The White House coronavirus task force is now warning states that the risk posed by coronavirus is at an all-time high.
A weekly report issued by the White House directly after Thanksgiving, and first obtained by CNN, warned governors that the “COVID risk to all Americans is at a historic high”
“The national daily COVID incidence after Memorial Day, but before the summer surge, was fewer than 25,000 new cases/day and is now more than 180,000 new cases/day; COVID inpatients then were fewer than 30,000 but are now more than 90,000; fatalities have more than doubled,” the report read. “If state and local policies do not reflect the seriousness of the current situation, all public health officials must alert the state population directly.” (EXCLUSIVE: Trump Officials Maintain He’d Sign A Lame Duck Coronavirus Stimulus But Think It’s Unlikely He’ll Get The Chance)
(L-R) Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci, Response coordinator for White House Coronavirus Task Force Deborah Birx and Director of the Centers for Disease Control Robert Redfield listen to Vice President Mike Pence speak during a White House Coronavirus Task Force press briefing in the James S. Brady Briefing Room of the White House on November 19, 2020. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
The task force also warned that a “post-Thanksgiving surge will compromise COVID patient care, as well as medical care overall” and that people over the age of 40 should “assume you became infected during the Thanksgiving period if you gathered beyond your immediate household.”
“Most likely, you will not have symptoms; however, you are dangerous to others and you must isolate away from anyone at increased risk for severe disease and get tested immediately,” the report continued. “If you are over 65 or have significant medical conditions and you gathered outside of your immediate household, you are at a significant risk for serious COVID infection; if you develop any symptoms, you must be tested immediately as the majority of therapeutics work best early in infection.”
“The task force recommends mitigation, while opening schools, to ensure health care providers have adequate capacity to treat an increased number of cases,” White House spokesman Brian Morgenstern told Daily Caller when asked about the report. “Lifesaving treatments are being administered across the country, and vaccines will be delivered within weeks to dramatically reduce the risks of death for our vulnerable population.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, is expected to release new guidance that would shorten the quarantining period for people who might have been exposed to coronavirus from fourteen to seven days.
“Reducing the length of quarantine may increase compliance by reducing economic hardship,” a CDC proposal obtained by Fox News states. “In addition, the reduction in time will lessen stress on the public health system, especially when new infections are rapidly rising.”
*** EDITOR’S NOTE: This piece was updated to include a statement from the White House.