Trump admits that coronavirus crisis could stretch into July or August

Vice President Mike Pence speaks to the media in the press briefing room at the White House on March 15, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Tasos Katopodis | Getty Images

President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. may be able to get the new coronavirus outbreak under control by July or August at the earliest.

Trump, speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room, also said his administration may look at lockdowns for “certain areas” or “hot spots” in the nation, but said he wasn’t considering a full national lockdown.

“At this moment, no, we’re not,” Trump said.

The latest daily briefing came as the number of infections and deaths from the COVID-19 virus continued to rise in the U.S., prompting drastic action at every level of government to try to mitigate its spread.

The Federal Reserve’s decision over the weekend to slash interest rates garnered praise from President Donald Trump, who said Sunday evening that investors “should be very thrilled.”

But stock futures plunged overnight, hitting so-called limit down levels in multiple major indexes and extending the severe market rout despite a major surge Friday. The White House declined to comment on the market’s moves in the wake of the Fed’s cuts.

Fears about the coronavirus, as well as the international efforts to slow its spread, have crippled multiple industries and threaten to throttle other sectors – such as the restaurant and entertainment industries. 

The potential damage to those businesses is expected to worsen as state and city leaders across the nation take unprecedented steps to stifle transmission.

On Monday morning, Govs. Andrew Cuomo of New York, Ned Lamont of Connecticut and Phil Murphy of New Jersey announced that each of their states agreed to enforce the closing of certain businesses and limit public gatherings to fewer than 50 people.

The coronavirus, which is believed to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has swept across the globe, infecting at least 179,000 people and killing more than 7,000, according to Johns Hopkins University figures. There are now more than 3,800 cases of COVID-19 and 69 deaths in the U.S. alone, Johns Hopkins’ data show.

At the briefing Monday, the White House handed out new guidelines with safety tips for Americans to take that could slow the spread of the virus.

Most of the guidelines revolve around “social distancing” practices that can help prevent transmission of the coronavirus to others. 

The elderly, for whom the virus poses a greater threat, are encouraged to “stay home and away from the people,” according to the guidelines.

“Even if you are young, or otherwise healthy, you are at risk and your activities can increase the risk for others,” the handout says. “It is critical that you do your part to stop the spread of the coronavirus.”

The guidelines also advise avoiding social gatherings “in groups of more than 10 people.”

The White House briefing room was also outfitted with measures to encourage social distancing. Signs were added to the seat in the usually cramped room to keep reporters at least one seat away from one another.

A view of the White House briefing room is seen March 16, 2020, in Washington, DC.

Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images

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