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Dr. Fauci warns against ‘tempting’ coronavirus rebound by opening too soon

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Social Links for Joshua Rhett Miller
Published April 30, 2020, 10:14 a.m. ET
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Dr. Anthony Fauci
Dr. Anthony FauciREUTERS/Carlos Barria
Nicole Snider opens the Northern Treasure thrift store in Roundup, Montana, on Monday.
Nicole Snider opens the Northern Treasure thrift store in Roundup, Montana, on Monday.AP/Matthew Brown
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A sign reminding customers to socially distance is posted in Bink's Outfitters store in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
A sign reminding customers to socially distance is posted in Bink's Outfitters store in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.AP/Mark Humphrey
Kim Kaseta waits for her patty melt while sitting at the counter at the Waffle House in Brookhaven, Georgia, on Monday.
Kim Kaseta waits for her patty melt while sitting at the counter at the Waffle House in Brookhaven, Georgia, on Monday.Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-C
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White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci urged caution Thursday as states begin to reopen from coronavirus shutdowns, warning against “tempting a rebound” in infections by returning too soon.

Fauci, appearing on NBC’s “Today” show, suggested that governors only begin to reopen their economies if they see a 14-day decline in new cases.

“The only thing I can do is from 40,000 feet, just continue to urge the ones who don’t have that capability to really go very slowly,” Fauci said. “And those that do, go ahead and go by the guidelines. The guidelines very, very explicit and clear.”

Governors are given “a lot of leeway” with the guidelines, but it’s necessary to adhere to their core principles moving forward, Fauci said.

“You can’t just leap over things and get into a situation where you’re really tempting a rebound,” he told host Savannah Guthrie. “That’s the thing I get concerned about. I hope they don’t do that.”

But Fauci insisted he wasn’t “nervous” about the expiring federal social distancing guidelines and as many as two dozens states with plans to restart their economies as soon as Friday.

“I wouldn’t say it makes me nervous, but it makes me again committed to the things that I have been speaking about now for a considerable period of time, ever since we got into the mitigation phase, the 30-day guidelines of gradually opening up as we get into now opening up America,” Fauci said. “Remember, that’s a phased process.”

Fauci stressed the importance of 14 days of “continual diminution” in numbers of new COVID-19 cases prior to any reopening, but warned of “blips” that may occur.

“When you pull back, there will be cases,” Fauci said. “And what we need to do is make sure they have in place the capability of identifying, isolating and contact-tracing individuals. If they do that, I feel cautiously optimistic.”