Trump Wants Schools Reopened As Quickly As Possible

TOPLINE

President Trump said Wednesday that coronavirus has minimal impact on young people and that he wants schools reopened quickly, contradicting Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top expert on infectious diseases, who has expressed unease about reopening schools in the fall.

KEY FACTS

Key background

Trump’s comments come just a day after Cal State, the largest public university system in the country, announced that it would continue to conduct most of its classes virtually for the fall semester. Many other colleges are weighing similar measures as experts sound the alarm about a possible second wave of coronavirus in the fall.

Big number

459. Provisional data from the CDC shows that at least 459 Americans under the age of 34 have died from coronavirus as of May 9, while another 194 died with pneumonia and COVID-19.

News peg

While it’s been believed that young people are at relatively low risk from coronavirus, that may be changing, with growing alarm among experts over a newly identified syndrome causing inflammatory symptoms in children. Experts have also found that young people who don’t develop symptoms can still carry the virus, potentially endangering family, staff and faculty if schools reopen.