NPR

White House Plan For Reopening States Leaves Testing Question Unanswered

The plan describes three phases of loosening social restrictions. Experts say the guidance lacks firm goals and thresholds for testing and leaves states to answer many questions on their own.

The Trump administration announced new guidelines Thursday for states to reopen businesses and schools and relax social distancing measures, but public health experts say the plan skirts a major hurdle needed to safely get things moving: a shortage of tests for the coronavirus.

Many experts are relieved the plan didn't include deadlines or a particular date for reopening. Instead, the plan describes three phases of loosening restrictions. States can move into each successive phase after establishing certain criteria, including documenting two weeks of declining case counts.

"There are features of it I like — gated, measured approach to re-opening," , director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, said in an email interview. "But they largely acknowledge that they

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