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发帖数: 1 | 1 US President Donald Trump has said a sobering warning by his top infectious
diseases expert about lifting pandemic restrictions too soon was
unacceptable.
He accused Dr Anthony Fauci of wanting "to play all sides of the equation"
in his testimony to lawmakers on Tuesday.
The president said he was especially dissatisfied with Dr Fauci's caution
around reopening schools too quickly.
Covid-19 has infected nearly 1.4 million people in the US and killed 84,000,
while ravaging the economy.
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What did the US president say?
Speaking on Wednesday at the White House, Mr Trump took issue with Dr Fauci'
s comments to a Senate hearing a day earlier about the risks to children of
reopening and his assessment that a vaccine was unlikely before classes
could begin this autumn.
"Look, he wants to play all sides of the equation," Mr Trump said of his top
coronavirus expert's concerns.
Media captionHow Denmark reopened its primary schools
"I was surprised by his answer actually, because, you know, it's just to me
- it's not an acceptable answer, especially when it comes to schools," the
president told reporters.
He said "the only thing that would be acceptable" is giving older teachers
and professors a few more weeks before they return.
"Because this is a disease that attacks age, and it attacks health," the
president said.
Media captionStay-at-home protesters clash with city council president in
California
"But with the young children, I mean, and students, it's really - just take
a look at the statistics. It's pretty amazing," Mr Trump added.
The Republican president is keen to get Americans back to work and has
praised governors who are moving to do so while criticising others for not
acting aggressively enough.
The country is split over Mr Trump's focus on protecting livelihoods, and
critics accuse him of gambling with lives to serve his own political
interests ahead of November's re-election bid.
The president's latest comments come amid reports of some young children
being severely affected by an inflammatory syndrome that could be linked to
the virus.
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What did Dr Fauci say?
Speaking to lawmakers on Tuesday, the White House task force coronavirus
expert warned that relaxing stay-at-home rules too quickly could bring more
"suffering and death".
The director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
emphasised the importance of not being "cavalier in thinking that children
are completely immune to the deleterious effects" of the disease.
Media captionDr Anthony Fauci clashes with senators over coronavirus
Dr Fauci said: "We just have to see on a step-by-step basis as we get into
the period of time with the fall, about reopening the schools, exactly where
we will be in the dynamics of the outbreak."
The infectious disease chief also said the real US death toll is probably
higher than the official figure.
The face of America's fight against Covid-19
What's the national picture?
On Wednesday, Maryland's Governor Larry Hogan said he was lifting that state
's stay-at-home measure, replacing it on Friday with a "safer-at-home" order.
The Republican, who has been critical of Mr Trump, cited a two-week decline
in severe cases and deaths that federal guidelines recommend.
Media captionThe lost six weeks when the US failed to control the virus
On Wednesday, Wisconsin's Supreme Court overturned Democratic Governor Tony
Evers' stay-at-home order, ruling it "unenforceable" and "unlawful" in a
victory for the Republican-led legislature.
A majority of states have begun a phased reopening approach. In some, like
Texas and Georgia, public spaces and businesses have also been allowed to
reopen.
New York, California, Washington DC, New Jersey and Illinois are among those
with shutdowns still in place. |
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