Federal guidelines set for reopening America

The COVID-19 crisis shut down most of the country’s businesses and recreational venues. As the pandemic starts to ease, politicians have begun pushing to reopen the country. Accordingly, President Donald Trump has released guidelines for states and localities to reopen and employers to resume operations.

Pressure on governors and employers

Trump’s three-step “Guidelines for Re-Opening America” restate much of the criteria laid out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but provide few metrics and little information on how federal and state resources will work together. Most significant, the guidelines put the responsibility for making and implementing fundamental decisions about reopening the economy on governors and employers.

Even before taking any steps toward reopening, each state or local jurisdiction should have:

• A 14-day period of “downward trajectories” in the numbers of reported symptoms and documented cases;
• Increased ability for hospitals to routinely treat patients; and
• “Robust” testing program for all healthcare providers.

The guidelines don't say how far “down” is enough to move forward, nor do they define “robust.”