US President Donald Trump, on Tuesday, said that the country has flattened the curve on the coronavirus outbreak. He added the country is now on the next stage of the battle, a “very safe, phased and gradual opening”.
At the same time, Trump warned more Americans will die in reopening the US economy but reiterated that coronavirus cases are dwindling.
“Thanks to the profound commitment of our citizens, we have flattened the curve and countless American lives have been saved. Our country is now in the next stage of the battle. A very safe, phased and gradual reopening of our country,” Trump said.
According to the John Hopkins University, which tracks coronavirus patients, by Tuesday, more than 71,000 Americans had died due to the deadly virus and over 12 lakh had tested positive. However, there has been a sharp decline in the number of new cases and deaths in the country in the last week.
Trump on Tuesday also hinted that the US is on the verge of developing medicines to counter coronavirus and that 90 clinical trials are under way.
"We've dramatically accelerated the development of new therapies and potential vaccines. We have 90 clinical trials under way and hundred more on the way," he said.
‘Buy American and hire Americans’
“I have been talking about that for a long time. Oftentimes, you would see a plant like this at a different country doing the work you can be doing, and you will do it better,” Trump said. “The United States declared its independence nearly 250 years ago, but in recent decades, Washington politicians allowed our independence to be offshored, outsourced and ceded to foreign countries. But we are taking it back and we have been taking it back. And you look at our job numbers, you knew that we were taking it back,” Trump said.
As such, his administration believes in two simple rules—buy American and hire Americans—he added.
“The people of our country are warriors. With your help, we will vanquish the virus and build a future of greatness and glory with the American heart, American hands, American pride and American soul,” he said.
Referring to his visit to the Honeywell factory that is producing masks, Trump said they are producing high-quality N95 respirators.
The president himself didn’t wear a protective mask while visiting the factory that had signage, saying “Please wear your mask at all times”.
As Trump left Washington after months of being cooped up, he had hinted that he might finally cover his face.
US Vice President Mike Pence, caused an uproar a week ago when he was photographed mask-less during a visit to the famous Mayo Clinic hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. Pence—unusually for a member of the Trump administration—publicly admitted he'd been wrong. “I didn't think it was necessary, but I should have worn a mask,” he said.
Earlier, participating in a roundtable discussion with Native Americans, Trump described the coronavirus as a tough opponent. “But we are winning and starting to see our country come back,” he added. “It has been a very exciting few days. We are starting to see it all come back. We are improving the lives of Native American families and tribes more than any administration has ever done”.
But the mission is not accomplished yet, he added. “Mission accomplished is when it is over. When it is over, mission accomplished,” the president said.
-- With PTI inputs