Trump extends US social distancing measures until 30 April

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he would extend social distancing measures until 30 April in an effort to limit death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The move was a reversal of Trump's remarks last week claiming that the country would reopen for business by Easter. On Sunday he claimed Easter was just an “aspiration” and now hoped the country would “be well on our way to recovery” by 1 June.

Experts warned the US government that loosening restrictions by Easter would result in unnecessary death and economic damage.

“Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before the victory has been won,” Trump said at an evening press briefing after suggesting that the coronavirus death rate would likely peak in two weeks.

The administration is attempting to keep the projected death toll below 100,000 after the president was told 2.2m people could die in the US if drastic measures weren’t taken to mitigate the outbreak.

“So if we can hold that down, as we’re saying, to 100,000, it’s a horrible number, maybe even less, but to 100,000, so we have between 100 and 200,000, we all together have done a very good job,” Trump said.

Trump also alleged on Sunday that hospitals and healthcare workers were hoarding ventilators, which are in scarce supply across the country, but cited no evidence to back up the claim and it was not clear what facilities he was referring to.

City and state officials have called for medical supplies to be focused on those hospitals treating the largest numbers of patients infected with Covid-19.