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US Surgeon General Jerome Adams issued a stern warning about the coronavirus pandemic on Monday: “This week it’s going to get bad.”
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Speaking on the “Today” show, Adams warned that Americans must stay home, lest they contribute to the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
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As of Monday morning, the US has confirmed more than 39,000 cases of COVID-19 and 477 deaths.
A week ago, the United States had 4,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. By Monday morning, more than 39,000 people were sick in the US and at least 477 people had died.
As states brace for triage and clamp down on nonessential social and economic functions, US Surgeon General Jerome Adams has a warning: In the immediate future, the outbreak in the US will get worse.
“I want America to understand: This week it’s going to get bad,” Adams said on the “Today” show Monday morning.
“Right now there are not enough people out there who are taking this seriously,” he added.
In particular, many young people aren’t following authorities’ public-health guidance. Crowds are gathering in Washington, DC, to take in the blooming cherry blossoms, Adams said, and Californians are still going to the beach — but now is no time for leisurely social activity.
“Everyone needs to act as if they have the virus right now,” Adams told NBC News. “So, test or no test, we need you to understand you could be spreading it to someone else. Or you could be getting it from someone else. Stay at home.”
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Officials are preparing for America’s healthcare infrastructure to be stretched beyond its limits. Experts have estimated that millions of Americans could end up in the hospital because of the coronavirus, and there may not be enough beds and medical equipment to treat them if the US has too many cases to deal with in a short time.
“We’re not going to ventilator our way out of this problem. We’re not going to treat our way out of this problem,” he said.
“The way you stop the spread of an infectious disease like this is with mitigation measures and preventing people from getting it in the first place.”
See Adams’ interview with NBC News here »
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