Bill Gates: Complete US shutdown is only way to beat coronavirus
Mar 27, 2020, 9:12 AM | Updated: 10:24 am
Bill Gates. (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
Bill Gates is sounding the alarm, saying a full country shutdown like we have seen in India, China, and Ital, is the only way to beat the coronavirus.
Bill Gates estimates at least 6-10 weeks before coronavirus is quelled
Gates did not mince words this week, telling CNN that a complete shutdown is the only way to get ahead of this virus.
“We’re entering into a tough period,” he said. “If we do it right, we’ll only have to do it once for six to 10 weeks, but it has to be the whole country.”
Gates also said there is no way the restrictions can be lifted by President Trump’s Easter deadline on April 12.
He went on to note that there hasn’t been enough testing yet to really know where we are as a country, making a unified testing program and shutdown is really the only way to beat this.
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“And having states go at different things or thinking you can go at it county by county, that will not work,” Gates said. “The cases will be exponentially growing anywhere you don’t have a serious shutdown.”
Gates acknowledged the economic hardship that will come with a six to 10 week shutdown, but he said it’s better than having a series of shutdowns, rocking the economy over and over.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is looking to provide at least a little relief in that department, as it continues to work on developing in-home testing kits.
