There has so far not been a surge in coronavirus cases in areas of the U.S. that are reopening, the country’s health secretary, Alex Azar said on Sunday.
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“We are seeing that in places that are opening, we’re not seeing this spike in cases.
“We still see spikes in some areas that are in fact close to very localised situations,” the health secretary told broadcaster CNN.
Many states across the nation, which has seen more than 88,000 virus-related deaths – by far the most in the world – are starting to ease restrictions to varying degrees.
U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for a swift reopening of the economy, amid warnings by health officials about a resurgence of the virus if states move too quickly.
Azar said local leaders must judge “whether a bar being open, a restaurant, a school is the right thing.”
“These are very localised determinations; there should not be a one size fits all to reopening,” he said.
“But reopen we must because it’s not health versus the economy.
“It’s actually health versus health,” he added, pointing to possible consequences of maintaining shutdowns, such as suicides and a lack of cardiac procedures and other vaccinations.
Asked about images of crowded bars in some parts of the country, the health and human services secretary said that was the cost of freedom.
“I think in any individual instance you’re going to see people doing things that are irresponsible, that’s part of the freedom that we have here in America,” Azar said.