Six states in the U.S. Northeast took the first tentative step on Monday toward reopening their economies by forming a regional panel to develop a strategy for the gradual lifting of restrictions aimed at stanching the coronavirus pandemic.
The announcement of the panel, to include economic and health officials from each state as well as the chief of staff of all six governors, came after U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that any decision on restarting the economy was his to make.
The states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, with a total population of 32 million, will join with neighboring Delaware, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island in coordinating their efforts to reopen the economy as more signs the outbreak has stabilized emerged over the weekend.
The joint planning reflected growing concern among health officials and political leaders that easing stay-at-home orders too soon could allow the pandemic to re-accelerate, undoing hard-won progress the country has made in recent weeks.
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2:56Coronavirus outbreak: Cuomo says New York COVID-19 numbers ‘especially tragic’ as death toll surpasses 10,000
Coronavirus outbreak: Cuomo says New York COVID-19 numbers ‘especially tragic’ as death toll surpasses 10,000
“Nobody has been here before,
