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REUTERS: Governors in the US states. USA Most affected by the new coronavirus clashed with President Donald Trump over his claims that they have enough evidence and should quickly reopen their economies as more protests are planned over the extension of orders to stay home.
“I think the administration is trying to speed up testing, they are doing some things regarding private labs,” Republican Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland said during an interview on CNN.
“But trying to avoid this, saying that the governors have a lot of tests and should start working on the tests, somehow we are not doing our job, it is absolutely false.”
Democratic Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia told CNN that claims by Trump and Vice President Mike Pence that the states have a lot of evidence were “just delusional.”
The Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC region is still seeing increasing cases, even as the epicenter of the US outbreak. The US, New York, has begun to see a decline. Boston and Chicago are also emerging hot spots with recent increases in cases and deaths.
Several states, including Ohio, Texas and Florida, have said they intend to reopen parts of their economies, perhaps by May 1 or even earlier, but appear to remain cautious.
Trump’s guidelines for reopening the economy recommend a 14-day state record of declining case numbers before gradually lifting the restrictions. However, the Republican president seemed to encourage protesters who want the measures removed earlier with a series of Twitter posts on Friday asking them to “FREE” Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia, all led by Democratic governors.
Protesters demonstrate in downtown San Diego against the order to stay at home in California to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. ARIANA DREHSLER / AFP
The United States has by far the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, with more than 730,000 infections and more than 39,000 deaths.
Demonstrations to demand an end to the stay-at-home measures that have hit the United States economy have broken out in places in Texas, Wisconsin and the Ohio, Minnesota, Michigan, and Virginia capitol buildings. More than 22 million Americans have applied for unemployment benefits in the past month.
READ: Hundreds Protest US Rules COVID-19
A person with a face mask waits to cross a street during the coronavirus outbreak in Los Angeles, California. REUTERS / Mario Anzuoni
Trump had touted a thriving economy as the best case for his re-election in November.
On Saturday, several dozen protesters gathered in the Texas capital Austin, chanting “America! America!” and “Let’s work!”
READ: Hungry and Unemployed Americans Turning to Food Banks to Survive the COVID-19 Pandemic
In Brookfield, Wisconsin, hundreds of protesters cheered as they lined up on a main road and waved American flags to protest the extension of that state’s “home security” order.
The protesters for the most part ignored the rules of social distancing and did not wear the masks recommended by public health officials.
US lawmakers are very close to a deal on the approval of extra money to help small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic and could seal a deal as early as Sunday, officials from Congress and the Trump administration said.
A deal would end a stalemate that lasted more than a week over Trump’s request to add $ 250 billion to a small business loan program. Congress established the program last month as part of a $ 2.3 trillion coronavirus financial aid plan, but it has already run out of money.
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