US reopening could start ‘in some ways’ in May, says Fauci

Bloomberg

Parts of the US may be ready in May to ease emergency measures taken against the coronavirus pandemic but there’s no universal “light switch” to flip on, Dr Anthony Fauci said.
There’s also the possibility of a Covid-19 rebound in the fall which could be a factor in November’s elections, he said.
Fauci and a range of others, including governors and mayors from across the US, said the availability of widespread testing would be key to relaxing social isolation that continues in most states.
They spoke as President Donald Trump faces the “biggest decision” of his life on when and how to reopen the US economy.
“It could probably start at least in some ways maybe next month,” Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on CNN’s “State of the Union”.
“We are hoping by the end of the month we can look around and say, okay, is there any element here that we can safely and cautiously start pulling back on, if so, do it,” he said. Ultimately the decision on reopening will come from America’s governors and mayors, who imposed stringent social distancing measures in the first place.

‘Balanced Approach’
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, said on CNN that moving too quickly would be “gasoline on the fire.”
The state has the second highest number of coronavirus cases in the US, behind New York. A reopening should be done “in broad harmony” with neighbouring states, Murphy said.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said on CBS that her city, the third largest in the US, cannot open up the economy until it has “all the health care controls in place,” including widespread testing and contact tracing.
Seattle has slowed its rate of coronavirus cases after being the first US “hot spot.” It’s under a “stay home, stay safe” order until May 4.
“It would be more devastating to Seattle to reopen and then have a resurgence,” Jenny Durkan, the Washington city’s mayor, said on CNN. “We have to be as smart about reopening as we were not smart about preventing this in the first place.”
Many states have postponed their primary elections from April to May or June or are pursing expanded mail-in voting. Fauci said he hopes in-person voting will be safe for November’s general election but “can’t guarantee it.”