Coronavirus Lockdown: Donald Trump unveils three-phase plan to reopen states

US President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled a three-phase plan to reopen the states from the coronavirus lockdown.

"My administration is issuing new federal guidelines that will allow governors to take a phased and deliberate approach to reopen their individual states," The Hill quoted Trump as saying.

However, the guidance plan does not specify a timeline for relaxing social distancing restrictions.

A document entitled "Opening Up America" was shared by President Trump with the Governors detailing a recommended three-phase plan to reopen states. Before a phased reopening, a state or region has to record a decrease in total COVID-19 cases and positive tests.

The first phase of the reopening envisions the continuation of "social distancing" in public and gatherings of no more than 10 people, while vulnerable individuals would still have to shelter in place. Further, "non-essential travel" should be avoided.

In phase three, everyone is supposed to minimize the time in crowds and public interactions. Large venues, bars and gyms will have to cope with the "biggest changes" compared to a time before COVID-19. All of this is conditional on the number of infections not rebounding significantly, according to the outline.

As of Thursday evening, Coronavirus cases in the US reached 658,263. Meanwhile, the country has reported 32,186 deaths due to the virus, according to the university's Coronavirus Resource Center.

Trump, on Wednesday, claimed that data shows that the United States has "passed the peak" of COVID-19 cases nationwide, the Hill reported.

(ANI)

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