100K to 240K COVID-19 Deaths Projected, ‘Very Painful 2 Weeks’

"I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead. We're going to go through a very tough two weeks," Trump said, setting expectations for a dire fortnight where death rates spike.

March 31, 2020 – In Breaking News – Fox News

The White House coronavirus task force on Tuesday pleaded with Americans to abide by the administration’s extended social distancing guidelines to slow the spread of coronavirus as a somber President Trump told Americans to brace for “a very painful two weeks” and warned of thousands of more virus-related deaths.

“The surge is coming, and it’s coming pretty strong,” the president said in the White House briefing room in a lengthy press conference that lasted more than two hours.

The extension of the social distancing guidelines comes after Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and other public health officials on the White House coronavirus task force ominously warned that even if the U.S. were to continue to do what it was doing — keeping the economy closed and most Americans in their homes — the coronavirus could still leave 100,000 to 240,000 people in the United States dead and millions infected.

(President Donald Trump warns Americans they will endure a “very tough two weeks” coming in the fight against the coronavirus as he urged everyone to follow federal social distancing guidelines through the end of April. Courtesy of Reuters and YouTube. Posted on Mar 31, 2020. COMPLETE White House coronavirus task force interview at bottom.)

Without any measures in place to mitigate the contagion’s spread, those projections jump to between 1.5 and 2.2 million deaths from COVID-19.

“It is absolutely critical for the American people to follow the guidelines,” Trump said during the briefing.

“It’s a matter of life and death.”

The new “30 Days to Slow the Spread” guidelines — unveiled at the press conference — are an extension of the strategy the White House implemented just over two weeks ago and include guidance on social distancing, working from home, washing hands frequently, and avoiding any unnecessary travel.

(As many as 200,000 Americans are projected to die in the U.S. coronavirus outbreak, a top White House official said, even with another 30 days of the most stringent public health restrictions. Courtesy of QuickTake by Bloomberg and YouTube. Posted on Mar 31, 2020. COMPLETE White House coronavirus task force interview at bottom.)

While Trump sought to reassure Americans that the country would ultimately get through the pandemic, he declined to sugarcoat the severity of the pandemic and said that the battle against the contagion will be worse in the upcoming weeks.

“This is going to be a rough two week period,” Trump said.

“As a nation we’re going to have a really rough two weeks. Our strength will be tested and our endurance will be tried.”

Continue reading… White House projects 100K to 240K coronavirus deaths as Trump tells US to prepare for ‘very painful two weeks’

(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci says the next couple of weeks will be a critical time in the fight against coronavirus following the deadliest day of the pandemic in the US. Courtesy of CNN and YouTube. Posted on Mar 31, 2020.)

(Members of the Coronavirus Task Force brief reporters at the White House on the latest developments and the administration’s response. Courtesy of C-SPAN and YouTube. Posted on Mar 31, 2020.)

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