'It's difficult to tell if we need to close again': Dr. Birx refuses to rule out a SECOND lockdown as she sends hint to Trump by pressing the importance of wearing a mask as thousands of Americans head to the beach for Memorial Day weekend(35 Pics)
Dr Deborah Birx has refused to rule out a second coronavirus lockdown and reminded beachgoers on Sunday to socially distance and wear masks as they mark the unofficial start of summer amid the pandemic.
Last week, President Donald Trump addressed the potential of shutting down the country again if a second wave of the coronavirus hits the US in the fall.
'We are going to put out the fires. We’re not going to close the country,' Trump said. 'We can put out the fires. Whether it is an ember or a flame, we are going to put it out. But we are not closing our country.'
On Sunday, Birx responded to Trump's declaration during an interview with ABC's This Week, saying 'it's difficult to tell'.
'We're trying to understand during this period of coming out of the closure: How do we maintain openness and safety? And I think that's what we're going to be learning through May, June and July.'
Birx, who coordinates the daily response to the coronavirus for the White House, said: 'And also, I want to be very clear to the American people, we are preparing for that potential fall issue, both in PPE, which is protective devices, both in ventilator stockpiles, and ensuring that we're really pushing on therapeutics and vaccine development so we can be ready if the virus does come back in a significant way.'
Dr Deborah Birx has refused to rule out a second coronavirus lockdown and reminded beachgoers on Sunday to socially distance and wear masks as they mark the unofficial start of summer amid the pandemic
Birx also addressed Americans who are looking to head to the beach for the Memorial Day holiday. A Parks Enforcement Patrol vehicle patrols on the Coney Island Boardwalk ahead of Memorial Day after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warns beach goers no swimming on the holiday weekend
Birx also addressed Americans who are looking to head to the beach for the Memorial Day holiday.
'This only works if we all follow the guidelines and protect one another,' Birx said. 'I think it's our job as public health officials every day to be informing the public of what puts them at risk,' she noted and added people need to be reminded 'of how to be together socially yet distant'.
'You can go to the beaches if you stay 6 feet apart,' she said. 'But remember that is your space, and that is the space you need to protect to ensure you are socially distancing for others.'
She also reminded people to wear masks if they can't socially distance while enjoying the extended weekend.
'It's important that we have to have masks on if we are less than six feet and that we have to maintain that six feet distance,' Birx told Fox News Sunday.
She emphasized it was okay for people to be outside and to enjoy the sunshine - as long as people were responsible and kept in mind not all carriers of the coronavirus show symptoms of the disease.
'We know being outside does help. We know sun does help in killing the virus, but that doesn't change the fact that people need to be responsible and maintain that distance,' she said.
'And people aren't intentionally spreading the virus. They don't know they're infected, but they come together and they're under that six feet and everybody who gets exposed to that person less than six feet has a chance of becoming infected.'
Birx's approval came after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio threatened to put up fencing to keep people off the city's beaches.
He told New Yorkers the beaches were open for walking - as long as people socially distanced - but that was it.
'If you want to walk on the beach, fine enjoy that. But no swimming, no lifeguards, no parties, no barbecues, no sports,' the mayor said last week. 'It's just open space that you can walk on, take it in and then get back home.'
He said he would have the city's Parks Department put up fencing at entry points for beaches if people violated the rules and have swimmers pulled from the water.
'Anyone tries to get in the water, they’ll be taken right out of the water,' he noted.
'I don't want to implement it unless we need to,' he said. 'But we have to be ready.'
In New York beachgoers must wear masks, practice social distancing, and large gatherings and group sports are banned. While no swimming is allowed people can wade in the water and surf.
Beaches on Saturday were full of sun bathers as hundreds of thousands of people escaped their lock downs to get some fresh air and sunshine.
The great escape came as there are more than 1.66 million cases of the coronavirus in the United States and more than 97,000 people have died from the disease.
The Back Porch, a surfside restaurant on Henderson Beach in Destin, Florida, was full. The restaurant was operating at 50 per cent seating capacity to ensure that chairs and umbrellas could be placed 6 feet apart, and newcomers had to wait for places to become free before they could enter, said hostess Julianna Preede, 18.
Birx said: 'You can go to the beaches if you stay 6 feet apart. But remember that is your space, and that is the space you need to protect to ensure you are socially distancing for others.' Beachgoers relax in Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Saturday as hundreds of thousands of Americans nationwide emerged from quarantine to enjoy the sun during Memorial Day weekend
The beaches are open for business again during the coronavirus epidemic. Beachgoers are seen above in Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Saturday
Americans were eager to enjoy the clear skies and warm weather. The image above shows beachgoers in Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Saturday
In recent weeks, state and local authorities in Florida began relaxing restrictions and reopening beaches and public spaces
Bathers jump into the choppy waters of Pensacola Beach, Florida, on Saturday during the coronavirus pandemic
'There's a lot of people here right now - it's a holiday weekend,' Preede said.
In Arizona, holiday travelers flooded Interstate-17, causing a 15-mile backup on the roadway used for access to some of the desert's most beautiful canyons, the Arizona Department of Transportation said.
Some recreation areas, including Saguaro Lake, became so crowded that authorities had to shut them down.
While the Memorial Day holiday is on Monday, the weekend leading up to it marks the unofficial start of summer, with Americans traditionally flocking to beaches, gathering at backyard barbecues and unfurling picnic blankets in parks.
Among those soaking in the sun and enjoying a bit of travel on Saturday was President Donald Trump, who was seen golfing at his Trump National club in northern Virginia, his first golf outing since the White House declared a national emergency over the coronavirus outbreak in March.
Trump has been eager to promote the idea that the United States is returning to normal.
