President Trump said yesterday that “we’re not gonna close the country” again if the coronavirus sees a resurgence, the Boston Globe reported. During a tour of a Ford plant in Michigan, a reporter asked the president if he was concerned about a potential second wave of the illness. “People say that’s a very distinct possibility. It’s standard. And we’re going to put out the fires. We’re not gonna close the country. We’re going to put out the fires — whether it’s an ember or a flame, we’re going to put it out. But we’re not closing our country.” Trump’s administration in March issued cautionary guidelines — which were originally supposed to last 15 days and were then extended an additional 30 — aimed at slowing the spread of the virus, such as encouraging Americans to work and study from home and to avoid restaurants and discretionary travel. The federal guidelines also recommended against group gatherings larger than 10 and urged older people and anyone with existing health problems to stay home. The guidelines expired in late April, leaving any further restrictions or advisories up to individual states.
