Donald Trump says social distancing will be extended 'until we feel safe'

President Donald Trump revealed that it might take some time before the national social distancing guidelines are eased. On Thursday, Trump said that it might still be in effect until early summer or beyond.

“We may, and we may go beyond that,” President Donald Trump said on Thursday during a White House press briefing, CNBC reported. He was responding to a query asking if the social distancing guidelines might need to be extended until summer.

“We’re going to have to see where it is,” the President added. “I think people are going to know just out of common sense. At some point, we won’t have to do that. But until we feel safe, we’re going to be extending.”

To slow down the spread of the coronavirus, the Trump administration announced the social distancing guidelines on March 16. WhiIe it was originally intended to last only 15 days, it was later extended and will be expiring by the end of April.

Previously, Donald Trump expressed the idea of easing coronavirus-related restrictions by Easter. “Wouldn't it be great to have all the churches full?” the President said. “You'll have packed churches all over our country. I think it'll be a beautiful time.”

But many feared then that it was still too soon to reopen the economy. “I understand what the president is saying that this is unsustainable that we close down the economy and we continue to spend money,” New York governor Andrew Cuomo said. “But if you ask the American people to choose between public health and the economy then it’s no contest. No American is going to say ‘accelerate the economy at the cost of human life’.”

Recently, the White House said that the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. is already past its peak as noted by the decline in new confirmed COVID-19 cases. With the slowing down of the pathogen’s spread, some states have already released reopening plans.

“At the present moment, 16 states have released formal reopening plans,” Vice President Mike PencePence said at a press briefing, CNBC reported. “States are beginning to make those plans and we’re encouraged to see so many states embracing the phased approach to reopening their economies that’s contemplated in our guidelines for opening up America again.”