A woman wearing a mask walks past closed store fronts in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens on April 15 in New York City. States are beginning to implement phased reopening plans, in part to help businesses hit hard by the coronavirus. Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
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Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump wants states to begin relaxing stay-at-home orders and reopen businesses after the spread of the coronavirus pummeled the global economy and killed millions of jobs.
The White House coronavirus task force released guidelines on April 16 to encourage state governors to adopt a phased approach to lifting restrictions across the country. Some states have moved ahead without meeting the criteria.
The task force rejected a set of additional detailed draft recommendations for schools, restaurants, churches and mass transit systems from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that it considered “overly prescriptive.”
A number of states have already begun to lift restrictions, allowing for businesses including hair salons, diners and tattoo parlors to once again begin accepting customers. Health experts have warned that reopening too quickly could result in a potential rebound in cases.
States are supposed to wait to begin lifting any restrictions until they have a 14-day “downward trajectory” of influenza-like illnesses and confirmed virus cases, as well as sufficient hospital capacity and testing for health care workers.
Below is a summary of the three phases as outlined by the task force (read the full guidance here):
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