Trump Warns of “Painful Two Weeks”

Trump Warns of “Painful Two Weeks as cases of COVID-19 increase. Cases of COVID-19 have continued to multiply in the US. On the morning of April 1st, the US had the world’s highest number of infections (188,247) and the third-highest number of deaths (3,921) from the outbreak. A lack of early testing contributed to the growing US outbreak that seemed unlikely to wishful thinkers in the early days of the crisis. Now, President Trump has changed his rhetorical tone from one that diminished the threat to one that reflects the seriousness of the crisis.

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On Tuesday, Trump administration health experts unveiled research models showing that between 100,000 to 250,000 Americans could die even with government mitigation policies. In contrast, without mitigation, the analysis projected between 1.5 million and 2.2 million Americans could die.

This implies strict measures hence the need for painful two weeks to help flatten the curve of the COVID-19. Cases in the US State by State even gives a better picture of the challenge. 

Dr. Deborah Brix of the White House COVID-19 taskforce emphasized that changed behavior could prevent the high-end of the death toll range from materializing. In a sober note, Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that America should be prepared for 100,000 deaths – that’s significantly more than died in both the Viet Nam and Iraq wars combined.

These warnings from health experts have convinced the President to change his approach. While Trump had previously compared COVID-19 to the flu, he now acknowledges this virus is far worse. He’s now asking non-essential businesses to remain closed and people to maintain social distancing measures until April 30th. Earlier, he had expressed the desire to re-open the country by Easter. The Painful Two Weeks is inevitable now. 

Although the data on infections and deaths are troubling, the lack of adequate testing, which is yet to be fully rectified, is even more troubling. It resulted us failing to contain the virus early on and the need for us to try to mitigate it today. Unfortunately, Americans must now brace themselves for death rates likely to approach those of World War II.