Coronavirus US Response: Joe Biden Details Strategy To Reopen America When Outbreak Subsides

The New York Times on Sunday published an op-ed by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden that details his strategy to reopen the American economy. The op-ed is titled “Joe Biden: My Plan To Safely Reopen America.”

The strategy is outlined in three parts. Biden first calls on Americans to continue social distancing and insists President Trump must use the Defense Production Act to “fight the disease with every tool at our disposal.” He urges Trump to lead a more organized federal response to the crisis. Biden then states there must be widespread testing and contact tracing to prevent future outbreaks. He also states that hospitals and the healthcare system should be prepared for a possible spike in cases when economic activity resumes and adds public health officials need to “conduct effective disease surveillance.”

“Once we have taken these steps, we can begin to reopen more businesses and put more people back to work,” Biden continues. “As public health experts have said, we should expect activity to return gradually, with sites like offices and stores reopening before arenas and theaters.”

Biden is set to square off against Trump in November after essentially clinching the Democratic nomination when Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out last week. On Monday, Sanders announced he was endorsing Biden.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced candidates to cancel in-person rallies and move to digital events. Biden has been critical of Trump's response to the outbreak, urging him to follow science and listen to public health experts.

Trump is currently determining when the U.S. should reopen its economy, calling it the biggest decision of his life. On Monday, Trump claimed that it is ultimately in his power to reopen the economy, although state governors around the country have issued the shutdown orders, closing non-essential businesses.

Trump has frequently feuded with state governors over the response to the crisis. Governors have complained they have had to compete in a free-for-all for vital medical equipment, as the virus spreads.

Trump has declared the coronavirus a national emergency, with the United States having more cases than any other country in the world. As of Monday at 4:10 p.m. ET, there are 572,169 coronavirus cases in the U.S., with 23,070 deaths.