BOISE, Idaho — On Thursday, President Trump announced a three-phase plan to gradually reopen the U.S. economy.
The plan includes guidelines for when states can reopen certain businesses and gradually allowing gatherings and large event venues to operate again when appropriate. It would also keep social distancing guidelines in place, possibly even through the end of the year.
Trump said state governors were going to be responsible for implementing the plan and deciding when it is safe to lift restrictions in their respective states.
The announcement comes one day after Idaho Governor Brad Little announced his decision to extend Idaho's stay-at-home order through the end of April while allowing some businesses to also begin reopening.
On Thursday, Little sent a statement to KTVB in response to the president's announcement:
"The President's newly released guidelines for phased opening of the economy align with Idaho's decisions and actions to overcome coronavirus. In fact, every step of the way, we have been in sync with the President's direction. President Trump's criteria for phased opening match the criteria we have been using in Idaho. This affirms our actions are appropriate. The guidelines also confirm that Idaho is focused on the right areas for improvement, including expansion of testing access and contact tracing, increased healthcare system capacity, protecting the health of critical workers and vulnerable citizens, and reinforcing personal actions to prevent spread.
"I am deeply committed to getting Idaho's economy back up and running. Our collective efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus are working, but we have not yet seen a prolonged downward trend, as recommended by the President, to justify opening up everything at once. Until we do, we must continue to stay the course. Each Idahoan must continue to take measures such as social distancing and wearing face coverings in public to slow the spread of coronavirus so that we can minimize the potential for future waves of infections and ensure a strong economic comeback as quickly as possible."
On Wednesday, Little announced he would be re-evaluating the stay-at-home order again at the end of the month, telling Idahoans nobody wants the state to go back to work more than he does.
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