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Trump Releases Plan for ‘Opening Up America Again’
President Trump spoke with governors on a conference call Thursday and released a plan to re-open the economy after a month of shutdowns. Titled “Opening Up America Again” (PDF link here), the document guides state and local officials on the loosening of restrictions on businesses and citizens with a phased approach.
Before a state or county begins to open, the White House recommends meeting the following criteria:
- Downward trajectory of influenza-like illnesses reported within a 14-day period and a downward trajectory of COVID-like syndromic cases reported within a 14-day period.
- Downward trajectory of documented cases within a 14-day period, or a downward trajectory of positive tests as a percent of total tests within a 14-day period (flat or increasing volume of tests).
- Ability of hospitals to treat all patients without crisis care, and have a robust testing program in place for
at-risk healthcare workers, including emerging antibody testing.
It’s up to local leaders to tailor the measures to the facts on the ground (i.e., crowded city vs. rural county). It is the state’s responsibility to ensure testing, monitor hospital capacity, and provide specific plans to protect health and safety.
Re-opening the economy calls for a three-stage phased approach based on the latest data and on a state-by-state (or county-by-county) basis. For all phases, individuals must continue to practice good hygiene and, if they feel sick, stay home. Employers are asked to implement policies for sanitation, testing, and social distancing, and not to allow symptomatic people to physically return to the office.
Phase One
- All vulnerable individuals should continue to shelter in place.
- When in public, individuals should maximize physical distance from others.
- Avoid socializing in groups of more than 10 people.
- Minimize non-essential travel.
- Employers should continue to encourage telework whenever possible and have staff return to work in phases.
- Elective surgeries can resume.
- Gyms can re-open with strict physical distancing and sanitation protocols.
- Large venues (restaurants, theaters, sports venues, places of worship, etc.) can re-open with strict physical distancing and sanitation protocols.
Phase Two (for regions with no evidence of a rebound)
- All vulnerable individuals should continue to shelter in place.
- When in public, individuals should maximize physical distance from others.
- Avoid socializing in groups of more than 50 people.
- Non-essential travel is allowed.
- Employers should continue to encourage telework whenever possible.
- Elective surgeries can resume.
- Schools and organized youth activities can re-open.
- Bars can re-open with diminished occupancy.
- Large venues (restaurants, theaters, sports venues, places of worship, etc.) can operate with moderate physical distancing and sanitation protocols.
Phase Three (for regions with no evidence of a rebound)
- All vulnerable individuals can resume public interactions but continue physical distancing.
- Visits to senior care facilities and hospitals can resume.
- Employers can resume normal operations.
- Bars can operate with increased occupancy.
- Large venues (restaurants, theaters, sports venues, places of worship, etc.) can operate with limited physical distancing protocols.
No timelines are included in the proposal since the phases will vary by region and the decisions of governors and other local officials.
Published in Economics, Healthcare
The biggest problem I see here is with the phrase “downward trajectory”. What does that mean? Suppose for 12 days the numbers are less every day, and then day 13 is a bit higher than day 12. What happens then? Can openings start happening on the 15th day as originally planned? The trajectory was downward even though there was a slight blip. Or does the countdown start over from the beginning?
I know. I know. That’s a question to be answered by the local governments. And theoretically, I think that’s where it should be answered. Realistically, I’m beginning to wonder a bit.
Still listening to the broadcast but there is an inherent tension between Dr. Fauci’s “new normal” (Phase 4) and President Trump’s assertion that we are not accepting a “new normal” — we want stadiums and restaurants full at some point. There likely is no real difference in the positions (although media will try to make it so) but Fauci is thinking about life with low levels of virus but no completed vaccine campaign. President Trump is thinking about what the end result is supposed to be and not to let up on pressing for that.
I still see a lack of fine tuning the definition of “vulnerable” persons. I get that the plan will not have one, but I hope medical personnel are receiving guidance on how to advise their patients on their relative level of vulnerability. This is key because in all scenarios it is recommended that these people isolate themselves pending successful completion of a vaccine campaign at some (distant) date.
The $64 trillion dollar question here appears to be that this program seems to leave it up to the states to open up their economies. Monumental mistake if true. The Alliance states will never open up their economies fully ever again if left to their own devices. When will we get our rights back? This cannot be just a Red State thing.
I see migration in our future.
Huge mistake. Why should I support Trump if he lets the Commie Left run roughshod over my and every other conservative’s rights in the Blue States. He needs to reconsider this ill conceived plan muy pronto!
