REDEFINING ‘DISTANCE’

Trump Says He’s Preparing New Social Distancing Guidelines Depending on State ‘Risk’ Factors

Trump said the country’s testing capabilities would be able to classify counties as “high-risk, medium-risk and low-risk.”

In a Thursday letter to governors, President Trump said that his administration was preparing new coronavirus social distancing guidance that could potentially be more relaxed. According to CNN, the guidelines would depend on geographic risk factors determined by the country’s “expanded testing capabilities.” “High-risk, medium risk and low-risk” counties would receive different guidance depending on their classification so states could decide on “maintaining, increasing or relaxing social distancing and other mitigation measures they have put in place.” Trump announced 15-day social distancing measures last week, but has since indicated that he’d like to loosen them so the country would be up and running again by Easter. “There is still a long battle ahead, but our efforts are already paying dividends,” Trump wrote in the letter. “As we enhance protections against the virus, Americans across the country are hoping the day will soon arrive when they can resume their normal economic, social and religious lives.”