Donald Trump says healthy Americans will now be able to return to work as conditions allow, but must maintain social distancing and stay home if they are sick.
The US president believes a prolonged lockdown would inflict an immense toll on public health as he released new White House recommendations for states to follow in re-opening the economy through a phased approach.
Those that meet the criteria can begin the process as early as today. During his daily press conference on Thursday, Trump said governors will be empowered to tailor the guidelines to their own states - and if they need to remain closed his government will "allow them" to do that. "We are not opening all at once, but one careful step at a time," he said, adding that