Practically empty: The beaches were largely empty in New York City, the nation's epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak
A far cry from the rest of the country: A man wearing a protective mask walks along the beach in Coney Island, Brooklyn, on Saturday where there were a few pedestrians, a star contrast from packed beaches in other cities
A man wearing a protective mask feeds seagulls while walking along the beach in Coney Island, Brooklyn, on Saturday
A woman wearing a protective mask pictured walking alone at Coney Island in Brooklyn ahead of Memorial Day. Mayor Bill De Blasio says beaches are open but all must wear face coverings and practice social distancing. Swimming is not allowed
In Port Aransas, Texas thousands packed on the beach for the Memorial Day weekend on Saturday to soak up the sun
Beachgoers in Port Aransas, Texas, are being urged to practice social distancing to guard against COVID-19
Beachgoers in Port Aransas, Texas, enjoyed warm weather, clear skies, and a holiday weekend
Texas in recent weeks has also started to reopen its economy, though the state is also recording a higher number of cases of coronavirus
The beach in Port Aransas, Texas, is packed on Saturday as Americans enjoy the Memorial Day holiday weekend
Arlington National Cemetery, which holds veterans of US conflicts including the Civil War, remained open only to family pass holders who must have a face covering to enter.
Access was granted to visit grave sites only, with no touring allowed.
In rain-soaked New York, epicenter of the coronavirus crisis, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo at his news briefing on Saturday discussed his decision to allow up to 10 people to attend ceremonies honoring America's military veterans, warning that social distancing and face masks should be part of any plans to get together.
'It depends on how people act. You can have a safe gathering of 10 people. You can also have a wholly unsafe gathering of 10 people,' Cuomo said.
A banner in support of President Trump is seen on the beach in Port Aransas, Texas, on Saturday
Beachgoers sit in their lounge chairs while eating and drinking beer in Port Aransas, Texas, on Saturday
Port Aransas is located on Mustang Island, which hugs the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico
The area offers a scenic view of the bay as well as dolphin sightings. Beachgoers in Port Aransas are seen above on Saturday
Heavy downpours kept crowds down at state beaches in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, which were re-opened with governors urging people to stay at least 6 feet apart, the recommended distance to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Surprise openings of other outdoor sites thrilled Americans cooped up at home by pandemic lockdown rules.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota welcomed visitors again starting on Saturday, earlier than expected, inviting in admirers of the 60-foot-high granite sculptures of the faces of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
The US death toll from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, continues to rise and is expected to surpass 100,000 in the coming days, the highest number of any country.
People enjoy the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, during the Memorial Day holiday weekend amid the coronavirus pandemic on Saturday
Visitors crowded the boardwalks with its various shops, eateries, and other attractions in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday
A couple holds hands while wearing face coverings during an outing on the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday
A visitor to the Ocean City, Maryland, boardwalk takes a stroll on Saturday while wearing a face covering
An electronic sign reminds visitors to the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, to maintain social distancing on Saturday
Visitors to the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, can be seen wearing face coverings as they take a stroll on Saturday
The beach front destination lifted its COVID-19-related beach and boardwalk restrictions on May 9 and lodging restrictions on May 14
With the relaxing of the coronavirus disease restrictions, beachgoers enjoy a game of Spikeball on Memorial Day weekend in Ocean City
The State of Maryland moved from a stay-at-home order to safe-at-home order on May 15
Dressed in stars and stripes for Memorial Day weekend, a visitor puts on his mask to protect against the coronavirus disease in Ocean City on Saturday
Maryland authorities have prohibited groups of 10 or more people. Several visitors are seen above on the boardwalk in Ocean City on Saturday
Several beachgoers relax in the sun while youngsters play in the sand in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday
A local artist and onlookers wear masks on the boardwalk during the Memorial Day holiday weekend on Saturday
A woman holds an inflatable alien doll while a young girl looks on in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday
Visitors had the option of getting ice cream or riding the ferris wheel in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday
Ocean City, Maryland, is a beachfront area that attracts visitors from places like Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New Jersey
A woman looks at summer dresses outside a store on the boardwalk during the Memorial Day holiday weekend on Saturday
Despite some crowds, regulars here say there are not as many people as a typical Memorial Day weekend
People line up to buy fast food at a restaurant in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday
Visitors to the boardwalk wear face masks while enjoying refreshments in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday
People walk past a sign reminding them to maintain social distancing in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday
A visitor on a bike rides on the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, while looking out at the beachgoers on Saturday
Three visitors to the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, enjoy a leisurely chat on Saturday
People carry their surfboards on the boardwalk during the Memorial Day holiday weekend
The New York Times marked the expected milestone by filling the entire front page of its Sunday edition with the names, ages and brief details of some of the virus victims and the headline 'U.S. DEATHS NEAR 100,000, AN INCALCULABLE LOSS.'
The paper said it drew from 1,000 obituaries and death notices in hundreds of US newspapers to highlight the pandemic's individual human toll.
This week, 11 states have reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases, including Alabama, Arkansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Maryland, Maine, Nevada, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin, according to a Reuters tally.
Iowa had a record increase in deaths on Saturday, as did Minnesota and Rhode Island earlier this week, according to a Reuters tally.
'It's difficult to tell if we need to close again': Dr. Birx refuses to rule out a SECOND lockdown as she sends hint to Trump by pressing the importance of wearing a mask as thousands of Americans head to the beach for Memorial Day weekend(35 Pics)
!['It's difficult to tell if we need to close again': Dr. Birx refuses to rule out a SECOND lockdown as she sends hint to Trump by pressing the importance of wearing a mask as thousands of Americans head to the beach for Memorial Day weekend(35 Pics)]()
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May 25, 2020
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