The White House suggests avoiding grocery stores and public places over the next few weeks, as the COVID-19 battle escalates

If there is one thing we have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic currently ravaging planet earth, is that the rules are constantly changing. This is not only due to the fact that we are learning more about the highly infectious disease daily, but also that our position on “the curve” continues to change. Over the weekend, the White House coronavirus task force warned that the next few weeks are going to be a huge battle and that we should expect many casualties. And, because of that, they are suggesting that Americans should stay home altogether, not even leaving the house to stock up on groceries.

“The next two weeks are extraordinarily important,” White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx stated during a Saturday press conference.

"The next two weeks are extraordinarily important… This is the moment to NOT be going to the grocery store, NOT going to the pharmacy, but doing everything you can to keep your family and your friends SAFE." – Dr. Deborah Birx during the WH press briefing @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/dz4YFXX8L2 — Veronica Miracle (@ABC7Veronica) April 4, 2020

“This is the moment to not be going to the grocery store, not going to the pharmacy, but doing everything you can to keep your family and your friends safe,” she stated.

Of course, this is easier said than done. A call to “avoid grocery stores” assumes that people already stocked up before this news broke, assumes that people could afford to buy that much at one time, and assumes that everyone can afford food delivery services like Instacart. But if you have the means to stay home and acquire food a different way, it’s important to do your part to flatten the curve.

Story continues

As of Sunday, April 5, 2020, the U.S. had reported 8,500 deaths and more than 312,000 confirmed cases, but President Donald Trump warned that the worst was yet to come.

“This will be probably the toughest week between this week and next week, and there will be a lot of death, unfortunately, but a lot less death than if this wasn’t done but there will be death,” he said during the press conference.

During an interview with Fox News Sunday (via USA Today) host Chris Wallace, Surgeon General Jerome Adams also warned of the critical few weeks ahead, likening them to some of the most devastating events in our country’s history.

TODAY: Dr. Jerome Adams on how the U.S. can most effectively combat the coronavirus. #FNS #FoxNews pic.twitter.com/Iv6nS9ZaVb — FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) April 5, 2020

“This is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives, quite frankly,” he stated. “This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment, only it’s not going to be localized. It’s going to be happening all over the country. And I want America to understand that.”

However, he stressed that the government and the American people still have the “power to change the trajectory of this epidemic” and that if Americans strictly practice social distancing, it can make a huge difference.

“I want Americans to understand that, as hard as this week is going to be, there is a light at the end of the tunnel if everyone does their part for the next 30 days,” he continued.

Information about COVID-19 is rapidly changing, and Scary Mommy is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. With news being updated so frequently, some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For this reason, we are encouraging readers to use online resources from local public health departments, the Centers for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization to remain as informed as possible.

See the original article on ScaryMommy.com