President Donald Trump unveiled new guidelines on Thursday to help states loosen their stay-at-home orders and work towards reopening the economy amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
“You are going to call your own shots,” Trump said, according to a person familiar with the conversation who spoke with CNN. “I’ve gotten to know almost all of you, most of you I’ve known and some very well. You are all very capable people, I think in all cases, very capable people. And you’re going to be calling your shots.”
The guidelines, meant to speed Trump’s goal of restarting the country, won’t be mandatory. Many governors have already extended restrictions into May or banded into regional collectives that will determine their own reopening plans.
In a document provided to all 50 US governors during an afternoon phone call, the White House spelled out a three-phase approach to easing restrictions that depends on meeting specific case count and hospital capacity thresholds.
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The phased approach encourages all individuals to continue good hygiene practices like washing hands and to “strongly consider” using face coverings in public. And the document encourages employers to enact social distancing, temperature checks, testing and sanitation practices in their workplaces.
In the first phase of reopening, the document suggests schools that are currently closed should remain so and employees who are able to telework should keep working from home. Large venues, including some restaurants, can operate under strict social distancing protocols. Gyms can open as long as they maintain social distancing guidelines, but bars should remain shuttered.
Phases two and three gradually decrease the recommended restrictions.
As for theme parks, there’s no timetable for when Disneyland and Walt Disney World will reopen. California Governor Gavin Newsom remains extremely cautious when it comes to reopening the Golden State. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is hell-bent on re-opening Florida, but suggested a phased opening. Right now, his hands are tied with trying to fix the state’s unemployment website, which has plagued thousands of Disney cast members.