Vice President Mike Pence said he believes the novel coronavirus pandemic could be “largely … behind us” by early June during an interview with radio personality Rush Limbaugh Thursday.
The two spoke on “The Rush Limbaugh Show” and discussed the continued novel coronavirus cases, Mediaite reported. Pence noted that the White House coronavirus task force has seen “trends” suggesting that many Americans have had the virus with only flu-like symptoms or none at all.
“I truly do believe, I truly do believe that if current trend lines hold, that by early June, we could largely have this coronavirus epidemic behind us, and begin to see our nation open back up and go back to work,” Pence said.
Radio personality Rush Limbaugh pumps thumb after being awarded the Medal of Freedom by First Lady Melania Trump after being acknowledged by US President Donald Trump as he delivers the State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on February 4, 2020. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The Vice President added that he would “not be surprised” if many Americans had already been exposed, contracted the virus and developed antibodies to it. (RELATED: Media Credits Mike Pence Over His Coronavirus Response)
“There is a highest likelihood that if you’ve had this coronavirus in the past, that you will enjoy some immunity from it in the future,” according to Pence. “And it’s among the reasons why our nation, should the coronavirus reemerge at any time in the future … why our nation will be in a much better place.”
“Make no mistake about it, if some of those early studies hold out, there will be an awful lot of Americans in the fall and in the winter of next year that actually enjoy a degree of immunity from the coronavirus. That will …. that’ll also be a be a bulwark against this.”
Pence added that it is important for Americans to continue following the guidelines put into place to slow the spread of the virus. He said that everything the task force is seeing “is a tribute to what” Americans, like those listening to Limbaugh’s show, have done.
“I want your listeners to know that everything we are looking at, every single day, is a tribute to what they have done,” Pence said. “We urge them to continue to do it. We urge them to continue to practice that social distancing, to continue to use the drive-thru at your local restaurant.”
“Avoid gatherings of more than 10, listen to your state and local authorities. Because as we track this data, state by state, county by county, we’re getting there, Rush.”