President Trump said that people should avoid groups of more than 10 people to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
“If everyone makes this change, or these critical changes and sacrifices now, we will rally as one nation, and we will defeat the virus,” Trump said at the White House.
In addition to avoiding large groups, Trump said people should also avoid eating at restaurants, food courts, and bars.
“Not just at bars and restaurants, but in homes,” said Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator. “We really want people to be separated at this time.”
Birx said that households should quarantine themselves entirely if one member is sick.
“I want to speak particularly to our largest generation now, our millennials,” Birx said. “They are the core group that will stop this virus.”
The new guidelines apply to the next 15 days. If the public follows them, Birx said, “We will see a dramatic difference. And we won’t have to worry about the ventilators, and we won’t have to worry about the ICU beds.”
States have already taken measures to limit the number of people in bars and restaurants. For instance, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy recommended a statewide curfew on Monday, urging residents to stay in their homes from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. The governors of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut agreed to limit crowds to 50 people or less, restrict restaurants and bars to takeout and delivery only, and close all movie theaters, gyms, and casinos.
“The guidelines that we’re mentioning now… some may look at them and say they’re going to be really inconvenient for people,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases said. “Some may say well, maybe we’ve gone a little too far. They were well thought out.”
“It isn’t an overreaction,” he said. “It’s an action we feel is commensurate.”
Trump said his administration was not considering a nationwide quarantine or shelter-in-place, and added that the outbreak could continue well into the summer.
The virus is spreading rapidly, having infected at least 4,200 people in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people of all ages who get sick stay home from work or school. The agency also advises against being in large groups of people and encourages the practice of good hygiene.