Seems to me that a *huge* question is that of mass-transit systems. It’s hard to imagine a better locale for virus transmission than a closely-packed subway car. Yet some cities, NYC in particular, are quite dependent on this mode.
Questions like ‘socializing in groups of more than 10 people’ seem pretty minor compared with this elephant.
I see a migraine in my future.
This has to be done at the city/town/county level.
California is mostly rural except for LA, SF and SD.
phase 1: exercise common sense
phase 2: exercise more common sense
phase 3: see phase 1 and 2
When Dr. Fauci, who is older than I am (and I turned 71 today) observes his own rules for “vulnerable populations”, I will. How can he appear in public with the President, at his advanced age? He is required to shelter in place. (or as I am now calling it, cower in place)
Guys, Migration is not an option. If Trump lets this lockdown continue for just a few more weeks in the Blue States there will be no economy in any state to migrate to. The economy is too interconnected and too much of the critical elements of the economy are in the Blue States. If you let the Blue States go under it all goes under.
The Left is hell bent on destroying this country and with their lockdown they have the ability to do it which they surely will if given the chance. Millions of small business cannot last for another month or two or three. They will be gone. Permanently. There will be massive unemployment and massive lawlessness. The Fed cannot print enough money to cover those business and btw the current SBA programs only cover payroll and not much else. With the Dems holding up the money, business are going to fail very soon left and right. This stop gap plan only works if the economy gets back up and running which it won’t now in my world and that of much of America. All part of the plan, I guess.
You will see a incredible breakdown in the society which the Left will use as an excuse to really impose Martial Law forever and take away everyone’s rights. In my City of LA, our great Commie Mayor Eric Garcetti wants you to rat out your neighbor if they are not fully following his edicts to the letter except oh by the way he has told the Police not to bother making the Homeless panhandlers comply, and probably told the Police not to protect small businesses that are empty as others have. Hey that’s just great! A nice double standard that just invites lawlessness up the ying yang. In my neighborhood we are already seeing random break-ins and all law enforcement cares about is the quarantine.
Trump has failed in his moment of truth. I know it’s tough to buck the Sicko Deep State Commies but if he doesn’t do it now, there will be no second chance.
Federalism
Phases 1. 2. and 3 rule out Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. If they didn’t have any before, where are they supposed to get any?
I hope you are wrong because between federalism principles, the public health establishment, and the media, he has no levers to accomplish what you want him to do. The Left’s game is to strangle the economy and blame Trump. They may succeed, but I am hopeful that the majority of the electorate (Electoral College) will see what and who is really responsible. I also hope that the Red States that do open up will demonstrate a recovery trajectory that gives hope for the rest if the Left releases their grip.
It may not work out that way, but one can hope.
“I hope you are wrong because between federalism principles, the public health establishment, and the media, he has no levers to accomplish what you want him to do.”
Yes he does. He does have the power to order the economy to be fully open. It’s called the Commerce Clause. If he doesn’t have that power then the FBI, IRS, EPA and all the other alphabet agencies would not have the power to enforce their rules.
What you guys are not understanding is that Trump by allowing the Blue States to continue with their lockdowns until they are good and ready to open things up which likely will be never, you have shot to hell all hope there was for small businesses to hang on and try to make it through this crisis in the Blue States. As a small business owner of several businesses I guess now my only choice is to shut it all down, fire everyone and try to save what I can in the coming Apocalypse.
Millions will not have enough money to pay for essentials. People will go hungry. They will be kicked out of where they live. People will not pay rent because they will have no money. With no rent paid, there will be no money to pay mortgages so there will be millions of foreclosures on apartments and small businesses with everything lost to those owners. No coming back from that, and the bad stuff will just snowball from there. The Blue States do not have anything close to the revenue they will need to get through this crisis. Government revenue will crater and most states by law must pay their bills – they do not have the ability to just print money like the Fed or to borrow. Everything will go to hell in a hand basket.
You think that the Dems have a plan to get through this- guess again. They can only ask the Federal Government for money and that’s it, which if I were a Red State politician no way in hell would I give it to them.
This is exactly what had to happen. Now we have a baseline, something we can debate and adjust and negotiate. The governors, fearful of seeming reckless and getting in trouble with their voters should things go wrong, now have some guidelines they can point to when the do what they must know needs to be done, if only to restore state revenue streams.
The President lacks the authority to reopen the states. That’s as it should be. And, frankly, the federal government lacks the local knowledge needed to make these kinds of decisions. The President’s most important role now is as cheerleader, encouraging states to return to something closer to normal, and Americans to have hope and optimism.
