Bill Gates said the US missed its chance to avoid a coronavirus shutdown and recommended businesses stay closed for 6 to 10 weeks

March 25, 2020
213 Views

  • Bill Gates said the US missed its chance to contain COVID-19 without mandatory shutdowns, according to CNBC.
  • “We did not act fast enough to have an ability to avoid the shutdown,” Gates said during a Ted Connects virtual event Tuesday.
  • While admitting the “disastrous” economic impact, according to CNBC, Gates reiterated his previous suggestion that the shutdown should last six to 10 weeks.
  • Gates also called on the US to improve its testing capacity and strategy.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

America has missed its chance to contain the coronavirus without mandatory shutdowns, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said in an interview Tuesday, according to CNBC.

“The US is past this opportunity to control (COVID-19) without shutdown,” Gates said during a virtual TED Connects event, CNBC reported. “We did not act fast enough to have an ability to avoid the shutdown,” Gates added.

 What COVID-19 symptoms look like, day by dayBusiness Insider Video

Scroll back up to restore default view.

The US has become the third-worst-hit country in the world, with nearly 600 deaths and nearly 50,000 confirmed cases reported across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and at least three US territories.

Those numbers, however, are likely to climb as the US continues to ramp up its testing efforts — which have been woefully behind those of other countries.

“In terms of testing, we’re still not creating that capacity and applying it to people in need,” Gates said, according to CNBC, reaffirming earlier comments Gates made about testing in the US not being organized enough.

More state and local governments have begun telling residents to remain in their homes in recent weeks, with one in three Americans now under “stay at home” orders. But Gates said the time to take such measures was back in January, according to CNBC.

Gates also said that, despite a potentially “disastrous” impact on the economy, the shutdowns should last for six to 10 weeks, CNBC reported. That timeline echoes Gates’ previous comments about the steps other countries should take to contain the virus

On Monday, President Trump went on a Twitter spree urging the US economy to go back to business as usual within 15 days, despite most public health experts — including Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the top officials on the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force — advising against lifting the containment measures to reopen the economy, predicting that the outbreak could last for several months.

You may be interested

Done Deal: Falconets Forward Joins American Club Carolina Ascent
Sports
1 views
Sports
1 views

Done Deal: Falconets Forward Joins American Club Carolina Ascent

Webby - November 16, 2024

Former Falconets forward Opeyemi Ajakaye has joined USL Super League club, Carolina Ascent FC on loan.Ajakaye linked up with Carolina…

Orban’s Lyon Face Provisional Relegation To Ligue 2 Amid Financial Woes
News
1 views
News
1 views

Orban’s Lyon Face Provisional Relegation To Ligue 2 Amid Financial Woes

Webby - November 15, 2024

Olympique Lyon the club of Nigerian striker Gift Orban, have been handed a provisional Ligue 1 relegation by theDNCG who…

Ghana Miss Out On AFCON 2025 Qualification After Draw With Angola
News
1 views
News
1 views

Ghana Miss Out On AFCON 2025 Qualification After Draw With Angola

Webby - November 15, 2024

Black Stars of Ghana’s hopes of qualifying for next year’s AFCON was ended after they played a 1-1 draw away…

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.