million Americans if mitigation measures were not in place.

“The peak, the highest point of death, is likely to hit into weeks. Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before the victory is won. That would be the greatest loss of all,” Trump said. “Therefore, we will be extending our guidelines to April 30 to slow the spread.

“On Tuesday we will be finalising these plans and providing a summary of our findings, supporting data and strategy to the American people,” he said, adding that “we can expect that by June 1 we will be well on our way to recovery.”

Trump said his earlier plan to lift the restrictions by Easter, on April 12, was only “aspirational”.

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