President Donald Trump, who a week ago said that he hopes the United States will shake off by Easter, set the deadline as April 30 to continue with the social distancing guidelines.

The U.S. Government announced on march 16 tougher guidelines for its citizens to follow to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

People were urged to avoid gathering in groups of more than 10.

The Trump administration also recommended that all Americans avoid discretionary travel; work or attend school from home ; and avoid eating and drinking at bars, restaurants, and public food courts.

Trump later openly voiced his opposition to the social distancing policies that state and local governments imposed to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He warned last Tuesday that if the country continues to lock down without , it could suffer "a massive recession or depression".

But at a White House news conference Sunday, the president acknowledged that measures such as social distancing were "the way you win", and added that the country "will be well on our way to recovery" by June.

"During this period, it's very important that everyone strongly follow the guidelines. Have to follow the guidelines. Therefore, we will be extending our guidelines to April 30 to slow the spread," he told reporters.

"We can expect that by June 1, we will be well on our way to recovery, according to Trump.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, said the decision that the President took after consulting with top officials and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force was "wise and prudent."

The top infectious diseases expert had projected the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 could reach 200,000.

At the briefing, Trump said his decision was influenced by a report that "2.2 million people could have died if we didn't go through with all of this", apparently referring to a COVID-19 impact report published by Imperial College London earlier this month.



As per the latest data, the deadly disease has killed 2493 people and infected 142,746 others in the United States.

Meanwhile, shortage of ventilators has become a major concern among health professionals.

Trump accused hospitals in some states of hoarding critical medical supplies, including ventilators.

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