If you look at the States that are likely to join the Alliance to keep the Lockdown, they are:
California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington, with some other states in and some of these out, but those states still have more than 40% of America’s population. One can not expect America to get back on it’s feet when 40% of America is in lockdown for months on end. There will be a financial collapse. Too many essential goods and services will not be produced. There will be problem with food and millions will likely die. There is no way to cover the losses, keep the peace, feed the people and pay the bills.
The Commie Dems will get their wish; America as we know it is going to be destroyed. Trump had to stand stall and fight; but he refused and instead chose to take the easy politically non- confrontational way out which will kill us in the end.
As it is now becoming clearer, this virus came from a Chinese Bioweapons lab, whether they released purposely or not ; the ChiComs once it was out decided to take full advantage and cripple the West. Trump was putting the screws to China and they had to do something and boy howdy did they. Just for one instance from January through February China bought more than 2 billion dollars worth of essential masks, equipment, drugs etc to fight the virus to keep them from going to the rest of the world, and they also scoured the world looking for wounded desperate businesses they could pick up on the cheap and they have. China will have won and believe me they will be doing anything they can to conquer us now. The Dems have given them the chance and they will take it. We will need now all your prayers.
Sanctuary city / internment camps
We will be hearing this soon enough . . .
In every state, the pressure will be great to resume business as soon as practically possible. Once other states have demonstrated that reasonable precautions make it possible to go back to work, governors who refuse to allow that will be placing themselves in precarious political positions. Elected officials don’t like doing things that make them reviled; I don’t expect many to hold out.
I’m not willing to say Trump has failed yet. He’s only just started publicly focusing on the economy. I say give him some time and see where he goes with it. The other things you brought up, though, are exactly why I said in my first comment that while I think re-opening their economies should be left up to the local governments theoretically, I’m not convinced that can be done realistically.
This is what I’m hoping. But with the media there to continue stoking fears and hysteria, I’m not sure that’s how it will play out.
Trump is making the governors own the shutdown. They are right; the power to open back up is theirs and theirs alone. So will be the anger generated by the shutdown. They would dearly like to reflect it back on him, but it isn’t clear how they will be able to.
“Elected officials don’t like doing things that make them reviled; I don’t expect many to hold out.”
The news media will beat the drums of panic and fear to no end. They have effectively brainwashed tens of millions of people. Too many people believe the Left wing Media and have a knee jerk reaction against Trump. That is why they are called “Blue States” because they are heavily Democrat. Have you talked to a Democrat lately? They think China is good, the HCQ cocktail is scary and Trump has caused this crisis.
There are enough brainwashed Democrats in the Blue States to keep the Democrat lockdown going for months. By then it will be too late.
Trump failed the moment he shut the economy down. Now he is just flailing, trying to get himself out of his own trap.
There are a few people here who talk like that, predicting disaster with oracular confidence.
I don’t buy it. I think Governors want nothing better than to be re-elected. And you can’t convince someone who is home and broke and miserable that he isn’t home and broke and miserable. When Joe Workingman in Traverse City hears that people in other states are earning money and he’s still sitting at home, even though no one he knows is sick, he’s going to complain. When enough people do that, Governors listen.
Percival: “Trump is making the governors own the shutdown. They are right; the power to open back up is theirs and theirs alone. So will be the anger generated by the shutdown. They would dearly like to reflect it back on him, but it isn’t clear how they will be able to.”
That may be true. But the anger generated by the Shutdown may take months to build to force the shutdowns to end and by then it will be too late.
Yes. And that’s the only sane thing for the President to do, both because it’s politically smart and because anything else would be an abuse of executive authority, something he’s been good about avoiding.
Lansing, Michigan, yesterday.
I’m sure all they need to calm down is a little more time at home.
What you are already seeing from the Alliance Governors are these guidelines for “opening” the economy so it will appear that they gosh darn it they really are trying to open the economy as soon as it is reasonably safe to do so, but in reality it will be months not days before that reopening really occurs. That will deflect all the criticism with the help of the media.
You can talk about Trump letting the Governors own it but when millions of people are out of work the President cannot escape the blame particularly with the media working 24-7 to put the blame on Trump.
Here in California you already have officials talking about perhaps a” limited” reopening in mid-May but with a fuller reopening in the fall and summer. Got that- fall and summer – months from now with a guaranteed crap load of small business closing their doors by then and literally millions of people just here in California permanently out of work that were working just over a month ago.
The political strategy behind this move comes straight out of the Dem playbook and that is to put millions more on the dole and then scare the bejesus out of them that those “meanie” Republicans are going to take away any support that they do have that keeps them eating and with a roof over their heads. It has worked in the past and it will work again.