President Donald Trump is giving Americans a clear projection of what to expect over the next two weeks as the coronavirus continues to batter parts of the United States.
During Tuesday’s White House press conference, Trump offered a statement that highlighted the grim reality of what lies ahead. The president admitted that the next two weeks will be “very, very painful.”
“I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead,” Trump said. “We’re going to go through a very tough two weeks, and then hopefully, as the experts are predicting … we’re going to start seeing some real light at the end of the tunnel.”
Trump went on to reiterate the severity of the next two weeks, setting the expectation for a continued increase in the death toll.
“But this is going to be a very painful, a very, very painful two weeks,” he added.
Watch the video below:
In a daily briefing on #COVID19, U.S. President Donald Trump warns "a very, very painful two weeks" ahead. pic.twitter.com/jJTwgRFL5r
— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) April 1, 2020
The president is also urging Americans to take the projections seriously as it could be “a matter of life and death.”
“It’s absolutely critical for the American people to follow the guidelines for the next 30 days,” Trump said.
Trump continued in a somber tone, “It’s a matter of life and death, frankly. It’s a matter of life and death.”
Pres. Trump on extended federal social distancing guidelines: "It's absolutely critical for the American people to follow the guidelines for the next 30 days. It's a matter of life and death, frankly." https://t.co/H4H7Snn0lc pic.twitter.com/tMs8Ctx9t1
— ABC News (@ABC) March 31, 2020
The latest coronavirus models — provided by infectious disease experts Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx — estimate between 100,000 to 240,000 Americans could die from coronavirus, even with proper social distancing measures and precautions being taken.
The number of positive coronavirus cases in the United States reached over 189,000, with more than 4,000 deaths, as of Wednesday morning.
More cities are being added to the list of hotspots around the country. But, those states are currently facing testing shortages which makes it difficult to accurately assess the problem, as health experts say.
Trump’s federal social distancing guidelines have also been extended until April 30 in order to continue the effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
