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Updated: May 7, 2020 9:35:11 am
A day after United States President Donald Trump announced the gradual closure of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, the president made clear Wednesday that he will stay for now and that new members will be added.
In a statement to PTI, Trump said: “We are maintaining the task force for a period of time. I am looking forward to when we can close the task force, because then the work will essentially end.” Headed by Vice President Mike Pence, the group Job was established by Trump in January.
The United States has recorded more than 70,000 deaths and 12 lakh of confirmed infections, while Europe has reported more than 140,000 deaths.
Read | America must reopen even if more Americans get sick and die: Trump
“The working group has done a great job and I had a meeting yesterday, I had a meeting this morning, probably even more important, so we will leave the working group indefinitely,” the president told reporters a day after he and Pence said it would be closed for next month.
However, there was opposition to this movement.
“I thought we could reduce it earlier, but I had no idea how popular the task force is until yesterday, when I started talking about reducing it. I would get calls from highly respected people, saying I think it would be better to keep it going, it has done a good job, it is a respected task force, “PTI said in remarks to Trump at a White House event recognizing National Nurses Day.
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“You know that at some point it will end as if things will end, but we will add some people to the working group and they will probably be closer to opening our country, because our country has to open again and people wanted it to be opened. But we have to open it safely, so we will add two or three additional members to the workforce, “PTI said.
“There may be one or two that will be less involved and more involved with the original fan lineup and ventilation systems, but if you want to stay, you can do it, because you really did a fantastic job. So at some point, we won’t need the task force, but we’re going to drop that. We are going to add a couple of people to it and that will lead again before the opening of our country, “added the president.
Right now president @realDonaldTrump Welcomed incredible health warriors to the Oval Office in honor of National Nurses Day! pic.twitter.com/fsszeyf8rV– The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 6, 2020
In a separate White House event, Trump reported that two of his top health officials, Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, would continue to be members of the task force.
Meanwhile, an Associated Press analysis found that the rest of the United States, neglecting the New York metropolitan area’s progress against the coronavirus, is moving in the wrong direction, with a known infection rate increasing even when states move to lift their blocks.
(With AP, PTI entries)
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